Return to Prague

Said goodbye to Budapest this morning, Pam caught a glimpse of one of the airplanes practicing for the Red Bull Air Race on the river, shame to have missed the fun. 
We enjoyed our 5 nights in Bratislava and Budapest.  Both cities are progressing so well with their infrastructure and making their cities look good.  They have the advantage of being on the Danube River so there will be an endless supply of tourist dropping in for a day or two.  They are not advanced as the big cities of Dubrovnik or Split but they both have so much potential and it will be interesting to see how far they can progress over the next few years.  It looks like the local authorities are pushing ahead with beautification programs so we are confident they'll be as good or better than lots of ancient European cities in the future.
Left Budapest at about 9 and had a few stops on the way and got home to Prague at about 4 (It's really, without stops, about 5.5 hours drive).  Sorted our stuff out and went for a walk down to Wenceslas Square at about 5.  Wandered around that area for a while, had some tea and got home about 8.30, just in time to get a message from Frank to say their plane from Greece had landed and they'll be home in an hour.  Looks like a late night for Hamish and Toby.

Big storm building over Wenceslas Square, the Good King was looking after us, nothing in it - sun came out and it was gone.

The New Town Hall - foundations laid in 1419.

I'd say this bloke isn't allowed to smoke inside - no problem, sit on the window ledge 6 storeys up?

I had a walk around while Pam was window shopping - I've resorted to tram spotting - very sad I know!

Day 2 in Budapest

Had an uneventful day, here are some photos.  Happy now???  I could carry on and I will.  Woke at about 6 to a thunderstorm and a bit of rain.  By the time we had breakfast and were heading out the door at 8.30 the sun was coming out and stayed out most of the day.   It was apparently the same temperature today as yesterday but there was a good breeze which made it feel much cooler.  

We got back on the bus.  Yes, we had a two day pass on the Hop On Hop Off bus and we knew what we needed.  There was a lot less traffic on the road and we went over the river to the Buda side of the city.  As you all know the city is divided by the Danube, one side is Buda, the other is Pest.  The river was the boundary for many Empires over the centuries but the city was united over 100 years ago and they call it Budapest. 

Our first stop was Buda Castle, up the funicular and wander around the castle grounds and into the museum entry area where they have a very detailed (and thankfully brief) history of the area and the castle in particular.  Franz Josep was the King here for about 70 years until his death in 1916 so there is some information about him but also stone relics from the castle dating back to the 1300’s.  Straight back on the bus to the Citadel.

It is the highest point of the city and is home to the Liberty Statue.  She overlooks the city and was built and installed by the Russians after they liberated Budapest from the Germans in 1945.  There were another 11 statues built and installed but I think the Hungarians came to dislike the Russians in their country so the others were removed after Communist system was dismantled during the 1990’s.  She is quite dramatic and she symbolises the freedoms fought for in the country over many decades.

Smoko time by the time we got back into town near the Cathedral at midday.  After smoko decided to have a look in the Cathedral and stumbled upon the stairs up to the dome.  We were promised 302 steps up.  I think those Catholics may be a little loose with the truth, regardless, we made it.  Not a bad view from up there.  Worked up an appetite, had lunch then walked across the Chain Bridge and back again to say goodbye to the Danube for a couple of days.  Made it home soon after 5, a bit foot sore, I’m sure we’ll recover, once the medicine kicks in?

See....told you it was uneventful!!

The trams here have 6 'carriages', and they have right of way everywhere.

Back on the buses.

Our first stop - Buda Castle.

Up here

In one of these

To look at Chain Bridge

And yours truly x 2

The gates to the castle

The place is so big it won't fit in one photo.

Pam posing under the King

Sandor Palace the official residence of the President of Hungary, next to Buda Palace.

Buda part of the city - tourist buses everywhere around here.

Hussar guarding the palace grounds.

The tunnel under the palace.

Liberty Statue - can't get far enough away to get a decent photo.  She is holding a palm leaf symbolising peace.

Dragon slayer at her feet.

Amazing views of the city and river

and the bridges over the river (Elizabeth Bridge, Chain Bridge, then Margaret Bridge)

Setting up for the Red Bull Air Race this weekend.

Back to the Cathedral

To climb up there.

Beautifully decorated, acres of marble and carved stone.

Painted ceilings

Stained glass

Looking down on the first flight of stairs.

To the top

Looking down on Cathedral Square

Looking towards the back of the Cathedral.

Inside the dome

Back at ground level

Chain Bridge guarded by lions.

View of Parliment Houses from Chain Bridge

What you need to do when it is stinking hot - dip your feet in a puddle of water.

