Before
I get into the stories for today, I would like to quote Josh,"It ain't
easy writing a daily summary."
Some
other observations: We have never been rained out.
There
were a few cloudy days but no more than a sprinkle of rain fell.
The
temperatures have seldom been lower than 15 by midday.
One
day in Vienna is definitely not enough time to get a good feel for the city.
I'm trying to figure out how long it will take to see 500 museums at three a
day, four when I am more energetic.
I
have had a real education traveling with Gila. I have learned a great deal
about art, art history and how to see the elements that make a piece special.
I
have learned to be far more patient and I am learning to appreciate the moment
rather than worrying about what comes next.
Traveling
with Gila is great for me. It's not so much that she accepts my mishigasim. She
just laughs at them and then I have a choice. I can laugh too or I can get
pissed off, in which case she laughs even more until I just take a meshuggah
mint to counteract my behaviour.
Many
Americans are loud and obnoxious, especially when plied with alcohol, but on a
small ship, it is possible to meet really interesting people from all over the
States, Canada and even Mexico.
And
finally, the Danube is not blue. Strauss must have had some visual anomalies or
he was drunk.
I
am all toured out, not a good state for this morning’s outing.
We
arrived in Budapest this morning. As we sailed into the city we got a
commentary on each of the bridges and prominent buildings.
Our tour managers
are all Hungarian and the pride in their city is evident. As soon as we docked,
a bus was waiting for us and we had a whirlwind tour through Pest, the flat
portion of the city. Included was the history as well, from the Celts, the
Romans, the Huns, the Turks, the Habsburgs, the Republic, the Soviets to the
return to democracy. It was just too much to absorb while watching the
streetscape and being hustled off and on the bus for photo ops. There were
casinos, museums , a zoo, many parks and I really can't remember what else. The
only really memorable spot was Heroes' Square which was recently built to
commemorate 100 years of I don't remember what. On either side were palaces
that have been converted into art galleries. With the wide boulevards and the
architecture of various periods, it resembled Vienna on a bad hair day. Vienna
was pristine. It is not that this city is dirty. It's not, but rather shabby in
some places, requiring more TLC than it has received over the centuries. I am
glad that we have an extended stay here so that I can get a clearer impression
of what I think may be a charming city.
Then
we crossed the river to Buda and the castle area. This is the hilly side of the
city and much more expensive in terms of housing. Like Vienna, it was wall to
wall tourists. We then had a short walking tour and free time. The area is
dominated by the St. Mathias Church, another gothic structure with a ceramic
tile roof. Apparently the King's wife was Italian and that was the style on the
Mediterranean. This area was heavily bombed during the war and because of the
destruction, archaeologists took the opportunity to uncover the remains of
castles, castle walls etc. from the Middle Ages.
Part of an old church
The work is still ongoing. At
the edge of the hill is a wonderful look out spot, called the Fishermen’s
Ballustrade, built in the later nineteenth century, where on a clear day, you
can see all the way up and down the river as you are hustled by vendors selling
sweaters, embroidery tablecloths, pictures, paintings and everything else you
would expect in a tourist trap.
View from the Fisherman's Balustrade
The area is under construction as well. An old
castle is being transformed into either a conference centre or a museum. Again,
it was such a whirl that it can't remember all the information thrown at us.
Gila
was fascinated by the pastel coloured paints on the buildings. At close
quarters, the cracks in the wall and the peeling paint was very evident. Gila
needed to have samples. She very carefully peeled a little piece of paint off
the wall of several buildings. One of the shop owners noticed and I could see
that he was chuckling. Even though I will not aid and abet Gila's criminal
behaviour, picking away at the wall was taking too long. So I helped her by
peeling off a large square. Gila was shocked. How was that different from what
she was doing? I was just saving time.
Apparently,
this castle area is also a posh residential area. Beside the church is a Hilton
hotel. The tower of a former defense wall or church has been incorporated into
the new modern building. In all of this area, the buildings sported peeling
paint, cracks in concrete and lots of trompe l'oeil. On the surface it is
charming with cafes and little shops selling paprika and other souvenirs, but
because of the hordes of tourists and guided tours, it felt very staged. Mind you,
we were only in one area and perhaps beyond the main square there is a more
normal type of life.
An old fountain and wall in the castle district
We
returned to the ship for lunch and had to decide what to do with our afternoon.
The only thing I was willing to consider was an afternoon at one of the spas in
Buda. The one we chose was just on the other side of the bridge and we were
able to walk there in about ten minutes. It is a very posh hotel with the spa
attached. The complex is a leftover from the reign of the Turks. The whole
complex is tiled, marbled and adorned in an art deco style. The spa area is
huge and the signs directing people to the various pools (there are eleven of
them) and therapy areas must have been put up by our tour manager Balazs who
has the unique ability to complicate the simplest thing. If you had spent any
time with him as a leader, you understood immediately how confusing the complex
was. But the water was hot hot hot and the massage that I had was heavenly. I
was reluctant to leave especially since I am coming down with a cold.
By
the time we got back to the ship I was too wiped for the farewell cocktails and
directly after dinner, returned to my cabin to sleep. Unfortunately, I missed a
performance of traditional Hungarian operetta pieces by a local professional
group but I needed the sleep more.
Tomorrow
we are being transferred to another hotel and so I hastily packed. I foresee
some logistical problems about how much can be put into a suitcase and still be
able to zipper it shut. In the morning after our transfer, I am looking forward
to our tour of the Jewish interests in this city.
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