Walking down to the River Danube after a very long and stressful train journey from Zagreb, I had high hopes. Budapest is a city that captivates and attracts many tourists and travellers on their trips around Europe, and finally I was getting the opportunity to witness it first hand. As me and my friend turned the corner into parliment square our jaws dropped.
The Parliament building is often the most recognisable archictecture structure within Budapest, with its turrets akin to something out of a fairytale book. Not only is the building itself something to marvel at, but the surrounding location could not be more perfect. Situated on the River Danube, it gives the most of what Budapest has to offer. I often imagined that I could spend hours simply sitting in that one spot, overlooking the river into Buda and seeing the tops of the towers of Buda Castle and
Matthias Church nestled amongst the pretty skyline.
Although a beautiful city, it’s hard to be ignorant to all the troubles and sadness that Budapest has endured over the past years. Throughout the city there are reminders in the form of statues, memorials and sculptures in rememberance of all those that were lost within the wars that affected Budapest and Hungary. The shoes on the Danube and the Holocaust memorial seem almost out of place in a city that is now so vibrant in culture and life, and give a poignant reminder to Hungary’s troubled past.
There are many reasons why Budapest entices those who visit. The architecture is beautiful and drastic, rapidly changing from building to building. It’s big enough to warrant more than a weekend, yet small enough to ensure nothing is missed out within a week. It combines culture and fantasy with life and truth. It isn’t ashamed of it’s past and it does everything it can to remember it. Lastly, the overall feel of the city makes you feel safe, and after weeks of travelling it makes you feel as if you are home.
We arrived at at 7pm just in time for the Summer sun to set over the River Danube, and as the other-wordly purples and oranges hazed together I couldn’t help but think how truly lucky I was to be in the most beautiful city in the world.
Jetlag Jen 