Monday

• After a wonderful breakfast at the hotel, we began our walkabout at the main synagogue on Dohany Street. This Jewish house of worship is the largest in Europe:
  

  

  Consecrated in 1859, it holds 3000 seated and 2000 more standing. During the WWII years, it suffered considerable damage from several sources: the Arrow Cross Party, the Nazis and aerial raids, especially near the end of the war. Restoration took place 1991-1998.
  

  

  The exterior decoration is called Moorish Revival style and has been copied by many newer synagogues. The architect believed that no distinctively Jewish architecture could be identified. He, therefore, based the design on Islamic models from North Africa and the Alhambra in Spain, as the Arabs are historically related to the Israelite people.
  

  

  As Patty and I had seen the interior 10 years earlier, we were satisfied with an outside “tour.” Jan and Diane were similarly inclined. Around the block and behind the synagogue, we could view the Tree of Life through a fence:
  

  

  This sculpture, erected in 1990, is a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Shaped like a weeping willow, a traditional symbol of mourning, the tree’s branches form an overturned menorah. Each of the 4,000 metal leaves is engraved with the family name of a Holocaust victim.
  
  Looking for a quiet place to recover, we found it in a small parklet off the pedestrian-friendly “New Main Street.” Our rest was rejuvenating. In a playful mood, Diane tries unsuccessfully to hide from the rest of us:
  

  

  
  Soon, we arrived at the Central Market Hall, which has been here since 1897:
  

  

  Renovated throughout the 1990s and featuring stalls on three levels, it remains a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike.
  

  

  There are a number of eateries inside; we patronized one that provided seating for lunch. It also had restrooms, a sometimes hard-to-find commodity.
  
  Leaving the Pest side, we crossed the Liberty Bridge on foot and gained a wide view from mid-river:
  

  

  
  On the Buda side, we paid our respects at this statue of King Stephen, standing a bit forlorn beside his horse:
  

  

  On the left of the photo is the Liberty Bridge we had just crossed. On the right, the wavy glass shell, shaped like a whale’s head, is the controversial Bálna shopping center. Too contemporary for some, it opened in 2013.
  
  Directly opposite Stephen, the Gellért Hotel and Spa began life in 1918:
  

  

  Inside, we walked the entrance hall but, not opting for the spa itself, we cannot vouch for the beautiful mosaics, stained glass and marble often pictured in the thermal baths. Ah, well, next time.
  
  By Metro, we made our way to the Nyugati Railway Station back on the Pest side of the river. This gave us a chance to ride the new Metro Line 4, practice our transferring skills onto Line 3 and pop out of the ground exactly where we wanted. The attraction near the Railway Station was --- you’ll never believe this --- a McDonalds Cafe!
  
  On our initial visit to Budapest, Patty and I were amazed by the size and opulent appearance of that McDonalds and wanted to show it to Jan and Diane. Well, the present appearance was downright disappointing. Here’s what it looks like now, just as large as it was before:
  

  

  Nevertheless, ten years ago, we were much more impressed. Here is an Internet photo from that era:
  

  

  We were probably taken by all the brass and glass, real plants and the availability of wine. In the intervening years, the lights and their supports have been “dulled down”, plastic chairs introduced, plants removed. Worst of all, wine is no longer served! I’ve a good mind never to go back.
  
  Our day still had enough time left for us to wander over to the Hungarian Parliament Building. I would bet only a small percentage of visitors view the “back side” of this structure:
  

  

  

  Completed in 1904, this is currently the largest building in Hungary and still the highest building in Budapest.
  
  This side of Parliament faces a building that MIGHT have been the Parliament Building itself. It is the Museum of Ethnography and was a runner-up in the design competition held for the Parliament Building:
  

  

  A second runner-up was also built and became the Ministry of Agriculture. How’s that for a win-win competition?
  
  I guess I will always wonder where the gentleman in the center of the photo was headed and what he was carrying. Looks like party time to me.
  
  As for our last dinner together, I don’t remember much about the evening other than the four of us returning to our hotel after dinner linked arm in arm. That’s what traveling together can do: good friends, good times, good memories.
  
  
  

  Epilogue
  
  

  Early the next morning, the four of us joined others for a ride to the airport. Our Lufthansa flight to Munich was on time and, soon enough, Patty and I were home as scheduled.
  
  The outbound flight for Jan and Diane through Frankfurt, however, was canceled due to a Lufthansa pilot strike and “luck of the draw.” In this case, “luck” meant a positive experience because the flight cancellation gained them two more days in Budapest, ensconced in the luxury of the Le Meridien --- two more days to explore on their own and, best of all, their appreciable expenses were eventually reimbursed by Lufthansa!
  
  Although Viking did not fund this extended-extension, Jan and Diane report that Viking was a great help to them and to other stranded river cruise passengers. Their staff assisted in returning them to the Le Meridien, getting them checked back into the same room, re-booking them as soon as possible and, wisely, advising them to keep all receipts. The trick to getting reimbursed, the well-traveled couple relates, is figuring out where to email the information.
  
  They did spend some time on the Lufthansa website and emailed customer service, asking who would be the proper contact. Armed with that knowledge, they simply scanned the receipts and emailed them to that “right person.” Their parting piece of advice was, “Next time you’re in Europe, try to encourage the pilots’ union to go on strike again.”