the Chain Bridge
We caused ourselves another problem today which I won’t describe in too much detail Let’s just say it involved the apartment keys and their location. However, just like my current favorite saying, “Being lost is only temporary.”
The sky was overcast this morning when we finally got onto the city tour bus. It was one of those hop on - hop off ones where you could ride all day. We took it for the entire city circuit and by the time we got back to the start near our apartment, the weather had cleared. We got off and spent the rest of the day walking. Budapest is another beautiful city that just invites walking to fully experience it.
We walked across the Chain Bridge, along the Buda embankment and up the Castle Hill.
car decorated for a wedding party
This area was almost totally destroyed in the 1940’s and has been reconstructed. In fact it seems to be currently re-reconstructed since scaffolding is everywhere. But it’s beautiful all the same and on days like today everybody comes out to enjoy the scenery. We counted 4 different wedding parties with accompanying bridesmaids, guests and photographers. It was like a big outdoor party with everybody invited.
We walked around, had a beer in a café in the Fisherman’s Bastion overlooking the city, smiled at the brides and wandered through the open air markets. What a great way to spend an afternoon.
Walking back down the hill and across the bridge made us hungry so we walked on into Central Pest to a restaurant that specialized in Hungarian food and good piano music.
view of the Calvinist Church
The Kispipa Etterem is on Akacfa Street and has been there for 25 years. It was a little hard to find, several streets back into a sparsely lit area and about a mile from Vaci Street. We seemed to be the only Americans there in spite of the restaurant being listed in a US guidebook. The jazz pianist was extraordinary; so was the food. I had a cold sour cherry soup garnished with whipped cream, fried breaded camembert with preserves, chicken and dumplings, and a donut/creampuff with hot fudge sauce. Thanks heavens for the long walk back just to work off the dinner.
