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Published: August 13th 2022
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We arrived at 2 am and checked into the Marriott for a 3 night stay prior to our cruise. A late start the first morning. After a great breakfast we set off to explore Budapest. The hotel is on the Pest side of the Danube ie the flat side. We walked towards the Parliament building and stopped at the Shoe Memorial. This is a memorial to the holocaust victims who were asked to remove their shoes before they were executed as the leather in the shoes was considered valuable. We continued to explore the city and ventured towards Vorosmarty Square where we had lunch followed by an ice cream. There are ice cream stands everywhere. While having lunch we became aware of something we had not encountered in a long time. Smokers sitting at a table next to us and an ashtray on our table. Yuk.
We decided to book an evening cruise on the Danube which left close to our hotel at 8:00. This was the only way to see Budapest and it’s buildings at night. The boat was full, some of the commentary headphones did not work, the free drink was a bit watery and it started to rain
so they had to close all the windows. However it turned out to be a good cruise for an hour and we learned a lot about Budapest. The city and its architecture is beautiful at night.
Day 2 Budapest has many thermal springs and a series of public bath complexes. Today we walked to the Gellert baths. It was built in 1918 in the Art Nouveau style using the same deep underground springs the Knights of St John used in the 12th century and later the Turks. Users can have additional treatments or just swim in the many pools. There is also a sauna set at about 75 degrees and an ice plunge pool next to it which is set at -8 degrees. Very invigorating. We walked back to the hotel via the Central markets where we had lunch. Very delicious local food including goulash soup and sausage with cabbage. Paprika in everything. Accompanied by the obligatory beer of course.
Day 3
Today is the beginning of our 14 day cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. The coach took us to the other side of the river to board the Scenic Jewel. We
we’re supposed to be on the Pearl but it is stuck up river somewhere due to the current low water issues in the Rhine. We had already been informed that we would change boats at Passau and possibly spend the last two nights in hotels if the situation did not improve. There has been no rain so we don’t expect anything to change. Checked into our cabin and unpacked. It all seems familiar to other Scenic boats but slightly different. Drinks, dinner and bed.
Day 4
Our selected tour this morning was the Tour of Hospital in the Rocks. We boarded the coach and were taken on a guided tour of both the Pest and Buda sides of the Danube. Another perspective to some places we had already seen and great information by the guide. We stopped at the Fisherman’s Bastion which provided a great view over the city and river. We then walked to the Hospital in the Rocks Museum. The hospital was built in a 10km system of caves that run under the city. It was used in WWII as a hospital, then a vaccine laboratory and then again as a hospital in 1956 during the
Lunch at markets
Goulash soup, sausage and cabbage Hungarian Uprising. It was repurposed as a nuclear bunker in 1958. In 2007 it was renovated as a museum with many wax figures used to depict realistic portrayals of the use of the caves as a hospital. A fascinating look at the ingenuity of people using an under-utilised system of caves.
We returned to the ship for lunch and then set sail at 1:30 due to low water levels.
Day 5
Sailing to Vienna. The adventure continues…..
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Kerry Stubbs
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Looks fascinating. Would love to see more of eastern Europe