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June 22, 2024 continued

When we arrived in Budapest the streets were closed for a parade but our bus driver, Oliver, found some narrow side streets as a detour. Sanel gave us an orientation tour of the area. Especially important were the landmarks to find our own way back to the hotel and how to get to and use the public transportation. He gave us a three-day public transportation pass and then we all hopped on the escalator and used the pass to get to a group dinner of Hungarian food at Urban Betyár.

 

 

June 23, 2024

Our local guide took us on subways and trams and threw in a lot of walking as we explored the Pest side of Budapest (see Side Note below) and learned of its history, politics, and culture. We saw the Great Synagogue, "firewall" street murals, Heroes Square, Liberty Square, the Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial, Vajdahunyad Castle, and many things in between.

 

Karen and Rodney found a laundry service near the hotel, had lunch, then had a siesta. Theresa met up with a former fourth grade student who took her to the Citadella and then took her to lunch at his favorite authentic Hungarian restaurant.

That evening was a beautiful river cruise on the Danube.

 

 

 

 

Side Note:

      Buda, Pest, and a third smaller area called Óbuda (Old Buda) were officially unified in 1873, forming the modern city of Budapest.

      The Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd), completed in 1849, was the first permanent bridge connecting Buda and Pest and symbolized the growing unity that culminated in the official merger.

      The historic split between Buda and Pest in Budapest, Hungary, is the Danube River (Duna in Hungarian). Buda is on the west bank of the Danube and Pest is on the east bank of the Danube.

      Buda is hilly and contains the landmarks Buda Castle, Gellért Hill, and Matthias Church. Pest is flat and contains the Parliament Building, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Andrássy Avenue, and the city’s commercial and administrative heart.

 

 

 

More of Budapest on June 24th!