Budapest – May 2016 June 20, 2016
Posted by freda in Birmingham, Michigan.trackback
This year Don’s position on the advisory board for MSX International took us to Budapest (as it did last year to Barcelona). We planned our visit around the 2 1/2 days of meetings, flying in early and staying afterwards. We flew overnight, connected through Amsterdam, and arrived in Budapest late in the afternoon of Sunday, May 8th. After settling into our room in the very nice Kempinski Hotel, brilliantly located in the heart of the city, we set off for a wander and a light meal.
It was just a few blocks to the Danube River, where we crossed the historic Széchenyi Chain Bridge. This bridge, opened in 1849, was the first to span the river, connecting the two cities, Buda and Pest. It was blown up by the retreating Germans near the end of WWII, with only the towers remaining, and rebuilt and reopened in 1949. (If you want a closer look at any photo, just click on it.)
Széchenyi Chain Bridge
from the Pest side, view of the bridge
lions guard the end of the bridge (reminding me of the Lion’s Gate Bridge in Vancouver), with the Parliament building in the background
like so many other locations in the world, locks adorn the Chain Bridge
lion on the arch
We walked back across the bridge and strolled along the river for awhile until we decided it was time to eat and watch the sun set.
sun set, reflecting in the Danube River
Cheers! 🙂
Early to bed (after a long day of travel) and early to rise. We had a private tour guide (and driver) booked for a 4-hour tour of the city on Monday morning. Andrea was excellent, and because her colleague was giving us a second half-day tour on Friday, we were able to adjust our program and take advantage of the gorgeous day by crossing to the Buda side, and going up to the top of Gellért Hill for the best overview of the city.
Budapest, with Chain Bridge
Elizabeth Bridge and city
At the top of Gellért Hill is the Liberation Monument, with a woman holding a palm leaf or olive branch (opinions vary). It was first erected in 1947 in remembrance of what was then referred to as the “Soviet liberation of Hungary” during WWII, which ended the occupation by Nazi Germany. The inscription at the base of the monument read (at that time): “To the memory of the liberating Soviet heroes [erected by] the grateful Hungarian people [in] 1945.” Included on the monument at that time were two heroic Soviet soldiers. After 1989, when the communist rule ended, they were removed (and can now be found in Memento Park, which we saw later in the week), and the inscription was altered to read: “To the memory of those all who sacrificed their lives for the independence, freedom, and prosperity of Hungary.” (Anything in italics is a quote, usually from Rick Steves’ Budapest guide, sometimes Wikipedia, or occasionally another source that I will name.)
Liberation Monument
From here we drove back to the Pest side, and as we went, learned a little about our guide, Andrea. She is in her 40s, so grew up under communist rule. My favourite story was about her family’s opportunity to travel to Western Europe when she was 14. She was, understandably as a teenager, blown away by all the consumer choices, mostly the chothes and shoes. But what she ended up begging her parents to buy her (and they did) was a little purple combination radio-and-cassette player! She was the envy of all her friends. 🙂
On the Pest side we did a little walking tour around the Parliament area, known as Leopold Town. First, the stunning Hungarian Parliament building, (which we toured later in the week, so more details then)…
Parliament – beautiful Neo-Gothic palace with Neo-Renaissance dome
in Kossuth Square behind Parliament, tribute monument to Lajos Kossuth, who led the 1848 Revolution against the Habsburgs
Transylvania flag on Parliament; pre-WWI Hungary included Transylvania; the Paris Treaty granted it to Romania
Next stop, the Imre Nagy monument, which was my favourite in this city of many monuments:
Imre Nagy looks back at Parliament
Nagy was a politician and lifelong communist, though is now thought of as an anti-communist hero. In the 1930s he allegedly worked for the Soviet secret police. In the 1940s he moved up the hierarchy of Hungary’s communist government. He was prime minister of Hungary in 1953, but his proposed changes alarmed Moscow and he was demoted. Then, in the 1956 Uprising, he was drafted to become head of the movement, with the idea he could find a ‘middle path’ between the ‘suffocating totalitarian model of Moscow and the freedom of the West,’ symbolized by the bridge he is standing on in this monument. The Soviets violently put down the uprising, arrested Nagy and executed him. In 1989, the Hungarians rediscovered him as a hero, and now Nagy keeps a watch on Parliament.
another view of Nagy
In Liberty Square there are two interesting monuments, both of them controversial. Ronald Reagan is respected in Hungary for his role in ending the Cold War, though apparently this monument was erected in 2011 to deflect attention from a brewing scandal about infringements on freedom of the press, of which the US government, among others, spoke against. This statue was a response to appease American concerns. It’s a popular stop for tourist photos!
