Budapest

After a week on the Danube River,  we spent the next four days in Budapest, Hungary.  As we left off the last blog, we sailed into Budapest on a Friday night with the town lit up and glowing.  Spectacular!  Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities we've seen on this or any trip.  Dozens and dozens of historical buildings in the center of town are currently being renovated, and it appears the trend will continue.  

We are determined to visit again because by the time we hit Budapest, all of the travel began to catch up with us. We couldn't seem to shake the many bugs that found their way into our family. We were especially disappointed to miss the famous baths in Budapest but we figured we would keep our germs to ourselves. This city is so beautiful and has so much to discover, we will be back!

Our first day we visited the central market in the morning.   They are selling lots of things here: spices (especially paprika), pastries, linens, meat, ceramics, clothing, etc. So much to explore.

That afternoon we drove out of the city and into the countryside of Hungary. We visited a horse farm, watched a horse show, and toured the stables. The most interesting part of the afternoon was hearing the guide's perspective and memories of growing up in Hungary during the Soviet occupation in the 80s. He said that his parents, though educated, were stuck in whatever jobs they were given. They told him when he was just a boy that their situation and his as he grew up was hopeless. He said he is awestruck every day by how different his country is now. It was incredible to hear. We are so fortunate to be living in a free country. 

Allison and a pal.

We had booked another Airbnb in Budapest. Although it was a grand, palatial apartment with gold chandeliers and over the top decor, we were all 100% confident that it was haunted. No joke. After one very unsettled evening of sleep, we packed up, rolled our luggage over to a nice hotel on the central park in town, and checked in.   

One afternoon we caught a performance by the Capital Circus, which has been performing since 1889. The tickets were in Hungarian and what we didn't know was that the circus performance would all be on ice. We loved the show. They did all of the usual circus bits (stilts, juggling, diabolo, aerials, acrobatics, etc.) but they did it all in skates. The ringmaster spoke in Hungarian only and we tried to laugh in the right places. The audience was filled with families. This was a great taste of local culture.

Circus entrance

Another afternoon, Cameron and John walked over to the Buda side of the city, climbed the hills, and took in a tour of the Houdini Museum and magic show. You may not know that Houdini was born in Budapest. John knew this because as a youngster, he wrote several papers about Houdini.

Cameron helping with a few tricks

Cameron in front of Matthias Church

On another day we did quite a bit more walking around the city. 

Carol and Allison in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral.

John trying to figure out if the sheep like the music being played.

We have been together an awful lot, so we were all just fine when John found a new friend to hang out with.

The chain bridge across the Danube. We saw photos of this bridge that were taken after WWII. The support in the middle stood but the bridge was mostly underwater and completely unpassable.

A funicular up the hillside on the Buda side to the Castle District.

I think this guy was waiting for a taxi?  Or maybe a tip? I would have asked, but he was on what appeared to be an important call.

Somehow we ended up in the this restaurant for a very over the top fancy lunch - silver dome covered platters, waiters with tuxedos. Funny thing - we looked at the table behind us and the guy was wearing a CU shirt. Turns out they were from Denver and their daughter is a CU student studying abroad in Budapest. 

After lunch, we toured Hospital in the Rock.  This place was fascinating. There is a 10km natural cave system under the castle, part of which was made into a hospital beginning in the 1930s that saw its heaviest use in 1944 and 1945. Many patients were soldiers, and the hospital would treat any soldier who made it to their door, regardless of affiliation. Civilians were also treated here. In 1956, it was used again as a hospital during the uprising against the Soviets. When the museum opened in 2009, a woman who was born in the hospital came to the opening along with her parents! Its final use was as a nuclear bunker, which was never used.

After a long day of seeing the sights, a quick stop for some nourishment.

At the airport waiting for our flight to Lisbon, Portugal.   Two very happy kids pointing out our last destination.  Who's excited to get home?!

Danube River Cruise

We've spent the past week on the Danube River sailing out of Passau Germany, through Austria and Slovakia, and then into Budapest, Hungary.  The Viking Vilhjalm riverboat below - one of the longest boats you'll ever see on a river! 

