Last solo day in Budapest

Fri 9th September

Sunrise 6:13am – Sunset 7:08pm

Weather Forecast:   30c and sunny        

Steps:                        17,727           12.23 km                              

Before I went to bed at 10:30 last night, I tried to do a disk repair on my little external hard drive and it appears to have worked, although I thought I might have corrupted it totally, as it was churning, churning, churning and didn't appear to be doing anything, so I did a forced close. 

After that, I didn’t get to sleep until after midnight but I was awake at 6am this morning, which is pretty usual for me when in ‘holiday’ mode.  

After breakfast I headed out at 8am, on my way to Margaret Island.

First up, while walking along Duna korzó, I took a photo of the “Little Princess”.

Actually, I took 2. I don’t know how often I have been past it but had never noticed it until today.  I think my head must be buried in the sand sometimes.

There is also a statue of Shakespeare along here

just past the end of the Hilton Hotel. You can read about it here

I continued along Duna korzó

until I came to the Intercontinental Hotel, crossed over Eotvos ter, passed the Sofitel Chain Bridge Hotel and crossed over to Szechenyi Istvan ter.  
After passing the Four Season Hotel (the former Gresham Palace) I then took a right turn into the pedestrian street Zrinyi utca. At the end of the street, is the Basilica.

Along the way is a statue of a Hungarian policeman from the early 1900's.

I backtracked a bit and walked north along Oktober 6 utca until I reached Szabadsag ter.  

Fountain in front of the German Occupation Memorial

German Occupation Memorial

I have done some googling and you can read more about the German Occupation Memorial

I then headed west until I came to Szevhenyi rakpart and managed to cross the tram tracks until I was down on the pedestrian walkway alongside the Danube River.  Just before you get to the Parliament building, you will find the “Shoes on the Danube” memorial.

I continued past the Parliament building

until I reached Margaret Bridge.

From the bridge I walked over to Margaret Island.  

Part of the huge sports centre on Margaret Island.

One of the parks on Margaret Island

There was a ‘free’ (so the sign said) shuttle around the island. When the little train pulled up, I asked the young girl if it was the free shuttle. No, this one cost 1,000 forint.  That’s okay BUT you need 5 people before it will depart and there weren’t any other takers and even though I had planned on walking, my feet were already protesting. So I didn’t go around the island. Maybe next time.

Instead, I walked back to the hotel, via a different route. As I was re-crossing the Margaret Bridge my fitbit buzzed for 10,000 steps.  That was at 10am in the morning.  

View of Parliament House from Margaret Bridge

Right Wing of Parliament House

Centre wing of Parliament House

Imre Nagy Monument

A restaurant in Zrinyi utca 

I found another ‘posta’ along the way, so I at least know where I can mail some postcards. Just near the Sofitel Chain Bridge Hotel.

I had a lazy afternoon.  Did some people watching in a local park and also did some more window shopping.

Puszta Great Plains & Kecskemet Day Trip from Budapest

Thu 8th September

Sunrise 6:12am – Sunset 7:10pm

Weather Forecast:   32c and sunny        

Steps:                        7,722              5.33 km                                

I woke just before the alarm went off at 6am. A very good nights sleep of 8+ hours.  I went down to breakfast and was back in my room before 7:30.

My system is telling me that I need to do a back up but I think my back up drive is kaput. We shall see. Yep, it’s kaput.

I went down to reception at 8:15 and had just sat down when Val & Poolsuk walked in.  At 8:30 a person from Cityrama came in and after looking at our documents, he wasn’t there to pick us up. 9 o’clock rolled on and I decided to phone the local company to find our what was happening (we had been told that we would be picked up at 8:30am).  As I was speaking to the lady, one of the hotel staff came along and said that our driver was waiting down in the  hotels parking area. Told the lady not to worry and we trundled off downstairs, to be driven to the Sofitel Chain Bridge, which is where the 20 seater?? van was waiting. That is a 10 minute walk from my hotel.  We could have walked there.

There were 10 of us on the tour. Muriel & Derek from Perth, a lady from the UK and 2 couples from Mumbai plus we three.  Our local guide was a lady named Helena.

As we drove out of Budapest, she pointed out various buildings etc and once we were out of the city, filled us in with some of the history of Hungary and some statistics.

We arrived in Keckesemet at 10:25 and Helena continued to point out buildings, churchs etc as we walked towards the main square.  One of the first things I saw when we alighted from the van was this.

 There are a number of churches surrounding the main square

 and one of them started ring their bells at 10.45 and continued off and on for the next 20 minutes and then at 11am another one chimed in with the hour.  Very musical but made it difficult to hear what Helena was saying, so I just gave up.
We came to a café and indulged in ice cream or coffee & cake before continuing on our walk.

Near the end of the square and across the road is the art nouveau Cifra Palace. 

A little along the lines of a Gaudi building.  There was also a bronze relief.

Back to the bus at 11:30 that took us to Tanyacsarda.  

First up was a welcome drink with a scone.  After partaking in that, we then had a horse and buggy ride around part of the property.  After that was a demo of a horse stampede

and we then walked to another area of the property to watch a demo of whip cracking and horse racing (not the betting kind) and how their animals respond to requests, that are not the norm for horses. Then some fast buggy drive by’s and more horsemanship. 

After that we walked through the stables

and then went and had lunch. 