Ronald Reagan, walking from Hungarian Parliament towards the American Embassy
The Soviet War Memorial commemorates “Liberation Day,” April 4, 1945, when the Soviets officially forced the Nazis out of Hungary. It is one of only two monuments to the Soviets that remain in the city, for good reason. Soviet troops *did* liberate Hungary from the Nazis, but then ran an oppressive regime. Most of the very many monuments dedicated to the Soviet regime have been removed to a fascinating exhibit at Memento Park, which we toured later in the week.
Soviet War Memorial
A little further along, another monument is the *most* controversial, and noted around the world: the Monument to the Hungarian Victims of the Nazis. It commemorates the German invasion of Hungary on March 19, 1944. An immaculate angel holds a sphere with a double cross (part of the crown jewels and a symbol of Hungarian sovereignty) while overhead, a black eagle (traditional symbol of Germany) swoops in, ready to strike. While the lack of “artistry” is enough to condemn this monument, the way it “white-washes” Hungarian history is what is so offensive to many. It would suggest Hungary was a peaceful land caught up in the Nazi war machine when, in fact, the Hungarian government was an ally of Nazi Germany for more than three years before the invasion. … Locals have created a bit of a protest memorial to the victims of WWII-era Hungarians (not just Germans) in front of the memorial.
monument detail
monument with fountain
protest to the monument detail
An article from the Wall Street Journal gives an idea of the controversy: http://www.wsj.com/articles/hungarian-sculptor-defends-monument-to-nazi-occupation-1406910612
Back to our walk: next we came to St. Istváns Basilica, St. Stephen being Hungary’s first Christian king. Like most Budapest landmarks, it’s not much older than 100 years, built for the millennial celebrations of 1896. It was designed by three architects and consequently has three different styles: Neoclassical, Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque. It is 96 metres high, equal to the Hungarian Parliament in height, suggesting worldly and spiritual thinking are equally important. According to current regulations, buildings in Budapest can not be higher than 96 metres, 96 being an important number given the country was founded in 896, and the World’s Fair was held here in 1896.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
St. Stephen above the door
most curiously, the signs of the zodiac are in the arch above the entrance
We got back in the car to drive up Andrássy ût to Heroes’ Square. This square-full of a monument was commissioned to celebrate the country’s 1000th birthday in 1896, which was also the year of the Budapest World Fair, though it wasn’t finished until 1927. It’s an impressive collection of some of the most important figures in Hungarian history.
Heroes’ Square
detail of the centrepiece: the seven Magyar tribes who first arrived in the Carpathian Basin (today’s Hungary) in 896.
left Colonnade, featuring rulers from the early glory days. The second colonnade features later important figures of history (no photo)
This was the end of our tour. We had Andrea and driver drop us in the City Park, right behind Heroes’ Square, where she pointed out the metro station to get back to the hotel, a few places to get lunch, and the entrance to the Széchenyi Thermal Baths, which we visited as soon as we’d eaten. Rick Steves considers a visit to one of Budapest’s many thermal baths to be *the* quintessential Budapest experience! Happily, wearing a swim suit is expected.
Visiting the thermal baths has a long history. Hungary’s Carpathian Basin is essentially a thin crust covering a vast reservoir of hot water. The Romans named their settlement near present-day Budapest Aquincum – “abundant waters” – and took advantage of those waters by building many baths. Centuries later, the occupying Ottomans revived the custom. Today, the city has 123 natural springs and two dozen thermal baths, all of which are operated by the same government agency and a part of the health-care system. Doctors regularly prescribe treatments that include massage, soaking in tubs of various heat and mineral compositions, and swimming laps. For patients the visits are subsidized. I can get behind this ‘prescription!’
