Day One - Budapest

Getting our feet back on the ground.

We departed AMS on a full flight to BUD. KLM runs a tight ship. Nothing fancy but usually reliable (although we did wait 3 days in Copenhagen several years ago for our luggage).

I was thirsting for a sight of the Danube, glued to the window during the hour and a half flight, but Europe was cloaked in cloud. There were a few tantalizing peeks through the clouds, showing dark green forests, cultivated fields and once, as we approached, what I took to be Lake Balaton.

I had to look it up. “The Balaton” is a large rift lake, the largest in Central Europe. It covers 600 square kilometers and is 78 kilometers long by 14 kilometers at its widest (48 miles x 9 miles). A very popular tourist region, it has both history and wine combined, another reason to return~!

The first hours in a new city are magical. The language, the energy, the people, the sights, all new and interesting. My first impressions were of an older European city with a very young and vibrant population. The long tram busses were packed as workers headed home at the end of their work day.

Our hotel, The Corinthia, is lovely luxurious hotel with beautiful marble floors and large crown moldings. The hotel opened in 1896, just in time to celebrate the 1000 year anniversary of the legendary founding of Budapest. More on that later~!

After checking in last night we stumbled out to explore and find some dinner. The streets were busy. We’re staying on the Pest side of the river, on Erzsébet Körut, Elizabeth Boulevard, named for the Austrian Hungarian Queen Elizabeth of Bavaria, assassinated in 1898 and still beloved by the Hungarians, affectionately known as Sisi. We saw a marvelous exhibition in her honor in Vienna several years ago, and have visited her home in Corfu.

What do you eat for your first meal in Hungary? Well we needed comfort food so we settled for a place right on Oktogon Square, where Elizabeth meets Andrassy Ut.

Bellozzo offered fast, hot meals, to eat in or take away.

Then we headed back to the Hotel, checking out the neighborhood on the way.

The hotel bar offered a special drink, “First Day in Budapest,” so the BW had to try it. It was excellent! I chose a Pilsner. I knew I was tired when I couldn’t finish it off.

The bus leaves in 20 minutes on our first tour! Welcome to Budapest~!

Thanks for traveling along!~