Budapest

Here it is, the post that my three rabid readers have been waiting for!

Budapest, Hungary 

You've heard about the trip there and back.

You've heard about the train station (remember to get your penicillin shots boys and girls).

Now check out what we did in between those looooong train rides!

There are a ton of pictures below, but they are nothing compared to the hundreds of photos I had to try to choose from. In a nutshell? Budapest is old, dirty, and absolutely beautiful. I loved it. 

 We rode the Funicular up to Castle Hill. Funiculars put the "fun" in going up big hills!

Travel with Brandi, meet crazy people. 

This guy saw me talking pictures and asked me to take a photo of him. 

Then he walked over and showed Chris his Judo World Champion 2010 gold medal.

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

 The infamous Chain Bridge. It was quite impressive!

And it was beautifully lit up at night (we could see it from our hotel room).

 I love taking pictures of street signs wherever we go.

 The stud muffin listening to the Hungarian Rhapsodies by Franz Liszt while we took our city bus tour.

 Matthias Church 

 Quite literally the sweetest place on earth.

Gerbeaud

I honestly had tears welling up in my eyes as I drank my milkshake.

 In addition to the sweets shop, they have a super fancy restaurant and a brew pub with their own beer.

Clearly I let Chris choose where we ate lunch.

This pizza was almost as good as my chocolate shake.

Almost.

                                    

 We ventured down the pedestrian walkway filled with shops and street vendors to get to the famous Great Market Hall.

Which was, of course, closed.

 I love Eastern European money conversions. You get all freaked out when you see price tags with thousands on them, until you realize it is only a few Euro.

Hungary still uses the forint. 

For example: 1 Euro = 264.680623 Hungarian forints

 Memorial on Gellert Hill.

Let's just say that a Catholic Bishop + unhappy pagans = 

said Bishop being tossed over the side of large hill in a barrel with nails sticking in it.

 Austin and Chris taking a Danube River tour.

And FYI. The Blue Danube isn't very blue. More like brown.

 Hungarian Parliament Building.

Again, our hotel was right across the river from it, and we loved to look at it when it was all lit up at night.

 Looking up towards Castle Hill and the Matthias Church.

 And now a view DOWN from Castle Hill.

Look at my two handsome guys.

 Buda Castle.

 Chris standing in front of Matthias Fountain.

 I love the trinkets they sell all along the streets.

Must. Not. Buy. More. Crap.

 View of residential area of Budapest.

Now what on earth could have Chris smiling like that?

Just our favorite Eastern European treat!

 We've only seen these in Prague. But alas, they are in Budapest as well!

 Overlooking the city.

My favorite thing in the city. After that milkshake of course.

The Fisherman's Bastion.

 Good to know that falconry is alive and well.

And for a few hundred forint you could put on a sweaty leather glove and let this huge bird with a Hannibal Lecter mask sit on your hand. We passed on that opportunity.

 The awkward family self portrait in front of Saint Stephen's Basilica.

 The Basilica minus the Taylors.

 An iconic statue in Budapest. The Little Princess.

 Hmmm, she definitely looks more like a prince to me.

 I present to you the worst meal we have eaten in Europe.

Hungarian veal stew with potato dumplings?

How about Dinty Moore with paprika and flavorless balls of starch.

But seriously, to have been here for almost a year and only had ONE really bad meal? That's amazing.

Of course, they don't have Applebee's here. So that lowers our risk significantly.

 Austin proudly holding up his ticket for the Metro on our way home.