Day 14 – Budapest; Becoming acquainted with the Main Shopping Precinct.

09 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by KidazzleInk.com in Amsterdam to Budapest, Budapest, Time flies when you're globe trotting and river cruising, Uncategorized

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Budapest, Hungary, Info-walk, Pest, Travel and Tourism, Viking River Cruise

A door studded with Swarovski Crystals in the main city area in Budapest, Hungary.

Just after lunch on day 14 we excitedly joined our ever-obliging young tour guide, Valerie, for the very last info-walk of our Viking holiday. We were going to stroll through the main shopping precinct in Budapest, which is on the flat “Pest” bank of the Danube.

For D.B. and I this was going to be a rather important afternoon stroll, as we took in the various landmarks of the main commercial areas and hastily acquainted ourselves with the new city.

D.B. and I considered ourselves rather lucky, for we still had a further 5 full days ahead of us in which to explore this beautiful city of Budapest, before flying out towards the end of the week. These last two info tours on Day 14 (both the a.m. and p.m. tours) would later prove most beneficial in helping us to identify, and also prioritise, the important areas we would like to return to in the coming days.

Cafe in Budapest, Hungary.

We found the city streets were absolutely bustling. There were little cafes and souvenir shops selling many different traditional Hungarian products and handicrafts. There were many western chain hotels and charming little alfresco establishments. One of my favourite shops in Budapest was a smallish store that sold the most exquisite coloured-crystal glassware. Had I lived closer to Budapest I may well have been tempted to buy some of it. Well maybe just one piece…..as it was quite expensive.

As we explored the main street we saw several pretty young girls dressed in beautifully embroidered Hungarian folk costumes.

Pretty girl in traditional Hungarian costume in Budapest.

Another pretty girl in traditional dress, Budapest, Hungary.

There were also several interesting street performers eking out a living by performing for tourists on Budapest’s streets. All of it of this was of course just wonderful to photograph.

One of the street performers was dressed in a fine silvery witch’s costume. In fact she was painted silver from head to toe and accompanied by a rather fine looking silver cat which also played a part. The witch was particularly intriguing, as she had meticulously refined her rather bewitching characterture. She could really be quite eerie…no make that quite scary to watch.

The silver witch, Budapest, Hungary

One young fellow was trying very hard to encourage his anxious girlfriend to have her photo taken with the wicked old witch but it all seemed more than the young girl could handle….she was just so absolutely terrified by this scary old witch’s persona and her sinister witching movements! The young girl would invariably take two or three steps towards the old witch and then run…obviously terrified back in the direction of her boyfriend. I myself even thought I could hear witch’s gleeful cackle as the young girl ran!

I’m still not sure whether they actually ended up getting that photo or not as our group was again moving on. And you know…..by now this rather sweet but “not so young” Viking River Tourist wasn’t taking any chances of getting lost or even separated from her group again. For more on that story you might like to read my story on Lost in Regensberg!

A Modern Day Fairy Tale

She now always made sure she dutifully followed her Viking River Cruise tour guide! After all she’d already learnt her own scary lesson when she’d got lost in Regensberg just a few short info-walks ago!

Vase at Crystalacarte.com

Budapest city area, Hungary

My love for Budapest (alexamazza.wordpress.com)
Budapest, Hungary (coeycoo.wordpress.com)
Budapest: 5 things I’m looking forward to (ournextsunrise.wordpress.com)
Day 14 – Budapest; A City to Watch in the 21st Century. (kidazzleink.com)

Day 14 – Budapest; A City to Watch in the 21st Century.

06 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by KidazzleInk.com in Amsterdam to Budapest, Budapest, Hungary, Uncategorized, Viking River Cruise

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Buda, Budapest, Danube, Fisherman's Bastion, Heroes' Square, Hungarian Parliament Building, Hungary, Matthias Church, Pest

Straddling both sides of the mighty Danube, Budapest, Hungary is currently reported to be one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in Europe. It famously combines what were originally two separate cities, namely the green, hilly, castled side of the Danube known as “Buda” on the cities’ West, and the sprawling, flat shopping and suburban plain area known as “Pest” which runs along the East of the Danube.

