Last night we had the Captain's dinner - a five course affair. We were all stuffed as we left the dining room - we joked about using the elevator to get back to our rooms. Fortunately, Dave woke up at quarter to midnight and noticed that we were coming in to our docking place. All of the important buildings are lit as well as the bridges - absolutely spectacular! Because we got in so late and most people were not able to enjoy the light show, the captain is going to take us for an after-dinner cruise tonight.
Our guide this morning took us to both sides of the city. We had a little walk about on Castle Hill, where we were able to visit St. Matthias Church. The style of the church is neo-gothic, but the interior reminded me of some of the Spanish churches we have visited with a Moorish influence. I like the design and color, but I know that some people are put off by it. The roof of the church was magnificent with colorful tiles. We then took some photos from the Fisherman's Bastion - great shots of the Parliament building from here. On our walk back to the bus, we were lucky to see the Husar Guards marching accompanied by a band and men on horseback. It was quite a sight. The guide asked and apparently they are making a movie today. Back on the bus, we passed by a few monumental bath houses as Budapest is known for its thermal springs. We also saw Heroes' Square and the beautiful Hall of Art. We then drove down Andrassy Ut, a wide boulevard similar to those in Paris. There were many lovely homes and embassies on this road as well as the Hungarian State Opera House. We came back to the ship for lunch and then headed out to the pedestrian shopping street. There were many shops, restaurants, cafes, banks, etc. along the street. We found the huge farmer's market at the end of the street - meats, vegetables, fruits, souvenirs - a little of everything. Unfortunately, I was looking for a particular item as a favor for a friend, but was not able to find it. On the way back to the ship, John and I walked down the river a bit to take pictures of a Jewish memorial. There are 60 pairs of shoes on the bank of the river to represent the Jews who were marched there and then shot during World War II. It was a very poignant sight. Some of the shoes held fresh flowers and some had votive candles.
The city is quite lovely, but much poorer than even Bratislava with the average salary here being the equivalent of $750 (US) net per month. Nurses only make about $400. With the average apartment selling for $100,000, this is a tough situation. Apparently, renting is not done here so many young people must live at home until they can save to buy and apartment.
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