Day out in Budapest Pt 2

When we finished with the eagle, and stopped guarding, we went into St Matthias' church.

It is being massively repainted, with hundreds of volunteers.

I think this is Peter imitating a tree ...

... or maybe the large winged statue in the background.

Then Anne insisted we go back in a finicula, and she hardly screamed at all as we went down.

In search of ice cream, we passed two large wooden dogs (yes, P O'L, we know about the wooden dogs) but such was the feeding frenzy with the cones that no photographs were taken.

After an afternoon nap, off to dinner and a concert.

A passing Hungarian fish.

A passing-good Hungarian organist ....

... with a brilliant bass who looked very like Sid James

.. and a very good flautist who looked like that evil man in the Bond movies. (What was his name? Wint?)

Outside to a waxing moon

 

... and bright, blurry lights .....

... and so to bed.

Day out in Budapest Pt 1

As usual, we have to start with a coffee. "Small or regular?" says the girl. You guess.

Full of caffeine, we head for St Stephen's Basilica .......

... which is very beautiful .......

... and contains the Black Madonna.

Outside the church, there is a lovely boulevarde which we started down, 

only to be accosted by what we initially thought were nuns,

but turned out to be fresh graduates from the University of Eastern Europe.

Peter and Paul were press-ganged into taking their photos .....

.... but then they found a better companion.

Enough of that. These railway lines are on the banks of the Danube, and not very effective, as you can see.

 

 

So we set off by foot across the Chain Bridge .....

.........

 

... with a quick stop in the middle to show the Houses of Parliament (distant background). Then a bus to the top of the hill in Buda. Pest, as you know, is on the other side of the river.

St Matthias' church in Buda.

We met this golden eagle, and intrepid Peter immediately donned the gauntlet and grabbed the beast.

The large medieval gentleman stayed close, much to Peter's satisfaction.

Two castle guards, off duty ......

.. and two guardesses

Day 10 Budapest

Check-in at Heathrow

.... after which we found a piano saying "play me"

A & P up the gangplank

P & C further up the gangplank

And at last in Hungary

The Blue Danube - I think Strauss was colourblind

Not only is the Danube not-blue but it's FULL. The little walkway below actually goes across a road which is totally submerged. Most of the gangplanks out to the cruise boats are washed away or damaged. No boats on the river!

A noble statue and a bandy statue

A Hand-grenade bag!

Cathy at the Citadel

Likewise Anne and Peter. Anne seems to be offering something but I don't know what. (No, this is not a competition)

Statue and model

Ditto

Model and model

Our Hop-off bus

Italian at the end of the day

... with beer!

On the way home we saw this Hungarian on a segue with a dog. We don't know why.