Day One: Budapest

Well, if you were following yesterday's "excitement", I can confirm that Kath finally did arrive at 1 this morning, tired but here!  And, if you follow Canadian hockey at all, you know the Maple Leafs (her team- NOT mine) started their playoff run last evening which meant, coincidentally, the game started here at 1 am.  So, in spite of being tired, we did stay up to listen to the first period.  Needless to say, today we were bagged but at least not pummeled like the Leafs were!

Because the forecast said rain, our plan was to do "inside" things.  However, by the time we set off, the drizzle had stopped and the sky had only scattered clouds.  Further, it was about 24'.  Much better than expected.  So, we headed off with our first stop the Old Market Hall.  The food stalls on the first floor are very interesting with paprika being the star performer.  There were also lots of other offerings such as fresh produce, meats, honey, and herbs.  The second floor is probably more for tourists as it is filled with Hungarian souvenirs - peasant blouses, t-shirts, linens, and other more kitschy stuff.  It was all quite interesting but I am pretty sure this will be our first and only stop here.  We bought nothing.

    

Leaving by the market's front entrance, we noticed a stop for the Hop On/Hop Off buses.  We talked to the tickets sellers and ended up purchasing a 3-day pass for the price of a 2-day one.  It cost 7500 HUF or about $34 CAD.  Because it included 5 different bus routes, 2 cruises on the Danube (day and evening) plus a 2 hour walking tour, we thought that was a pretty good deal.  Moments later we were on a bus taking the "yellow line" which gave a good overview of Budapest - explaining how one side of the river is Pest and the other, Buda.  On the Pest side, we drove by the Museum of Natural History, the Jewish Quarter, the train station, and several squares.  We then drove over the Liberty Bridge, saw the Gellert Hotel and, further along, the funicular up to the Castle area.  Driving along the banks of the Danube, we had great views of the Parliament Buildings before crossing back to Pest on the Margit (Margaret) Bridge with its views of Margit Island where the residents of the city go during the summer for its beaches, parks, picnic areas, and family attractions.  No cars are allowed on the island except for public transport.  The Parliament Buildings (always the backdrop for the Viking River Cruise ads on TV) are the largest building in the country.

The Chain Bridge

That circuit completed, we were getting hungry so wandered along Vaci Utca, the main pedestrian street, lined with brand name stores and lots of restaurants and bars.  We settled on La Cucina for our lunch stop.  I had eaten there the last time I was in Budapest.  Afterwards, we continued along Vaci Utca until close to its end.  

An interesting "fruit art" stall in a market in Vaci utca

After a quick walk through the Four Seasons Hotel, we walked to St. Stephen's Basilica where Kath spent a few minutes inside.  Our next destination was the stop for the "red line" tour which would take us to Hero's Square and other parts of the city on the Pest side.

The lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel

On the bus, we drove up Andrassy Utca, one of the most glamorous streets in Budapest and often compared to the Champs d'Elysses in Paris.  At its end is Hero's Square (Hosok Tere), one of the city's major squares.  It is noted for its iconic statue complex featuring the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars and other important Hungarian national leaders, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Museum of Fine Arts and the Mucsarnok (Palace of Art) are also located there.  The square has played an important part in contemporary Hungarian history and has been a host to many political events.  On the other side of the square is a large city park (Varosliget) with the Szechenyi Thermal Baths, gardens, and zoo.  

The Thermal Baths

When the route reached a square not far from our apartment, we got off and headed back "home".  We were bagged.  I checked and, even though much of the day had been spent on buses, we still walked over 12,000 steps.