Month: September 2017

Thursday 28th September
The weather is a constant here guaranteed warmth day after day (30c/90f) with a sprinkling of moisture, today is no exception. We are gradually making our way back to normal health, feeling much better we decide to walk to Raffles today. 

After breakfast we are off first to Merlion Park to see for ourselves the Singapore icon that spills water from its mouth into Marina Bay. The Fullerton Hotel sits almost on the river in a central location that makes walking to attractions fairly easy. Merlion Park is right on the river on the other side of the Esplanade bridge that we can pass under arriving in just a few minutes. The Merlion was conceived as a city logo, the name Singapore, meaning Lion City, then commissioned as a statue and erected at the head of the Singapore river in 1972. When the city built the Esplanade bridge in 1997 the statue could no longer be seen from Marina Bay and so it was moved to the present location. Completely white, sculpted in glass reinforced cement by an Australian, James Martin the statue sits gleaming in the sunshine spouting foaming white water into the bay, while throngs of tourist’s look on or are engaged in photo taking. 

We move on looking for a place to eat tonight but none of the restaurants appeal, maybe we are too fussy. We decide to take a forty minute river cruise on one of the little red and green wooden electric boats that ply the Singapore river here. There are several stops along the way, but surprisingly they are not hop on hop off, but just allows for a circuit of Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, and Marina Bay from and back to your embarkation point. When we reach the Fullerton dock pickup point to buy tickets, the young disinterested attendant tells us there is a thirty minute wait and closes the ticket windows, not taking any more questions. We decide to leave the ride to later. A quick comfort stop back at the hotel and we move on to Raffles Hotel, finding our way using Apple maps and Amanda maps, my sense of direction being famously inadequate. We pass through a park with a memorial to the civilian victims of the Japanese occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945. Completed in 1967 the four identical pillars, each 70 metres (230 ft) high, represent the shared experiences and unity of the four major races of Singapore – Chinese, Eurasian, Indian and Malay. The remains of the mostly Chinese killed by the Japanese that were uncovered much later in 1962 are interred beneath the monument.

 Passing by the monument we soon reach the Raffles quarter that surrounds this iconic hotel, then into the hotel its self. I always love coming here although over the years the changes made seem to have substantially detracted from the original feel of the place. I still remember the first time in 1987, enjoying a gin sling in the original long bar, the history seemed to seep out of the pores of the building then, close my eyes and I could feel the stories of my father who served here as part of the liberation force in 1945. Now although much remains a lot has changed, still refurbishing work continues and large sections of the hotel are closed. We wander the colonnades and courtyards, moon cake festival is approaching, there are small stands selling these sweet Asian treats, eventually stopping at the gift shop.

Our tour over we head back to the hotel via the National Gallery and Parliament House, this the older city area of Singapore containing more of the finer colonial buildings like the old Parliament House, now an art centre. Looking down over this part of the city the clock tower from the Victorian theatre and concert hall sits since 1862, ticking away the minutes. We walk back, around the old Parliament House building towards the river, here stands a statue of Sir Stamford Raffles who’s foresight created Singapore. Sir Stamford once Governor of British Java was influential in wresting the then East Indies island of Java from the Dutch and French during the Napoleonic wars subsequently having a major impact on south east Asia. 

Starting to feel a little hot and sticky we decide to make our way back to the hotel for a cool break and then try for that illusive river cruise. Back down on the river dock, the disinterested young attendant is watching a video on her phone, but there is another older gentleman with her, we open the glass shutters and she looks up giving us that “not you again look” the older gentleman steps in, again the wait is around twenty minutes maybe ten or fifteen but could be thirty. He suggests “we don’t go to far boat could be around anytime”, determined we buy our tickets and find a seat in the Fullerton hotels unoccupied outside smoking area just around the corner. After about ten minutes we decide to check on our boat, it is coming we are told, true, boats are coming and going all the time, but none deign to stop at our dock. A boat approaches, we are told to descend to the dock, just below the “River Boys” sculpture, but no, this boat is just disembarking passengers, not picking them up, at this time of the day the boats are mostly empty with just a few sightseeing passengers. We wait and wait as empty boats drift by as if on a carousel they can’t get off, eventually at the thirty minute mark my patience is wearing thin, “your boat come soon sir” I am told in stilted English so still we wait. “Why so many boats in the river and none stop” I ask the attendant, he shrugs his shoulders, it’s the system he explains. Finally our boat has an identity first 228 then no, 229 at least we can identify it as it approaches. Finally after nearly 40 minutes and countless boats drifting by, the boat with our number on it arrives and we board for our 40 minute tour. We sit outside on the rear deck of richly varnished timber and enjoy the breeze kicked up by the boats movement along the river. We float through Boat Quay, Clarke Quay under the bridges. As we pass through this area my thoughts are echoed by the on board commentary, stories again from my father about the sampans and junks that crowded the bay and quays, coolies in wide brimmed rattan conical hats, off loading goods from ships anchored out in the straights. Back in the present we stop to drop off passengers at the Clark Quay terminal, then alone on the boat we cruise the Marina Bay waters, there are two crew, while one is captaining the other offers to take our pictures against the skyline backdrop as it changes with our movement. A nice touch that helps us forget the long crazy queue-less wait.

 Back at our dock we make the short walk back to the hotel, we have decided on dinner and drinks in the Courtyard bar then a walk in the warm night air to Merlion Park to watch the laser music and light show that is best viewed and heard from that vantage point at 8.00pm.

