Budapest 5/5 - 10/5

I planned 5 nights in Budapest assuming that I would do a couple of day trips out of the city, but I ended up having such a good time that I didn't even do one. I stayed in a really lovely hostel and met lots of great people. There were pub crawls every night so I got to see a lot of the local pubs and clubs, the hostel owner cooked us traditional Hungarian meals, and there was plenty to do during the day - free walking tours, the Baths, underground cave systems and plenty of walking.

View from the Basilica. Old style buildings on the left, communist style building on the right.

Parliament. The building was inspired by the British Parliament building, but this one is bigger. The highest tower of parliament is exactly the same height as the top of the Basilica to represent the equality of Church and State and no building in Budapest is allowed to be built taller than either.

Bullet holes in building

Fishermans Bastion. It reminds me of Disney.

Thermal Baths. The water was 36 degrees, and there was a whirlpool in the centre!

Indoor Thermal Baths

My hand after spending 6 hours at the baths.

View from the castle.

Inside the Basilica. Also inside is a mummified hand  of Saint Stephen, the  first king of Hungary. He established Hungary and a few hundred years after he died they dug up his body and it was all decomposed except for his right arm which was mummified naturally. This was a miracle so they cut off the arm and preserved it. They cut it into a few different pieces and the fist is in this church.

Drinking from a wine fountain in the underground Labyrinth. It is a system of tunnels that  used to  be cellars, and were also used as bunkers during the wars. The wine was actually really good, even though drinking it was not recommended.

Some of the old flags have holes in the centre where the communist hammer and  sickle used to be to represent freedom from communism. 

View from a bridge.