There was a bit of a learning curve, but we got it figured out. We rented a locker room and towels, and changed into our own bathing suits (brought with us; though you can also rent them–eww!) and flip-flops.
love the grand look of this building – entrance
pool for swimming laps
the fun pool, with bubbles and a whirlpool, which was a riot – water pushes around this circle, whirling you faster and faster, almost impossible to stop or get out, until the whirling slows! 😀
inside: hot tubs of various degrees and minerals: 28c, 36c and 38c, plus a cold plunge pool at 18c
love the chess players in this pool!
the overview from above
if you’ve been following my blog at all, you know I love windows 🙂
We had a great couple of hours – quite revitalizing after the travel days and a long city tour. We figured out the metro and got back to our hotel for a little rest and internet time, and then we walked up Andrássy ût to check out a few recommended restaurants. We chose Menza in Liszt Ferenc Tér (Franz Liszt Square), which was a delicious choice, and lovely to sit outside on the patio.
Menza (I took this the next day when I was out walking on my own)
And then, one more adventure on our first, and very full, day in Budapest: a nightcap at what is rated the top ‘nightlife’ spot of the city: Szimpla Kert Ruin Pub. The Ruin Pubs are a phenomenon of Budapest, set up in abandoned buildings, scruffy and eclectic, and a brilliant idea that we think would work well in Detroit. We liked this one so much we went back many times, so you’ll see this place again. Here are just a few photos from our first night’s visit; I will post more pictures from a daytime visit later…
under colourful lights and awnings, but open sky
yup, a shisha waterpipe; not ours! 😉
one of the more eclectic covered rooms
looking down at the courtyard from above
The next day, Tuesday, Don’s meetings started at noon, and so I was then on my own. We woke up to rain…
rain on the window pane
…but by the time I left the room, it was fine. I started by walking up Andrássy ût again, by now very familiar, to check out a couple of bookstores (of *course* I did!). First stop, the Writer’s Bookshop (Írók Boltja), a rather historic spot as, during Budapest’s late-19th-century glory days, the café at this location was the haunt of many of the great artistic minds that populated the city.
Writer’s Bookshop
Inside, I perused the English-language-local-authors section, and sat in the lovely upstairs room contemplating which to purchase..
hmm, what to buy? (I bought two!)
bookshop view
Next stop, the Alexandra bookstore, housed in a grand building that used to be a department store, with its beautifully restored Lotz Hall café, the perfect stop for a pick-me-up…
always fun to see what English books are being carried in another country (Canadian Alice Munro among the more ‘popular’ fair)
gorgeous Lotz Hall café
ceiling is a work of art
ceiling detail
delicious decadence
I walked for awhile to wear off that cake, checking out the theatre district…
not sure who he is, but maybe a theatre patron?
slightly gruesome theatre sculpture (for contrast with the gentleman 😉 )
…and then it was time for my Opera House tour, built in the 1890s, shortly after Budapest became co-capital of the Habsburg Empire. Emperor Franz Josef provided half the funds for building provided it did not exceed the Vienna Opera House in size. The architect obeyed that decree, but made it more opulent! It was damaged in WWII and restored in the 1980s.
Hungarian State Opera House
beautiful staircase detail
ceiling detail
beautiful window detail
carved door frames
the theatre, itself, with behind-the-scenes workers getting ready for the next production
it really is opulent
Our tour ended with a 5-minute opera singer demonstration (for those of us who payed extra). Here’s a 20-second clip:
I walked back to the hotel to find Don’s meetings were over and he had a little time before his group was getting on a bus to go for dinner. We decided to go back to Szimpla Ruin Pub in the light of day to enjoy a drink and share our day’s activities. It was much quieter in this early cocktail hour time, and very fun to see in the light of day.
Szimpla Kert by day (it had been raining, as you can see by the puddles)
another angle
patrons in one of the many covered areas
hard not to love the gnome on the swing!
and this Hungarian version of my sister and me
my drink of choice 🙂
window covering made of sheeshas
Back at the hotel, Don got ready for his business dinner and I headed to the hotel restaurant for a tasty meal, and a lovely Hungarian wine…
Cheers!
