Budapest Part 3 - beautiful buildings, Liberty Park and special memorials

I was very fortunate to be able to spend a couple of days in ‘Pest’ after our river cruise, although the first was mostly taken up in a long wait for my hotel room, with all my luggage in tow. (We left the river ship straight after breakfast.) But actually it was good to sit in the comfort of the large hotel lobby, drink coffee and use their more efficient WiFi service to catch up on emails. I only hope that I do not have the same problems with emails on the sister ship I board tomorrow. My hotel was right on the river front, so when I finally was able to move into my room I decided it had been worth the wait - the view of ‘Buda’ from my hotel window was superb.

That evening I had  the very great pleasure of being taken out to dinner by my new Canadian friends whom I met on the river ship. We walked a few blocks around stately buildings to a colourful outdoor restaurant that had been recommended, and sat and enjoyed the soothing balmy breeze and festive atmosphere. In addition to having a great conversation, we watched the local Hungarians enjoying their evening too. I was delighted to be able to try a very tasty, spicy beef soup and a delicious Hungarian goulash. It was a wonderful evening.

The next day was very hot, but I walked my legs off exploring the streets of ‘Pest’. There were so many elegant, beautiful buildings, with such artistic facades, as well as small parks, fountains and sculptures, I lost count of them. My camera was working overtime. Most of the buildings had been restored fairly recently, I would think, and work was still being carried on others. 

I particularly wanted to see the magnificent parliament buildings on the waterfront that had looked like a fairy kingdom on our evening cruise. On the way there I stumbled upon the very tranquil ’Liberty Park’ with its beautiful trees, children's playground and unusual fountain that gave delight to many children who ran in and out as the water spouts shot up and down. It was there I saw the very moving tribute to the Hungarian Jews who had been marched off to concentration camps, with battered old suitcases and empty shoes and messages a silent but powerful reminder of all the Jewish families destroyed by the Nazis. As I looked at them one by one I could not help but think of all the lives that have been lost and are still being lost all over the world, simply because some powerful individuals were and are lusting for more power - more possessions - more land. Inhuman greed, man’s inhumanity to man, and voices crying out that are met too often with silence and closed doors.

A hotel opposite the main shopping centre.

A view from the side of the basilica. 

The front of the basilica.

A building opposite the basilica.

Looking up into the facade of the basilica.

A memorial at one end of Liberty Park.

A very moving tribute to one Jewish person sent to Auswitz.

A line of tributes commemorating the Holocaust, with the fountain behind. This was at the opposite end of Liberty Park.

A very poignant tribute to all the lives broken by the Nazis, next to the personal family memorials. 

The back of the Hungarian parliamentary buildings.

A closer view of the back of the parliamentary buildings.

The Budapest museum, which was opposite the back of the parliamentary buildings.

A closer view of the museum.

The top of the museum - such beautiful sculptures.

The side of the parliament building that faces the river. This was all fenced off.

Another side of the parliamentary buildings.  Notice the quirky sculpture of a pondering man in the foreground.