How does one describe the appreciation they have for a foreign city?. Budapest is my foreign city. I spent just under two days here and i cannot wait to go back again. I found the people to be so warm and good humoured, especially when they didnt not speak english and i just smiled and nodded at their hungarian.
It is said that Hungarian is one of the most poetic languages in the world and also one of the happiest cities around. I dont doubt it either claims. I did not see one unsmiling face the entire time i was here and many locals were more than happy to ask if i needed help while staring blankly at the metro map. Including the charming young boy who lost my money in the vending machine i already knew how to opperate haha.
We arrived in Budapest sometime in the afternoon. The sky was very grey and threatened snow and our hotel was huge!. The first thing i noticed at the said hotel was the giant swimming pool and sauna. I was the first one in both and the first one out of the sauna at the arrival of the old man in budggie smugglers. A real shame seeing as the Russian polo, the French ping pong and Italian soccer teams and I were just starting to communicate (my God they were amazingly gorgeous. and then there is me with my netherlands tan and sauna hair!)
It is said that Hungarian is one of the most poetic languages in the world and also one of the happiest cities around. I dont doubt it either claims. I did not see one unsmiling face the entire time i was here and many locals were more than happy to ask if i needed help while staring blankly at the metro map. Including the charming young boy who lost my money in the vending machine i already knew how to opperate haha.
We arrived in Budapest sometime in the afternoon. The sky was very grey and threatened snow and our hotel was huge!. The first thing i noticed at the said hotel was the giant swimming pool and sauna. I was the first one in both and the first one out of the sauna at the arrival of the old man in budggie smugglers. A real shame seeing as the Russian polo, the French ping pong and Italian soccer teams and I were just starting to communicate (my God they were amazingly gorgeous. and then there is me with my netherlands tan and sauna hair!)
View from my hotel room
The following day began with a bus tour with our local guide, she was a great asset seeing as every monument and building in Budapest has multiple historical significance.
Heroes square featuring me :) so excited i forgot to cross at the pedestrian crossing as i ran here!
Our first stop was the Heroes Square- The sqaure features the statues of the leaders of the seven tribes that founded Hungary in the 9th century as well as the Arch-Angel Gabriel holding the crown of the first King of Hungary. The memorial was created for the one thousandth anniversary of Hungary in 1896 but like any job site was behind schedual and finished later in 1900. There were many more figure such as the Greek gods of war and Sun. It was very intricately designed and heavily laden with metaphors. I really enjoyed our tour guides descriptions of it all.
We moved on quickly from the Square and took a bus tour through the city, we passed the jewish synagogue- heavily damaged in the war, the world class Opera house where many well to do and fancy persons have been seen over the years and finally we found ourselves ascending a look out point from the surrounding mountain. This part of the day was fantastic- despite the poor visibility (and photo quality) Buda and Pest (the city is divided by the Danube river creating the two sides) were lain out below us. It was fantastic. The Old fort during WWII had been built here with a perfect view over the surrounding coutryside and many old machine weapons were left for historical preservance.
The view and my very unclassy stradle upon the machine gun- and yes im wearing a soviet union hat. Not one of my finer moments...
After many slips and slides on the way down we were once again on the bus and off to our next stop. The Fisherman's Bastion, Castle District and Church of St. Matthias. This place was something out of my wildest dreams. Gothic teraces, cobblestoned streets, the old palace, WWII bullet holes a tiny community wthin the old palace wall complete with own school, shops and police!
Fisherman's Bastion... isnt it fantastic! i could have spent all day walking through here.
Again the monuments here were riddled with history (god i love history!) The Fisherman's Bastion is named for the guild of fishermen responsible for defending these city walls in the Middle Ages and the seven towers upon this wall again represent the seven Magyar tribes who founded the Hungarian state.
Statue of King Stephen I and the St. Matthias, you can also see the snow on my camera lens, frustrating! haha
Inside the courtyard there is a Statue of King Stephen I the first King of Hungary and as you pass him you are confronted with the amazing sight of the Church of St. Matthias. Having been rebuilt many times after countless invasion their was once an incredibly old statue of the virgin mary discovered hidden in the walls when a cannon blasted through the interior.
Bullet holes in the old armoury and a quaint archway on my wanderings
It was a delight to wander through the castle district, stopping to look into the quaint self surviving shops and warming ourselves with a coffee in a cozy cafe. After coffee we stopped to quickly look at the Buda Castle which was not as impressive close up as from below the city, what was cool though was the vertical rollercoaster lift from the city upto the castle district. No time for trying that out however, i was once again beign roused on for being late and rushing for the bus to the parliment house. something about offical appointment times and all that jazzzzzzzzzzzz.
