BUDAPEST -Virtual Travel in COVID TIMES

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11 May - So yesterday was bidding adieu to Moscow and travelling to Budapest. We had visited Budapest in 2015 and I had promised to return one day to relive the beautiful memories! And here we are! Yesterday was travel, reached late at night and checked into an airport hotel. Today shifted to an partment and after settling down a slow paced stroll along the Danube recollecting what we did 5 years ago was relaxing!. There is another charm in revisiting a place because you are not doing the touristy things. Just soaking in the flavour. Today we start at the Castle hil ,to enjoy breath-taking views over Budapest and the Danube . The Palace, National Library and the National Gallery. We then take a ride down the Castle Hill Funicular Railway to Adam Clark Square , then cross over to Pest on the Szecheny chain bridge - Continental Europe's oldest suspension bridge.We stroll around the city centre to visit the central market and finally, it’s time to sit back and relax on the river cruise.As we watch the sights gently slip by the beauty of Budapest overwhelms us.! This trip was planned for Croatia and Greece but If you start in a Schenghen country on a schenghen visa you don't require a seperate visa to Croatia so Budapest was chosen because its the easiest to cross over to Croatia.Moscow was a last minute addition because the flights are the cheapest via Moscow. However both decisions turned out fantastic!



12May Last year , today we were in Cairns. THIS YEAR my mind is playing tricks and flying out of my body and taking me to Szentendre ,a small town just outside of Budapest. It is full of churches, galleries, museums and cafes. Serbians fleeing from the Turkish occupation in the 17th century, settled down here and because of the Serbian influence the town has the Mediterranean feel. It is known as the town of artists and is a very pleasant place to spend a day. It is the perfect little town to wander on foot with winding cobbled streets, white-trimmed buildings painted in cheerful pastel shades, and flower boxes overflowing with blooms.Yes, catch a train. Found a convenient connection close by and took a sub urban train to a very quaint , pretty little town about 20 km away from Budapest. Szentendre is located on a hilly terrain, on the bank of the river. It is so very pretty and cute, serene surroundings, sweet little houses, narrow ( I mean reallllly narrow! ) streets meandering through the town, a nice square where local people were displaying their craft- it being a Sunday- music being played and small pubs full of holiday makers - a picture perfect setting. Enjoyed about three hours , had their local food Langoos- a pizza kind of thing- different flavour tho- and came back in time to see the buildings and bridges illuminated. What a sight! You will agree when you see the photographs! The reflection of lit up buildings in water, the boats crossing the lit up bridges, the palace, the churches and the jewel in the crown- the Parliament House building! It was breathtaking!

Another memorable day gets stored in my chest of memories.





13 May Today was a happy mix. Started with a walk to the Margret Island. It is a 2.5 km island on the Danube, lush green with recreational area, beautiful gardens, fountains, a Japanese garden and some medieval ruins.. On a bright sunny morning it was elixir for the soul. Surprisingly the 5km walk to and fro was not tiring at all and we could walk some more. Walked to The Parliament House - it is the ultimate in architecture and beauty in Budapest. An awe inspiring building , it attracts you by its sheer size . Inspired by the West Minister building in London, it outshines it because of the ambience set by the Danube right beside it. 268 m in length and 691 rooms, it is magnificent! Photographs do not capture half the brilliance of the building. Enamoured by it, we decided to come back after dusk. As we walked toward the famous Chain bridge, saw a heart wrenching sight- the shoe museum. The Shoes on the Danube is a memorial to the Budapest Jews who were shot by Arrow Cross militiamen between 1944 and 1945. The victims were lined up and shot into the Danube River. They had to take their shoes off, since shoes were valuable belongings at the time. The 60 pairs of iron shoes are modelled on the exact way they were left by the exterminated Jews. They are in all sizes and shapes, depicting that those killed included men women and children . It is one of the most moving memorials of that time.

By now we were too tired to walk up to the palace, so what do we do to relax a while? Budapest was as exciting the second time as it was in 2015 because then I was there physically and now it was a flight in my dreams!
Tomorrow we cross over to Croatia!

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