Hungarian Greetings!
Had a great day in Budapest today. Started with breakfast at the hotel this morning followed by a morning tour of the city. Our first stop on the tour was Heroes Square.
Budapest is actually three cities, Buda, Pest and Obuda, the Danube separates Buda and Pest. After leaving Heroes Square we crossed the Chain Bridge and climbed the hill to the castle district. Below is Matthias Church. This was the building that looked like a castle in the night shot from yesterday.
The view from here across the Danube is quite impressive. The majestic building on the Pest side of the river is the Parliament Building.
This was the end of the morning tour. We didn't have near enough time to explore all there was to see in the castle district. So When we got back to the hotel I started my own walking tour. I walked across the Chain Bridge.
Then I took the funicular up the hill. Below is the view from the top of the funicular.
Later in the day I climbed to the top of the dome of that church you see behind the Chain Bridge above. On our tour we didn't see anything on the Royal Palace side of the hill. They no longer have Kings and Queens here so it is now a Museum and art gallery.
Yesterday I showed you the Palace from my hotel. Below is my hotel from the Palace.
Had a great variety of weather today. Seemed like every hour we had clouds, some rain and then the sun would come out. Next hour it would do the same. Then in mid afternoon it cleared up nicely. Usually it is very hot and humid here in summer, so the temps in the 70s was very nice. After I finished exploring the castle district I returned to the Pest side of the river. Below is the church dome that I climbed. Take note of the clear blue sky behind the church. First picture of the entire trip to look that way.
Below is the view from the top.
Looking another direction below. You can see the Royal Palace over in Buda in the picture below.
Tonight we took a dinner cruise up and down the Danube at sunset on our own private boat. We had a very nice dinner as the sun was setting. Then after dinner we went out on the open deck and watched the lights come on in the city. It was very nice.
Tomorrow we are moving on to Austria and leaving this beautiful city. If I like every other place I visit on this trip as much as I did Budapest, it's going to be a great trip.
Tim
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