Budapest

Train after train again today – and the obligatory wrong tram and train too.  Still, it’s all part of the experience and we’re seeing more than we anticipated!

Another visit to the Heroes Square, and we got some pictures of just the monuments – the police were very strict with those who climbed up onto them. This country has such a harsh history of invasion after invasion after invasion – and a recent history of invasion.  It was interesting to hear the story of the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 where Hungary played Russia in a water polo match. A Russian hit a Hungarian player, and blood was spilled; apparently the Australians wanted to get into the pool to whack the Russians too.  It was from this incident that the Hungarians realised they had support in the world and were not hated, like the Russians had been telling them.  It gave them some inspiration to rise up against the Russian oppression.  Our guide told us that so many countries came to “liberate” Hungary, but they just forgot to go home!

The Lonely Planet says, "Don't miss the Palace of Art" - so we didn't - but wished we had!  John reckons Olivia and Connor's works could be displayed here.

A stick exhibit!

Yes they look like turds - but it's art, apparently!

 

 

We went to explore the Jewish Quarter, but it was Sabbath and the synagogue was closed – none of the tourist companies had pamphlets so we left with disappointment.
 

We came across a festival in Magyan Square and stopped by to listen to some Hungarian music and watch their folkdance and marvel at the activities on offer for the children:  some wooden beams with baskets hanging on them for children to spin around - all done by a bloke standing in the middle of the contraption turning a cog; two planks with a leather strip across the front became skis; leather straps passing through holes in two wooden blocks became stilts; a rubber chook hanging from a length of rope was a crude game where kids whacked it with a stick in an attempt to get the chook into a tin pot sitting on a pole. It was amazing to see games of a different era being played by kids and adults alike - and they all had such fun.
 

 

 

A quick bit of shopping at H&M then back to our hotel, the Nemzeti to pick up our cases and catch a cab to the docks. On the way we passed a beautiful sculpture:

 

 

The inscription reads: Gabor Sztehlo (1909-1974) a Lutheran pastor who saved, with God's help, around 2000 children and adults during the rule of the Fascist Arrow Cross Party and later gave the orphans home, faith and dignity.



We boarded  the ship and met a few folk including Helen and Terry, our train travelling companions from Prauge.  The maitre‘d was on the lookout for me (wanting to put a face to the mushroom allergy) and in the process we met another ‘Lorraine’ (who doesn’t have a mushroom allergy) and the third ‘Lorraine’ on the ship we met this morning during our tour of the Hungarian State Opera House – clearly I was the last Lorraine to check on to the ship as she also mentioned the mushies!

 

Happy birthday to my brother Graeme and my M8 Jennie for yesterday.  We were thinking of you both!

We've lost internet connection on the ship throughout the past few hours and all of my blog that I did this morning and last night has gone.  So some of this info will seem a bit mixed up ... and out of date and synch, probably because it is. 

We had a private recital this morning at the Opera House – a bloke who sang an aria from The Phantom of the Opera, the “Get a Roller Door” song, and another.  The bus took us to the Fisherman’s Bastion and Buda Castle high on the hill overlooking Pest where we all enjoyed a nice cold beer.

Back on board the ship, we’re now sailing down the Danube heading for Vienna.  Bliss!