Last night on the way back to the hotel I stop by the grocery store and picked up a bottle of red wine to keep me company while I pack for my return trip home. Boo who. This trip has been far too short. I decided to return to St. Anne church for Mass; Budapest, Batthyány tér 7, the pipe organ was playing it's deep rich tones and was accompanied by a choir with robust strong voices. I noticed a woman sitting at the end of the aisle; she has stark white hair pulled back rather severely, she's probably 90 and has her hands folded fervently in her lap. Her hands reflect hands that have worked soil, kneaded bread and wiped away many a tear. During the sermon the priest must of been relating a humorous ... read more

Having already decided that I will be returning to Budapest, my pace has slowed to one of strolling and pure enjoyment in every site I see. Heading towards that Museum of Terror I take a new direction away from my hotel. Attention to detail is evident in everything. From front doors carved and crafted of massive pieces of wood to ironwork; the ironwork is arduously crafted. From accordion gates which provide security with details over the top, to balconies in courtyards and window grates encasing gorgeous giant red geraniums, craftsmanship prevails. Public places are everywhere, statues abound. New plantings are popping up all over the city. You can see some public workers that I caught in the act of pretty-fying a square near the hotel. More commentary on that public transportation; the trams are painted bright ... read more

Last night I retired early and lay on the bed for a while working with my pictures and on my blog. When I decided to turn out the light it was about 8:30. I started hearing a noise an annoying beep beep beep, beep beep beep; I remembered that I had seen a memo on the desk from the hotel that said , Dear Guests, We would like to apologize for any inconvenience the maintenance work on the front of the hotel may cause, please pay special attention to closing your curtains to protect your privacy as contractors may have access to your window from the outside." I assumed there was some barrier marking and feeling too tired to deal with the situation at the time I grabbed my noise reduction headphones and slept wearing ... read more

Enjoyed a breakfast of muesli & croissant with double espresso; the hotel has a beautiful buffet each morning and the staff was very attentive. The breakfast room was such a pleasant room to enjoy I decide to delay my adventure for the day and spend some time on my blog. Head out about 11 a.m. and catch the metro, then the tram to the Petrin Funnicular. Public transport is cheap, paid just 310 Kz or the equilivant of $15 for 72 hours and includes, Metro (subway), trams, busses, even the Funnicular. The queue for the funnicular was short and I boarded in less than 15 minutes. Unlike the Dresden funnicular which only had one or two other riders this attraction was filled to capacity. Built in 1891 the cable car was originally operated by water, which ... read more

I really wanted to see the Czech Traditional Musicians and Dancers but really didn't want to go on a commercial tour. This amazing trip has unfolded with such uncanny spontaneous manifestation I should not have been surprised when on the way to the metro an open air market was in full swing. Lo and behold they had these authentic and energetic performers. The men throw their legs in the air, tassels on their boots flying high. There were smokers made from wood barrels and the end result was the smoked fish you see. I proceeded to the Tower Park Prague, one of the few structures disturbing the unique panorama of Prague. The tower, stretching to all of 216 m, is by far the highest in the Czech Republic and during days of clear visibility it is ... read more