Budapest - Sunday

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Hmmmm so maybe Budapest is the most beautiful city....... woke up this morning opened the curtains just as we were docking right outside the Budapest parliament buildings......what a view right outside our bedroom window. Later the start for our tour of Buda and Pest. Originally two towns on opposite sides of the river that decided the join together. Buda is the oldest side with a gorgeous fort which includes the Fisherman's Bastion that has a gorgeous view over the city and of course a very historical castle and cathedral. Here we visited a museum of List and were treated to a beautiful piano recital given by a Professor of Music from the university with a beautiful violin accompanist. This part has been built on a lot of limestone caves that have been joined together to create kilometers of storage that was used originally to store wine and later housed a hospital from the war years which is still there. Like just about everywhere else we visited this was heavily bombed in the war and some things have not been restored.

Over the bridge to Pest and we saw the parliament building, Hero's square and most interesting, the site of the beginning of the Hungarian revolution in 1956. There were 68 people shot while they were demonstrating on that first day and the bullets have been left in the wall. Shortly after Stalin sent in 2000 tanks and the revolution was squashed after a great loss of life.Tonight we have Hungarian dancers on board ad then we are going to cruise along the river to take in the lights. As you can see all the the city from the river it should be beautiful.

But right now I have to pack.........of to the airport in the morning .......will have to get used to looking after ourselves again.

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