A little muggy today, taking breaks in the hotels air conditioning is refreshing, once the sun goes down the temperature reduces just enough to make outside the place to be. After our light meal and last drinks at the hotel we wander off again to Merlion Park, as we do so business types in shirts and ties no doubt heading off to a late meeting or to a parking station somewhere whizz by on electric scooters. This is a phenomenon here, a number of different folding electric conveyances are available to hire or buy, from small Segway type vehicles to scooters and one wheeled electric bikes. Since walking is only slightly less faster than driving here these devices make a lot of sense, but we can see a problem as the numbers increase since they are using public walkways and travel at considerable speed.

Down at Merlion Park there are plenty of people here to enjoy the show close up.

The lights from the surrounding buildings are considerable, but when they start to flicker and change colour all around the bay the sight is amazing. The music is not so impressive as the sound has to travel across the bay, any prevailing breezes picking up the notes and either distorting them or scattering them periodically across the bay. Still one gets the idea, a classical piece with a slow start, speeding up mid piece and eventually reaching a crescendo of light and sound at the finish. Lasting about ten minutes and shown twice a night, definitely a smokeless spectacle that replaces fireworks, probably cheaper and more environmentally friendly. 

Once the show is over we walk back under the bridge back to the hotel contemplating our last night of an epic (for us) journey that has taken us across four continents over the last ninety days. We are excited to be going home.

Wednesday 27th September
Another warm Singaporean morning greets us, the sky is grey with heavy cloud the occasional glimpses of blue poking through the palpable humidity, twenty percent chance of rain our weather forecast tells us. Feeling a little better today we are up for breakfast in reasonable time. The hotel breakfast is spread over a vast amount of counters surrounding the entrance and down into the eating area, in the restaurant that was the scene of last nights buffet. The buffet now magically converted to display fruits, yoghurts, cereals, Malaysian & Indian breakfast foods, pastries and cheeses, last nights Peking duck carvery, is this mornings egg station, where a chef is busily whipping up an omelette. We stick to our usual juices and cereals only occasionally do we go all out for the eggs, usually Benedict. 

We have decided to make for the zoo today, situated in the western sector of the island, about a fifteen minute ride, the zoo is well known for the open enclosure approach and the rarity of some of its exhibits. Last time we visited we didn’t drive out to this side of the island making today’s drive interesting, now modern freeways cut through a thoroughly tropical garden island. We pass through residential, industrial and military areas all neatly laid out, surrounded by tropical greenery that reminds us of the amount of rain the island receives. As if to make a point that people live in a jungle here, we pass under a wide animal bridge that was built and planted out with jungle plants just for wild animals to cross from one side of the freeway to the other. Although the bridge is clearly identifiable to us, adorned as it is with all manor of jungle animal reliefs, it still requires an explanation by our driver, some how believing the animals understand it’s purpose, escapes us completely. Once old apartment buildings with bamboo canes sticking out of every window supporting the occupants washing would be everywhere, but now with new more modern apartment blocks only rarely do I see a Singaporean “flagpole”

On we drive reaching the zoo in good time, any memories we had of our visit here in 1987 go straight out the window, the zoo has undergone substantial change since then. Our driver tells us Steve Erwin was involved in some of the design concepts, revered here as the “The Crocodile Hunter” as he was around the world. We spend the next four hours wandering around the exhibit. The enclosures are made to look as natural as possible, mostly barriers are invisible, you feel so close to the animals you can almost touch them. Above us orang-utans swing about playfully on rope ways that crisscross the park. The zoo’s animal enclosures are set in tropical jungle like gardens surrounded by the water from a reservoir spread over 220 acres, with a lot to see. A feature of this zoo is the rare animals that live here in the zoo’s care, the magnificent white Tiger, not an albino but rare breed of Tiger A genetic split of from the Bengal Tiger.

White Rhino also endangered, ponder about in their muddy paddock, we both agree a weird looking animal like nothing else on earth. Amanda patiently waits at each exhibit, while I try to take that perfect shot. 

The rain is always threatening a few drops here and there, we buy poncho’s at a gift shop just in case. There are covered walkways that run through the park in some areas but you can suddenly find yourself exposed. Fortunately the rain stays in the sky for the duration of our visit. We stop at the cafe for a sandwich that is pretty ordinary, dry and tasteless, the staff are changing tables for a night time safari that must be popular and include a picnic on leopard skin table clothes. We are way passed lunchtime, so no surprises that our food is passed it’s use by date. 

After covering a good deal of the zoo today it’s time to take a cab home. What is a SD$24.00 ride to the zoo with tips, is a SD$38.00 ride back to the hotel, we did see more of the city via a ring route but really! No wonder Uber can establish its business model here when the local taxis are so unreliable and arguably dishonest.

Back at the hotel we decide to walk to Clarke quay tonight for dinner, this picturesque little area with little cruise boats that ply the river and Marina bay comes to life at night. As we walk out of the hotel the lighting from the surrounding buildings is spectacular, the lights bathe the water in shimmering colour. Once again the night is perfect for strolling outdoors and eating, I feel like seafood Amanda’s doesn’t, we need to find a compromise and finally pick a Thai restaurant that offers meats as well.