It was a delight to wander through the castle district, stopping to look into the quaint self surviving shops and warming ourselves with a coffee in a cozy cafe. After coffee we stopped to quickly look at the Buda Castle which was not as impressive close up as from below the city, what was cool though was the vertical rollercoaster lift from the city upto the castle district. No time for trying that out however, i was once again beign roused on for being late and rushing for the bus to the parliment house. something about offical appointment times and all that jazzzzzzzzzzzz.
Parliment house from the riverside and the carpark side. it gets even more impressive on the inside :)
Parliment house was by far one of the most impressive buildings i have ever seen. It is on the waterfront of the Danube river and is three separate buildings all joined together and as in typical hungarian style the outer facade has statues of its founding tribes, kings and historical figures, coat of arms and shields feature on the stained glass windows and there is/ was mountains of gold in laid into any surface possible in the interior. Apart from watching one of the boys stumble into a dignified parlimentary figure my favourite site of the day was the the hexadecagonal (sixteen-sided) central hall in which the The Holy Crown of Hungary is displayed amidst james bond style laser security and fancy red ropes!
Historical figures keeping guard upon the 16 sides of the chamber and THE crown...
The Crown was the first in Hungary and worn by around 50 kings up until the 12th century- after hearing this i realised the great importance of the crown and hence the crazy security measures.
After our tour ended we were lucky to have some free time to ourselves. after many days of being herded about i was glad to be finished with rushing to the bus. I set of with Nikki and James towards St. Stephens basillica. Home of the mummified hand of St. Stephan aka. King Stephan I.
After our tour ended we were lucky to have some free time to ourselves. after many days of being herded about i was glad to be finished with rushing to the bus. I set of with Nikki and James towards St. Stephens basillica. Home of the mummified hand of St. Stephan aka. King Stephan I.
St. Stephens basillica- interior and exterior. Inside was very peaceful and very grand, the two dont often go together...
The church inside was beautiful, one of the things Nikki had said that really struck a cord with me was to do with Pagan farmers entering a place like this in the middle ages and being told of the wonder of god. No wonder religion was seen as a salvation to them. And that must be sort of similar to all the brothers now preaching in rural and destitute places in Africa and Asia.
The casing over the mummified hand, I could see the hand but we were only allowed one picture, to preserve the sterile conditions of the hand... you can imagine though that the hand had shrunk, it was brown, and quite unimpressive. although still looking great for a 1200 yr old hand
The mummified hand was quite something, im kicking myself for not remembering how this church came about to have such a hand in its reliquary, although seeing as St. Stephan was responsible for converting the kingdom to christianity i believe this is probably the reason. After a very thought provoking trip round the church i left Nikki and James in the hands of a friendly local (who i later found out took them all the way across town to the giant market hall, the opposite way to which he was going) and headed off to the Szechenyi Bath house- The largest medicinal bath house in all of Europe and one of the oldest in Budapest.
The outdoor thermal pools where i spent most of my time, i met the loveliest british tourists here. they kept me company and talking when i thought my mouth would freeze haha
The best part though is that the water for the baths is all natural, it comes from the two springs underneath the building and the water must be cooled from 75 degrees to 38 degrees before we are able to use it!!! i know right. the british tourists couldnt believe it when i told them either haha.
i had a truly fantastic time here. i enjoyed my lounge around in the outdoor bath, i sunk all the way upto my neck and was glad to escape the snowy -5 degrees. although at times i would get out and use this snow to cool off before going in for another round. my only complaint about my time here was that some jerk stole my hotel towel and i was left to walk around in the cold looking for it before paying for a new one. Luckily the gentlemen at the desk was understanding and gave me the towel for free! just like i said. I love Hungary and its people. I couldnt stay long to thank my new friend however as i was required on the farwell dinner cruise along the Danube.
The spread... and the dining crew, Alister, Jeremy, Paigey and mwaself :)
Budapest from night is beautiful im kicking myself for not taking any photos myself. The parliment house and Castle district were beautifully lit up and mangificent in the clear night. The food was also excellent and before i knew it we were once again wandering the streets looking for another watering hole to dance the night away. We found a dingy pub with grumpy bouncers and a lively crowd. I was also amused that after travelling to Hungary i should find myself watching a football game featuring the local team from friesland. I cant escape this place i tell you haha!
Many of the group departed earlier than expected after a cat fight erupted over someone not wanting to take someone else to bed. not mentioning any names guys! I was glad to be away from the drunken tourist in that bar however and fell quickly into sleep, ready for a speedy run through Budapest in the morning to grab some traditional souvenirs and my last sights of the city before my flight out......
And so ends my contiki tour. with a speedy drive to the airport in Budapest, final goodbyes and a big kiss from mike at the amsterdam airport :)
a holiday i will never forget!
