Sunday, May 27
Deborah’s been suffering from a cold so we decided to take it easy for a couple of days. We need to be fresh for Prague. We walked over to the Jewish Quarter and bought some bread and had lunch in a chain restaurant called the Humus Bar. We shared a falafel platter. It came with humus, tahini, pita bread and two different hot paprika sauces. It was very good.
Distance walked: 4.3 miles
Monday, May 28
Another easy day. We strolled down several of the shopping districts and, on our way back home, discovered a memorial to the victims of the 1956 uprising. It’s a small underground museum on the grounds of the House of Parliament. It’s a wonder we hadn’t seen it before. Entry is free of charge.
There are several films, subtitled in English, that are narrated by witnesses to the events of the day. They also have a number of static displays. In the back is a memorial monument with plaques along the walls naming those killed. The first hand accounts make a big impact and the overall effect is very moving.
(Memorial Monument)
Speaking of memorials, today is Memorial Day in the United States. We’d like to express our gratitude to all veterans. Thanks for your service.
Distance walked: 6.6 miles
Tuesday, May 29
Today is our 32nd wedding anniversary. It’s incomprehensible to us because we’re only 28 years old. How could that happen? To celebrate we decided to take a ferry up the Danube about 20 miles to a town called Szentendre (Saint Andrew). It’s a charming little town that has existed since the 9th century and is known for its many museums, galleries and art colonies.
(Approaching Szentendre)
The ferry took about 1.5 hours to get there. We sat on the top deck and enjoyed the views and fresh river air. Along the way we saw people enjoying the river in boats, canoes and kayaks as well as fishing along the banks.
After disembarking we were a little surprised to see so many people there. It is clearly a destination for boat and bus tours. The main street was chock full of shops aimed at tourist dollars. We visited several establishments selling multi-colored cut crystal and fine porcelain. Our favorite stop may have been the marzipan museum shop where they sell all varieties of the candy. We bought some that were filled with cherries and were covered in chocolate. Yum! Later we went back to their cafe for dessert and had coffee and ice cream.
(Cool Refreshment for a Hot Day)
Up a hill near the center of Town we found what was once a medieval fortress. The surrounding walls are still intact but the only remaining building is the Church of Saint John the Baptist. The frescos in the church were done by local artists in the 1930s.
While we were waiting for the return ferry we walked down to the riverfront and waded into the Danube. The water was cold and refreshing.
Distance walked: 8.4 miles