We are not often in Singapore but the first year Clarke Quay opened we were there enjoying amazing food and wine. Three years ago there again, food had definetely moved to tourist fast, quality average. Tonight for us it hit rock bottom at Rennthai, we doubt if the chef had ever had a Thai meal let alone visited Thailand. The Tiger beer was good that was were it ended. I decided on the BBQ platter beautifully presented the dish held promise, the appetiser of spring rolls where hot and freshly fried adding to my expectation. The platter when it arrived contained three satay’s of an unknown meat type, cold dry and rubbery, they had laid so long in the marinade that the meat was cured. The squid on the dish was also cold, so tough it bounced, only two small tentacles where edible. Next fish cakes, just pieces of white fish, that didn’t flake off the fork but needed to be cut with a knife, at least they were hot, mussels followed baked in a the shell with a spicy pork mince, quite tasty, and the best taste on the platter, lastly two prawns in their shells that must have sat in a tray to airdry for weeks, before being BBQ’d to hell, so dry every bit if moisture sucked from them. 

Amanda was more fortunate her grilled chicken dish was edible, but she ordered plain rice not sticky rice and guess what turned up, sticky. 

The service was less than good, a waiter that didn’t want to be there and had no idea about restaurant table service. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t asked how my meal was, if asked I would have told them but they had no interest in customers what so ever. For such a spectacular environment, very disappointing, especially since the prices here are high this no street food venue. No doubt the rents are high and the pressure must be on to produce high profit food, but lack of quality is no way to achieve it. They will definitely receive a bad review from this customer.

We wander back through the still warm night to our hotel, another day closer to home.

Tuesday 26th September
A brief blog today, we sleep in until 3.30pm trying to right our selves for a few days in and around Singapore. When we do wake it is to the heavy sounds of cracking thunder and lightening flashes, an electric storm is powering over the city. Our view from our hotel window completely obliterated by the rain storm as it passes across the bay. Eventually feeling a little better we descend for a very late lunch in the hotels restaurant, the staff are busy preparing for a huge buffet style banquet tonight, trays of ice are filled with prawns, mussels and oysters while Peking duck is hanging ready to be sliced to order amongst other meats by the servers later this evening when the buffet begins. We opt for a simple Caesar salad fortified we then take a walk to a nearby Coldstone ice cream store we discovered, compliments of Mr Google. Any sign of the passing heavy rain shower are now gone, these events are a feature of Singapore weather, brief and sometimes heavy but always warm.

The ice creamy is about twenty minutes walk, away from the river, through the canyons of concrete and glass office buildings, here and there a relic of old Singapore still stands reminding me of a once more colourful atmosphere on this occasion it’s the entrance to an original Chinese temple. 

When we reach Pekin St. I am pleased to see the old brightly painted colonial shuttered buildings dating back to the 1800’s along the street converted to bars and restaurants. We spot our ice cream store and step up to look at the flavours, first time we have seen a seriously rich looking dark chocolate, after a taste I go with that and coffee, while Amanda just goes with the dark chocolate. Not served in a cone, just a tub, we sit and eat at the street tables, then head back the way we came to the riverside. 

Back in our room the sun is fading, the lights of the city start to come on, the city puts on a spectacular light and music show at 8.00pm we watch on, as laser lights and coloured lighting coordinated with the pulsing music start to flicker in time. Fountains of water join in as sightseeing boats cruise the bay their passengers taking in the magnificently colourful show. A photo opportunity not to miss. Then it’s lights out for another day let’s hope we can muster the energy for a full day out tomorrow.

Monday 25th September

The flight from Helsinki is a long one, we sleep as much as we can, I have the feeling that we are in a child’s toy aeroplane, the giant child whizzing us around in the air then occasionally dropping us into the bath water where we bob up and down through the night until once again the giant hand picks us up and we fly smoothly through the air again.

After a meagre breakfast we land, the planes nose cameras show our approach into Singapore across the straits and into Changi airport. We collect our luggage proceed through customs where a small male Singaporean is checking to ensure our incoming travel cards are completed correctly. What is unusual is that he is singing, yes singing Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Nat King Cole songs while doing it. He stops at us, giving us a note perfect rendition of Strangers in the Night, not the whole song mind you just a snippet. It certainly takes your mind of the wait in the queue. With a smile on our faces we pass through the check point and meet up with another little Singaporean, this time our driver. Once outside we can feel the warmth of the afternoon air, very pleasant, lifting our spirits as we are both feeling like crap. We are soon on our way to the Fullerton Hotel our bed for four nights before returning home. The Fullerton built in 1928 has had a chequered career, originally the post office was the main tenant, but the building also housed an exclusive gentleman club, and acted as a lighthouse. Only developed into a hotel in 2000. Allan and Denise, our friends from Stirling are in town and we have arranged to meet them for dinner. Our mobile phones are still working with our English numbers so we are able to keep in touch with them as we approach the city. The hotel is situated right on the river by Boat quay that leads to Clarke quay a little further along. From our room we can see back across the water in the opposite direction towards Marina Bay sands hotel, Merlion Park, and the Singapore eye that Amanda bravely rode three years ago.

