Activities ......

There are so many Sights of Budapest that describing all the ones we have seen might be rather tedious.  So instead, perhaps I will mention a couple of other activities we have pursued. Of course, gilt-covered columns were ubiquitous, from Basilicas …….

to coffee houses …….

The baths were certainly worth their few hours.  Budapest is a major spa centre with numerous thermal baths that were first developed by the Romans. In this part of Europe, the river Danube follows the geological fault that separates the Buda Hills from the Great Plain. This allows over 40 million liters of warm mineral water to flow to the surface each day from a hundred or so thermal springs.

The baths can be prescribed by a doctor in which case, entry is free but we dutifully paid our fifteen dollars. It was worth it.

Our visit to the Hungarian State Opera was rather less prodigious. The venue was of course, spectacular (yet more Art Nouveau gilt …. how blasé) but the performance of Don Pasquale did not inspire us.

The river trip down the Danube was a day well spent although as the scenery was not particularly spectacular en route (other than in Budapest itself), I would probably opt for the faster hydrofoil next time. There were a number of possible destinations and we chose the small medieval town of Visegrad.  Quite a hike to the fort on the hill but rewarded with one of the best views around. The displays were quite well done and in addition to the historical information, I also learned about Black Sea sturgeons and European bison. Both now almost extinct.

This trip has also taught me about a part of Europe I am not familiar with. My knowledge of Central Europe was certainly sketchy at best. Those borders certainly floated around a lot throughout history and defining a “country” gets to be rather tricky. Defining Hungary itself by today’s borders, its historical empire, linguistic boundaries etc. obviously produces vastly different pictures. And the Hungarians themselves are not loath to remind you of this.