On Wednesday, while Don was in his meetings, I walked across the river on the Chain Bridge, and climbed the long and winding hill to the Royal Palace, in which the National Gallery is housed. There’s a funicular railway, which would have been easier, but the lineup was w-a-y too long. Interestingly, the Palace was never lived in, was damaged in WWII and reconstructed in a “loose version” of the previous building.
on the wall outside the palace
window, of course!
view as I climbed the hill, behind the palace
the view at the top is worth the climb
outside the Palace, Eugene of Savoy, a French general who was successful in fighting off the Ottomans
interesting little fountain
Sadly, the climb was all for naught as the National Gallery was closed, just for this day, for a special event. So, now what?!? I walked back down the hill and across the bridge and decided a pick-me-up at the lovely old Gerbeaud Café was in order while I pondered my options. Between the World Wars, this café was *the* meeting place of the well-to-do, and it continues to be a meeting place for many. While Rick Steves says only tourists go here, local writer András Török, whose ‘cult’ guide to Budapest I had also brought with me, says otherwise, putting it in his shortlist of the good (rather than the bad or the ugly), suggesting sitting on the far right side of the building as the “best place to sip a coffee and feel the tremor of the underground under your feet.”
Gerbeaud café
old world simplicity and charm
another delicious snack
Revived and decided, I went back to the hotel (just a few blocks away) to get the concierge’s help on how to take the underground to the Holocaust Memorial Centre. The Centre honours the nearly 600,000 Hungarian victims of the Nazis, one out of every ten Holocaust victims. It’s an extremely moving display. You can’t take pictures inside, but I did use my phone to take a couple: after the entrance there is a long hallway with shuffling feet on a soundtrack replicating the forced march of prisoners. It’s eerie and very effective…
the long hallway of marching feet
Sadly, pervasive Anti-Semitism existed in Hungary long before WWII, casting doubt on the widely held belief that Hungary initially allied itself with the Nazis partly to protect its Jews.
detail
The Memorial Centre includes the larger picture and several stories of individuals, all very moving and sobering. The finale is the restored interior of a 1920s synagogue…
synagogue interior
synagogue exterior
another view
As I headed back to the underground, I saw this interesting building – have no idea what it is…
interesting roof
Back at the hotel, I wandered through the park across the street, named for the wife of the Emperor Franz-Josef, Empress Elisabeth, aka Sisi. We learned a lot about her on our trip to Vienna. She didn’t like court life and so traveled away from Vienna often. Apparently a personal mission of hers was promoting Hungary’s bid for autonomy within the empire, and while married to Franz Josef, she spent 7 years in Budapest, much of it in the company of Count Andrássy. Some believe her third daughter, known as the Little Hungarian Princess, was the Count’s.
fountain of Erzsébet Square
our Kempinksi hotel
On Thursday, I retraced my steps back to the National Gallery. This time I took the funicular.
from the funicular
At the top of the hill I caught the changing of the guard…
And then, yay, the Gallery was open… I followed Rick Steves’ self-guided tour through the gallery. He’s very good at briefly summarizing the history and importance of various pieces and paintings. A collection of beautifully carved 15th-century winged altars come from the time Hungary was at its peak, before the Ottomans and the Habsburgs.
1 of many 15th century winged altars
Several “gloomy” paintings, from the 1850s-60s, follow. This example, “The Bewailing of László Hunyadi,” by Viktor Madarász, commemorates the death of the beloved Hungarian heir-apparent. The Hungarians couldn’t explicitly condemn their Habsburg oppressors, but invoking this dark event from the Middle Ages had much the same effect.
The Bewailing of László Hunyadi
A turning point is represented by this painting, which was painted at the time of the Compromise of 1867, when Hungary was ceded authority within the Catholic Habsburg Empire. Again, the painter uses a historical story to illustrate contemporary events.