Goulash soup, main dish of meat, hot vegetables & rice & a salad and then finished with a flambé desert, which looked a bit like breads and butter pudding but it wasn’t.

We departed there at 3pm and were back in Budapest around 4ish.  Most of us chose to get off at the Market Hall.  I bought some grapes & bananas.  The post office was just across the road, so I bought some stamps and then walked back to the hotel. Vati utca, starts at the post office, so I only had a 10 minutes walk. Val & Poolsuk turned off to the left, shortly after we started walking, as their apartment was very close by.

I was back at the hotel around 5pm.

I didn’t walk as far today and my feet are grateful.  If I had a bath at this hotel, I would be having a soak tonight but I don’t, so I can’t.

A free day in Budapest

Wed 7^th September

Sunrise 6:11am – Sunset 7:12pm

Weather Forecast:  

Steps:                        16,813           11.6 km                                

I woke around 7am this morning and went down to breakfast around 8am. The breakfast room was fairly full, with French women.  When I came back to the hotel last night, there were 30 or so ladies standing outside the entrance to the hotel, all dressed to the nine’s in black leather of some sort and high heels and more were coming out of the hotel, as I was going in. 

Anyway, at breakfast this morning there was no special theme dress.

I opted to have OJ, a couple of slices of meat and cheese and some fresh watermelon & rockmelon.

I departed the hotel around 9am and walked along Duna korzó, or the Promenade,  which runs parallel with the Danube, (taking photos along the way)

Statue of Ignac Roskovics a famous Hungarian painter

until I reached Szecheny Istvan ter and then walked over the Chain Bridge

 and took the funicular (Siklo)

up to the Castle area.  I just couldn’t face walking up to the top. I have done that before but that was the first day of arrival in Europe and my legs were fresh.  It was close to 10 by the time I reached the top, as a queue had formed already but it moved fairly quickly.  You couldn’t walk past the Sandor Palace

or the National Dance Theatre (which was covered in scaffolding) but had to use the road nearbye to get to Disz Ter.  The road works that were happening when I was last here in 2013 are well and truly finished and all the roads around that area, leading to Matthias Church, are paved.

Some more statues.    

For a change, I bought a ticket to visit the Fisherman’s Bastion. Usually I don’t, as I think the price is a bit of a rip off.  The view over the Danube is lovely and you can get a reasonable photo of the Parliament building.

From there, I followed the “Visit Budapest” walking tour but found that having the Ulmon map on the iPad to refer to (I had mapped it out on “CityMaps2Go” before I left home) a great help. Even though it’s an offline map, the GPS was working and I could see exactly where I was.

Headed along Tancsics Mihaly utca 

Táncsics Mihály was a Hungarian writer, teacher, journalist and politician

until I got to the Becsi Kapu ter (Vienna Gate). 

From there it was a short walk to the Maria Magdalena Tower, which are the ruins of a 13^th century Fransciscan Church. 

I then headed south along Orszaghaz utca and saw the 3 houses, #’s 18,20 & 22

Number 18

Number 20

Number 22

that date back to the 14^th century.  
Took a right into Darda utca, left into Uri utca and then another right into Noegylet utca, which took me to Toth Arpad setany, which is a pedestrian only street. And straight in front was the Miro Terasz Café, although I think it is now called Bastya. 

It was around midday, so I had lunch there.

Toth Arpad setany

Toth Arpad setany

After that, I just started heading back to the hotel for some down time. As I was walking back over the Chain Bridge, my fitbit buzzed for 10,000 steps. I walked back via the Sofitel Chain Bridge Hotel, as that is where I move to on Saturday, for the start of the tour.  10 minutes, if that, from the Mercure City Centre.

I wandered out again around 3pm to do some retail window shopping. And that was the only shopping that I did.

I had put 3 pair of pants in for laundry cleaning and they were back in my room when I returned.

I had dinner at the Italian Restaurant “Cucina”, which is just outside the front entrance to the Mercure. Seems if you don’t give exact money, they assume the rest is a tip. The bill came to 3,651 (AUD 19.80) and that already included a 12% service charge and when I gave him 4,000 he said thank you and that was that. Maybe I should have sat at the table until he returned with the change. Mind you, it only equated to about $2.00. I shouldn’t be so mean.  The French ladies were heading out again as I came back to my room. Roaring 20's theme night tonight.

Back in the hotel by 7:45. Once I have posted this, I’m having an early night.  Off to the Puszta Great Plains and Kecskemet tomorrow, with Poolsuk & Val.
Oh, and I had a reply from the Sofitel in Brussels. They couldn't locate the coin purse and I didn't really expect them to BUT I found that I had put the $50 note in with the British notes that I had, so the loss is coins. I had forgotten that there were British pounds in there too. Never mind.

Margaret Island has now been moved to Friday.  Night all

Free time in Budapest - proposed itinerary

I have 4 days here between tours.  I have booked this Viator tour  for Thursday 8th Sept. Poolsuk & Val are also doing the same tour

Tomorrow, Wednesday 7th, I plan on doing a walk through the Castle area in the morning and then Margaret Island in the afternoon.

Thursday 8th, the Plains tour as above.

Friday 9th. An inner city walking tour and also a walking tour of the Jewish quarter.  I also want to check out the Gellert Hill Cave Church and will visit the Market Hall. I was there in 2013 and hope to re-visit.