Blogs from Budapest, Central Hungary, Hungary, Europe - page 9

Very nice buffet breakfast. We're starting to meet other passengers. About 1/3 are Aussies, Scenic being an Australian company. Next largest contingent is Canadians at about 20. Besides our friends, there are at least two other couples from Ottawa, and a few more from GTO. The next largest group comprises Americans, followed by Brits. So the languge of the cruise is English only. The crew is mostly central/eastern Europeans plus some southeast Asians and Indians. The ship will depart tonight, but we have one more tour arranged in Budapest: a visit to the Szechenyi Baths. Budapest has a lot of hot springs, and the period when it was under the control of the Turks has left a legacy of spas. Szechenyi is one of the largest such facilities in the city. We board our bus, which ... read more

Buffet breakfast at the hotel, where we meet up with our friends. Our designated mission today is to explore the remaining bus lines, orange and green. It is another really warm day with a forecast high of 28°. We have heard that this is unusually hot and humid for June and the locals are calling what we're experiencing a heat wave. From the Oktagon we transfer to connect with the Pest green line, which is offered on an electric trolley seating 10. The trolley takes us first past St. Stephen's Basilica, a huge church completed in 1905. The interior is apparently not-to-be-missed, but we will unfortunately miss it. The trolley then circumnavigates the Szabadsag Square to the north, which is framed by beautiful buildings and statuary. This circuit completed, we jump on the yellow line to ... read more

We are flying to Budapest by way of Toronto (of course). When we get to Pearson, there is first a gate change and then a delay caused by a lightening storm that prevents ground workers from loading the plane. In all, a delay of 1 1/2 hours in leaving. Otherwise an uneventful 9-hour flight. By the time we collect our bags at the Budapest airport, it is about 2:30 pm Friday. We are happy to be met at the exit by Gabor from the hotel (as prearranged). It's about a 45-minute drive to central Budapest. The urban sprawl surrounding the city is not terribly attractive. Lots of concrete structures and wire fences, many dilapidated buildings. One thing we notice is an abundance of wild flowers growing everywhere along the route, adding some well-needed colour to the ... read more

King Bela IV promised God that if his kingdom survived the Mongol invasion, he would offer his daughter as a nun. As a consequence, Princess Margaret was sent, at the age of 9, to live out her days in a Dominican convent on the island in the Danube at Budapest. She is said to have performed many penitential acts and died at the age of 29. Thanks, Dad. Due to suggestions from friends who had already visited Budapest, we made sure that we visited Margaret Island, which is now a huge park for recreation. What a change it was from looking at building exteriors in medieval towns! It was a great change of pace and a delightful afternoon.... read more

The aim had always been Budapest. But like the end of a good book, one wishes it would just go on. Anyway, our trip is only half over. Now we are on our own, deciding for ourselves what to do each day, where to go, what and when to eat... Stay tuned for: Budapest, Bratislava, Brno, Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam.... read more