For my retirement from a legal career in 2019, my husband gifted me a Danube River Cruise and we have finally been able to go. Because of the two-year COVID delay, the cruise also became a trip to celebrate hubby’s retirement and a big anniversary! We had a lovely time and today I’m sharing our first port-of-call: Budapest, Hungary.
We arrived a day early to avoid any issues with airplane delays and I am glad we did. We had delays out of Newark and barely made a connecting flight but our luggage didn’t make It. Luckily that all got straightened out by very late that night.
Budapest was actually two towns — Buda and Pest — on either side of the Danube River that were united in the latter 1800s. When we arrived in Budapest, we started our walk along the Danube. Budapest is a lovely city that is wonderful for exploring since it’s a great walking city thanks to the walkways all along the river. There is artwork at various spots along the river as well as views of Budapest’s many bridges and Pest across the way! A convenient train line also runs along the river.
Our first stop was a memorial to World War II victims who had been shot along the banks of the river. The “Shoes along the Danube” is a stirring reminder of the human element in war.
Our next stop was the Parliament Building and surrounding structures and statues. Truly beautiful.
Close to Parliament was a memorial to the 1956 Hungarian uprising against Communism. Thick metal slabs were dented and punctured by gunfire. For me it was a reminder of the brutality of life under Communism and Marxism for so many in the past and today.
All around the memorial and Parliament buildings were beautiful gardens and other structures. We kept on walking since it was an absolutely glorious day. In fact, we had beautiful sunny weather the entire time we were on the cruise! We were very lucky. We were able to stroll around the city until late that night.
The next morning we strolled to the city’s Great Market Hall where we picked up some pate and paprika! There were some amazing stalls for purchasing meats, fruits, and vegetables as well as food stalls to pick up something to eat. On the second floor, you could pick up souvenirs as well as locally made clothing, leather, and embroidered items.
On our stroll back to the hotel before heading to the ship, we passed a lovely little church.
I would definitely recommend a visit to Budapest as there is a great deal more to see and do. We will definitely try to get back there again!
Hope you enjoyed today’s Travel Tuesday!
