In 997 Istvan became Duke of
Hungary. Shortly afterwards he put down a pagan revolt in Veszprém, and was crowned first
king of Hungary in 1001. Pope Sylvester II sent a crown from Rome to accord the Hungarian
the title of Apostolic Majesty -- The Carter Foundation recently returned the crown from
safe-keeping.
Stephen was canonized in 1083 for his
dedication in spreading Christianity and surpressing paganism throughout Hungary.
Houses of Parliament, Budapest -- © TravelNotes.
A visit to
Hungary must include Budapest.
Situated on the River Danube, the city of
Budapest is split into two natural halves.
The community of
Buda is on the west bank of the Danube and contains many relics of almost
150 years of Turkish occupation. The former royal residence is in the Castle District,
with the famous spas below it.
The Castle District is best visited in late
afternoon when the Houses of Parliament, across the Danube in Pest, will look better in
your photographs or videos.
A drink in the Hilton is pricy, but it is a
good place to escape the heat and the crowds. We prefer to order a bottle of Tokai and sit
at an outside table; on the ramparts, overlooking Pest.
Pest:
Apart from the Houses of Parliament, another
must see in Pest is Heroes' Square. Here the Arpad generations, and other monarchs are
cast in a large arc depicting the history of Hungary.
Vaci Utca is the notorious pedestrian area, a
few streets back from the Danube. It is not uncommon for women to approach men and take
them to unscrupulous bars were large bills are produced for a few drinks.
It amazes me how some tourists, or businesmen,
can fall for such tricks. The girls say that they are students visiting Budapest, but it's
all a part of the racket.
There have been a spate of bombings, bank
robberies, and daylight shotings in the capital, but on the whole Budapest is as safe as
any other city. Don't walk the streets with all your money in your back-pocket and check
the price lists before you order. If there are no price lists, walk away. It will spare
your blushes with the heavies later.
The
Budapest Sun is the English-language weekly that is sold in most kiosks and
distributed free through the major hotels. Get a copy and find out more about where to go
and what's going on. They do have a website, but it is not updated and they didn't take up
my offer to work on it for them.
How much of
Hungary you can see on your visit depends on your time restrictions. Lake
Balaton is the largest freshwater lake in Central Europe, and is crowded with
bargain-hunting Germans during the summer months.
There are plenty of Zimmer Frei signs, so it's
a case of driving around. You'll also see cars at the side of the road with Zimmer Frei
placards on their roofs. All prices are quoted in German Marks; the de facto second
currency of Hungary.
Without a car, you are restricted to visiting
the major towns. The rail network is good and cheap, even in first class.
Hortobágy, the oldest stone bridge in Hungary
-- © Travel Notes.
The Danube Bend
is a good excursion from Budapest:
Szentendre
is the compact artists' town of narrow winding cobble-stoned streets and little pastel
coloured houses turned into galleries.
Visegrád
is where the Romans built fortifications and the Hungarian Kings established a hunting
ground in the 250 sq.km. Pilis Forest.
Esztergom
was also a royal seat and Hungary's first capital. St. Stephen was born and coronated
here, and the famous Basilica is the seat of the Cardinal of the Hungarian Roman Catholic
Church. Across the river is Slovakia.
Hungarian Cities:
Budapest:
Take a little tour of the capital.
Lake
Balaton:
The lake really does change colours.
Pecs:
A large student city in the south of Hungary.
Siofok:
Siofok is often referred to as the capital of Lake Balaton.
Sopron:
I always prefer to enter Hungary at Sopron rather than Hegyeshalom.
Szentendre:
The artists centre is only a short drive from Budapest.
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