If you come to the Danube you will see plenty of longships.

We spent the first night and the next day in Passau, Germany.   Another charming, walkable downtown with cobblestone streets, public squares, historic churches. The views never get old.

Saint Stephen's Cathedral

We visited St. Stephen's Cathedral which has the second-largest cathedral organ in the world - almost 18,000  pipes.  And we enjoyed an organ concert. Or at least the first songs of an organ concert - we cut out a bit early as some of us were getting bored.

Passau is where three rivers meet - the Danube, the Inn and Ilz.  

There's a park on the point where the rivers meet.

The next day we sailed into Linz, Austria. Just one more beautiful European city along the river.

The modern art museum in Linz on the bank of the Danube.

In the afternoon we went on a tour of the Voëstalpine Steel Factory - one of Europe's largest steel producers. We were offered a guided tour of the museum on the corporate campus and then a tour of the factory. Voëstalpine recently opened a steel plant in Corpus Christi, Texas and the display about this in the museum featured many cartoon cowboys. 

We yawned through the museum tour - and were wide awake when it came time to watch the hot molten pig iron made from hematite and coke flowing like a river in the factory.

After another night of sailing, we docked in Melk, Austria.  We roamed around town, and then visited the gardens of the 900 year old Melk Abbey - high up the hillside with a view over the river.

Beautiful drinking fountain

Melk Abbey from below

We left Melk in the early afternoon and took in the views along the river.

Later in the afternoon we arrived in Dürnstein, Austria - a tiny river town with a population of 500. Many of the homes here date back to the 16th century. Vineyards line the hillsides.  It was a short stay, but enough time to get in a picturesque hike up to the castle - mostly in ruins. 

The Kuenringerburg Castle is high up on the hill in the distance.

View from the castle

Next stop - Vienna.  We spent the day on our own touring the city.  Highlights were the Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens, the Vienna Zoo and a stop in one of the traditional coffee houses of Vienna.

The Schönbrunn Palace.

The gardens and greenhouse.

The Vienna Zoo. We missed the Panda bears back in Bejing and were hoping we would have another chance on the trip. Turns out they have Pandas in Vienna!

A traditional coffee house in Vienna - very formal.  I don't believe we saw a single Starbucks in Vienna!

Another day, another stop along the river.  Bratislava, Slovakia. They keep you moving on these cruises! Carol and the kids took a trip to a small village outside of Bratislava where they met a family who had lived on the same farm for quite a few generations. Prior to World War II, through the Russian occupation, and today. It was interesting to learn how life has changed here over the decades.

Our host and her husband come from a long line of ceramics artisans and they made and sold ceramics full time for most of their lives. After the "Velvet Divorce" dissolved Czechoslovakia in 1993, Slovakia has changed. Her husband now works at the Kia auto plant. They make ceramics only as a hobby now. They also use wax and paint to make beautiful eggshells. Here's Cameron learning how.  

I loved this manhole cover.

Back on the ship we enjoyed traveling through many locks along the way - the largest lock below.  Notice the depth change - we started up at the top of those concrete walls before dropping about twenty feet.

We also enjoyed some shuffleboard on the upper deck. We learned that the shuffleboard equipment is called "biscuits and tangs".  So much useful information we're learning that will come in handy when we get back home!

Notice Allison's score. She had the yellow biscuits. 

We were  fortunate to sail into Budapest, Hungary at about 9:30 on Friday evening.  The city is lit up like no other at night.  Every historical building (and there are lots of these) are glowing on both sides of the river as you sail in.  Quite a sight!



We did spend one more day on the ship here in Budapest. It was nice staying in one room for seven nights but all in all, we'd probably choose to explore places like these by car on our own. Even though we might not see as many things, we wouldn't be rushing through to the next place. One thing we've discovered on this trip is that we'd rather settle in fewer places and miss a few things than zip through trying to see everything.

We're staying here in Budapest on our own for four more days after we leave the ship - so our next post will fill in the Budapest details.