We had a very lazy start to the day, a welcome relief following several days of solid cycling. Our 3 bedroom apartment with views across the rooftops to the domes of the Basilika was a sight we were not going to grow weary of. The view across the rooftops reminded us a little of the movie ‘Mary Poppins’!
With the very lazy start to the day, lingering over a very healthy breakfast of local muesli, chopped fruit, yoghurt, toast and coffee, and fighting the desire to just lie around and read, we didn’t hit the streets of Budapest until after 11:30am! Budapest is neatly divided by the great Danube river, which is some 400-600 metres wide where it flows through the city. We decided to explore the ‘Pest’ (eastern) side today which would involve a significant amount of walking.
We needed first of all to find the ‘International’ railway station, which fortunately was about 1k further east in the same road as our apartment. It was important for us to do a ‘recce’ in advance of Sunday’s departure to Prague so that there was no room for error. We also needed to buy tickets for the bikes, which could not be purchased in Vienna where we purchased the tickets for ourselves. With such loaded bikes, we needed to know about access such as ramps or elevators and basically to be familiar with the general layout of the station.
The station was massive, but not unlike most major railway stations of the world. It had an old world charm, with people coming and going. The information office was crammed with tourists from all over the world. The tension level was obvious, with travelers anxious to get tickets and directions despite the enormous challenges of language differences. The woman who dealt with us eventually would not be in the top ten for grace, courtesy or tenderness. She spoke basic English, but couldn’t grasp the fact that we had tickets for ourselves, reservations for the bikes but no tickets for our bikes. It is funny how we think that by raising our voices that they will understand better!
We exited eventually with bike tickets in hand, new tickets in Hungarian for ourselves, and knowing where the one ramp was in the massive building. All was set for Sunday. However, we understand that daylight saving in Europe ceases at midnight Saturday night, and we have to put the clocks back. We hope this is right, because it could mean we miss the train by an hour if we are wrong!
We headed for the massive city park a further 1k east, which is much like a London Hyde Park, which contains a number of attractive sights for tourists. The park was just beautiful in itself, with its golden carpet of autumn everywhere we walked. We were interested in HOSOK TERE or ‘Heroes Square’. Completed over a hundred years ago for the millennium of the founding of Hungary, it contains as part of the major Millennial Monument the statues of the leaders of the seven tribes that came together in the 9th century to form the single kingdom of Hungary.
Being at the head of Budapest’s equivalent to the Champs Elysees, ‘Heroes Square’ has a definite ‘Arch de Triumph’ feel about it, or even a touch of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is a large, open marbled surface with the Millennial Monuments with its various statues standing out, with traffic several lanes wide going around on both sides.
We then walked Andrassy Avenue which runs the 2-3k in a very straight line from Heroes Square virtually to the Danube, losing itself just before the Danube in the myriad of inner city streets lined with restaurants, coffee shops, bars and prestige stores amidst a plethora of beautiful, historic inner city buildings which may have lost some shine but certainly not their charm.
Andrassy Avenue has a ‘Champs Elysees’ feel but with neither the traffic nor the shops lining the street. Andrassy Avenue is lined with beautiful trees, a central cobbled path for pedestrians and a wall on both sides of some of the more grandiose, historic buildings of Budapest. It was a delight to walk and enjoy the scenery and appreciate the history hidden behind the incredible architecture, the occasional statues of historical figures and the odd Embassy as well.
Apart from just enjoying the sights along the way, we next headed for the magnificent St Stephen’s Basilica, named after the first King of Hungary (975-1038) whose ‘incorruptible’ right hand is housed in the Basilka. Equal in height with the magnificent Hungarian Parliament Building, the tallest buildings in Budapest, it symbolizes a Hungarian principle that worldly and spiritual thinking have equal importance. Current regulations prevent buildings being any taller than the Parliament and the Basilika.
Started in the 1850’s, it is relatively modern but which was not fully completed until 1905, partly due to the dome collapsing in 1868 which required complete demolition and work starting again from scratch. The beautiful domes of the Basilika are clearly visible from our city apartment above the roofs of the old city, and stand out like beacons at night with the domes under brilliant spotlights.
