Day 17: Mon 26th – Budapest, Queen of the Danube - Hungary

Sunrise 6:36 am – Sunset 6:33pm

Weather Forecast:     20c and partly cloudy

Steps:     13,509     9.32 km

This will most likely be my last post about this tour.
Today is our last full day of the tour.  John Boulding joined us yesterday in Budapest. He is the CEO of Insight Vacations and always spends a day or 2 on these Forum tours, hearing from the people who travel with Insight, be the comments good or bad.

The wake up call was set for 7:15 this morning but I woke just before 6am, so decided to get up then.  I didn’t see the sun rise but did get a photo of the sun reflecting on the Castle across the river.

I had a light breakfast today. A freshly fried egg on toast, sunny side up, orange juice and coffee.  Sometimes, I think I’m the invisible woman though.  Most wait staff seem only able to see men. 

We departed on our Budapest sight seeing at 9am.  First up we drove to Gellert Hill to a viewpoint that overlooks the river. 

From there we drove to the Castle area (the traffic was horrendous) and did a walking tour of part of the area.

Some people take odd angle photos. 

We visited inside Matthias Church

and also visited the Fisrman’s Bastion.  

John then provided a “flourish” of apple strudel, which we had at the First Strudel House of Pest. 

From there we returned to the coach and I saw my 1900's fat policeman again.

We then went to Heroes Square for some history and photos. 

After that, we returned to the hotel. 

By then it was after 12:30, so Sandra, Geoff & I found a restaurant alongside the river and had goulash soup and a drink for lunch.

I then did some window shopping for a while and then back to the hotel to sort the luggage out for tomorrow’s departure from Europe.  I finally took a photo of the plane hanging from the top of the Atrium in the hotel.

We all met again at 6pm for drinks, prior to going to Gundel’s Restaurant for dinner.  A lovely 4 course meal.  We departed there around 9:30 and were back at the hotel about 15 minutes later.

I said farewell to a few people who were heading out early in the morning.  My transfer isn’t until 10:50, along with a number of other people, so I’ll have the chance to say adieu, tomorrow morning.