We shower and dress for dinner still not feeling that good and make our way to meet Allan and Denise at the hotel’s courtyard bar in the lobby below. It’s always good to see a friendly face far from home, although we are closer now than for the last three months. We have a drink in the bar and catch up with events at home and our mutual travels before walking down to Boat quay for dinner, the night is perfect, tropical, the river awash with the reflected colours of the buildings and Cavenagh bridge that crosses the quay just outside the hotel. The lights just shimmer on the water as we walk along adding to the magic of this town. Along the street runs the restaurants with inside seating situated on our left on the side of the road while their outdoor seating areas run along the riverside as far as you can see, leaving a centre pathway to walk through. This restaurant row stretches right along the river here from Boat quay to Clarke quay, some four hundred restaurants. The mixed aromas in the air add to the atmosphere, we decide on Italian, taking a seat by the water. We settle in to enjoy some pasta and conversation, before heading back to the hotel where Allan and Denise take a cab to their hotel. They are leaving for home tomorrow after spending a week here. Tomorrow we will have an easy day catching up on sleep and trying to shake the bug that as I write this is persisting.

Sunday 24th September
Our last day in Budapest, we have a late checkout at midday, the cool weather is continuing although the rain has made way for scattered clouds. The northern hemisphere autumn is here to stay, people warmly wrapped hurry by our window at breakfast. The day maybe Sunday, but tourism never stops, new groups arrive into the hotel from who knows where to take in the sights of Budapest. Out of a nearby window a tour guide, her lolly pop stick waving in the air stops to herd her group closer, like a mother hen gathering her chicks. Every street, every building has a story, be it myth, legend or fact, enough we are sure to for every tour guide to put a twist to every story. We leave with mixed feelings, this city has along way to go to recover from the recent past. For us time to move on to our next destination, Singapore. Since our flight doesn’t leave until 7.00pm we have plenty of time to complete our packing, checkout and relax in the beautiful lounge bar. The hotel building known as Gresham Palace was built in the 1905 in the art nouveau style, lots of marble, high glass domed ceilings, intricate wrought ironwork and Leadlight windows. Named after Thomas Gresham, a London based financier who started an insurance company in the seventeenth century, the building served as the company’s European headquarters for sometime. Like most of the buildings in Budapest the war brought heavy damage, particularly since the building is very close to the Chain bridge blown up by the nazis in 1945. Now restored to former glory the building is owned by the sultanate of Oman and leased to the Four Seasons hotel group. 
The bar offers us all we need to see us through the next few hours, light lunches and good coffee. At about 2.30pm the waiting staff start setting up for high tea, the white tablecloths come out and the finest china is set out, a few takers arrive to partake. One couple near us are served hot pots of tea and then a circular three tiered cake stand filled with an assortment of treats, they are forewarned not to eat them until the waiter completes a thorough description of the tray. I could only catch a few words, like chocolate, cream, fudge, jam and cake to be convinced that this was a tray for the serious dessert lover. The crowd is a mixture of young well heeled locals, svelte Nordic looking women dressed in finery, suited up Russian looking dudes with closed cropped hair and t shirts, rather than collar and tie, then older American tourist’s off the riverboats. 

A shop just off the lounge sells nothing but furs, fur coats and jackets of every colour combination. They look expensive and maybe they are real, but there doesn’t seem to be any takers today. 

3.30pm comes around quickly, we booked the hotel car to take us to the airport, we wanted to ensure no hiccups and ensure our luggage would fit in ahead of time. Once out of Budapest city the traffic is light, the airport just a thirty minute ride out into the countryside. We arrive before our flight checkin counter is open, even though Finnair invited us by email to electronically checkin this seems to make no difference, as there is no open bag drop. The airport is a small one, the airlines taking turns at the checkin gates. An hour wait with one coffee shop and limited seating, still we find a spot to while away the time. Finally the gate opens we checkin, pass through security, where I beep and are given the once over by security, meanwhile passengers with all manor of carry on luggage including umbrellas make their way through. Another hour in the lounge and finally we are on our way, on time for our first leg to Helsinki.

We arrive on time in Helsinki, flight is a smooth one, first time here we are surprised how big the airport appears to be, also very clean and tidy. We are here late arriving at 10.20pm understandably the airport is quiet. Only criticism is that we arrive at gate 16 and leave from gate 55, a “Transfer Service” is on offer according to the signs, we wonder what that might be. Following the signs we find the transfer desk, a lone woman sits behind it pondering, I am not sure what, eventually she notices me, I ask how we should proceed to the gate, she points at the corner “around there sir follow the signs” and keep walking I add, “yes” she says with a rye smile and so that is the transfer service. Still there are plenty of duty free shops to browse if one has the time, on this occasion though we do not. There are no moving walkways but they do provide a small hand luggage cart, handy for us. Also a small stroller I am sure I could fit in if only I could convince Amanda to push me!. Eventually and in plenty of time we pass through a customs check and our passports receive the Helsinki seal of “approval”. Then a few more gates pass us by and we reach our departure gate, very little seating is available, but the gate appears to have two lounges one of which is empty and barred to passengers, weird. After standing for about fifteen minutes we are called through to the barred lounge, boarding passes and passports checked we are allowed through, this time we briefly sit and we can board. Airports! all different, only a few able to make efficient use of their space and time.

Our flight tonight is aboard an A350/900 Airbus, beautifully fitted out I feel somewhat like I am in 2001 a Space Odyssey, the interior of the plane all white curved plastic panels, with hidden lighting and eight foot centre ceiling height. Sleekly equipped cubicles await to fold us in their arms, reminiscent of a 1970’s vision of the future. We watch the onboard visual display as the front nose camera shows the lights of the runway flash by effortlessly and we are airborne. Next stop Singapore.

