Budapest or Buda-the-Best

 As we sit on our train about to leave for Prauge I can say how surprised I was with our 3 day stay in  Budapest. I wasn’t sure what to expect when we arrived, but this city has it all, modern new architecture and a mix of  very old buildings and Soviet era type buildings. For about the past 800 years it seems this city has been over thrown, destroyed and conquered every 100 years or so. The further east you travel in Europe there history seems so much more tragic. Budapest which is actually two cities Buda and Pest across from each other along the Danube river. The city is very clean and had a very cool vibe , maybe due to government policies there is very clean and little visible homelessness as compared to other cities. 

After arriving by train from Presov we walked down some of the narrowest streets we’ve encountered so far. Looks

Looking  kind of sketchy from the outside but once we passed through the doors of our hotel an amazing modern hotel was hidden behind its grim façade. Within a few minutes from the hotel we were able to walk to so many sites. Again so many restaurants and it seems every block would be so many ATM‘S and cash exchange  offices, we were warned ahead to stay away from these business as the exchange rates and service charges they offer are horrendous. As part of the EU Hungary uses its own currency the Forent after getting $100,000 Forents or  $300 Canadian we were good to go.

Our exploring a round  included a trip to the Buda castle a huge castle dating back to 1214 and is being rebuilt as it’s been destroyed numerous times from the Mongols, Romans , Russians and Germans. A cruise along the Danube river gives a perspective we wouldn’t expect to see. Like most of the cities we have been in rivers were the major transportation corridors so much of the older part of the cities are located there. Budapest was home to about 600,000 Jews prior to WW2 but with mass executions and there removal to death camps only about 150,000 survived. A monument along the river wall showed we’re over 1500 Jews were lined up and shot and their bodies dumped into the river, it’s quit a sobering site. Today the worlds second largest synagogue is located in Budapest which contains a good museum about the history of the Jews in Budapest. 

We also ventured in the city market which many locals get there fresh meat and vegetables, of course with so many tourists there are lots of souvenir shops located along the other vendors. The Hungarian parliament buildings is an amazing structure one of the largest government buildings in Central Europe.  Of course more churches were toured  through and some good food and drinks were consumed to end each day we were there. Next it’s onto Prauge.