Although there were threats of rain in the morning, it never materialized. We boarded a bus with our guide, Nora, into town to view the beauty close up. The Buda side of the river is full of hills, where wealthy Hungarians choose to live. The Pest side is flat and very prosperous, the financial part of the city. They used to be two different cities, but once many bridges were built to connect the two sides of the river, they became one city.
We walked the Castle Hill, viewing St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Matthias Church. The view of the city below was beautiful. Interestingly, as you get to the area of the churches, there is a Jamie Oliver restaurant. For those who do not know him, he is a famous, creative chef. Many years ago, he went into a school, in Oklahoma, I believe, where he created menus for the school lunches, and taught the students about eating better. The parents participated, losing many unwanted pounds on the way. Going back to the Castle Hill, the tiled roofs of the Matthias Church is amazing. There are statues and lookout spots, too.
We drove near the Jewish Quarter, but we were unable to go in there. It seemed that there were many road closures, perhaps for a marathon or other event. I was there before, in the former Ghetto, which kept the Jews separated from the regular population during the war, but always was a separate enclave of the Jews of Budapest.
The largest Jewish place of worship outside of New York City, the Moorish-style Great Synagogue is one of Budapest’s most eye-catching buildings. Built in 1859, the distinctive structure, with its crenelated red-and-yellow glazed-brick facade and two enormous towers. The Quarter is quite different than it was originally. Built outside of the walls of Pest, it was where the Jews lived and worked. There is a small community still there, a fraction of what was there before WII.
Our next stop was in Pest near the Museum of Fine Arts. Across the street is Heroes’ Square, a beautiful area where many a demonstation was held, given its openness. We then went to the huge food market. Because it was a Sunday, many of the stalls were closed. Fortunately, I was able to purchase some local paprika (of course), for me, as well as our housesitters and housekeeper. There were so many varieties and options, including paprika pastes, both sweet and smoked. I have no idea how to use them, but will enjoy exploring the various ways to use them.
After a wonderful day of visiting Budapest, which we heartily recommend, we returned to the ship for an evening cocktail, relaxing until another sumptuous meal was served on board. It was a good day.
Tomorrow, we go to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.