Brendan is trying to find a comfortable way to sleep on a train--
finally found a solution -- so we had peace and quiet for an hour.The train station was unreal! We were forewarned about gypsies and scam artists, not unlike Rome, but this Renaissance station was like stepping into the past and awe was stronger than paranoia.
I felt like we were antelope being sized up by cheetahs waiting to devour us but we walked quickly with purpose after changing Euro to Hungarian "Forint" (HUF)
I felt like we were antelope being sized up by cheetahs waiting to devour us but we walked quickly with purpose after changing Euro to Hungarian "Forint" (HUF)
The first building out of the station had bricks exposed and while I knew Budapest was bombed heavily during the war, I also knew it is considered "Little Vienna" and the "prettiest city in Europe," so I had high hopes.
I wasn't disappointed. The first church we came across, St. Stephens, made us stop in our tracks and had the most gorgeous deep burgundy marble columns inside.
The dome was similar to Michelangelo's in the Vatican in Rome
It was possible to tell that the reformation had influenced the culture, there was no alter front and center or picture of Mary, but Christ dead center as the focal point. (This does not happen often in the Catholic world we live in)
We stopped and saw St. Stephen's hand that was encased in a box in the church and headed out into the daylight (Stephen was the apostle that the Jews had stoned because he spoke out against their sins. Saul/Paul agreed with putting him to death before his conversion)
I wasn't disappointed. The first church we came across, St. Stephens, made us stop in our tracks and had the most gorgeous deep burgundy marble columns inside.
The dome was similar to Michelangelo's in the Vatican in Rome
It was possible to tell that the reformation had influenced the culture, there was no alter front and center or picture of Mary, but Christ dead center as the focal point. (This does not happen often in the Catholic world we live in)
We stopped and saw St. Stephen's hand that was encased in a box in the church and headed out into the daylight (Stephen was the apostle that the Jews had stoned because he spoke out against their sins. Saul/Paul agreed with putting him to death before his conversion)
Continued our walk through the "Pest" side of the Danube River and went to see the Parliament building built in 1896.
We couldn't get near it as a visiting dignitary was en route but otherwise we could have gone in and roamed some of the 13 miles of corridors.
The style of the building was inspired by Westminster Abbey in London, Neo Gothic, which surprisingly one of the kids remembered from an earlier trip.
The temperature was nice for November low 60's and flowers were everywhere.
All the monarchs of the past and military commanders were supposed to decorate the outside walls but they had dogs and police tape so we couldn't get near enough to inspect, so we were off to explore the "Buda" side of the city.
He got us to Szechenyi bridge that was destroyed by the occupying German's during the war.
This was the first bridge built over the Danube in 1849, followed by 13 others
These giant lions are a symbol from Vespasian who was an Emperor in Rome who once ruled this part of the world. These lions have no tongue...whether that means that the Hungarian people had no voice as they have been ruled by some different sources the Ottoman empire, the Hapsburg's, the Soviet's, etc. or some other reason. I will have to do some further studying.
Walking across the bridge, I realize I have worn out my picture welcome-- my troops were mutinying. No one wanted to stop to pose and heaven forbid, smile.
Here Natalie is worried that I'll get left behind and keeps looking over her shoulder at me and urging me to "hurry up or you'll get lost"... usually my line to her and I had to laugh.
We couldn't get near it as a visiting dignitary was en route but otherwise we could have gone in and roamed some of the 13 miles of corridors.The style of the building was inspired by Westminster Abbey in London, Neo Gothic, which surprisingly one of the kids remembered from an earlier trip.
The temperature was nice for November low 60's and flowers were everywhere.All the monarchs of the past and military commanders were supposed to decorate the outside walls but they had dogs and police tape so we couldn't get near enough to inspect, so we were off to explore the "Buda" side of the city.
Problem was our map was in English and all the signs were in Hungarian. It was hard to figure out not only which way things were pointing but also what exactly they were pointing to.
But Steve is a master at directions, (fantastic for me, as I live in backwards world and always go the wrong way after inspecting a map)
But Steve is a master at directions, (fantastic for me, as I live in backwards world and always go the wrong way after inspecting a map)
He got us to Szechenyi bridge that was destroyed by the occupying German's during the war.
This was the first bridge built over the Danube in 1849, followed by 13 others
These giant lions are a symbol from Vespasian who was an Emperor in Rome who once ruled this part of the world. These lions have no tongue...whether that means that the Hungarian people had no voice as they have been ruled by some different sources the Ottoman empire, the Hapsburg's, the Soviet's, etc. or some other reason. I will have to do some further studying.
Walking across the bridge, I realize I have worn out my picture welcome-- my troops were mutinying. No one wanted to stop to pose and heaven forbid, smile.
Here Natalie is worried that I'll get left behind and keeps looking over her shoulder at me and urging me to "hurry up or you'll get lost"... usually my line to her and I had to laugh.
But the Danube river was beautiful and deserved a moment of reflection.
Climbed the giant hill up to the castle district to "Fisherman's Bastion"
It looked like a miniature fairy tale castle. It had 7 towers, each representing a tribe from the Magyar tribe that occupied the land in 896
It got its name from the fishermen who defended this section of the river in the middle ages.
