Which Half is Buda and Which is Pest?

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Another overnight train and another early morning shower. Considering that Hungary had not long come out from under the iron curtain, it was surprising just how capitalist it seemed; advertising, markets, junk food and tacky tourist crap (but then I am one now). The roads were grid-locked and the whole place was so much busier than Prague. I suppose that I didn't really know what to expect, but I was surprised to say the least.

There was even a poxy McDonalds, which I was determined to avoid, especially as I had had a shower so didn't need to use their facilities. That was a good policy as the food on the markets was so varied and cheap that I would have missed out if I'd had the usual Big-Mac and stringy fries.

Again, a day meant a superficial tour. The River Danube splits the city in half. One half is the busy one that I've been describing above, and is called 'Buda'. The other half, however, is considerably quieter, although not as quite as Prague. This is called 'Pest' (assuming I haven't got them the wrong way round), hence giving the name 'Budapest' for the combined city.

The buildings in Pest are considerably less grand, but I think more attractive than those in Buda. It was like visiting two different cities. I walked along the walls of the old Citadell and enjoyed the views back across the river to Buda and the impressive Hungarian Parliament Building.

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Photos

Citadel
Walking along the old wall in Pest.

Fisherman's Bastion
The impressive old buildings in Pest.

River Danube
The view over the river from the Citadel.

Parliament
The Hungarian Parliament Building in Buda.

Parliament Building
Looking back to Buda from the Citadel.