Day 6
Day 6 was definitely the busiest and longest day of the tour. The day started with a trip to Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion, followed by the cooking class and a tour of the Central Market Hall. In the evening, there was the much-anticipated Danube River Cruise!
Matthias Church & Fisherman's Bastion
Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion are located on the Buda side of the city, so the group took the metro and then the bus to get to these sites. Upon arriving at Fisherman's Bastion, the first thing that caught my attention was the views of Pest and the Danube River. Standing on the hill, you truly get a sense of just how large the Parliament Building is! Here, the group had a few free minutes to enjoy the views and take pictures while Andrea went to get our tickets for the church.
Matthias Church is a beautiful building with colorful murals, stunning stained glass windows, and impressive architectural features. European churches are definitely in a league of their own; how can you not be inspired by these marvels of art and architecture that are also filled with a rich history?!?
While Andrea was talking to the group about the history of Matthias Church, the church's organist surprised the crowds with an impromptu concert. Words cannot adequately convey just how awesome that moment was, so here is a short clip!
Cooking Class at Chef Parade
When first looking through the tour itinerary, I wasn't exactly excited about the cooking class. Who wants to cook while on vacation? Well, I am glad I joined the group for this activity because it made for some fun memories, and the lunch was delicious.
The group was divided into groups, and I was assigned to the Green Team. Go Team Apple Strudel (we were the best team)! It was hilarious watching others chop, dice, stir, and make a mess while trying to master Hungarian cuisine. But in the end, we managed to make an amazing meal.
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Surprise: At the end of the class, we were all gifted a Hungarian cookbook.
The cooking class is where we took the official group photo. Here we are all smiles with our dishes!
Taking the tram from here was where we first encountered the Hungarian transportation personnel who inspect public transit passes. And they are not patient people. Always carry your pass in a place that is secure and quickly accessible.
Central Market Hall
The final stop for the afternoon was the Central Market Hall, where the group learned all about Hungarian paprika and later got the opportunity to do some serious shopping. The lesson about paprika was interesting; never knew there were so many varieties and uses for it.
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The second floor of the market is a great place to stock up on souvenirs and gifts. It was a never ending maze of stalls selling every product imaginable. I was able to find a book on Budapest for my travel library, along with a few other items for my family. Later, I went back to the first floor and bought several sets of paprika as gifts.
If you plan on shopping at the Central Market Hall, I recommend bringing a reusable grocery bag where you can consolidate all your purchases. It'll make the trek back to the hotel more manageable, and from a safety standpoint, you won't stand out in that crowd that much.
Dinner Time
Short on time for dinner, Allison and I set out to find a place where we could get a quick bite to eat. We discovered Best Brisket & Burger at Basilica (B4), which, as the name indicates, is right next to St. Stephen's Basilica. I got a cheese quesadilla that came with loaded fries (fries topped with pickled red onion, parmesan, and parsley with a side of the house sauce). This was by far the best French fries I have ever eaten! Allison ordered a burger, and she said it was very good. Food in Europe is just at another level.
Danube Cruise
The Danube Cruise was one of the tour activities I was very much looking forward to. Luckily, we had perfect weather, and that evening was smooth sailing. The boat had two decks: an enclosed bottom deck and an open-air top deck. I sat on the bottom deck at the beginning while enjoying a glass of champagne and then moved to the top deck to get better pictures.
Seeing Budapest's greatest landmarks light up against the twilight sky will forever be a memory I cherish!
Top to bottom: Buda Castle, Széchenyi Chain Bridge, and Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion.
If you are prone to motion sickness, the bottom deck is the better option. I felt the rocking of the boat a lot more while standing on the top deck.