Exploring Budapest

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Day 2 - Fri. Sept. 23 - Budapest



Our internal time clocks hadn’t yet fully adjusted to where our bodies were so we got up early and started our breakfast. John reported that the hot water abruptly ended during his shower and upon further testing in our bathroom we confirmed that the tank-less water heater had totally failed.



Thanks to the fact that both Mary Ann and John had purchased international coverage for their cell phones they were able to call George, who was leading a tour somewhere in Eastern Europe, to enquire about a possible solution. To prevent any possibility of further problems we had turned the unit off awaiting his instructions. During our initial conversation with him he asked that we take some photos of the unit and send them to him. During his return call using the photos as a guide he walked us through the restart sequence and to our great delight the unit fired up and delivered HOT water on demand. Four very happy travellers can now enjoy their daily cleansing without feeling that we were swimming in the frigid Great Lakes.



After a simple breakfast of juice, toast with jam and coffee we headed off to explore the city. The stairwell is an adventure in its own right and if nothing else it should certainly improve our cardio-vascular systems.



First stop today was the Basilica. Upon entering the building we opted to purchase tickets for their 2^nd floor museum, which provided a brief overview construction history of the building and its principle leaders, both religious and secular. An interesting fact that we noticed in the museum and elsewhere was that only two languages appear on signage, Hungarian and English. After touring the museum, admiring the religious artifacts and reading accounts on the construction of the Basilica we returned to the main floor and explored the interior of the Basilica completely.



Once outside we retraced our steps from the night before and walked the streets around the centre of Pest. At this time of day the architecture, the sights and sounds of the city were all vividly clear to us. This city is a remarkable tribute to European architectural styles, especially considering the amount of reconstruction that had to take place after the destruction experienced during WWII. Also impressive are the numerous statues and monuments scattered through parks and adorning buildings.



We worked our way through the back streets past the last remaining monument to the Soviet era then on toward the Parliament buildings at the river’s edge. There we encountered a bustling river filled with tour boats, working barges, and private pleasure craft. In addition we were surprised to find S.M.S Leitha, “The Oldest River Warship”. The hull of this monitor was constructed in 1871, patterned on the U.S.S. Monitor of the American Civil War era. Unfortunately over the last century the superstructure had deteriorated to the point where it had to be totally rebuilt. In 2010 she was re-christened and put on permanent display as a museum in front of the Parliament Buildings. The vessel represents a remarkable piece of naval power on the Danube. John and I took the opportunity to go aboard for a guided tour.



After a coffee break we headed back to the apartment by way of a park where the city had erected a monument/memorial to the Jewish population of Budapest who had been killed during the 2^nd World War. The memorial faces a unique fountain that reacts to humans and shuts off sections to allow you to step inside. Once inside the water resumes and you are surrounded by small columns of water.



By the time we returned to the apartment it was time for dinner. We have determined that you can’t move farther than 30 paces before encountering the entrance to another restaurant. Many of them have tables set up along the sidewalk and they are very busy, even late into the evening as it is still mild for this time of the year.



With our stomachs filled once again we headed back to the apartment, to read and eventually collapsed into our beds for another restful sleep.

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