9/18/19-9/22/19 Bratislava, Slovakia and Budapest, Hungary

We left lovely Vienna, under perfect fall skies to head to Budapest Hungary. Tour director Cindy says the trip is only two and a half hours so we need a quick stop in Bratislava, Slovakia. Ok, I say😳 so off we go in the trusty Peugeot. It’s interesting in Eastern Europe, there are very few city’s/towns between the major city’s on the freeway. Just farmland and forests, no farm animals, just range land, weird😳

Ok, made it to Bratislava. A small city, looks like a tourist layover to me between Budapest and Vienna.

We did manage to find the worlds most expensive parking lot, €9 for 90 minutes, must be in NYC😜

Ok, on to Budapest Hungary. I don’t know about you, but I never thought I’d drive into Budapest in a trusty Peugeot 😳 Feeling a little nervous, we find our Airbnb right downtown, in the heart of the action. Very unusual for us!

Easy check in with the guard, a woman who speaks no English and we park the Peugeot in the basement and away we go!

Ok, up bright and early on Thursday to start our tour. Tour director Cindy says we are in the heart of the city. No use for the Underground or the trams, we can walk. Oh boy, I say, it could be an interesting trip😳

Budapest is a very, very beautiful city, unbelievably well designed with the Danube River cutting through the middle. It’s actually two city’s, Buda and Pest. We’re staying on the Pest side which is considered the newer side.

Budapest is a huge tourist destination. The Viking river boat cruises start and end here and it’s tour bus central. However, it’s a huge city geographically, and can hold the huge crowd! We counted 25 cruise ships on the river the first night😎

Ok, walking tour says tour director Cindy!

Great underground and tram but we don’t get to ride them much, we must walk!

First up, the Széchenyi Lanchid bridge between Buda and Pest!

Crossing the river again, Shoes on the Danube Bank, a memorial where 20,000 Jews were shot in WWII and fell in the river after removing their shoes.

Parliament and Kossuth Lajos Square, home to parliament and the site of the Hungarian uprising to the Soviets in 1956!

Ok, day one 12 miles, I’m in deep trouble😎

Next day, Buda castle with a fun tram ride.

Ok, Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias church, stunning!

Buda Tower

Ok, we have the afternoon off, let’s go to the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, the largest and most famous thermal spa in Budapest! Unbelievable…pools, saunas, steam rooms and pools with different temperatures, all thermal water. A life experience😎

Ok, food time. Interesting city for food with lots of influences, Asian, Greek, Middle Eastern and Slavic. Fun place

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A Transylvanian BBQ festival. Different stews on the BBQ with bands playing 😜

Budapest’s first Food Cart street party🍺😎

Unbelievably beautiful city. Huge,

Multi-cultural and a party spot all in one! Off to Croatia tomorrow, with an overnight in Rastovaca, Croatia, in the Plitvice Lake National Park.

FYI, we walked 50 miles in the last four days, with steps up many a hill.

Ciao! Ciao! from Budapest!