St. István being baptized and accepting European Christianity in the year 1000
This next one, painted after the Great Compromise, when Hungary was feeling its oats, takes an idealized view of life. “Picnic in May” by Pál Szinyei-Merse seems like an innocent scene, but the idea of men and women socializing freely was scandalous at the time…
Picnic in May
There were several rooms dedicated to Hungarian ‘Realist’ painter Mihály Munkácsy. I quite liked his various gritty slice-of-life paintings…
“The Last Day of a Condemned Man”
closer detail
“Making Lint” detail
“Paradise Lost” with poet John Milton dictating to his daughters
This last one I took solely because it appealed to my Dutch roots. 🙂
“Winter Landscape With Skaters” by Hendrick Avercamp, circa 1610-1615
I had lunch in the Gallery café, and then I crossed back over the bridge and found out how to take the tram so I could go to the Zwack Museum and Distillery.
tram
The family-run institution produces Unicum, Hungary’s “favourite” spirit. According to the Museum brochure: Zwack Unicum is a liqueur distilled from over 40 herbs from all over the world. It was invented in 1790 by one of the family’s ancestors, Doctor Zwack, royal physician to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor. “Das ist ein Unicum!” Joseph II is said to have declared, thus giving this herbal liqueur in its distinctive round bottle its name. Ever since, Unicum has been known as the national drink of Hungary and its recipe is a carefully guarded secret. The Zwack Company was founded in 1840 by Jozsef Zwack, and apart from a 45-year hiatus during the Communist regime, the company has been in family hands ever since. The factory was destroyed during WWII and rebuilt, and then nationalized by the Communists. Several of the family fled the country during this time, but one stayed behind to give the Communists a fake recipe. Now, the company is back in family hands, and produces 3 million litres of Unicum annually at this very distillery.
A visit to the museum and distillery includes a 20-minute movie on the family history, and a tasting of the original Unicum as well as a fairly new version called Unicum Szilva, which involves extra aging over dried plums. The drink is strong and rather medicinal, which makes sense as it’s meant to be drunk after dinner as a digestive. It was all great fun!! And yes, I bought a small bottle to bring home. 🙂
company founder Jozsef Zwack
a barrel display of the various herbs used in the making of Unicum
where the Unicum is aged
posters from over the years, advertising Unicum
from the museum display
When I exited the museum, I saw this interesting building…
interesting building
…and then I caught the tram to head back to the hotel, though I got off a little early to walk along the river…
river and palace view
The “Little Princess” sculpture
Back at the hotel, the meetings were over. Don and I had told a few of his colleagues about the Szimpla Ruin Pub and they were anxious to check it out. We had a few hours before the final dinner, (to which the spouses who had come (5 of us) were also invited), so off we went .. again… to what had become our favourite place! 😀
the guys
looking down from our upstairs seat
cheers!
On Friday, Don and I were picked up at 11:00 by our tour guide, Eszter, and driver. We started our 2nd 1/2 day city tour by visiting Memento Park. This may have been our favourite site in the city: a collection of communist-era statues that once were scattered around the city, but after the fall of communism, were removed and, wisely, collected here as a reminder of what was, but situated far enough outside the city as to only be a reminder when one chooses. It is part of the city’s education system’s mandate to ensure all children take a field trip to this site. Soviet-style “Socialist-Realist art” is definitely not subtle: the statues are large and blunt.
at the entrance: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
The park is divided into loops, each loop being a different ‘theme’ or time of history. The first loop is the “Liberation,” with the statues celebrating the Soviet Army’s ‘rescue’ of Hungary from the Nazis in 1945. The giant soldier, holding the Soviet flag, used to stand at the base of Liberation Monument on Gellért Hill (which we visited earlier). Other loops have the names “Heroes of the Workers’ Movement,” “Communist Heroes,” “Communist Concepts,” etc. Eszter gave us a little history on several sculptures of interest.
giant soldier
two comrades shaking: the Hungarian worker ‘thrilled’ to meet the Soviet soldier
3 heroes of the workers
Vladimir Lenin
communist worker, charging into the future
this gives you an idea of the size of the statues!
