Budapest

Our 2019 trip to Budapest was a return from an enjoyable stay two years ago Travel Journal - Budapest. This year was no dissapointment.

Our apartment was a few blocks from the Parliament building, so the location was very good with the Kossuth Lajos Tér Metro stop is just down the block. Our friends, Chris and Carmen Grant joined us for the week in Budpest. We had a very large apartment. Having a food store below the apartment was handy. We enjoyed great meals both in our apartment and at local restaurants. It was a 25 minute walk to the Central Cafe. Well that is if we walked there in a direct route. One day Karen I got quite lost and walked for over an hour before we found the restaurant.

A plus was that the Tram 2 line is close to our apartment. Tram 2 is known for its route that runs along the river providing good connections to different areas in Budapest. But, running along the Danube is the big plus.

On, on the theme of rails, one of the themes of this year's trip was to photography some of the major railway stations. The Keleti and Nyugali stations are beautiful. I have include photos from those locations on my travel photography set: My Travelling Lens.

Restaurants

Da Mario
Vecsey utca 3
1054 Budapest

We returned to Da Mario's and enjoyed our meal. It was located around the block from our apartment.

Central Cafe & Restaurant 1887
Karolyi utca 9
1053 Budapest

A little further away, it became a repeat designation a few times.

Four Seasons Hotel Restaurant
Gresham Palace
Budapest

Good food here, although the day Karen and I went for lunch offerings were more limited.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

I consider this bridge an iconic structure in Budapest and it became the focus of a number of photo shoots. The bridge opened in 1849, this was the first permanent bridge to cross the Danube in Hungary. At the time it was built it was considered an engineering wonder. Now, it carried traffic and oozes the mood of Budapest. Timing for this trip is right as in October 2019 both the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle tunnel we be closed for reconstruction.

Shoes Along the Danube

The history of Hungary and Budapest had an impact on us. It is hard to accept how recent freedom in the country was achieved, and what happened under German and Russian occupation.

Shoes on the Danube Bank is a memorial located on the Pest side of the Danube Promenade, just down from the Hungarian Parliament building. It is to honour the3,500 people were were killed by the Hungarian fascist Arrow Cross militiamen in Budapest during World War II. Ordered to take off their shoes and then shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies fell into the river. The monument has sixty pairs of shoes made out of iron. The arrow Cross Party was a far-right Hungarian party led by Ferenc Szálasi, which formed a government in Hungary known as the Government of National Unity. The government was in power from October 1944 to March 1945. After the war, Szálasi and other Arrow Cross leaders were tried as war criminals by Hungarian courts.

Castle Hill Tunnel

The tunnel connects the Chain Bridge with the residential Buda area ofKrisztinaváros since 1857. The tunnel tends to fill up with care fumes from the traffic, don't walk it, but take a bus.

Buda Castle Hill Funicular is located near the entrance. The funicular, opened in 1870, is the second oldest funicular of its kind in the world. The funicular is the fastest way to get to the top of Castle Hill, and is exceedingly popular because of its panoramic views out across the Danube. Again, starting it October it will be partially or totally closed.

Citizens' Holocaust Memorial

This monument was erected during the night, dedicated to all the victims of Hungary's occupation. There were protests claiming the monument distorted the role of Hungary during the Holocaust. The monument, with Archangel Gabriel, depicts Hungary being attacked by a German imperial eagle. But, other say Hungary had a role to play in sending some 450,000 Jews to their death during the occupation. We also visited the Hollocust Memorial as well as the House of Terrors which tells the story of Russian Occupation of Hungary. It was unsettling to being informed about that terrible treatment of people took place.

Széchenyi Thermal Baths

These are the largest medicinal bath centre in Europe. The water is rich in sulphates, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and fluoride, which are believed to help patients with joint and medical issues. We had the better part of the day at the baths. This year we splurged and rented a cabin. That is the way to go and it does not cost that much.

House of Terror

Exhibitions about the successive Fascist and Communist regimes which ruled Hungary during the 20th Century. The building itself was the former headquarters of the Fascist Arrow Cross party, and the building was subsequently used as a prison and torture venue by the State Security services of Hungary.

Other Locations

Central Market Hall - The Great Market Hall in central Budapest is Budapest’s most famous marketplace.

City Park - The park is also home to the Budapest Municipal Zoo and Botanical Gardens, the Budapest Circus and the Vajdahunyad Castle (housing the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture). Great park well worth a visit.

Fisherman’s Bastion

It may look medieval but was built in the early 20th century in a neo-Gothic style. It is named after the Guild of Fishermen, which was responsible for defending that stretch of the city walls during the Middle Ages. The seven towers of the Bastion represent the seven Magyar tribes that helped to settle the Magyar people in the Carpathian Basin. At sunset there are great views of the city. Karen and I went there on a Sunday and experienced out-of-control tourist grid lock. But I wanted to photograph the architecture so I returned one morning at 7:00 am - a totally different experience. The walk up and down the hill was not that bad. Take the stairs that are to the right of the entrance to the Buda Castle Tunnel.

Momento Park

Liberty Bridge

Central Market

The Great Market Hall in central Budapest is Budapest’s most famous marketplace. the wrought iron building is impressive and this is the market for Budapest.