Budapest Two!!

 We left Budapest for a day to tour the popular Danube Bend, including the shops and cafes of Szentendre.

                                           A view from the ruined medieval fort of Visegrad. 

                                                                   Entrance to the fort.

                        Inside the huge Central Market in Budapest. Paprika or sausage, anyone??

                                                           A view from Fisherman’s Bastion

Some of the seven domes of Fisherman’s Bastion, representing the seven Magyar tribes that immigrated to the region and formed the basis for the nation of Hungary

We also toured Hospital in the Rock, a warren of hospital and fallout shelter corridors carved into the rock in the 19th century. Interior photos were not allowed, but it is an absolutely sprawling complex. 

Budapest Three!!

We enjoyed an evening in the Ruins Bars, which sprawl through some ruined buildings in Budapest.

Our tour of Godollo Royal Palace, outside of the city, was led by an accomplished young actress who portrayed Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. The Queen was highly intelligent, strong-willed, and willing to challenge the royal family when necessary. She particularly resisted any attempt to interfere with her love and responsibility to her children. 

Heroes’ Square, built in 1896, commemorates the fourteen Hungarian leaders who span the history of the country. 

                         We enjoyed our final meal in Hungary at the legendary Gundel restaurant. 
 

Castle Bojnice and Cicmany Village

 

      Cicmany Village is known for its traditional Slovakian house paintings, otherwise rarely seen today. 

Bojnice Castle is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Central Europe. It was deliberately romanticized in the early 1900’s to give it a fairy-tale like appearance. 

Bratislava, Slovakia

 A chilly speedboat ride on the Danube River was our introduction to Bratislava, a city of nearly a half-million people. Since emerging from Communist rule in 1989, there was a peaceful separation from the Czech’s in 1993 (the Velvet Divorce) and Slovakia has transitioned to a country known for automobile production and technology. 

                Devin Castle as viewed from the Danube. The castle was destroyed by Napoleon in 1809.

                                    The famed Man at Work statute, known locally as “The Peeper.” 

                         St. Martin’s Cathedral, coronation site for 19 Hungarian Kings and Queens. 

                                                           Touring the ruins of Devin Castle 

Auschwitz-Birkenau

 The joy of travel vanishes when one visits Auschwitz and its nearby companion concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, where more than 1.1 million people were murdered by the Nazis during WWII. No words. 

Haunting chimneys are all that remain of the numerous barracks destroyed by the Nazis as they fled.

Krakow, Poland

Krakow dates to the 7th Century and has a variety of historic and cultural landmarks. Although occupied by Germany during WWII, the city was not bombed and its architectural wonders survived the war. 

                                                                 Main Market Square

                                                                  St. Mary’s Basilica

                                                           The Cloth Hall, above and below

                                             A modern sculpture by Polish artist Igor Mitoraj

                               The interior of St. Mary’s and its famed carved Gothic altarpiece 

                             A different type of cultural beauty: fantastic pierogies are everywhere!!