The next sculpture was created by one of Hungary’s most prominent artists, Imre Varga, who worked from the 1950s through the 2000s, and shows a great deal of emotion and hidden meaning (unlike the Soviet-produced sculptures). Designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Béla Kun’s birth (he is known as the ‘grandfather’ of Hungarian communism), on the one hand it reinforces the communist message of the able leadership of Béla Kun, (safely overlooking the fray from above), but on the other hand, shows Kun under the lamppost, which in Hungarian literature is a metaphor for the gallows.
meant to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Béla Kun’s birth
sculpted by Imre Varga
sculpture detail
As we exited, Stalin’s boots:
Stalin’s boots
Next stop, Fishermen’s Bastion, on the Buda side, just along from the Palace. The Buda side of Budapest is the hilly side (Pest is completely flat), and therefore the strategic place for a palace or garrison, and several occupying forces used this side to their advantage. The Fishermen’s Bastion is so-called because in the Middle Ages, the fish market was here. The current structure was built for the 1896 celebrations, and offers a lovely view of the city, plus restaurants and shops.
overlooking the city from Fishermen’s Bastion
great view of Parliament from here
tourists
from the viewpoint, looking back at Matthias Church, our next stop
St. István, Hungary’s first Christian king, in the square outside the church
falconer – colourful entertainment in the square
Matthias Church has been destroyed and rebuilt several times in the 800 years since it was founded by King Béla IV. The church’s actual name is the Church of Our Lady, or the Coronation Church. Its unofficial namesake, Matthias Corvinus, isn’t a saint, so it can’t be named for him, but everyone calls it for this Renaissance king who got married here, twice.
Matthias Church
great roof
wildly decorated interior
interior again, from upstairs
back outside, roof again
roof tile detail
The last stop of our tour was the Great Synagogue, back on the Pest side, in the Jewish Quarter. It it is the biggest synagogue in Europe and the second biggest in the world, after the Temple Emanu-El of New York. Before WWII, 5% of Hungary’s population and 25% of Budapest’s were Jewish. The style of the synagogue is a bit mixed. The religious leaders of the time, mid 19th century, wishing to demonstrate how well-integrated they were with the greater community, commissioned an Austrian non-Jewish architect. The synagogue is loosely based on biblical descriptions of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, which explains the two tall towers, not typical of traditional synagogues. These towers, along with the rosette window, helped the synagogue resemble Christian churches of the time.
the Great Synagogue
beautiful interior
love the chandelier
As we exited the synagogue at the back, we entered the Memorial Garden. During the Soviet siege that ended the Nazi occupation of Budapest in the winter of 1944-45, many Jews in the ghetto died of exposure, starvation, and disease. Soon after the Soviets liberated the city, a mass grave was dug here for an estimated 2,281 Jews. The trees and headstones, donated by survivors, were added later.
Memorial Garden
At the end of the garden is a sculpture by Imre Varga (who did the ‘artistic’ one we saw in Memento Park), representing a forced march, with clearly defined figures at the front, melting into a mass at the back.
‘forced march’ sculpture by Imre Varga
another view
In the garden behind the synagogue is the stunning Tree of Life sculpture, also by Imre Varga. This weeping willow, cast in steel, was erected in 1990, soon after the fall of communism made it possible to acknowledge the Holocaust. The willow makes an upside-down menorah, and each of the 4,000 metal leaves is etched with the name of a Holocaust victim. New leaves are added all the time, donated by families of the victims. With the sun gleaming off the metal, we took many photos….
Tree of Life by Imre Varga
another view, with synagogue
another view
closer view
names on the leaves
stained glass window, the fire symbolizing the Holocaust
Tree of Life, stained glass window behind
With our tour over, we had Eszter and the driver drop us at the Great Market, for a late lunch and browse in the stalls. While this market is, of course, a great tourist attraction, the locals also do their food shopping here. The market hall was built, like so much of Budapest, around the millennial celebration year of 1896.
the Great Market
inside view
shopping display
delicious lunch (goulash)
From the market, we wandered a little, as we made our way back to the hotel…
Liberty Bridge
love the lamp posts, outside the law school, in University Square
in University Square
a book fountain, University Square
window 🙂
Károlyi Park, once a private garden
lovely corner spires on the buildings
another window (!)
