BUDA
Today we toured the Buda side of the city (as in Budapest)..across the water and up on the hill. Yes, as we have learned the water level gets high on the Danube and that is why they built the ol'castle up on the hill. Budapest attracts over 4.3 million visitors per year, and we can see why. It is the 6th most popular city in Europe. There are 18 University's here and I am sure the students help keep the city young in spirit. Spectacular on both sides of the Danube.
The Bude side is called the Castle Hill and the Castle District- across the water- it has 3 churches, 6 museums and a bunch of interesting buildings, streets and squares. Quite the hodgepodge of medieval. The former Royal Palace is one of the symbols of Hungary- and has been the scene of battles and wars ever since the 13th century. The Commie's considered buildings like the Palace symbols of the former regime and in the 1950's the palace was gutted and the interiors were destroyed. Today the Sandor Palace contains the offices and official residence of the President of Hungary. Must have done a do over...nothing Bev Thompson couldn't handle.
Pleep so wanted an invite to step inside for a peek....
changing of the guard is always worrisome for Pest, as the Pleepster has gotten in a jam at many of a changing....
Bringing new meaning to "Church Lady" Boca leads the way to St. Matthias. The seven-hundred year-old Matthias Church is one of the jewels of Budapest- in neo-Gothic style. It is decorated with colored shingles (new roof by the way) and elegant pinnacles. When the Turks occupied Hungary they turned it into a mosque- years later after the church was returned the building was refurbished and regained much of its former splendor. Yahoo!
Bude-Bub loves loves this church and how it is decked out....all walls are hand designed/painted in sub-dued tones...not all the glitz that Pest-Boca loves.
Next to the Church is an equestrian statue of the first king of Hungary, King Saint Stephen and a few thousand others...popular spot on weekends for the locals.
We take the stairs up to the Fisherman's Bastion for a superb panoramic view of the the city and Danube.
Lunch at Fortuna Restaurant....and Hilly always has Pest in stitches. And a good time was had by all...getting to be expert beer tasters.
Some of our passenger pals ended their trip in Budepest and newbies got on the MS Treasures. Oh no said Bude- Pleep will have to train the new group.
Sail away...our most fabulous Captain Patrick does a drive by of the city so we can all uuuu and ahhhhh. A perfect evening to take a sail in the hood...talk about a fairy tale look...
Yup, that's the ol' Parliament all lit up like Disney at night!
The chain link bridge was built in 1849 and tied the two cities together...
Magical...a definite must visit....we look forward to coming back for a longer visit....so much to see, do, eat and drink!
