Upon waking this morning we saw the banks of the Danube from our cabin window. We were moving fairly quickly, but really felt like we were standing still. We got to the dining room fairly early because there were two landmarks for which we wanted to see from the sundeck. It was another beautiful morning. How lucky we have been on this trip.
The first landmark that came into view about 8:15 was the Esztergom Basilica. It sat high on a hill directly in the path of the sun so pictures were a bit difficult to capture. It is the seat of the Catholic church in Hungary and is the largest building in the country.
It was nice to hear the commentary of the program directors as we were passing by.
Just about an hour later the Visegrád Castle came into view. It was just north of Budapest on what is called the Danube Bend.
There are really 2 castles here - the upper and lower. Again, the sun was so bright that the pictures look really hazy. The castles were constructed in the 13th century as fortification against the invading Mongols.
We enjoyed the relaxing river cruise for the better part of the morning. It's a shame that we had cruised so much during the nights, that we missed a lot of the beautiful scenery and the little villages tucked into the shore.
Captain Ivan Galic presented a very informative talk on navigating the Danube. He is a very experience river boat captain and does many of the Grand Circle trips. Then the program directors had a chance to explain the disembarkation procedures.
Lunch in the dining room today was a tomato soup with basil creme, stuffed pepper, and a nut cream cake.
It was a good thing we did a lot of walking on this trip. The food was so tasty and so well presented.
As we arrived in Budapest we all oohed and aahed at the beauty of this city. It is breathtaking and will be wonderful to have some time to explore it.
The city tour began about 2 p.m. and most of it was on a coach with a few stops. The temperature was close to 100 and the AC on the bus was a relief when we got back on.
We drove up to what is called the Citadel for magnificent views of the city of Pest with the Parliament building dominating the view. The statue of Lady Liberty is also called the "bottle opener" statue by the natives.
We then had another one of the program's talk by a local person. We gathered in a small park (looking for shade) to hear of the experiences of a volunteer who had helped so many of the refugees that had come into Budapest during the winter. He detailed how local civilians had put together a grassroots effort to help those coming into the country when so many just wanted to refuse them or not help at all. It was most interesting to hear him praise the efforts of the United States, the only country that really helped, and the mission of Doctors Without Borders.
We then drove up to the Castle District of Buda. The complex is enormous and has a history dating back to the 13th century. It is now home to the National Library, an art gallery and the presidential residence.
Our last stop was right past the castle and we walked further up the hill until we got to the plaza of the Matthias Church. What a beautiful structure that is and another glorious example of the beauty of Budapest. The roof is tiled much like that of St. Stephens' in Vienna. We were disappointed that there were nonstop weddings at the church and we couldn't get inside. Instead we walked down to the Fisherman's Bastion and delighted in more beautiful views of the city of Pest.
Back to the boat and time to freshen up for dinner. It was good to be back in the AC!
Mexican cocktails before dinner meant a couple of margaritas that really it the spot. Dinner tonight was a Caprese salad, Spinach cream soup, Duet of Lamb rack and a pancake with nut cream stuffing with cherries.
After a long day it was good to have a laugh or two at the show presented by the crew of the ship. They really act like a family and it was so fun to see them interact "off duty."
On the way back to the cabin, a breathtaking view of the city at night.
Bucs win a big one 7-3 over the Angels.
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