We plopped down on the tower top walls after our climb up the steep hill and enjoyed the view of the river and city below. At least I have relented in this over the years, usually on my "force marches across china," I allow little time to kick the feet up and lolly gag-- I have an itinerary and want to hit and see everything on my list. Now, I see the importance of "slow travel" which includes people watching, coaxing squirrels with food and seeing boats sail by.
I never tire of columns and arches. They fascinate me in every country we visit-- proof that the Romans were ubiquitous.
Pretty little water supply-- reminiscent of Rome
Here is Rapunzel Natalie "letting down her hair"
This is a statue of the one handed St. Stephen. We thought it would be of 'King Mattias the Just' their beloved king in the 1400's who had a church nearby.
It looked like a miniature fairy tale castle. It had 7 towers, each representing a tribe from the Magyar tribe that occupied the land in 896
It got its name from the fishermen who defended this section of the river in the middle ages.
We plopped down on the tower top walls after our climb up the steep hill and enjoyed the view of the river and city below. At least I have relented in this over the years, usually on my "force marches across china," I allow little time to kick the feet up and lolly gag-- I have an itinerary and want to hit and see everything on my list. Now, I see the importance of "slow travel" which includes people watching, coaxing squirrels with food and seeing boats sail by.
I never tire of columns and arches. They fascinate me in every country we visit-- proof that the Romans were ubiquitous.
Pretty little water supply-- reminiscent of Rome
Here is Rapunzel Natalie "letting down her hair"
This is a statue of the one handed St. Stephen. We thought it would be of 'King Mattias the Just' their beloved king in the 1400's who had a church nearby.
Funny thing of note for those who watch the Amazing Race, this was a pit stop in season 6. Steve and I watched this program for awhile while we lived on Guam and loved it. We always joke when we travel and get lost that this misstep "might have just cost us the race"....
We headed down to the subway to head to Hero's Square. The cars were dimly lit and bit antiquated but we felt safe.
We would always joke that we knew when a subway was on its way, as Brendan's hair would experience "lift off" (Steve's always pestering him to cut his hair but I love the curls and refuse to cut it) and now it has a purpose
We had an encounter with the "Communist Ticket Nazi's." We tried to change from the metro 1 line to the 4 line, and they wouldn't let us pass. Apparently, you have to buy another ticket (about $3 each) to transfer lines. This is the only country in Europe that you have to do this. So, either you are stranded or you buy another ticket. At one point Brendan got separtated from us in the throng. Different 'ticket police' wouldn't let him pass because he couldn't find his tiny validated 1"x2" paper ticket. Thankfully he had and extra ticket in his pocket. It wasn't validated so technically he could have been charged a 60 euro fine (around $100). We considered ourselves lucky. This sorta soured Steve's opinion of the whole country.... Soviet mentality enacted. Steve talked to his friend in Budapest and he told Steve, that he was told in cases like this, you should just "run, they won't chase you!" We got a good laugh about that.
We stopped into Burger King and spent 3,200 "forint' on a tiny 3 pattied hoagie bun jalepeno burger, chicken sandwhich, fries and drink which was about $25. Ouch -- but sometimes the kids just want to feel like normal Americans in a foreign land-- so we obliged.
Brendan collects money from all over the world and these unusual mementoes were added to the collection. All I know is I would have a hard time calculating things and would have to wak around with a calculator.
We never saw any of the Soviet dictators statues that were supposed to be about. We learned they were all pulled and stuck in a museum somewhere after the fall of the iron curtain. Don't know if it is the "Paris of the East," but it is a beautiful city and we had a memorial adventure.
We headed down to the subway to head to Hero's Square. The cars were dimly lit and bit antiquated but we felt safe.
We would always joke that we knew when a subway was on its way, as Brendan's hair would experience "lift off" (Steve's always pestering him to cut his hair but I love the curls and refuse to cut it) and now it has a purpose
We had an encounter with the "Communist Ticket Nazi's." We tried to change from the metro 1 line to the 4 line, and they wouldn't let us pass. Apparently, you have to buy another ticket (about $3 each) to transfer lines. This is the only country in Europe that you have to do this. So, either you are stranded or you buy another ticket. At one point Brendan got separtated from us in the throng. Different 'ticket police' wouldn't let him pass because he couldn't find his tiny validated 1"x2" paper ticket. Thankfully he had and extra ticket in his pocket. It wasn't validated so technically he could have been charged a 60 euro fine (around $100). We considered ourselves lucky. This sorta soured Steve's opinion of the whole country.... Soviet mentality enacted. Steve talked to his friend in Budapest and he told Steve, that he was told in cases like this, you should just "run, they won't chase you!" We got a good laugh about that. Despite the irritations, I thought it was pretty city. It reminded me of Prague more than Vienna. I would have liked to have spent more time exploring the city. Who knows we may move their next.
We stopped into Burger King and spent 3,200 "forint' on a tiny 3 pattied hoagie bun jalepeno burger, chicken sandwhich, fries and drink which was about $25. Ouch -- but sometimes the kids just want to feel like normal Americans in a foreign land-- so we obliged.
Brendan collects money from all over the world and these unusual mementoes were added to the collection. All I know is I would have a hard time calculating things and would have to wak around with a calculator.
We never saw any of the Soviet dictators statues that were supposed to be about. We learned they were all pulled and stuck in a museum somewhere after the fall of the iron curtain. Don't know if it is the "Paris of the East," but it is a beautiful city and we had a memorial adventure.
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