We left DFW on an overnight flight to London Heathrow Airport and did not get much sleep. With a brief layover, we flew to Budapest. We met the Viking rep there and we were soon ready to board our Viking River Cruise. Although we had planned to begin touring after lunch, we were just too beat and crashed in our room before dinner. The ship cruised around Budapest on the Danube in the evening and there were fireworks ending off a lovely first day.
The next morning we went on a bus and walking tour of the city. We learned that the Donau (Danube) separates the hilly Buda from the flat Pest. These were not always united.
At the top of Buda is a walled palace area where we walked.
The glazed tiles on the roofs represent blankets.
High atop Buda, these panorama shots look down on the Donau and Pest.
After returning to the ship, we walked across the chain bridge and back, then into Pest,
The beautiful St. Stephen’s is the first of several churches named for this popular saint. We returned to the ship for another wonderful dinner.
