Budapest 2

We awoke fully refreshed and ready to explore the city. Our main objective for the day was to make it to the Gellert bath, one of the many Roman Baths in the city. The bath was across town so we decided to take the scenic route and walk past some of the city’s landmarks on the way. The bath was located on the other side of the Danube from our hostel so the first landmark we got to see was the magnificent Chain Bridge. Being one of the first suspension bridges it was really interesting because it clearly showed the transition from large truss bridges to the modern suspension bridge. Instead of using steel strands stretched between the towers this bridge used an actual chain. Although I was a little sad when we got to the other side I am sure the girls were happy because we were closer to our main objective and I stopped boring them with all of my observations about the bridge.



The walk up to the top of Castle Hill was really steep and it was easy to see why it was such a place of strategic importance. As we wound along the path my legs started to feel tired and my breathing became heavy. We decided to take a break and admire the view and the passengers relaxing in the funicular passing beneath. The climb to the top was worth all of the effort as the views of the city were amazing. The castle is located on the Buda side of the town, in its historic heart. All of the buildings here are beautifully restored with flowers blooming and of course a few shirtless old men hanging out of the windows for that touch of authenticity. We stopped at little park near St. Martin’s cathedral where we made sandwiches for lunch. The church had an amazing roof covered in colored tile. The square in front of the church was busy with people taking advantage of the great views of the Hungarian parliament building and the beautiful chain bridge. From the church we wound our way through the narrow streets and over to the palace.







The palace was one of the Hapsburgs’ and it seemed more like an outpost when compared to its stately cousins in Vienna. The styling was very similar to those in Vienna but everything was a little darker and more intimidating. The statues were of hunting scenes and not the typical triumphant general atop a mighty steed. Also it was built on top of a cliff with large walls surrounding it, very different from the palace in Vienna which is located in the center of the city with a public road going right through the middle.







From the palace we walked down to the Gellert bath. The bath was exactly how I had imagined. There was an indoor swimming pool, a wave pool, and two mineral baths. We spent the whole day relaxing in the sun and in the waters of the bath. Leaving the bath Rachael and I had to part ways with Molly as she needed to get back to Vienna in time to finish her assignments due the next day. We on the other hand had a few more hours to explore the city.





We decided to walk through the city center and up to Heroes’ Square. The walk, while much longer than we had thought, allowed us to get a better feel for the city. Along the street was a mix of upscale shops and dilapidated old buildings. You could really feel that they were still trying to shake off the lasting effects of so many years behind the Iron Curtain. No where was this feeling more apparent than standing outside of the museum dedicated to those who lost their lives to the Nazi and Soviet secret police.



After the long walk we finally made it to Heroes’ Square. In the middle of the huge square was a large monument dedicated to centuries of Hungarian leaders. The statues were very intimidating with many of the kings carrying large clubs and riding horses with antlers attached to their heads. Just on the other side of the square was a well preserved medieval castle. Once inside the walls we were surrounded by tourists and also a large crowd exiting a wedding ceremony in a small church. It was a beautiful sight complete with watchtowers, high stone walls, and a moat. The grounds were covered with huge trees and little gardens. In keeping with Hungarian tradition there were also some really creepy statues scattered around but unfortunately no shirtless old men. After such an enormous day of urban hiking and sight seeing Rachael and I decided to end our tour of Budapest.












The train station in Budapest was just as gruff as when we first arrived but actually much more inviting than any of the people at the ticket window. The International Departures hall was eerily similar to a DMV office. They made you take a number and watch an LED board for your number to be called, there were only two clerks for 30 people and every once in a while they would close one ticket window just to open another on the complete other end of the hall. After a nearly hour long ordeal we finally got our tickets and were very happy to be off our feet and starting the journey back to Pavia. Budapest has its rough spots but it is truly an amazing city. The people were friendly enough, the food delicious, and the sights amazing. It is definitely worth the trip but make sure to come prepared for a few bumps in the road.