Travel With Me Tuesday: Last Night in Budapest Then Getting On the Plane

An early wakeup at our hotel and it was time to get on the bus to the airport. Breakfast boxes for the tip or the plane and a las look at Budapest at night. Leaves falling. Winter coming.  The end of a long but interesting trip. It was the ideal time for a trip like this.

Travel With Me Tuesday: Final Day in Budapest

Travel With Me Tuesday: Finishing Up a Busy Day in Budapest

Our afternoon at the artist village did give me a chance to have a cup of tea that gave me enough caffeine to have energy for the evening. The walk really helped too. I loved the music and dancing which took me back to things I heard as a child. It was a nice note to end on.

Travel With Me Tuesday: Budapest - Off the Boat and Around the City

Travel With Me Tuesday: Hello Budapest!

The winter light upon arrival in Budapest was exquisite. Our ship took it's time meandering down the Danube to our dock in the city. As the Danube bisects Buda from Pest, the docks are central to most of the city. We would be getting off the ship for an extension and the other passengers would be leaving to fly home. But this night would be a 'pack your bags' for everyone.

Travel With Me Tuesday:Budapest Walk

Our rive cruise ended in Budapest and I found that after seeing so many little towns and cities, that I really didn't have the energy of enthusiasm to really explore Budapest as I'd hoped.  On our prior trip in 2008 the city still had the heaviness of a Soviet Block country. Buildings were drab and dirty and Budapest was no Prague by an means.  On this visit, 4 years later there was a lot of vibrancy in the people, especially the younger ones, many buildings has been sandblasted but there was more schlock present, a 'westernization' of the worst kind. Prices were higher and some were willing to talk about the local corruption that had replaced communism. It was a sad reminder of what could have been... Who knows, countries take time to evolve and where there's life there's hope.

However we did have an afternoon & evening that we enjoyed a lot.  Our first priority was lunch after we had been dropped back at our hotel. We were ready for walking and just looking around before we had an afternoon trip.

No tea for me this time but a nice looking teahouse.

A metro station we remembered from our earlier trip with the original tile work still in place and below some info on getting tickets.

While we didn't take the metro we walked under the Oktogon intersection to cross the street. Nice Christmas lights already up.

Aha! I spotted what I wanted to see. A food market, albeit small, it was a market. I wondered what would be available in winter. Hopefully not just potatoes and onions!

No, there was color in the market. Of course in a land where paprika chiles are a national heritage.

The grandma here had almost sold out which was good for her as she could get on home early.

Plums for homemade brandy as well as cracked and ready walnut. I could imagine Christmas desserts.

Just enough for a pot of soup. I love how the Europeans have long sold this kind of 'just enough' quantities.

No time for this museum but another trip, another year perhaps. Perhaps...

But finally Dick spotted a tiny place to eat. Really small and with a limited 'buffet' but just enough for two people who had eaten more than their share during this cruise.

A bowl of sturdy soup, a pickle & sauerkraut of course and some fried things. I was never really sure what we'd had but it was basic and good and we had time for just a siting down break which is always nice.

Then it was time to get back to our hotel for our afternoon trip out of town. We had a busy schedule on these three extra days.

Travel With Me Tuesday: A Full Day in Budapest

On this day, we had a tour of the State Opera House, pastry and coffee at Gundell Restaurant, free time and lunch on our own, and then a visit to the village of Szentendre.  A good day and I was glad all this was done in chilly weather not hot. Sightseeing is best done in not-hot weather but that's not the opinion of my husband. However, he knows to pack and dress sensibly after many trips. Layers, lad, layers.

Last week I left you at our arrival at the Opera House. While we are both somewhat philistine in regard to endless museums, having had enough of them in our younger adult days, he is still entranced by any opera house and wants to see it ALL.  Pas moi. I will give you a taste of our numerous photos.

No, it wasn't a crime scene, but to preserve the carpets and wooden floors we wore these booties. Not a bad idea and probably cheaper than endless washing and waxing.

A truly grand house, just the way one imagines an opera house to be. We were being led at the same time as a group of students. I wondered how interested they were but then on a school trip you need to take notes and be ready to report back in your classroom.

Our guide was quite pleasant and you'll note that she is dressed warmly and we mostly still had our coats on. No need for heat for touring.

This is the kind of decoration that I can take in very small doses. My husband loves over the top stuff.

We meet the students again, and we all meet Bela Bartok of course.

Finally we are ready to go and you'll note the paddle that she carries, not to spank, but to indicate we are an American group of English speakers. As if no one could tell ...

Back on our bus, we headed out to Gundell's, a place I was anxious to visit. The drive was beautiful and it was still mid morning on a Saturday so not a lot of people out yet.

Our guide, a young Hungarian who had grown up in Budapest, told us that his grandfather used to take him to this park below when he was young and when there was a political speech being given, grandpa took him away. Grandpa had little faith in Communism and remembered Hungary pre WWII. Our guide had an interesting family...

No ice skating for us though I used to skate as a small child and wonder if that contributed to my weak ankles.  Below, we arrive at Gundells.

 By now I realized my camera, my phone i.e., had a dead battery and so I had to rely on his photos.

Alas...the restaurant was not really open and only opened for us so it was rather strange sitting in an empty place with only our relatively small group. Kind of eerie...

However, the palacsinta (pancakes) were wonderful and had the place been full of others enjoying a coffee and dessert the occasion would have been different. I also remember this kind of pancake, crepe, from my childhood but many of our group seemed to feel it was rather odd. It was also still rather early and an afternoon visit would have been better I suspect. As for me, there is never a wrong time for chocolate.

Gorgeous table settings and I'm sure dinner here would be an very special experience. I wonder how long this place was out of reach for the majority of people in the city...

We were lucky to get this shot as the person we asked to take our photo was not at all used to an iPhone.

Finally I get a self portrait and show the tiled ladies' toilet area. I always love it when you have the solid wooden doors for each stall. Pure elegance.

Next week, you'll see our afternoon.

Travel With Me Tuesday: Budapest, We Leave the Boat

Day 2 in Budapest started early with our suitcases outside out door at 07:45. Naturally, we ate breakfast and then said Goodbye to the Vantage boat.  These days in Budapest were an optional addition to the trip so 'our group' was much smaller now.

Off the boat and up the ramp to a waiting bus which would take us on to a full morning's worth of sightseeing.

The morning drive through the city had me looking at the buildings and trying to remember how the city looked when we visited in 2008. Some looked the same, just cleaner, while others looked more recent.

No time for the Central Market but then again we had no cooking ability either. But I remembered how much good was available on our last visit.

We were told that some beautiful buildings were being converted into high priced apartments. Some were sold and others were still for sale. Not all the full shutters were open this morning.

The late autumn morning was still overcast but sun was promised.

Our first stop of the day was to be the Hungarian State Opera House.  We had been to the Opera here before but naturally the man of the house wanted to know it all!

Next will be the inside and more!