From Munich Airport we flew to Budapest via Berlin Tegel Airport. I add this somewhat useless detail because I'd like to make a comment about the upcoming Berlin Airport.
When booking airline tickets, you're given the 3-letter IATA code for the airport - this is important for multi-airport cities! For example, Lufthansa flies from Munich to London but going to both Heathrow (LHR) and City (LCY), and it's good to know in order to make travel arrangements. When I made the booking, it said *Berlin Airport - BER*. I was a bit *huh?* since I knew the two active airports in Berlin were Tegel (TXL) and Schoenefeld (SXF)...what the hell was BER?! Turns out they're building a new airport to combine the two and it was scheduled to open on June 6th. We were planning to fly on the 14th. I mean, I know this is Germany but isn't that cutting it a bit close? The new airport wasn't ready on time and is now scheduled to open in 2013. After flying into Terminal A and rushing to Terminal C, I can really see that the new airport is needed. Terminal C is like a shed and Ma and Pa questioned if we were really heading to the correct place given that we had to leave the building proper and go outside in order to access it.
Moving on! Budapest hadn't been high on my list of places to visit but it came highly recommended by people saying it was beautiful. I'd like to agree - it is beautiful!
Our hotel, a converted Art Deco building.
Cool on the inside as well!
I hadn't much time to do research on the various cities we were visiting but luckily Pooey has visited them all and wrote a guide instructing us on what to do and, more importantly, how to get there. First things first, we took the metro and then a bus to the Buda side to visit Castle Hill/Buda Castle. The palace had been largely ruined after WWII (check out this photo!), and the bus dropped us off at the rear of the building where we could see some archaeological sites.
It was a lovely day
I can't remember exactly what this building was, I think old barracks?
But archaeological sites aren't really that impressive to look at for the parentals but we eventually walked around to the other side, and through this gate...
And saw this gorgeous view of the Danube, Chain Bridge, and Pest side of the city.
The rebuilt dome and monument to Eugene of Savoy
Oooh, atmospheric!
The Castle Hill Funicular is the second oldest in the world!
We then walked down the hill to Fisherman's Bastion
St. Matthias Church
St. Stephen I of Hungary. There was a guy with an eagle with whom we took photos. Alas, the (amusing) pics are on Ma's camera.
It looks Mediaeval but was actually built in the late 19th/early 20th century (and also destroyed during the war).
Spot the Mooey!
Great view of the Hungarian Parliament from Fisherman's Bastion.
We decided to take another bus back into the city and it conveniently dropped us off right on the Pest side of the Chain Bridge where we could finally see what we'd been standing on
Buda Castle. Very impressive
And Fisherman's Bastion!
The bridge was considered an engineering wonder when it was opened...in 1849!
The Pest side struck me as being younger and newer. Some of the vistas down the streets reminded me of Paris. Here we visited Heroes Square (Hosok tere) and the City Park.
Nice set of Art Nouveau gates
Heroes Square - moody!
Looking back at Andrassy Ave. from Heroes Square
Unfortunately I didn't know who these heroes were supposed to be. Wikipedia tells me they are Magyar chieftains.
The City Park Lake.
After this I went swimming in the Szechenyi Thermal Baths which I highly recommend but didn't take any photos of. There was a pool in there that forced everyone to swim in a circle around a central spa bath that was quite trippy. While sitting in the spa, I started chatting with a French girl from Normandy and an American student from Pittsburgh. When she said she didn't like Americans, the guy replied, "You'd be surprised how often I've heard that since I've been in Europe." Hmmm.
For dinner, we again went to where Pooey recommended, Kiskakukk, and we pretty much ate what she did.
A relaxed Ma and Pa.
Grilled goose liver with Tokaji sauce.
Smoked salmon with cream cheese.
Hungarian cold cut plate. Mmmm, sausages.
Pa's grilled fish. Wow, it's a WHOLE fish!
Ma had a hankering for rice. She said her chicken and paprika actually tasted a bit like Asian stir-fry!
And my rindergoulash mit nudeln!
After dinner, we walked along the Danube and did a lot more *ooohing* at how pretty the city is with all the lights. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at holding still for the night photos.
Fisherman's Bastion all lit up
And this was pretty much the only other photo that wasn't blurry :(
Next stop - Wien!
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