60.13 Hungry for a taste of Hungary? Try Budapest, it doesn't get much better...the structures and atmosphere of the City, over 7 days.

Liberty Statue, commemorating the liberation from the nazis.

    

   Not wishing to display our ignorance, nor doing injustice to the scenes of Budapest, to the history of this fascinating city, we decided against including captions above the photographs, but for one. It probably smacks of laziness. 

    As is our custom, our inherent desire, whenever we could, was to reach the higher points of the city, always on foot. We went walking each day during our stay. Formerly, Budpest comprised two towns or cities, one on each side of the Danube, Pest and Buda. They are now united although remain with distinct 'personalities'. We ate and slept in Pest but walked toward Buda most days.  

  After spending a little less than a week in Prague, nearly 4 weeks in the mountains of Slovakia, we headed to Bulgaria for some serious hiking but stopped for 7 days in Budapest. Of course, the contrasts of living and wondering in any city, particularly this magnificent edifice-filled metropolis which brings history to the forefront, differs vastly from exploring the natural world. It does not take much effort to guess where we prefer to be. Nevertheless, after a meaningful stay on Dohany Street, we were able to put city life in the rear-view mirror and hunger for the deserts, wilderness, Mount Vihren plus its 'sisters and brothers' of Central Europe, not to mention the rest of the world. 

  By now, we have traveled to and experienced/covered many parts of the world, totaling some 0.00315% of the Earth's surface. Yes! Almost nothing. Nevertheless, it's always been our aim to be selective of particular places rather than covering larger areas. We face a dilemma. We have an impossible task ahead of us. The world keeps growing and our remaining years keep diminishing. We have to 'throw in the towel' realizing it's a battle and challenge that can never be met, should not even be considered other than to derive personal growth, education, to treasure the treasures of discovery and to find and relish the joy of each day. What else to do? Perhaps 'Carpe Diem' is as close to a solution as we'll ever find. 

 

'Chain wire at Liberty Statue? Contradiction? I thought, the Wall had fallen, the Iron Curtain had come down.' 

"They have. That's why we're exporting the 'curtain'." 

'Oh! Where to?' 

"We found it a new home. It's moving to the United States and Canada."