Saturday 23rd September
Another sunny morning greets us this morning, we had expected rain and cold again today. After breakfast we decide to take another shorter stroll around, first to top up our cold medications and then to St. Stephens Basilica a major church in Budapest, out of the many to be found here. By the time we leave dark threatening clouds have moved in crowding out the sun. The nearby pharmacy is closed, but a there are plenty of shops around inviting us to continue our search. We walk through to the Joseph Nador Plaza we visited yesterday in our suitcase hunt, there are plenty of people out and about, coffee shops and restaurants with outside tables are starting to attract customers. We venture across the plaza into a flashy shopping street, nicknamed “Fashion Street” the street is filled with fashion outlets as one might expect given the name also souvenir shops and restaurants with outdoor seating. Actually the street is a cobbled stoned mall that’s easy to stroll down, look up and you see the magnificent facades of the buildings above here mostly renovated. Still no sign of a pharmacy we walk through to a main road that links up to the painted white Elizabeth bridge another that crosses the Danube to the Buda side. 

We turn away from that direction and spot a pharmacy, very different than at home, we enter and queue to talk to an assistant who when our turn comes helps us select items we would just normally pull off the shelf at home. A light rain has started to fall, just a shower we hope, we put up our hoods as we didn’t bring out the umbrellas today and continue on through the back streets on our way to St Stephens. On our way we catch a glimpse of a Ferris wheel apparently a new city acquisition erected in Erzsebet/Elizabeth square just this year and standing 65 meters high, not at all tempted to ride it we continue on eventually emerging into Szent Istvan/St. Stephens Square. 

This Roman Catholic church built in a neo classical style was completed in 1905 after taking fifty four years to build. It was named after Stephen the 1st a King of Hungary from 975-1038, who was canonised in 1083 for his efforts in promoting Christianity throughout the region. 

The wind has whipped up and the showers although light are persistent, we head back towards the hotel just now a block away. Buildings of past grandeur sit un-renovated, alongside beautifully restored ones. At its peak this was a grand city, now the slow job of renovation continues, the task a massive one with just the sheer quantity of buildings damaged during the war.

 At street level on our stroll we pass crumbling facades some still blackened from fire damage some with the evidence of bullet holes and shrapnel still clearly visible, then there are facades undergoing renovation with exquisite detail being painstakingly reproduced.

We quicken our pace as the weather is deteriorating, outside not the best place for us to be while trying to ward off our colds. We are soon back in the warmth and comfort of our hotel suite. Packing for our departure our main goal for the day, we will eat in, fortify ourselves for our departure tomorrow, a two hour flight to Helsinki then an eleven hour one to Singapore. 

Friday 22nd September 
What a difference a day makes, the sun is shining this morning the rain completely gone and the wind has died. Although the sky is not entirely clear of cloud, splashes of blue are evident everywhere. Today we can stroll along the Danube to take in more of the sites close up. After breakfast we head into the shopping district to pickup a small case, just a little one mind you, the necessity to buy some warmer clothes on this end of the trip has left our current bags bulging and overweight. That done we walk down along the Danube towards the Parliament building, the breeze along the river is cool, large puddles of water from yesterday’s downpour evident everywhere. Along the river wall there is a simple moving monument, to the Jewish people and others that lost their lives, when Hungarian fascist militia aligned with Hitler opened fire on them. The spot is crowded with tour guides and tour groups, we can sit on the stone bench awhile and wait for the scene to clear. The idea for the monument came from a film director Can Togay and was sculpted in bronze by sculptor Gyula Pauer. The story goes that the victims were told to take off their shoes and then where shot so that their bodies fell into the river. When the scene clears we can see the shoes fixed to the river wall in all sorts of disarray, poignant and disturbing. 

We move on down the river towards the Parliament building once again, then moving up to the grounds we wander around this massive building. While we are there a changing of the guard takes place, with some musical fanfare but only a few soldiers, after the display the captain of the guard announces that they will stay a few minutes to allow photos to be taken with them. We move on around to the rear of the Parliament building, away from the river leaving the breezy conditions behind. 

We are heading towards the famous and controversial Liberty square, where a focal monument commemorates the so called liberation of Hungary by the soviets in 1945. Germany had only just moved into Hungary in a bloodless takeover in 1944 when the then prime minister no doubt seeing the writing on the wall began negotiations with the allies. Hitler apparently tipped off about this moved in, but Hungary had allied itself with the Axis countries since 1940. Where they really occupied or complicit? this it seems to be the question still today. Then the soviets advanced pushing the Nazi’s back, liberating/occupying Hungary virtually until 1989. The first monument we encounter is that of a gentleman crossings a bridge, this is a representation of Imre Nagy who in 1956 lead a revolt against the Russian “Occupation” and was executed by them for his troubles. The monument symbolises his quest for Hungary’s freedom. Also in the square is a statue of Ronald Reagan who was credited by the Hungarians as influential in encouraging Mikhail Gorbachev to bring down the Berlin Wall and to liberate the eastern block countries in 1989. The last monument is a much more recent one, erected in 2014 and more than a little controversial in that it shows an eagle, representing the Third Reich about to pounce on the archangel Gabriel, representing Hungary. This seems to indicate that Hungary was indeed invaded and forcefully occupied when it was arguably not! The controversy rages with many notices of protestation evident at the site still today. 

From here we make our way through the back streets parallel to the Danube back to the hotel. Our next hike takes us across the Chain bridge, so named because of the giant chains that run through the stone supports anchoring the bridge deep underground. Built in 1849 the first bridge to span the Danube, from a design by an English engineer, it was one of the longest in the world with a centre span of 220meters/663ft. Significantly it was blown up by the Nazis in 1945 as they retreated from the oncoming Soviet and Romanian forces. 

