Rick Steves Europe: Prague & Budapest
Up early with our group, and we went tromping through the city with our rolling suitcases clattering behind us on the cobblestones. We got to the edge of Old Town and boarded our private bus, then headed for Budapest! Jana had several things planned for our ride, including Czech food & drink samples, a CD of Czech music, and a few of her own thoughts on the country’s history and spirit. She also planned plenty of quiet time to rest and a few stops to stretch our legs, including a break at the Slovakia border - that way we could say we’d visited 3 countries on this trip! While stopped, we sampled another regional liqueur Jana had for us, and this time we learned to toast in Hungarian: “Egészségedre!” The scenery as we drove was beautiful - vineyards and fields and villages- and it was a good opportunity to reflect on all the things we’d seen and heard during our time in Prague. Our first views of Budapest were in the afternoon sun, and we had an hour’s break at our hotel before we all set off on foot to meet a local guide, Mónika, on our introductory walk through the Pest side of the city.
We saw the Hungarian Parliament, and across the courtyard, a memorial to the 1956 national uprising and the bloody Soviet response. Another memorial we saw was one erected by the government, a “Memorial to the Victims of the German Invasion,” and in front of this was a counter-memorial, constructed by citizens to protest the depiction of national Hungary as an innocent victim of Nazi rule. It was fascinating to see a group of these concerned citizens gathered nearby, hosting an educational event for anyone interested in the work they are doing to challenge the government’s narrative. We saw the impressive St. Stephen’s Basilica, Freedom Square, and the memorial for former Prime Minister Imre Nagy. Near sunset, we all boarded the historic Tram Number 2 and rode, parallel to the Danube River, several stops toward our dinner destination, the charming Gerlóczy Café. We enjoyed the evening with the group, swapping stories and comparing wine selections, and the two of us split from the group on our walk home so we could revisit the Parliament building and river at night - beautiful place, with the castle across the river lit brightly!
For Day 8,
Erica's Favorite Moment from Today
"Going back to the Parliament building after dark. It’s fun to revisit the same spot at a different time of day, because you notice different things about the place."
Elizabeth's Favorite Moment from Today
"I was not expecting to love the 7 hour bus ride, but I actually enjoyed it. With such a small group there was plenty of room to spread out on the bus, and Jana managed to make the ride fun and meaningful. I also loved getting to see the countryside."