We got to sleep in compared to yesterday. Tony had to go get Elemer's passport and we needed to be ready for our 9 am appointment with Dr. Boros. She had to come examine Elemer for our consulate appointment on Monday. So off to breakfast we headed at 8am. Busy day!
Once Dr. Boros complete her exam and paperwork we headed out to explore town. I had made a mapped out plan on what we would do. It appeared we would make a circle around the Danube River and then head home (easy right?!?)
We headed down Vaci Street ('Váci utca' is perhaps the most famous street in Budapest. It runs from Vörösmarty Square to the Central Market Hall and features a large number of restaurants, shops and cafés.) again to pick up a souvenir and then back over the Szabadsa'g hid (bridge) to return to Sziklateplom (the Cave Church) to take the tour.
It was pretty amazing to hear the stories of christanity coming to Hungary and how this church came to be. Learn more here -http://visitbudapest.travel/local-secrets/cave-church/
We then wanted to see this statue that was high on a hill over the Cave Church so we started the trek up. After a lot of walking and 324 steps later we made it to the statue. The statue was the Liberty Statue on Gellert Hill. It commemorates those who sacrificed their lives for independence, freedom, and prosperity of Hungary. The views from the top were really magnificent.
Afterwards we headed over to the Citadel which was just a bit of a walk from where the statue was.
Next we were going to take the Buda Hill Funicular down the mountain... only to figure that on the map it was farther than I anticipated and I took us the LONG WAY to Buda Castle Hill so long in fact Elemér napped on Tony. This was apparently the only nap he was going to get. About 1 1/2 hrs later we finally arrived at the base of the Buda Castle Hill and decided to find lunch. Only to realize that all the restaurants were at the bottom of the hill..... well about 124 steps down. so down we trek to get food. (please note my husband hasn't strangled me by now) and we eat at 2:45 at a cute Hungarian cuisine restaurant then head back up the 124 steps.
Next we were going to take the Buda Hill Funicular down the mountain... only to figure that on the map it was farther than I anticipated and I took us the LONG WAY to Buda Castle Hill so long in fact Elemér napped on Tony. This was apparently the only nap he was going to get. About 1 1/2 hrs later we finally arrived at the base of the Buda Castle Hill and decided to find lunch. Only to realize that all the restaurants were at the bottom of the hill..... well about 124 steps down. so down we trek to get food. (please note my husband hasn't strangled me by now) and we eat at 2:45 at a cute Hungarian cuisine restaurant then head back up the 124 steps.
Fueled with food we walked around the court yards of Buda Castle after another 99 more steps to the top.
Again the views of Pest were amazing! The castle court yards were grand. Lots of work was being done to restore and excavate old portions of the castle. It is visible from everywhere in Budapest. We already decided that with a 4 year old we were not going to attempt many 'listening' tours and would do that on a return trip.
Austin getting a coin made
Some facts about Buda Castle:
The first royal castle was built around this time. The golden age of Castle Hill was in the 15th century, following the marriage of King Matthias Corvinus and Beatrix of Naples in 1476. Many Italian artists and craftsmen accompanied the new queen, and Buda became an important European city. After the Turkish occupation, Buda was in ruins. A Baroque city was built, and Castle Hill soon became the district of government. During World War II, Buda was bombed to the ground and had to be rebuilt again.(via: http://visitbudapest.travel/guide/budapest-attractions/buda-castle-hill/)
After explore the castle grounds we finally found what we were looking for! Buda Hill Funicular. This is an amazing transportation device!
We then headed across Chain Bridge
With the Buda Castle in the background, the Hungarian capital’s first bridge, now a monument, is a fascinating spectacle that has attracted many tourists to Budapest. The bridge was built upon the request of Count István Széchenyi by designer William Tierney Clark and engineer Adam Clark between 1839 and 1849. Like many other Danube bridges, the Chain Bridge did not survive the ravages of the World War, so it had to be rebuilt in 1949, marking the centenary of its first opening. Visitors also have the opportunity to walk onto the top of the tunnel located on the Buda side, offering a marvelous view of the Danube, its bridges as well as the nicest parts of Pest. (via: http://www.budapest.com/city_guide/sights/bridges/chain_bridge.en.html)
On our way to dinner we stopped at a cool Lego and model store in an old bunker.
With the Buda Castle in the background, the Hungarian capital’s first bridge, now a monument, is a fascinating spectacle that has attracted many tourists to Budapest. The bridge was built upon the request of Count István Széchenyi by designer William Tierney Clark and engineer Adam Clark between 1839 and 1849. Like many other Danube bridges, the Chain Bridge did not survive the ravages of the World War, so it had to be rebuilt in 1949, marking the centenary of its first opening. Visitors also have the opportunity to walk onto the top of the tunnel located on the Buda side, offering a marvelous view of the Danube, its bridges as well as the nicest parts of Pest. (via: http://www.budapest.com/city_guide/sights/bridges/chain_bridge.en.html)
On our way to dinner we stopped at a cool Lego and model store in an old bunker.
Last stop: Dinner at Doppio for dinner. the funniest part of this dinner was that Austin ordered Grilled Cheese per a menu item. Only to find out that it was literally grilled cheese atop fries. We all got a good laugh after the shock of it. We decided that the waiter must be laughing at us Americans at our surprise.
Our evening would not be complete without ice cream (or so Austin says, so off to find some ice cream, which was not so readily available as in Misckloc and Nyiregyhaza. I chose to partake in a different Hungarian sweet, a Kürtóskalács covered in chocolate ( leavened dough to have a thickness of about a finger’s width then coiled spirally on a specially formed wood apparatus, then covered in oil. This way it can keep the sugar layer easier, lastly covered in vanilla, cinnamon, walnut, almond, chocolate, coconut, cocoa and poppy-seed.) I choose chocolate!
Finally we head home exhausted, feet and legs aching (Fitbit says 21k steps!) to 'sleep in' (fyi 4 yr old's don't sleep in!) and to prepare for another site seeing day tomorrow!
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