Budapest, Hungary

At 9:00AM, we disembarked our river boat.  We left our luggage outside our stateroom as we left the ship.  It will be picked up later today and deposited in our hotel room before we arrive there after a day of touring.  Very nice touch that was hugely appreciated by the DuBowe/Signorotti official luggage hauler.

So, off we went to board our buses for a tour of the Buda side of Budapest.

After a photo stop opportunity atop a hill, we made our way to the Castle District and were escorted around Parade Square and over to Sandor Palace where the President of Hungary officially resides.  The real power of the government is with the Prime Minister.  The President's only duty is he can veto.  Therefore, there is no real need to have more protection than below.

We walked by the Royal Palace, rebuilt after its destruction in 1945, and now holds the Hungarian National Gallery, the Budapest History Museum and the Szechenyi National Library.  The views from atop the funicular that brings tourists up from the river were spectacular.

Chain Bridge

View of Parliament

Walking up to Old Town, we saw beautiful statuary as we came upon the awe-inspiring Matyas Church.  It was completely rebuilt after WWII as recounted to me by one our fellow Tauck guests.  We were able to rest our feet inside while our guide gave us some of the church's history.

Our final stop was at the nearby Fishermen's Bastion.  Built in 1895, this fantasy-like structure never had a role as a defensive building as it name indicates.  It's just a viewing terrace.  Before it was built, Buda's old defensive walls were there and there was a medieval square where fish were once sold.

Tauck allowed us some free time and then treated us to a three-course lunch in a local tavern.  Wine was included.  It was greatly needed treat as the day was hot, hot, hot.

We were then led back to our buses to head to our new home, the Kempinski Hotel Corvinus located in Pest.

On check-in, Tauck had our room keys, so we didn't need to queue up and wait in long lines.  Within a few minutes, we were in our room and our luggage was there waiting to be unpacked.  How easy was that!  It was then that we all kneeled and gave thanks to the air-conditioning god.

The hotel is nowhere near as nice as the Kempinski in Dresden but much better than the Marriott that Tauck used in Prague.  Dinner was on our own and Jeff and I decided to escape the heat and have room service and watch a movie.

Goodnight.