honouring the man responsible for civilian refugees during WWII
Town Center Parish Church, oldest building in Pest, founded in 1046, survived many revisions
Town Center Parish Church
Elisabeth Bridge, with Liberation Monument
historic McDonald’s, the first one behind the Iron Curtain
After a rest at the hotel, we decided it was time to try a *different* ruin pub. (I know, it’s shocking! 🙂 ) Instant is billed as the biggest ruin pub in Budapest, filling three floors and dozens of small rooms and alcoves. http://instant.co.hu/en/ We picked up a drink and wandered through several of the rooms. (It was fun, but my favourite was still Szimpla.) In one of the bigger rooms, called Mole Hall, complete with a small stage, we sat down as a band was setting up to play. We didn’t understand a word they said, or sang, but enjoyed their music and the eclectic decor.
rabbits run overhead at the ‘Instant’ Ruin Pub
do you know the way to Mole Hall?
looking down on the band
we’re not sure what this is supposed to be, either
Time for a light dinner at a great little spot called Két Szerecsen, http://ketszerecsen.hu/ which we highly recommend, and then back to the hotel bar, Blue Fox, for a nightcap. The bar is blue, and a movie plays on the back wall: in our case, it was Sabrina, the original.
blue foxes, cavorting
the always lovely Audrey Hepburn
Baby, you can drive my car…
On Saturday we had a pre-booked tour of the Parliament building. The Parliament was built from 1885 to 1902 to celebrate the Hungarian millenium year of 1896, like so many of Budapest’s buildings. The architect was inspired by the London Parliament. The enormous building, with literally miles of stairs, was appropriate for the time when Budapest ruled much of Eastern Europe. Now the legislature only occupies 1/8 of the space. The interior is lovely, and decorated with 84 pounds of gold!
grand central staircase
one of many many long halls
through a looking glass
pillars and arches
ceiling detail
another beautiful ceiling
pillar decor
the room where parliament sits
all that glitters is probably gold
in the halls outside the meeting rooms, the window ledges hold these cigar holders, numbered so the members of parliament can find their cigar afterwards..
cigar holder detail
an excellent model of the building in the parliament museum
outside the Parliament, Count Andrássy
across from Parliament, originally the Supreme Court, now a museum, the design of which was the runner-up for the Parliament building
view of Parliament from the riverside
Our next stop was the very moving Holocaust Monument, consisting of 50 pairs of bronze shoes, commemorating the Jews who were killed when the Nazis’ puppet government, the Arrow Cross, came to power in Hungary in 1944. While many Jews were sent to concentration camps, the Arrow Cross massacred some of them right here on this spot, shooting them and letting their bodies fall into the Danube.
Holocaust Monument, with river view
Holocaust Monument
mother and son
sitting on the steps, overlooking the Danube, beloved poet Attila Jozsef (1905-1937)
We found the restaurant we were hoping to lunch at required reservations, so we wandered to check out others. Nothing appealed so we went back to the one we had enjoyed so much our first night, Menza. Our timing was perfect as, shortly after we sat down, the skies opened and it POURED rain. We were happy and cozy under the awning, with our wine and delicious lunch.
and the rain rain rain came down down down in rushing rising riv’lets
lunch view
From here, it was a short walk to the House of Terror Museum, (which is not, as it sounds, a museum of torture). Along one of the prettiest stretches in Budapest, in the former headquarters of two of the country’s darkest regimes – the Arrow Cross (Nazi-occupied Hungary’s version of the Gestapo) and the ÁVO/ÁVH (communist Hungary’s secret police) – is the House of Terror Museum which recounts those times of terror. The history is too much to recount here, and no pictures were allowed inside. (You can find a lot of information, if you’re interested, online.) Suffice it to say, this was a very worthwhile museum, detailing fascism, communism and the resilient Hungarian spirit.
House of Terror Museum
I loved this Iron Curtain sculpture outside the museum
Iron Curtain sculpture
Iron Curtain sculpture
That night we had a delicious dinner with the 3 other couples who had extended their stay after the meetings, and finished the evening off with a nightcap at the Blue Fox.
