Budapest

[St. Gellert on the Buda side of Elisabeth Bridge.  Not surprisingly, he’s on Gellert Hill. We’re in a bus now for a guided tour of the city on Sunday morning.  This brought some consternation to the cruisers who wondered why this didn’t come until our final day in the city?  It was originally scheduled for Saturday, which made sense so we would then know where to go when we were on our own, but Viking worried about a big city bike race on Saturday (we never noticed it?).  Well, I’m sure there was nothing nefarious involved – we truly enjoyed our time in Budapest.]

[We have arrived at Castle Hill on the “other side” of the river, a/k/a Buda.  Rain was threatening and we did get spritzed on a bit.  The white building is Sandor Palace, the Budapest equivalent of the White House – it’s where the president lives.  Not even a fence around it?  These remaining foundations in the foreground are from the 14th century castle keep and are being preserved as such.]

[Tourist groups have to coordinate not running into each other.  We were 1B!]

[Our guide, Anglicized to Steve (as I recall), called this the ugly building as we were walking to Matthias Church.  Because the ground floor was original construction, and the top two floors were what the Communists built on top of it.]

[Matthias Church, hard by the ugly building.]

[Where we were . . . ]

[Where the “where we were” signs were in relation to Matthias Church.]

[St. Stephen (our guide’s namesake?) on his horse at Fisherman’s Bastion, which provides the scenic overlooks of the city.]

[Even to the locals, the guy in the middle is known as “Woody Harrelson.”  😉  ]

[The first of several visages that I have to say I appreciate for the foreground/background symbiotic relationships I somehow managed to luck into.  Loved these views . . . a sunny day would have been nice.]

[The Super documented the plying of my craft!  Either that or she just took some pictures.  Reetz’s expression seems to say, “Oh, for Pete’s sake!”]

[The Parliament on the Pest side of the river.]

[All were clamoring for a photo of these lovely ladies.]

[So much to see, so little time . . . ]

[Matthias Church, which surprisingly wasn’t open on a Sunday morning?]

[Must be something special to be double-teamed by The Biddies!]

[And here it is!  😉  ]

[The Welcome Wagon greeter?  He was at the road divide between Sandor Palace and Matthias Church.  I can’t remember who he was, but I showed him my passport out of respect (or fear).]

[The changing of the guard at Sandor Palace.  All very civil.  I don’t know if the President was there.]

[Who has more fun than The Biddies?]

[Looks like another overlook . . . ]

[Looking down on Chain Bridge, at our hotel, and at the Parliament where that might be our boat on the far right side.]

[We thought about walking to the far end of the castle . . . then opted not to.]

[First Shakespeare, now Beethoven?]

[I seriously do not remember this (another black out moment?), but it appears we’re getting ready to cross Chain Bridge.]

[Street shots back on the Pest side . . . Reetz is checking out the Opera House.]

[Our first view of Heroes’ Square.]

[We circle while looking for bus parking.]

[In the City of Spas, this is the biggie!  Szechenyi Thermal Bath in City Park is the one the Super really wanted to partake of . . . well, on another day?]

[Back to Heroes’ Square, this is a “nice building by the Square.”  I can’t remember what it was and web photo research only came up with “nice building by the Square”?  Oh, and it’s where we parked the bus.  (Editor’s note:  This just in!  Checked on the archer statue out front – the building is the City Park Ice Rink!  Now I remember!)]

[The Palace of Art with BigBus Budapest across the street from the Square.]

[Steve telling us all about Heroes’s Square.  The Museum of Fine Arts is on the opposite side of the Square from the The Palace of Art.]

[Millenium Monument, the column on the middle of the Square, surrounded by, among others, the leaders of the seven Magyar tribes who founded Hungary.]

[In modern times, these guys would be linebackers.]

[The Biddies and me with BUDAPEST!]

In Part II, we will FINALLY board our boat and go out for a final visit of Budapest.

Being a woman is of special interest only to aspiring male transsexuals.  To actual women it is merely a good excuse not to play football.  ~  Fran Lebowitz

Up next:  Boat!