The sun is shining on us as we make our way across and the breeze has died down making the crossing a pleasant one. Once on the Buda side we make for the funicular railway that takes sightseers to the Buda Castle and site of the Royal Palace. There is a queue, but not to long and we have tickets to take the little railway up the hill. Yesterday we did this by taxi and ended up at the the history museum today we can walk around the palace grounds and the site of the original castle in dry conditions and sunshine, threatening dark clouds are not far away though making for a dramatic sky.

After having a good look around the building and taking in the magnificent views up and down and across the river we head back the way we came via the funicular and back across the other side of the Chain bridge to the hotel. Time for afternoon tea of coffee and Hungarian cake. 

We take a well earned break after our extensive walking tour this morning tonight we will tryout the hotel’s restaurant for dinner. 

The Kollahz seems to be going 24/7 breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and cocktails. The dinner menu is extensive with just about all you could want. Importantly we want to try local dishes, they have one side of the menu dedicated to just that. Still not back yo our best we decide to share two main courses the first a plate of sardines, these are not the kind found in a can but freshly caught and deep fried served on a bed of fine potato purée with cherry tomatoes, their tails crunch as they go down. Amanda, a little squeamish removes the tails first. Onto the next dish a beef cheek Guylas (Goulash), tender beef cheeks in an amazing beef reduction, with tomatoes, baby carrot and skin on potatoes. We wash this down with a glass of the local Hungarian merlot, perfect. 

We finish with scoop of chocolate ice cream, a standard wherever we are in the world. Our waitresses tempts me to try a local after dinner drink, Plum Palinka. 

A strong refined plum brandy, guaranteed to give me a good night sleep she suggests. It is very strong, and I leave a little in the glass but I feel more awake now as we head back to the room. The time and days are becoming blurred, I check to see when the Crows are playing their semi final, they have played already, although late I decide to watch the game. Amanda stays with me for the first quarter then descends into the land of nod. The Crows win, blitzing Geelong, we are in the grand final, to take place the day we arrive home on the 30th September. What a home coming.

Thursday 21st September
Today the weather is bad, wet and windy, the worst we have seen for our entire trip. The whole city is blanketed in low cloud that is soaking Budapest, what would normally be a very walkable city is today not so. Our plan, now a mission, is to stay dry and visit two inside venues, The Royal Palace, in particular the national gallery, then go onto the Central Market Hall, apparently a must see for visitors. Breakfast first, as we take our first meal of the day we see busy pedestrians making their way passed the hotel. Umbrellas are turned inside out, the rain is horizontal, we are on the Pest side of the Danube, there is a good chance that if we venture out with a good strong umbrella we could be blown across the Danube to the Buda side where the Royal Palace sits daring us to pay a visit. There are plenty of bridges, one almost outside our door but crossing the river today without yachtsman’s wet weather gear is definitely mission impossible, unless you are Tom Cruise of course.

Fortified after a good breakfast, we take the bull by the horns, dress in the warmest clothes, don our totally inadequate shower proof jackets and venture out, by taxi. The Hungarians maybe learning English in school but the taxi drivers are not school children, our driver takes us to the Palace, but we end up at the Budapest history museum not the gallery. The Palace is huge, we are hoping that inside the various museums are connected but they are not. We ask at the desk about the gallery it seems the entrance is located on the other side of the building, one look outside and the decision is made, the history museum it then!

The history of Budapest is fascinating, dating back to Roman times, when the Romans had forts on both sides of the river. When they left the dark ages plunged the area into chaos and little is known about the times until a king emerges in the 11th century to build a castle on the foundations of the roman ruins. The beginnings of The Royal Palace on the Buda side, then called Obuda, we are standing in today. Excavations over the years have unearthed parts of the original castle that can be dated to the 12th century. The display of these remnants of stone carvings is nothing short of amazing. 

Over the years the Pest side grew, as more people from Germany traveled down the Danube and settled on that side. The two sides of the river where accessible only by ferry at this juncture. Then came the Turks in 1526, under Sultan Süleyman I (the Magnificent) many churches were converted into mosques, and Budapest became the seat of a Grand Vizier. In 1686 the Hapsburg dynasty enters the scene, by 1867 their control has evolved into the Austrian-Hungarian empire, beginning a golden age of building magnificent palaces and civic buildings. Then of course came the events of 1914 when the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, starting events that would change the world for ever. Budapest suffered economically from then on, briefly (six months) becoming the capital of the Hungarian soviet republic, then the capital of the Hungarian democratic republic after French backed Romanian forces take control. Then in March 1944 Hitler takes control of Hungary installing a collaborative government that joins forces with Germany collaborating in the murdering Jews by the thousands. In 1945 the Soviets together with Romanians besiege the city, liberating it, but not before a serious amount of damage is done by retreating Germans. In 1956 Hungarians revolt against soviet occupation that is put down in a bloody fashion. Finally in 1989 the soviets are finally banished and the city becomes capital of the Third Hungarian republic.

After this large dose of central European history, we decide to take a look at the Central Market. A look out through the museums windows tells us the weather is unchanged. 

