Short trip to Budapest

---

When: March, 2009

Place: Budapest, Hungry

Short trip to Budapest

Budapest travel as a lucky one when thought to see the nearby place of Bratislava. We (Office colleagues) came to know that the train leave around 10 am and reached to Budapest around 2:30 or 3:30 pm. Time was short so just thought to take the best advantage of it and see the most famous there.

From the train station, we have taken the under-ground metro to travel to ‘Buda’ which is the oldest part of the city and containing the Castle and best known attractions. The moment we step out of the underground metro, saw a different Europe. A Europe which is still in it’s developing stage and poverty can be seen around easily. Hawkers around the metro, selling the souvenirs and maps. Wow! Time was short so we seek someone’s help to show the way to Castle. A good fella helped us to catch a bus which goes towards the Castle.

In a short time we reached to Castle. The first castle was built in the thirteenth century after Mongol tribes had invaded Hungary. King Béla IV built a keep surrounded by thick walls in 1243. The main structure of the Buda Castle, known as the Royal Palace. Today, Castle Hill is recognized as a World Heritage Site, and has many must-see attractions, Gothic arches, eighteenth-century Baroque houses and cobblestone streets.

Next, moved to Matthias Church. Matthias Church is one of the oldest buildings in Buda. It’s not only a church, but a museum as well. It’s frescoes are the works of famous Hungarian painters.

Then we went to Fishermen's Bastion. It is only 100 years old and is a favourite lookout. In medieval times, the fish market was nearby and the bastion was built to commemorate the fishermen who protected this part of the city. The seven tent-like turrets symbolize the seven Hungarian tribes that arrived to the Carpathian Basin in 896.

There we have seen couple of sculptures like Fishing Children Fountain, Statue of Prince Eugene, Ornate Gate
at the Habsburg Steps.

While ending our day, we took the underground metro and was travelling towards the main station to go back to Bratislava. In between, we met a person, who indeed asked us whether we are from India, and mentioned few Indian movies star and singing in rhythm of Indian songs. We told us to get down in next 2 stop and see the marvellous view. We didn’t know what he mentioned by that but the moment we step out of metro station, to our amaze, we saw a massive lighted building. That building is ‘Hungarian National Parliament’, in front of the River Danube.



Finally this short trip ended in the happiness of visiting another historical city of Europe and Ottoman Empire.

---