Budapest

A view of the Danube at Budapest,
Pest to the right, Buda to the left.
Photo: Colin Talcroft

Budapest: The last full day of the trip began with a bus tour of Budapest. First stop was Hero’s Square, completed in 1896 for the Budapest World’s Fair commemorating the 1000th anniversary of the country today we call Hungary, founded in 896. At the center of the square is a column topped by the Archangel Gabriel. At its foot are statues representing the seven Magyar tribes that united to create the country—a country that became independent again with the fall of communism in 1989, following Mongol rule, Ottoman rule, Habsburg rule, Nazi occupation, and then Soviet occupation.

The square is flanked by museums built in the style of Greek temples. Also nearby is the Budapest Zoo, one of the oldest in Europe, known for its hippos, which are kept comfortable in the winter by nearby hot springs. The Zoo and the museums, too, were built for the 1896 World’s Fair, as was the main boulevard that took us into the center of the city. Our drive took us by Budapest’s synagogue, the largest in Europe. Eventually we arrived at the Citadel above the city for a view of the Danube and the bridges that cross the river, uniting hilly Buda on one side, flat Pest on the other.

The Chain Bridge (1839-1849) across the Danube at Budapest
Photo: Colin Talcroft

We later visited the Castle District for new views of Buda, Pest, and the Danube (still not blue) from a higher vantage point. On the Pest side stand the impressive Hungarian Parliament buildings. At the Pest end of one of the main bridges across the river, the Chain Bridge (so called because it is suspended by linked metal plates rather than cables), is the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the venue for the SRSYO’s Budapest performance. Early reports suggested the 300-seat hall would be sold out.

The bridge was originally built between 1839 and 1849. During WWII, almost exactly 100 years later, the retreating German army destroyed the bridge, but it was quickly reconstructed. Before heading to the concert hall, the young musicians were given a couple of hours in small groups to find lunch and explore the pedestrian shopping streets in the center of the city. T-shirts and painted wooden boxes with trick locking mechanisms and hidden keys were popular souvenirs.

SSRSYO musicians
cruising on the Danube
Photo: Colin Talcroft

In a pleasant surprise, our tour guides gave us a break from walking by arranging a boat ride on the Danube (stubbornly not blue). Access to the triple-parked boat was by walking through the two boats closest to shore. The short trip allowed us to see five of the bridges across the river from below and to see the Castle District, Parliament Buildings, and the Academy of Sciences from a new perspective. From our landing point, it was a short walk to the Academy for rehearsal and other preparations for tonight's performance.

Our wonderful tour guides,—Anita and Albert