Halaszbastya Restaurant on the Castle hill in Budapest.
Budapest, the capital of Hungary, was created out of the unification of the separate towns of Buda, Pest and Obuda in 1873. The Chain Bridge, the most recognizable symbol of the city, divides Buda and Pest. During WWII the Nazis destroyed all the bridges in the city to hold off the Allied forces. The bridge was rebuilt in 1949. Our local guide, Paul, took us through what is considered Eastern Europe's most cosmopolitan city. Hungary joined the European Union in 2004, however they will not use the euro until at least 2012. The Hungarian language, Magyar, has long been one of the country's greatest obstacles. It is a complex and unusual language. Many young people speak English, however those in tourist venues speak a minimal amount. In the afternoon we took an optional excursion to the charming little village of Szentendres on the right bank of the Danube and only 45 minutes from Budapest. The old town has cobblestone streets and is located right along the Danube. Szentendres is home to an artist's colony where today about 100 artists live and work. The streets are cobblestone and the shopping produced many unique treasures!
Szechenyi Baths Budapest
Thermal bathing is a social activity deep within the Hungarian culture. The Szechenyi Baths are one of the largest bathing complexes in all of Europe. Indoor medicinal baths date from 1913 and the outdoor pools from 1927. The atmosphere is grand with the pools resembling Roman baths and the smaller bath tubs similar to those in ancient Greece. The saunas and diving pools were borrowed from traditions originating in northern Europe. (If you have seen pictures of men playing chess in an outdoor pool with the steam rising around them, chances are they were at the Szechenyi Baths. )
We were able to enter the baths with an admittance fee payable by credit card. After entering we than learned that to rent a swim suit (rent a swim suit??!!??), bathing cap and towel, we would have to pay 11,000 Hungarian Florentine. No credit cards,euro or American dollars were accepted for rentals. Well that sealed it as we did not have not have enough money to rent, and anyway I would not have been inclined to rent a swim suit even if I had the Hungarian money. Visiting the thermal baths in Budapest certainly was a cultural experience. As the Szechenyi Baths could admit approximately one thousand people, among the Hungarians it was quite the event. Next time I will bring my suit. It did look like fun!
Shoes on the Danube Promenade
The Shoes on the Danube Promenade is a memorial created on the bank of the Danube River in Budapest. It honors the Jews who fell victim to fascist militiamen in Budapest and depicts their shoes left behind on the bank when they fell into the river after having been shot during World War II.
