If you live in the Northern Hemisphere then no doubt you are enjoying the summer and busy planning your next getaway. Last year I spent my summer holiday in Hungary. It's a country I've always been curious about but only recently set time aside to visit. As Estonian belongs to the Finno-Ugric language group I wanted to see if I could detect any similarities but there are few. The only time I thought Hungariam resembled Estonian was when I heard it in the background on the TV and the melody of the language, the rising and falling of the pitch, reminded me of Estonian.
I must admit I knew very little about Hungary before my trip. In primary school I had a good friend, Suzanne, who was Hungarian and I remember she often ate desserts with lots of cinnamon. Once I arrived in Budapest I was very pleasantly surprised. It's a very popular city with tourists. I heard a lot of foreign languages spoken on the street and everyone seemed to speak English. Budapest is a very vibrant city full of intersting places to visit. Unfortunately in the three days I was there, I didn't have time to see them all. But there's always next time!
Castle Hill
Budapest is divided into two section by the Danube River - 'Buda' and 'Pest'.
I stayed in Pest.
The impressive Parliament Buildings.
They contain the Hungarian Crown Jewels.
This underground station was the only thing I found that
vaguely resembled an Estonian word.
Budapest has many charming old train stations. Some lines of the underground still
use trains dating back to the 19th century. The wooden interiors and individual light
fittings really felt like I was stepping back in time.
Chain Bridge
The stone bridge with the lion bridgeheads was the first permanent
connection between Buda and Pest.
The Danube Promenade
60 pairs of steel sculpted shoes can be found here to commemorate
the Jews who were shot here during WWII.
.
Heroes' Square and the Millennium Monument
This is a nice part of town featuring many interesting buildings, sculptures and gardens.
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Impressive interior. Visitors can climb to the top of the tower
to gain an excellent view of the city.
Quaint church
Budapest has many lovely parks and gardens.
The Rubik Cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor
of architecture Ernő Rubik.
Hungarian post box.
No trip to Budapest is complete without a cruise along the Danube river.
There are many different tours to choose from that depart regularly.
Budapest was an absolutely lovely city that surpassed my expectations.
I will defintely return one day!
This year I will spend my summer holiday in beautiful Poland. My brother has been living in Krakow for the past two years and we will hire a holiday cottage for a week. I am especially looking forward to visiting the salt mines, Zakopane and the enchanting Polish folk art village of Zalipie. Can't wait!