When we backpacked in Europe in 1995, every backpacker we met raved about Budapest. They told us there was lots to see, the people were great and it was cheap (the main concern for backpackers). We didn't make it to Budapest in 1995 and have had it on our travel list since then.
The city lived up to its reputation. It doesn't have "wow" stuff like St. Petersburg or Moscow but it has a great mix of history and sightseeing along with a relaxed atmosphere, music and good food.
Before sightseeing, we had some business to take care of - namely getting haircuts and doing laundry. Here's us celebrating our shorter hair (in Blake's case much shorter) and clean laundry (no new ink stains).
When we got to sightseeing, we started with the Danube River. It goes through the center of the city and most attractions are close to the river.
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| The Danube River - lots of glare not smog |
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| Matthias Church |
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| Parliament |
The river looks even better at night.
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| Buda Castle |
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| Liberty Statue - memorial to those who sacrificed for Hungary's freedom |
We took a day off from sightseeing and visited the Szechenyi Bath. It's the largest medicinal bath in Europe and the thermal waters reportedly cure joint aches and muscle inflammation. It was a nice day but the waters weren't strong enough to overcome our stiffness from five weeks on very firm European hotel beds.
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| Three outdoor pools |
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| One of the 15 indoor pools |
At the end of our Budapest visit, we had been on the road for five weeks. We were due for a rest and that's what our next stop - Croatia - is for.
Blake and Vanessa