Day 1 in Budapest

A cool and slow start to the day, just the type of day you need whilst on holidays.  Put the washing on, it’s some sort of alien contraption which is like an upright front loader with all the disadvantages of both and none of the advantages of either.  Needless to say we left the washing machine to sort itself out and went out on the town.

Despite all our previous experiences and all the sensible advice we give ourselves and others….we decided to do the Hop On, Hop Off bus tour around Budapest.  Before any libel criticism arises, we only did it because some of the spots we want to visit are up some huge hills, parking is horrendously expensive and parking is impossible to find near above mentioned spots.  Paying for a Hop On, Hop Off bus was always the cheaper option.  Not sure if anyone has experienced this mode of transport.  If not – get yourself a park somewhere in a car park and sit and look around for a couple of hours – you get the idea.  We got on at 10.30 for a 2 hour trip.  We got off at 1pm, half way around the route and could have walked the rest of the route in half the time it took for the bus, stuck in traffic, to drive.  At one stage the driver, obviously a local, decided to take a short cut.  We ended up in some residential area; we were on the top open area and nearly got killed by several overhanging branches which were not on the itinerary!!!  After getting lost a couple of times, perhaps we were almost in Vienna, we had to get off and find our own way around.

Luckily during our trip a market area was identified.  After alighting from our laborious transport we made a bee line for said market.  Beautiful spot, it had been a market since the early 1900s.  I was lucky enough to find a bottle of the local, historic and traditional vino, called Bulls Blood.  I bought a bottle, I’m sure it will take pride of place in Franks’ cellar, it will be a real surprise for him I’m sure?

From there we walked the mall of about 2 kilometres.  I walked home and met Pam at a previously negotiated landmark.  I did my best to geographically embarrass Pam, she didn’t take the bait and we met up about 20 minutes after our agreed time.  Pam had only done about half the mall, and as if by chance a miracle occurred, there was a pub right next door to H&M, I said a little prayer to the grog dog and went in and had a little shopping experience myself.  Thanking frog for small mercies…or something, another beer please!!!

As mentioned yesterday, a dinner cruise was in the wind.  We made ourselves available at 7.15pm.  It has been a stinking hot day today (34 predicted, probably up to 38), it has been a little overcast, there was a storm last night, but it looked pretty good tonight.  I bought dinner.  Pam chose the soft and smooth hotdog roll, leavened by processes using naturally occurring sourdough microbes.  The accompanying cylindrical meat product was a carefully selected ground beef combination with added herbs and spices to accentuate the rural aroma which was only accentuated by the addition of traditional red sauce derived from local tomatoes.  To complement this course she chose a fine white wine, local produced and aged in the Hungarian wine fields.  Vernon had a hotdog with mustard sauce and a local rough red.

Our one hour dinner cruise got underway one hour late.  Not to worry, about 20 minutes in a thunderstorm (reliably predicted by the Queenslanders) rolled over the hill and struck the river cruise.  Everyone abandoned the top deck, Pam pulled out the umbrella, I moved ever so slightly away from Pams lightening rod.  The Captain had no spine and turned around, docking 30 minutes after he cast off.  We were a bit bemused but understood his reluctance to continue once the lightening started striking bridges and boats around us.  We decided to abandon ship once it docked and walked/ran through the storm to get home, very wet but still alive.  Pam was grateful for my assistance and guidance.

We arrived home and looked out on our alleged ‘city views’, which consisted of two crumbling buildings in serious need of repair.  Ironically these buildings have a new tenant – an all night nightclub/strip club!!!  We are so looking forward to a good nights sleep. 

As always Pam had the last word…. “I know you write the blog but, why, why, why, just once, can’t you just have a blog that reads – “Had an uneventful day, here are some photos.””

What would be the fun in that?

Mind those branches!!!

Chain Bridge

From below

and above

and beside

Tunnel under the castle

Workplace-place health and Safety Edition - man on a decaying concrete ledge seven storeys high using one hand as a safety backup as he repairs an air conditioner.

Castle in a hill

Art Gallery and Museum

Biggest Synagogue in Europe

The Catholic Cathedral

The selfie

Pam and the belly.  The restaurant behind is spraying mist to cool the customers.  the local authorities have also set up a few remote misters in the main town squares because of the current heat wave.

Another fountain

The shopping mall - they love their colourful tiles in these parts.

Inside the mall - full of food and craft.

Shopping time

Night cruise

Gourmet

Pam protecting herself from lightening. Amazing that only 2 minutes ago this deck was standing room only - a little lightening never hurt me....says Pam.....

Our view this morning 1

Our view this morning 2

Our view tonight - time to boogie!!!