The Neo-Gothic Parliament building in Budapest is a spectacular sight even on a gloomy overcast day. But lit up at night, I should imagine, is heart stopping grandeur. Due to our time constraints, we missed the nighttime view but we did get quite a look from across the river, if a big foggy. Let's call this Reason # 1 why we need to go back to Budapest.
Look kids: Parliament
Ruin bars are the new hotness in Budapest. Seems they had so many abandoned and derelict buildings after WWII that the Soviets hadn't gotten around to repairing that they've been turned into "ruin bars". It is said that they look like just a regular house from the outside, but on the inside, one discovers a boho/hipster vibey place that everyone raves about. Now, I'm not into the "bar scene" in any given city but this had my attention and I really wanted to check one out. However, we completely missed out on Ruin Bars altogether. Weather? Nope. River level problem? Nyet. The ruin bars was not on the list because I forgot to put it there! Finally remembered in Prague that we were meant to check them out and had to consult Google to find out we had the wrong city. Oh well, let's add that to the list of reasons to go back to Budapest, shall we?
Fisherman's Bastion, at the top of Castle Hill, isn't quite all that old, but it is a lovely overlook with a perfect overview of Pest. We had signed up for the optional Castle Hill Hike, but due to the previously mentioned water level situation, this was converted to a bus tour of Budapest on our way out of town. We did still stop at Fisherman's Bastion and it was every bit as amazing as I had imagined, but the day was cloudy, drizzly and just downright nasty. Here is the problem. My photography skills are non-existent, I don't even know what all the buttons on the fancy camera are for. Why do you go to Fisherman's Bastion? To take amazing, wall hanging worthy photographs. Go ahead, I give you free permission to laugh at my lack of pictographic talent at all the shots on this page. But this is reason #3 we'll be going back to this cool city. Preferably at a warmer time of year.
A short drive past Castle Hill, we were directed from the bus to view the "Shoes on the Danube Bank" monument. This is a haunting reminder of the brutal history this city has had to bear witness to. The sculpture was created in honor of the jews murdered by fascist militiamen during WWII. I do want to go back and see this monument in person.
After our tour of the city we were driven to a restaurant for a big lunch. This was also a stationary ship, though this one was in place intentionally. We ate with everyone from our cruise and then, you guessed it, back on the bus. Next stop Vienna.
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