On to Budapest

Arrived in Budapest two days ago on the first truly delayed train I’ve taken, over an hour late.  Shocking.  But I walked to the hotel from the station and stepped up to the front desk directly behind Hilary.  What timing!  We’ve been enjoying the city ever since.  Lots of walking and looking at architecture, statues, squares, and fonts.

Yesterday was a truly touristic day.  We hit the Cezanne exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, as well as checking out the Rodins and other collections.  They included the first redheaded Jesus I’ve ever seen.  Proper, carroty red.  Still dead though.

We had a snack of delicious cake and attended the Budapest Circus (Magyar Cirkuszcsill).  It was a mix of all kinds of acts, from acrobats and trampolines to hand balancing and trick horses.  There was an elephant and four camels.  We sat ringside and took it all in. 

When we left the circus we walked across the street to float in the Szechenyi Baths (http://www.budapestbaths.net/szechenyi-bath).  These were a great mix of outdoor pools and indoor spas, in all temperatures.  It was dark and cold out, and the steam off the outdoor pools as very atmospheric. 

After drying off, we treated ourselves to Hungarian cuisine at Restaurant Bagolyvar.  Hungarian wines are very tasty and they do great things with goose and duck.  But I think my paprikash recipe is better.  We walked home with the rain turning to snow.

Today we’ve seen the Market Hall (Budapest’s version of Pike Place Market), Parliament, climbed the dome of the Cathedral, and noshed at Café Callas.  We’re slated to attend the opera tonight – Don Giovanni!  Hilary is only here for a week so we are packing it in.