budapest day 4

Szent István-bazilika (St. Stephan's Basilica)


Hi guys!

Oh my goodness, it's so exhausting being a kind of part-time tourist. I was at the office today from 8.30 to 5 and then one of the Hungarian girls showed me around. I think tomorrow I'll have to make a sightseeing break and just go downtown to have supper and do a little shopping, my feet are so not used to walk around after work for 3 or 4 hours everyday.
But it was amazing again! Budapest has so many different interesting spots and although I went on an extensive walk around Buda Castle and the surrounding area, I still saw so many new things today. It's like you could walk around here for hours without getting bored because behind every corner there is a new pretty building.


Magyar Állami Operaház (Hungarian State Opera)


entrance hall of the Mai Manó House of Hungarian Photography


This girl who showed me around today has a kind of student's tourist guide degree and she was able to tell me the stories about every building and street and monument we came across, it was simply amazing! She took me to the St. Stephan's Basilica that houses Hungary's most sacred relic, the right hand of St. Stephan wo is regarded as the founder of Hungary because - if I remember it correctly - he was the first king here.
We also visited the opera where famous componists like Mahler and Liszt used to work, a famous boulevard that was built especially for empress Elizabeth of Austria (Sissi), the Budapest House of Photography, the House of Terror ( a museum that commemorates the fallen fighters of a revolt in the 1940s) and then our walk ended at the big Hero's Square where the seven most important persons of the Hungarian history - mostly kings - are depicted as huge statues.


House of Terror


they're hosting an exhibition about the revolt of the 1940s


all around the building there are photos of the many people that were shot down



in front of some over 100 years old cast-iron gates


Hősök tere (Hero's Square)


I also got some good advice about what souvenirs I should get and where because these normal souvenir shops are so overpriced! Typical Hungarian things are for example a liqueur called Unicum, a fruit brandy called Pálinka, pickled peppers, crochet doilies with folklorish floral patterns or figurines of the above mentioned famous king St. Stephan. I think I'll visit the huge Central Market Hall to get some of these things for better prices tomorrow evening.
But for now I'll just fall into my bed, curl up and sleeeeeeep... ;)

Have a lovely day/evening!