On Sunday we bundled ourselves up (it was colder and threatening rain) and set out for our last day in the city. Our only plan was to tour the Hospital in the Rock, a 25,000-square-foot labyrinthine network of hospital and fall-out shelter hallways built at the beginning of WWII in caves that were carved out under Castle Hill (on which stand the Fishermen’s Bastion, Matthias Church, etc). From the Short History of the Hospital in the Rock booklet I bought: Its significance lies not only in the fact it is an underground bunker-hospital in the depths below Castle Hill, but more importantly, one of the few authentic historical monuments preserved from the 20th century in Hungary. It played a significant role during WWII as well as the Revolution of 1956. It was a fascinating and worthwhile tour. You can’t take pictures inside but the internet being the wonder it is, there are lots of images on their website: http://www.sziklakorhaz.eu/en
After the tour, we wandered over to the palace area to discover a fun market:
doesn’t this basket ride look like a ton of fun!
these bread rolls looked delicious, but the line up to get one was crazy-long
and can you believe I also didn’t buy any of these! :O
We did buy a cone of freshly made potato chips (soooooo good!!) and then got back to walking the city. Our next stop was the New York Café, where I was hoping for a little pick-me-up treat, but unfortunately it was way too busy and we decided not to wait. Budapest has a café culture much like Vienna, (by 1900, there were more than 600 cafés!) and some of them are lovely – as you’ve seen from earlier. The New York Café may be the most extravagant:
New York Café window
inside the gorgeous café
another inside view
I love these light holders that lined the outside of the café
walking again, enjoying the old world charm
We walked miles on our last day, and I saw a lot of great street art:
I felt this street art was inspired by the Rubik’s Cube (inventor, Erno Rubik, is from Budapest)
definitely a tribute to Erno Rubik
love these birds
this one is a riot!
those eyes are watching you!
the whole side of this building is a painting
a stamp trader at a little street market
an old communist-era Trabant, still on the streets
Our tired feet needed a sit-down and a cold drink, so we made a final visit to Szimpla Ruin Pub, my favourite place in Budapest!
in Szimpla Ruin Pub
every time we went, I was compelled to take pictures – such a colourful and eclectic place 🙂
I hadn’t seen this sign before, either
bits of glass made into a window
We were so tired we couldn’t think about eating out… we went back to the hotel to start packing, and then ate in the hotel restaurant. The next morning we flew home. It was a wonderful week!
good-bye Budapest
freda's world adventures 
Thank you for being the perfect ambassador for Hungary. It is one of the few European countries I have not visited and truly wasn’t interested in until now. You have made me crave to see the things in these pictures and want to learn more about this much-overlooked country. I didn’t realize their WW2 history or that they had such lovely architecture and creative statues and fountains. I too loved your favorites like the book sculpture, man on the river, shoes of the Jews, and especially that eclectic pub. I do have an issue with the title of a picture of you and Don…you are not ‘tourists’ but rather TRAVELERS because you get immersed in the culture and strive to learn everything you can about the people and their history. Ha. Oh to travel with you and come home forever changed!!! Thank you for sharing this short but adventure-packed trip. You continue to be my role model.
Laura Lee, I can’t believe you read the blog while on your amazing trip. :O And really, you’re *my* role model for traveling!
Yes, Hungary has had an interesting, tragic history: first conquered by the Romans, then the Ottomans, then the lesser part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, chosen the wrong side in both World Wars, and then “liberated” from the Nazis by the Russians. Yikes.
I agree about the “tourist-traveler” label, and I will amend that! Thank you for reading!
Hi Freda, I started to read your blog, what a fantastic journey to Budapest have you two made! I hope you enjoy Vancouver these days. Shelagh will be delighted to have you around. And for you it is hood to be there, but it will not be easy. Best wishes! Love, Annelien
> Op 21 jun. 2016 om 01:56 heeft fredas world adventures het volgende geschreven: > > >
Annelien, I’m happy you’re enjoying our journey. It was, indeed, a fantastic one.
And now, as you know, I’m off to Vancouver. It will definitely to be good to be there for mom. I’ll update you soon.
Thanks for reading! XO
Great post – as always – but no side trip to see Dracula’s home? By the way, the Szimpla Ruin Pub looks like it would also be our favorite place…🍷
Thanks Richard! No, sadly, no side trips…*this* time. Perhaps we can all go together to see Dracula and then hang at the Szimpla. Cheers! XO
Freda, wow what a comprehensive and thoughtful blog … we used your expertise to pick and choose things to do our trip, great fun, thank you! Jim & Jane