We successfully call up a taxi using a local taxi service app on our phone and we are soon whisked away in an other little yellow taxi to the Market Hall. The Great Market Hall as locals call it is located at the end of the famous pedestrian shopping street Váci utca and on the Pest side of the Liberty bridge at Fővám square. Just a short taxi ride and we are deposited at the entrance, built in 1897 as an indoor market in a neo gothic style covering some 10,000 square meters the space is large, with a ground floor occupied by fruit & vegetable stalls, delicatessen stalls, selling all manor of fresh and cured meats as well as the spice, and liqueur stalls. The upper floor that forms a mezzanine around the outer walls is full of local handicrafts and souvenirs with a few food stalls that are so busy that the food just has to be good. Throngs of people queue for a plate of sausage or local guylas (Goulash) but very few tables in which to eat it. Like every building here, war damage was extensive but the site is now back to the former glory it deserves. We are here for the paprika and saffron, every second stall has these spices for sale but we eventually find packaging to our liking, hopefully we can successful navigate through Australian customs with our purchases. 

Missions completed we now need to make our way back to the hotel, the taxi app has stopped working but we see a taxi rank across the street. Nearly blown off the street and in drizzly rain we make our way to the cab stand, first driver we approach tells us to go to the head of the queue of taxis, taxi etiquette at play. This driver though doesn’t want to play ball, 5000 forints he wants to charge us for a ten minute ride back to the hotel, I know enough by now to know that this is too much. We retreat to review our options. A cab in front of us drops off incoming passengers, we grab him and we are on our way and back at the hotel at a cost of 2000 forints. Amanda comments that the driver we first encountered was rejected by several customers and eventually told to move on by his colleagues behind, weird behaviour sent to test us.

Back at the hotel the weather inside is calm and warm, the scene of yesterday’s lunch looks inviting for a hot coffee and Hungarian cake. A side trip to a local pharmacy earlier on in the day was challenging but fruitful, we both need to fortify ourselves against the pressing cold symptoms that while not crippling are annoying. Tonight we eat in, pizza is on the room service menu and that glass of Chardonnay for medicinal purposes only completes the deal. We watch some world news but Australia is missing, it is still where we left it isn’t it? Tomorrow we are hopeful of a cloudy but rain free day to continue our explorations. We will see!

Wednesday 20th of September
Another grey day greets us this morning, we are sandwiched between river boats at our mooring, glimpses of the gloomy skies only visible if you look up between the connecting ships. We have to vacate our stateroom by 8.30am making an early breakfast essential, although ever thoughtful the ships culinary crew put out a limited late breakfast in the lounge for those late risers. With the recent early tours we have managed to be up and about early, today is no exception. We decide on the the full breakfast this morning at least a good double helping of eggs Benedict for me and just a single for miss Amanda, who is feeling a little better this morning but still has a persistent cough. Then back to our cabin to make our last minute preparations to depart. At 8.30am we say goodbye to our floating home for the last two weeks and decamp to the lounge with our portable possessions, while our suitcases are transferred to the loading dock outside the ship. There is not a lot we can do today, drizzly rain is falling outside, pedestrians on an adjacent bridge, visible from the lounge window are battling with umbrellas as they make their way across the rain spattered Danube. Our taxi is booked for 1.00pm to take us the short distance to Gresham Palace, we have anticipated that check in time will not be until later in the day anyway. Since all the ships resources are at our disposal fir the day, while we are onboard this seemed the best option.

We spend the time relaxing, Amanda reading and me on my blog, so much has happened that I need to put the words down before my brain scrambles the events of yesterday. The morning goes by quickly as fellow travellers stop to say goodbye and happy travels, before making their own way to their next destinations. Out of the 109 passengers, 73 are leaving the rest staying on to travel another seven days on to Bucharest. A new contingent will come onboard here to join them for that journey, but the ship will still not be at capacity of 130 passengers. 

Eventually our taxi arrives, the driver waiting in the ships foyer. We follow the driver towards our exit route, we need to climb up and over the next ship berthed alongside us shoreside, then across a ramp and down to the lower deck of another ship before exiting through their doors onto the shore ramp interesting. The rain has stopped and the skies look a little clearer, our little yellow taxi is waiting, the taxi driver and waiting ships crew grab our suitcases and bundle them into the little yellow taxi and we are land locked in Budapest. The driver pulls out into the traffic running along the riverside, we are immediately in a traffic jam, as we look down to the river we see an amazing site, a fairly normal looking coach with passengers onboard is up to the wheel arches in water and is making its way down the river, looking for all the world like the driver took a wrong turn and ended up there by mistake. Our driver explained this is a river bus can go in water or land, As we inch our way forward our driver anxious to brush up on his English engages us in conversation, he is chatty, friendly even, but we have to concentrate as his heavily Hungarian accented English is hard to understand. The taxi is not metered but I do know the hotel is not far away but the traffic slows us down to a constant crawl. Our understanding is that the locals prefer their own currency, the Florint to Euro’s and that only tourist places take Euros, but this is appearing to be not so. Although Hungary is part of the Euro Zone, like the U.K. Before Brexit they maintained their own currency. Whilst in Vienna we managed to exchange $50.00 Euros for Florints receiving about 13,000 units of this currency. This is about 200 Florints to one Aussie dollar, are you confused, well it certainly makes life difficult as we try to relate the values to home. Back to the taxi we finally make it to the hotel and with the help of the bell hops unload our luggage. The taxi driver charges us 3000 Florints but will take Euros, since I do have the Florints I pay him in that currency, about $15.00 Aussie, reasonable I conclude. To be a millionaire here you just need $5000 Aussie dollars.

