We started out day with a much needed late start and late breakfast in hotel (breakfast goes until 1030am). They have a lady on the dining room who is a bit of a hungarian dragon lady - and tries to run the place in a regimented way. Lots of telling people off and huffing.
We met some of the others in our group at the Basilica (stop number one on the hop on, hop off bus) and took the free walking tour. Free walking tours are practically never free - they almost always rely on tips at the end. This one was not the best of tours we have had, but it still gave us some perspective and took us to some places that we would otherwise not have seen. It took a bit over an hour and left us by the chain bridge to find out own way onward.
 |
| memorial square. - The first memorial says "It was Germany's fault, not the Hungarian government" |
 |
| the second "peoples" memorial remembers many missing Jews killed by the Germans |
 |
| an ornate building built by a very rich man. |
 |
| flag half mast to recognise the local ferry disaster |
 |
| soldiers guarding the flag. - they take shifts to march around and around the flagpole for an hour. |
 |
| Parliament buildings - built symmetrically but now only one side needed as they no longer have two houses of parliament. |
 |
| Shoes by the Danube memorial - to remember the Jews who were made to take off their shoes so that they sank faster when shot and they fell into the Danube |
 |
| The Basilica |
 |
| Paving outside the Basilica in the Square |
 |
| View of one of the Basilica towers from the main dome vantage point. |
 |
| From the Basilica dome |
 |
| Part of the Ceiling are work |
 |
| I cannot resist stained glass |
 |
| the central dome |
By this time we were pretty tired in the hot and humid conditions, so we headed for home via the amazing basilica. Here we stopped to go up the tower, wonder at yet another marvellous view and ooh and ahh inside the church itself , which was , unsurprisingly lavishly decorated.
While Trevor rested I attempted to do laundry - only to meet fully loaded machines. I waited for them to finish, then a card machine that would not work and then a laundromat operator who was less than helpful speaking hungarian via an intercom. This experience ended in my quiet tears as I walked home to the hotel (still with my dirty washing) , and a certain amount of ranting and raving to my beloved. I did have a few quick words with the reception desk staff asking about alternatives, but stopped that discussion soon in fear of collapsing into a distressed maiden - I think they must have seen my distress despite my effort to hide it.
I returned to the room, only to find that my card would no longer open the door - meaning that Trevor now was awake and had to get out of bed to open it to his frustrated wife.
When the reception staff later were asked to replace my card, and also overhead me telling the tour leader about my frustration at not being able to get money from three successive ATMs they poured a glass of champagne and offered it to me on the house! (The kindness of strangers can never be underestimated)
After the frustrating afternoon, we headed out with our group for our last dinner all together. While we waited for the very slow delivery of dinner, we discussed the highlights of our trip. General discussion highlighted the activities that we had actually participated in, rather than watched (the rides, walks etc) as being most;y the highlights. The walk in the Tatra mountains which we were looking forward to, but missed will be a lasting memory for many.
The people we have met and the art and architecture and history that we have learnt about will also remain in our memories.
We are so thankful for the great tour group who included us back into the group as one of them again after our little stay in Prague and helped to look after us and support us through that hard time. They are all great people and we are sad to be going separate ways.
Five of us will travel on together into the next tour group.
No comments:
Post a Comment