Budapest - Part 2

Budapest is yet another European city in a long string of European cities that has plenty to offer. Food, people, sights - tasty, engaging, and beautiful (keep the order straight). There's quite a bit to see from architecture, bridges, parks, shopping streets, and a dinner river cruise is a great way to see both banks of the city from a unique perspective! It's hard to say what my favorite part of the visit was, unless I'm including the beautiful sunshine and hot temperatures (especially while Amsterdam was having a miserable July, weather-wise). Radhika and I spent our days walking around and exploring different parts of the city. We met our friend from Amsterdam, who was in her former city of residence briefly, for a nice dinner one evening. It was quite hot, but we were loving it because Amsterdam has been quite cool and very wet this summer. As a matter-of-fact it was the wettest summer on record since something like 1908!!! Where they get normal rainfall numbers of somewhere in the mid 100 centimeter region, I believe, this year they received something like 700 centimeters!! It was a crazy wet summer, which severely cut down on the outdoor basketball. Anyway, we checked out Szechenyi Baths, but didn't go in, visited Buda Castle and Castle Hill, Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church, Heroes' Square, walked across Chain Bridge several times, took a nice dinner cruise on the Danube, walked through the Jewish Quarter, enjoyed a traditional Hungarian dance performance, and went to the Terror Museum (only to find it was closed but the outside was great to photograph!). We had a great time in Budapest, coming back bronzed and happy, exposed to plenty of vitamin D carried on rays of sunshine fresh from their 8 minute trip straight to our waiting skin. A place we would definitely return to, and recommend to others. Now I have much to catch up on and pictures to post. Next up, Istanbul.