Budapest: Buda, Pest & Shoes on the Danube Memorial

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Opted for the bus tour of Budapest today. Another bitterly cold day but our only opportunity to have a look around. First stop Castle Hill on the Buda side where we visited the most beautiful church I think I have ever seen. Unlike the Catholic Cathedrals we have seen on the trip (which have been beautiful in their own right, but also a little over the top with their gold) this church had mosaic tiles and paintings. Outside in the viewing area we had a beautiful view across the Danube to Pest.

Street traders are a plenty in this area and I was hounded by one of them and I almost bought a "hand knitted" cardigan. Down from 60 Euro to 10 Euro then she changed her mind to Hungarian currency for which I had none. So got on the bus and she was still standing outside trying to get me to buy it up until the bus departed.

Crossed to the Pest side of the river to visit the Hero square monument. Again bitterly cold and as Bruce was still sick and I was starting to come down the a sore throat we decided to take shelter in the bus away from the winds as I had another place that I simply had to visit in the afternoon.

Returned to the ship for lunch and a break before taking a self guided tour across the river to visit the "Shoes on the Danube" memorial.

For those who haven't heard about this memorial is dedicated to the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–1945. They were ordered to remove their shoes before they were shot and fell into the river and their bodies swept away by the current.

A very sobering memorial and an opportunity to reflect.

However, I think that some people perhaps didn't read the plaques and didn't understand the significance of the memorial as they stood there posing for selfies and pretending they were about to fall into the river. I hope that one day they will realise what they did was so wrong and disrespectful.

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