As we expected our room is not available, we decide to have lunch and are shown to a cosy restaurant where we order a local version of a hamburger, this is served, with a small dish of coleslaw, caramelised onions and mushrooms, French fries, tomato sauce and mayonnaise. The most unusual accompaniment is a piece of fried duck liver, Fois Gras, delicious yes, also very unusual to our perceptions. We might as well kick back with a glass of stunning Hungarian Chardonnay followed by ice cream. We have had a great relaxing lunch but by this time the clock has struck 3.00pm our rooms availability not yet announced, I go off to seek an explanation, our previously allotted room still not ready we are re allotted another one, this on the fifth, loft floor overlooking an internal courtyard. Not much of a view but we have had a river view for the past three weeks so we are non plussed. By the time we unpack and settle in the hour is late we watch a little world news, a devastating earthquake in Mexico and hurricane Maria in the Caribbean but no news from home. We catchup on home football the Crows having survived their first home final defeating GWS a good start to their premiership campaign. Then, the end of another day we recharge for tomorrow. 

Tuesday 19th September
After a great day in Vienna, we sail into Budapest on a grey wet morning, the rain glancing off our stateroom window as we make our way down the muddy Danube. It is instantly apparent that we have crossed borders, gone are the pretty cuckoo clock houses and brightly painted boats. Rusty looking hulks and once colourful but now faded river boats lay moored to the opposite shore as our first site of occupation comes into sight. 

A huge development of modern looking high rise apartments passes by, partially completed there must be hundreds of homes here along the river bank. Next another modern looking building with FINA 2017 draped across it, the world swimming and diving championships where held here this northern summer, maybe this is the venue. 

We prepare for the day ahead, Bence our tour director will give a commentary as we approach the heart of Budapest Pest, in fact sailing right into it, with Buda on the hilly side to our right and Pest to our left. Bence is a native of Budapest so this should be interesting. First though breakfast, then we head for the lounge to hear the presentation, we are arriving in Budapest a little late due to yesterday’s delay but not by much. As we approach bridges can be seen in the distance the first a modern suspension bridge outside the city limits then the first of the older bridges starting with the mustard coloured arches of the Margaret Bridge, that connects both sides of the river and Margaret island, resulting in an on and off lane in the middle of the bridge. Completed in 1876 it was blown up by the retreating Germans in 1945 but now stands restored using as much of the original steel pulled from the river as possible. 

Behind the bridge looms the enormous parliament building as ornate as a cathedral, and almost as large as the British Houses of Parliament. The resemblance in style is striking so it is no surprise to find that the British building was an inspiration for the Hungarian one built much later. 

On our right the Royal Palace & National Gallery dwarfs ornate buildings lining the boulevard along the river.

 The Spires of Mathias church along with others punctuate the skyline.

 An ornate building on our left catches my eye, I later discover that this is our hotel for the four nights we are here. 

Three more points of interest appear one that dominates the skyline standing high on Buda’s highest point the Liberty Statue. Standing 40meters high including pedestal a female figure holds a plan leaf to the sky a symbol of peace. The statue was originally erected to commentate Hungary’s liberation by Soviet forces in 1945, but the inscription was changed after the communists finally left in 1989 to commentate the Hungarians that lost their lives in search of independence.

 The next is a statue of a monk, St Gerhard erected in1904. The monument stands on the spot where the bishop died as a martyr in 1046, he was nailed into a wine barrel and rolled into the Danube, by pagan invaders.

 Then the Chapel in the rock appears to our right where allegedly a hermit lived using the natural muddy thermal waters to heal the sick, later the site becomes a church. After this amazing introduction to Budapest we dock and prepare for our tour, the tour takes us up to a Matthias church again high on a hill. Spectacular views of Budapest and the Danube. can be had from the towers and parapets that surround the church. The church itself with it’s intricately patterned porcelain tiled roof looks as if it was recently cleaned the almost snowy white stone a contrast to the colourful roof. Inside, wow! walls ceilings columns etc, all intricately hand painted beyond belief. 

Again we have a little free time, but just a few minutes then we are back on the bus for the remainder of the city tour. The Hungarians have spent a lot of time, money and energy revitalising their city, the amazing buildings gradually being restored to once former glory. Evidence of the cities harsh treatment since World War Two are everywhere. Our guide gives us some personal stories, she was born in the communist era and has seen the wonderful changes that have come to the city since 1989. She tells us about buying a car under communist rule, you place your order for the one model available, pay your money, you are unable to choose a colour, then you wait, maybe for up to ten years. Also when the telephone service was restored they had to share a line with a neighbour, only one line per two families. We can see that once the buildings are all restored to former glory this will be once again a great place to live, for now, wages are lower than the European average, that us leading to some skill drain, but there is no unemployment, and cost of living is reasonably low and no inflation.

Back on the ship we have the afternoon to pack, Amanda is not feeling to good, her reduced immune system after her minor cold in England seems to have allowed a ship board bug back into her system, a number of passengers have unfortunately fallen foul of this. Thus we decide to take our dinner in our room tonight. As we are enjoying our meal and glass of wine, the ship leaves our mooring to move back upstream, this allows us a spectacular view of Budapest by night as we float along on our own dinner cruise, under the many bridges to our new mooring. 

This is our last night aboard the River Duchess, the end of an amazing journey from west to east, giving us plenty of memories to take home.