Budapest 2

While my friend was busy with official duties, I traveled around the city by bus, subway and streetcar to do some sightseeing. The public transportation system was wonderful and easy to use despite the language difference. In addition, the city is quite friendly to bicycle riders with lots of bike lanes and even special lights at some intersections.

Among the top sites are Heroes Square with its huge statues and large park beyond. It was too cold and breezy when I was there so I was happy to retreat to the subway and head for the fabulous opera house.

The Opera House is absolutely spectacular. Tours are given in 6 languages each afternoon and even though I was there at a low tourist season, the tours were full. You are allowed to use flash and a tripod, but the tour moves so quickly that good photography is very difficult. The grand staircase is shown at right.

Finally, one of the best things about Budapest is the wonderful view along the Danube. The Parliament building (first photo) dominates the river during the day as well as at night, and the view from Castle Hill is phenomenal. By law, no building can be higher than Parliament, except for St. Stephen (at left in second photo), which is the same height, thus making clear the importance of both the State and the Church.


(Click on photos for larger views)