Caviar and Dancing Water

We are in Budapest, Hungary for five nights, so we are seeing all the locations on my list. This post covers Friday and Saturday (September 6-7). With our Budapest transport card, we just hop on a subway, tram, or bus whenever we want, no hassle at all. The only time the card is checked is when we enter the subway. My friend Google tells me which transportation method to take and list the stops. I'm so glad I got the extra data service package as I use the phone almost continously as we move around the city. Budapest has 1.8 million residents (and almost that many tourists) so it's quite a change from Bratislava.

Tram 2 (only retro looking one, all the others
are modern) runs along the river

Budapest was formed from two cities, Buda (with Castle Hill) and Pest (where our hotel is) which are split by the Danube River. Five (maybe six, but we can only see five) bridges cross the river. I know the story of three of them, the three we've crossed. Liberty Bridge was built in 1896. The center part of the bridge was blown up by retreating Germans in 1945. It was the first to be rebuilt after the war and was renamed Liberty Bridge.

Liberty Bridge across the Danube

Of course Phillip and I made our way to the Great Market Hall on our first full day. Locals come here for the fresh vegetables and meat.

Peppers are in season (about 300 Hft=$1, price is for a kg, 2.2 US pounds)

Tourists come for the spice aisle and upper floor of souveniers. Several vendors sold goose liver and caviar. We didn't buy any caviar, but that was the first time I've seen the different varieties for sale. It's amazing the variation in price, and note that "Imperial" is more expensive ($100/100 grams) than beluga ($23/100 grams).

caviar on display in refrigerated cooler

After the market, we walked along the bank of the Danube to the "Shoes on the Danube" exhibit.  This is a simple monument to the Hungarian Jews who were shot and thrown into the Danube by the fascist Arrow Cross Party in 1944. Sixty pairs of old-style shoes and boots in cast iron line a section of the river sidewalk near Parliament.

Shoes on the Danube Memorial

The Parliament Building is the largest building in Hungary, and it is huge. It was designed in 1885 and is almost directly across from the Royal Palace on Castle Hill across the river, its placement and size meant to send a message that democracy, not royalty was the future of Hungary (and after the Soviets left in 1989, that has been the case).

Hungarian Parliament Building

Like almost every European City, statues are in every park and square in Budapest. This one was very unusual, as the statues honoring people usually try to resemble the person being honored. If he looked like this, I think the transporter malfunctioned! I had to research this one, of Sir George Solti, born in Hungary. He fled the Nazis in 1938 and went on to acclaim as an orchestra and opera conductor in England and the USA. Now I understand the variety of musical instruments and the piano keyboard that are part of the statue.

I post pictures of good food we eat, but we don't always eat good food. I wanted a hamburger for dinner on Friday, but didn't want McDonalds or Burger King (both are here) so I found a hamburger restaurant via my friend Google. She did let me down this time... we fed about 1/3 of our burger to the dog who put its snout under the fence of the "garden terrace." This is the view up from the "garden terrace."

View up from the "garden terrace"

On Saturday morning, we headed for Castle Hill on the Pest side of the river. We went up to Fishermen's Bastion for pictures. Phillip said that he'd get the tickets from the attendant. She understood and did not laugh when he asked for two tickets to the "Fisherman Basket." She also only charged him for senior tickets (half-price) even though that discount is for 65 and over!

view along the ramparts from Fishermen's Bastion

In addition to the castle, the Hill is home to St. Matthias Church. Parts of it date to the 15th century, but what is seen now was designed in 1896. Phillip and I notice the numerous churches in the region with their colorful tile roofs.

St. Matthias Church from Fishermen's Bastion

On my list for our Castle Hill visit was the Hospital in the Rock. We arrived just in time to catch the 11 am tour in English. This set of caves under Castle Hill was an actual hospital during the WWII siege of Budapest and during the 1956 uprising. After the Soviets consolidated control, they used the hospital caves as a nuclear bunker. Both medical displays and nuclear preparedness displays were presented on our one-hour tour. No pictures were allowed inside the caves.

The actual castle grounds were hosting a Wine Festival. We overheard a guide telling her group that usually the grounds are free to visit, but the festival could, and was, charging an entry fee. So, no castle pictures as we didn't get onto the grounds. Instead, we rode the bus and tram back to Pest and I found a restaurant that served decent chicken wings for Phillip. I owed him for going to that bad hamburger restaurant with me. Google redeemed herself with the chicken wing suggestion. No picture as chicken wings are chicken wings!
After lunch, we walked half-way across the Margaret Bridge to Margaret Island. It was lovely to walk thru. Families were renting four person pedal cars for the wide trails. People were playing fetch with their dogs in open fields. Shaded paths held joggers and walkers.

Entrance to Margaret Island

Several sections of the island were dedicated to flower beds. The Rose Garden was out of season, but this flower garden was in full bloom.

colorful border of a flowerbed

Our favorite feature of Margaret Island was the dancing fountain. According to the sign, on the hour, a twenty-minute musical program played with the fountain synchronized to the music. Classical and popular music were included, European and American music. After our walk on the island, we headed back to the bridge and were passing the fountain as a program began. My only regrets are that it wasn't yet dark (we could see colored lights, but in the sunlight, they didn't reflect on the water) and that I would miss seeing the program that included Simon and Garfunkel's "Cecelia," as it wasn't scheduled for another two hours.

It was truly amazing to watch the water jets as they really seemed to pulse and spin with the music! This has to be my favorite sight in Budapest. We did get some snippets of video, but here are more pictures.

Swirling water as the nozzles rotated

Water shooting up like fireworks

A big finish for each song in the program