Words cannot describe the sheer beauty of the interior. We frequently say ‘this one is the most beautiful by far’. We stared in wonder and disbelief at the ability of craftsmen over a century ago to build such magnificence without technology of any kind.
We then headed for the Parliament, but on the way we met a kind old gentleman just back from the war, and we couldn’t resist having a chat. He agreed for his photo to be taken!
We passed the Chain Bridge which we will cross tomorrow, with the magnificent Buda Castle standing out in the background. We will explore this also tomorrow. We were aiming for the Hungarian Parliament building which, apart from perhaps the Buda Castle, is the most outstanding (perhaps not the most beautiful) building in all of Hungary and beyond. Looking more like a massive medieval Cathedral, its many spires and dome were sadly for us under scaffolding for long overdue repairs. Our cameras tried but could not capture the enormity of the building.
Based on a similar principle to the British Westminster, it was inaugurated on the 1000th anniversary of the founding of Hungary in 1896, with the architect going blind before the building was completed thus not being able to see his finished masterpiece. Only days before, Hungary celebrated their national holiday in commemoration of the people’s revolt against the Communist regime of the Soviets on 23 October 1956. On that day, the student led revolt ousted the Communist Hungarian Government and enjoyed some two months of ‘independence’ before the Soviet regime violently crushed the revolt. Hungary today however still commemorates that day, when they cut the Soviet coat of arms out of the centre of their Hungarian flag. The Parliament House today still displayed the flags with the hole in the centre, a continuing symbol of the power of the Hungarian people against Communism. The monument in the grounds was covered with similar flags. A black marble monument with an eternal flame burns in the gardens of the Parliament alongside a garden memorial to the events of 1956.
Wandering slowly home after a long day on the legs, we discovered some other symbols of importance to Hungarians. This life-size statue of President Ronal Reagan whose famous words “Mr Gorbechov, tear this wall down!” have been immortalized. Sadly we couldn’t work out the importance of the man in bronze on the bridge facing the Parliament, but it made an impression on us.
Winding our way back through the narrow streets filled with early evening revelers (it was Friday night), we could not walk past this magnificent ‘wiener’ bringing back very fond memories of our days in Germany.
It was a great day spent on the streets of Budapest, although we all probably agree it is easier to sit on a bike all day peddling than it is to walk the streets. We enjoyed dinner at our apartment ‘home’, prepared by our resident cordon-bleu chef Sarah-Jane.
Today has been a remarkable introduction and walk through some of Hungarian and Budapest history. We have seen some magnificent sights. The beautiful Basilika of St Stephen and the magnificent Parliament House are almost unrivalled as far as architectural masterpieces are concerned. However the thing that impacted us significantly today was the evidence of the 23 October 1956 celebrations in the grounds of Parliament House, and the evident impact of the true meaning of freedom that the people’s revolt meant back then and clearly still means today. Freedom is a valuable commodity to any people. It is very much treasured by the Hungarians, especially those who have lived through the era of Soviet oppression until the day of ultimate freedom for Hungary in 1989 when it became once again its own Republic.
Freedom is a basic right for all people. In his State of the Union Address in 1941 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his “Four Freedoms Speech”, where he stipulated the freedoms that all peoples of the world should enjoy – freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
In the Scriptures we read a lot about freedom. It is a quality of life without which the human condition is clearly and evidently in want. Being made in God’s image, we are noticeably deprived of a quality of life if we are deprived of our sense of freedom. Jesus said that true freedom is the freedom to live our lives above the influences and attractions of the world, a freedom which is available irrespective of our political situations. To live our lives in the way that brings honour to God, is what Jesus meant when he said “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”. (John 8:31-32).
As we rest tonight, with the domes of the great Basilika radiant above the rooflines of this great city, we rest in the knowledge that the one who offers us the greatest freedom of all is watching over us each tonight.
Love from the edge of the great Danube – Kelvin, Julie and Sarah-Jane
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