HAMMY AND WIFE: Budapest, Hungary

Here is a blog that is long overdue! Ryan's friend Michael, from college, and his lady friend, Deanna, came to visit us a few weeks ago and we all took a weekend trip to Budapest. Our hotel/apartment was conveniently located by clubs and topless bars...so we got to see an interesting side of Budapest. There are many beautiful things about Budapest, but due to our hotel location, we were not so impressed. You see, living in Vienna has spoiled us. This city is immaculate and all others pale in comparison!

We had some good eats on the Pest side, but the Buda side is where the castle, cave church and famous thermal baths are located. These Europeans sure do love their thermal/mineral baths! The baths are actually called Turkish baths, which are a reminder of the many Turkish invasions in Budapest's history.

View from one side of the castle

Michael and Deanna

Part of Castle Hill from the river,

it is now a museum

"I'm not touching you..."

Parliament, one of the most beautiful

buildings on the Pest side

Silly monkeys

View of the other side of the castle

ROAR!

Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the first permanent

bridge across the Danube in Hungary

Cave Church

Sanctuary (it smelled kind of funky in there)

St. Stephan's Basilica, where the Holy Right Hand of the founder of Hungary, King Saint Stephan is on display

Margaret Island is a 2.5km island that is in the middle of the Danube. The island was dominated by nunneries, churches, and monestaries until the 16th century. It gets its name from Margaret, the daughter of Bela IV, who spent her whole life on the island. She is known as Saint Margaret.

The Centennial Memorial, commemorates the hundredth

anniversary of the city's unification