Hungary

  



June 12, 2009, Sunny, leaving Budapest

"Now I am on my way leaving Budapest. Somehow I feel happy for leaving because I cannot imagine myself with my heart living in this place. Hungary used to be a big empire. It has rich history and its own distinct language that is not too associated with English or Deutsche. People here are rough looking. Party scene is not prominent, but the group beer culture is spotlighted on the main street. Somehow I can't associate myself to this city. So I guess I had enough of it... Having said these, Budapest is beautiful!"
 
During this 7 hour train ride, I must have too much time to observe and reflect about life. Come and go, I had 5 other passengers in my cabin. Each with distinct characteristics like business man, traveller, stylish hottie, village boy, etc. We all with distinctive characteristics didn't talk for hours on train. Isn't it life? =) Also during the ride there were sun shines, rain, knighting and storm. But while I am sheltered through out the journey, my state of mind is whatever I label it. Since I am in holiday mood, my mind is always sun shine and rainbow despite whatever. =)
 

First construction in the 13th century, the Buda Castle has gone histories of battles, conques, demolitions, rebuilds, and everything, but now still stands still up on the Buda Hill.

Up on the Buda Castel looking down the

Danube River and Pest.

Overlooking Buda Hill from Pest. Up on the hill is the Matthias Church built in the 11th century.
                   
How to get up the Buda Hill? Either you walk on the passage beside this coat of arm painting, 

or go by tram going up in just 5 minutes.

Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the city's first bridge connecting Buda and Pest.

Monument of Prince Eugene Savoy, in front of the Buda Castle, overseeing the Budapest!

The Nazi built a military center beside the Buda Castle, but bombed it to the ground when retreated.

Interior of famous Opera House.
                   
Hungary National History Museum. In the past the warriors did dress like this!

Matyas Well (Matthias Fountain) at the Buda Castle.

Although a small country, Hungary has the second largest parliament after London. When this parliament was built, Hungary governed area three times larger than the present size.  

This neo-gothic masterpiece looks more like fairy-tail princesses land than the Parliament.

but it resembles Hungarians themselves as romantic, little excessive, bit fragile, but always survivors.

St. Istvan Basilica, raised 96m, exactly the same height as the Parliament, signifying the

importance of two pillars: government and religion.
                   
Inside the Basilica stored the right hand of King Stephen, who died in 1038. The hand had adventured from Bihar, to Dubrovnik, to Vienna, to Buda, to the West then returned back to Hungary in 1945.

The dome of St. Istvan Basilica.
                   
The Archangel Gabriel holds the holy crown and a crucifix.

Millennium Monument at Heroes' Square. It marks the 1000 anniversary of Hungarian State! According to legend, the Pope dreamt that an archangel telling him to give the first Hungarian King, Istvan, a holy crown to mark the acceptance of the new state of Hungary into Christian Europe.

Dome inside Szechenyi Baths. I spent 4 hours there!

Quite relax after days of walking and traveling.

  


 
I was amazed when seeing this Vajdahunyad Castle! It has all those medieval features attached to it. No two turrets are the same. You can find Romanesque, gothics and baroque styles. Walking around and inside the castle I thought that I'd been to fairytale land. It's just Ecstatic! =D However, it is not a real castle that bears scars of battles. It's an exhibition to mark the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian state. cool!~
 

The castle was originally built with wood and intended to be just temporary exhibition. But how can one let such a beauty goes... So later rebuild with stones.

Square of Freedom. Sometimes being free and be able to be out of others' control are a true blessing.

mixed of gothics and baroque technique at the Vajdahunyad.

Fisherman's Bastion on Castle Hill.

Buda Castle fortress

-> Statue of Legends and Fairytales with an exceptional view of the Parliament.

Szechenyi Chain Bridge and St. Istvan Basilica of Pest

Hungarian medieval style statue at Gellert Square.

Budapest's Broadway (enteratinment area) at Nagymezo Street and famous Andrassy Avenue.

Vaci ut. famous touristic shopping street.

House of Terror Museum, contains exhibits related to the fascist (a few months) and communist dictatorial (40 years) regimes in 20th century...

Shoes on the Danube in front of the Parliament. These shoes are made of bronze and permanently fixed to the spot with no owners coming back for them. It is a memorial for the Budapest Jews and people who aided them whom were mercilessly shot into the river after ordered to remove their shoes...

The Great Synagogue, the largest functioning synagogue in Europe and second largest in the world.

This memorial scripture has its each leaf bearing the name of a Holocaust victim...

Garden in the synagogue named after Raoul Wallenberg who saved many Jews from WWII by issuing fake passports.

Constructed in 1847, this Pekary House reflects the splendor of the old Jewish quarter. Used to be the tallest and most stylish building of the area.

These six pointed Star of David is a recurring motif guarding the entrance of the old Jewish quarter and the building itself.
<- Jew styled building.

A church inside a cave. During the communist regime, religion was considered a taboo...

so this church can still host secret service.

Hungary is still a developing country not long after the communist government. Many historical buildings like these two right on the shore of

the Dunabe beside the famous Chain Bridge are still in vandalized shape. However, Hungary is visibly advancing in many area.


 
Princess on the Guardrail. There is no significance of this young princess on the guardrail along the Daunbe. However I interpreted that it is actually a Prince being alone on the fence who has no interest in turning around for the beautiful skyline of Buda because he is rather waiting/looking for love. And for me during the 08/09, I was not waiting, but searching for love, however, in a deserted sea. One thing different is aside from that I will also live my life.
 
                   
Interior of building along the Andrassy ut, the Champs Elysee of Budapest.

Picture alone cannot grasp the true delicacy of this wooden Passage of Graceful Elegance of the Paris Arcade. Stunning!

Karoly krt.

Place where I stayed.

Vaci ut.

Paris Arcade - Passage of Graceful Elegance. It is really stunning!!!

Deak Square where the teens express their arts, youth, love and individuality.

Boys who were so inspired to become the world's great soccer players.
                   
Buda Hill church partly destroyed during the WW.

Mall at North of Buda

The chic Deak F. ut.

Beer garden at the city hall! Most for night crawlers.

Passage of a building at the inner city center.

Modern center at North of Buda.

 

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