:: Sunday, April 09, 2006 ::

Buda the head! (Part the Second)

(If you haven't already, you should read Buda the head! (Part the First) first.)

Saturday morning (the 18th) we woke up (relatively) bright and early, had breakfast in the hostel and prepared to head out. Budapest is famous for its springs and baths, either traditional Turkish, taken in the nude, and wherein they alternate days between men and women to protect one's delicate sensibilities, or the more modern Hungarian baths, which are coed and require swimsuits. Unfortunately, in all the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the trip, we had forgotten our swimsuits. So while our friends headed for the baths, swimsuits in hand, Polka dot and I instead went to Statue Park, my must-see destination for the trip. On the way to the shuttle bus stop for the park, we stopped by St. Stephen's Basilica and the Grand Synagogue.

St. Stephen's Basilica

The Grand Synagogue

Statue Park is located outside the city, and contains a collection of old communist statues and memorials that were saved from the general destruction of such things after the fall of communism. Being a closet red myself, I had to go, and we spent a fine (though muddy) morning wandering around the park. I'm very happy that someone had the foresight to save these old statues. I can understand the reasons why most of the formerly-communist countries destroyed these things (who really wants a giant statue of Stalin overlooking all of Prague?), but at the same time, they are a part of these countries' histories, and shouldn't just be thrown on the rubble heap of history and forgotten. And in Budapest, at least, they've at least made some effort to remember their history, warts and all (while simultaneously and capitalistically milking a little cash out of tourists like me).

Me and my boy Lenin

Marx, Engels, and McCreary

Polka dot and Lenin (notice the subtle statement of opposition)

We returned to the city in the afternoon and met up with our friends, crossing the Danube from Pest into Buda and wandered around Varhegy (Castle Hill), visiting Matyas Church, Fishermen's Bastion, and Buda Castle itself.

Matyas Church

Fishermen's Bastion

Me and Polka dot at Fishermen's Bastion

The Turul, a giant eagle who sired the first dynasty of Magyar kings by raping the grandmother of Prince Arpad, who led the Magyar tribes into Europe

Marta, Tiffany, and Elizabeth at Buda Palace

While our friends went back to the hostel for a nap, Polka dot and I visited the Castle Labyrinth, a series of karst caves beneath castle Hill that have served as medieval cellars and WWII-era bomb shelters, and which is now home to, among other things, a giant sunken stone head that brings to mind The Lord of the Rings. Following that, we rejoined our friends and went to dinner at a nice Hungarian restaurant where I had wild boar, which was quite good, before ending the night at the hostel pub with a few drinks.

Giant stone head in the Castle Labyrinth

We had to head back to Prague on Sunday, but our train didn't leave until the afternoon, so we spent a beautifully sunny and warm morning back across the river in Buda, this time visiting the Citadel and Victory Monument, probably the highest point in the city with spectacular views. And with that, it was time to head back to Prague.

The Victory Monument at the Citadel

View of Budapest from the Citadel

Me and Polka dot on the Danube, the Citadel and Victory Monument behind us

The "Blue" Danube

Going home

There is still a lot we didn't get to see or do in Budapest, so I would definitely like to go back again. Overall, it was a really fun weekend, and I'm so glad that I have opportunities like this now that I'm living in Europe. This kind of thing is one of the exact reasons I moved here in the first place, and I love it!

Where will we go next? Bratislava? Vienna? Liechtenstein?

Who knows, but I want to hit them all. Catch ya on the flip-side.

:: posted by Rob 12:57 PM [+] ::

1 Comments:

No update for more than one month!!! Did you forget how to type?

By  Anonymous, at 8:48 AM  

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