According to Time Magazine it has already been recognized as one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe. Some have even labeled it “Paris of the East”.

Fellow bloggers, Terri and James Vance over at “GALLIVANCE” recently noted that the well respected Condé Nast Traveler magazine had just referenced Budapest as Number 2 in its “Top 25 Cities of the World”, 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards.

You know, I have to admit it….I myself was in no way prepared for the absolute beauty that lay before us as we headed out to explore. I soon found that most areas of old Budapest (pop about 1.8 million) were literally lined with amazingly palatial, architectural, religious and historical gems.

Michelle taking in the beautiful Views from the “Buda” side of Budapest.

Sure there were still areas of the city that were desperately in need of repair work after experiencing their darkest days under the Nazi regime and later as part of the communist bloc in the 20^th century.

But everywhere we went we saw outstandingly intricate and amazingly ornate detail, even on buildings that were still badly in need of repair and renovation. Budapest is a city that was obviously originally built on the very grandest of scales, and….. I’m guessing, in a somewhat similar fashion to the ever enchanting Vienna which of course I happen to love dearly.

Story has it that one famous monarch, namely Queen Elizabeth (often better known as Queen Sissi) of Habsburg Royal Family fame, had in fact taken a quite a personal liking to Budapest. It is believed she chose to spend significant amounts of time in her beloved Hungary whenever she could. It is only personal speculation on my part, but perhaps some of this cities’ wonderful historical finery may actually stem from her private love and early nurture of the young cities growth. I’m not really sure but I could hazard a guess to say that this may well have been the case.

Anyway…finery there was aplenty.

We began our bus tour on the flat “Pest” side of the city, travelling along the beautiful tree-lined avenue known as the Andrássy út which I believe is thought to be very similar to the famous Parisian Champs–Élysées. We journeyed on past the Budapest Opera House and up towards the grand Millennium Memorial in the Heroes’ Square which was completed at the beginning of the 20^th century.

Heroes’ Square Budapest, Hungary.

Palace of Art in Heroes' Square in Budapest, Hungary.

Palace of Art in Heroes’ Square, Budapest, Hungary.

Later we journeyed through the old Jewish Quarter and then along past the famous Budapest Market Place before actually crossing the Danube to explore the “Buda” side of the city. From there we traveled on past the vernacular leading up to the Grand Budapest Castle sitting atop Castle Hill.

Buda Castle in Budapest.

We were all rather eager to spend some time exploring the eclectic architectural mix of the area with its old historical Matthias Church (also sometimes known as the Church of Our Lady), The Fisherman’s Bastion, The St Stephen Monument and so much more.

Exterior of Matthias Church

Beautiful detailed interior of Beautiful detailed interior of the Matthias Church, Budapest.

More of the wonderful detail inside the Matthias Church in Budapest.

Last photo showing the interior of Matthias Church, Budapest.

We were totally mesmerized by the views from up on top. We could see such a long way…right up along the Danube and way out over the “Pest” plains to the East.

Holy Trinity Column, Fisherman’s Bastion area in Budapest.

And of course there were also the absolutely breathtaking views of the stately Hungarian Parliament Building that had been constructed in the late 19^th century. From the Fisherman’s Bastion you can see it in all of its Neo-Gothic Majesty as it rises up from the Eastern Bank of the Danube. I’ve read that it houses some 691 rooms and over 20 kilometers of stairs….how amazing!

Oh what a wonderful Vista it was.

But wait. I’m told Budapest has actually one more claim to fame and that is as the “City of Beautiful Panoramas”…..and for very good reason I would suggest.

View from the Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest.

With so much to offer, I truly believe that Budapest will definitely be the city to watch in the 21^st century. It will undoubtedly continue to gather momentum as it undergoes further refurbishment and repair. I believe it could well reclaim its former title as one of the world’s grandest cities. It is already becoming one of Europe’s most well loved.