On the Danube through Eastern Europe

I thought I'd blog about my most recent holiday country by country rather than as one long post.  As we travelled through some gorgeous areas, I took a ton of photos and thought that it may get boring as one post. Additionally, the difficult recent history of these small countries lends itself to a lot of reading.

Some background, the trip took me via boat down the Danube through five countries.  I flew into Budapest, Hungary and began touring there. The trip ended in Romania, on the Black Sea. In between we stopped in Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria.

The Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans from the West to East sides of the Danube, connecting the two sides of the capital city of Hungary, Buda and Pest. 

Chain Bridge lit up at night. Parliament building to the right.

The Chain Bridge with the Buda Castle in the background. 

A Trabant, probably the worst car ever built. It has a .6 liter engine and was produced in East Germany. It was made of cotton and plastic waste material from the Soviet Union. Oh, and its a two stroke! Can you imagine mixing the gas and oil for your car similar to your lawnmower or outboard engine? 

This photo shows the contrast between the concrete bunkers built in the "Stalinist Rococco" style and the traditional and gorgeous European architecture.

The next few photos are of the Matthias Church. It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the years. It served as the site of the coronation for many of the kings of Hungary, including the last two Hungarian Hapsburg kings.

I think the roof is the prettiest part. It is ceramic roof tiles in gorgeous patterns.

Chain Bridge over the Danube from the Buda (West) side

These next photos are just a few that I liked from around the city. We were lucky enough to travel during Easter. This is a major holiday in this area and we got to celebrate it twice as the Catholic Easter and Orthodox Easter fell on different Sundays this year.

These are medieval monastery ruins. A Hilton hotel was built over and around them rather than tearing them down. 

No idea what this building is but I thought is was gorgeous with the moss growing on top. I have always liked the mansard style roof and this is a lovely building in sad disrepair. It is just off of the Hero's Square and Andrassy Avenue. 

The next two photos are at an Easter Market. These pop up for Easter weekend and consist of shopping and food stalls. So much pork...I was in heaven!

These food stalls were cool. They were actually cooking over wood fired stoves

These are large paper globes in the trees to look like colorful Easter Eggs

These two photos aren't the most attractive but I loved that restaurants and cafes with outdoor seating were all open despite the chilly weather. They simply provided blankets at each seat.What a cozy way to have a coffee or cocktail!

The "Shoes on the Danube Bank" is a memorial to honor the Jews who were killed by Arrow Cross militiamen during World War II. They were ordered to take off their shoes and were shot at the edge of the river so that they fell in and their bodies were carried away. The monument represents the shoes that were left behind. It is comprised of 60 pairs of shoes made out cast iron in the style of the period (1940's.) It is a moving thing to come upon whilst walking down the street.

The next group of photos is of the Hungarian Parliament building. It is a gorgeous building, both inside and out.  It is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary and the largest building in Hungary. I liked it the most lit up at night. The Hungarian crown jewels are kept in this building but they won't let you take photos in that room. They don't even come remotely close to the crown jewels of Great Britain so it isn't much loss to not have a photo. It is a crown with a crooked cross on the top (no one knows how it got bent and they didn't tell us why no one fixed it which just annoyed me,) a sceptor and a crystal ball. 

Spectacular stained glass windows throughout

Assembly hall in the parliament building.

These are interesting, there are many of them all around the area outside of the assembly hall. They are cigar holders. Cigars were allowed in this area but not in the assembly hall. So, these are all numbered and that way you could reclaim your own cigar upon exiting the hall. Interesting tidbit, many people smoked Cuban cigars at the time so if a speaker was good and everyone stayed in the hall to listen to him, their cigars would burn down. A saying was coined that a good speaker was "worth a Cuban." 

Chime in here

I want to hear from people who have lived or spent significant time in another country. The refund/exchange policies here kill me. I want to know if we are spoiled in the states or its if it just insane here.

 Generally you have two days to return or seven days to exchange. This is not much time, especially without a car or fitting rooms in stores. 

Anyway, I bought two humidifiers a few days ago and, upon setting them up, realize that one is defunct. Worse, it appears to have been already used. So, some jerk knew it didn't work and put it back on the shelf! Anyway, I have my driver bring me back and they immediately give me a new one...but no new receipt.

As I'm already four days into the seven day window, I ask for a new receipt showing today's date. No go. So I make them fill it with water and test it for me. I haven't made any friends at Saco today, but my driver is happy we won't have to make another trip out to this store. 

So please chime in about whether this is a very tight window for exchange or if I'm just spoiled. Additionally, what option does one have in the absence of a new receipt? I think I'm going to begin making stores test any electronic product that I buy from this point on. Returning is too much of a headache

Saudi silliness

I was telling this story on my recent holiday and it got some incredulous looks. I sometimes forget that things that I have become accustomed to are really quite strange and worth sharing. 

The story is that I have to have a man collect me at the airport due to my single female status! Sometimes they let me walk right through, other times they hold my passport until this guy comes to sign me out. 

As if this isn't ridiculous enough, the man has to be Saudi. So my driver, who has been in the country for almost 30 years, can't sign me out as he is Morroccan. This means that they send two guys to fetch me upon my return from travel. 

I try to focus on the luxuriousness of it so I don't get irritated with the insanity! I call my driver when I arrive and he sends in the Saud. This guy collects my passport then my luggage and schleps it outside where he loads it into my car, hands me off to my driver and then leaves.

As if this isn't silly enough, the guy looks like a ragman! So this is my immediate reminder that I am no longer in the land of the free. Sets the mindset immediately upon arrival, any Saudi male is innately above me in the pecking order here! 

Saying goodbye to my parents was lousy, I'm back in the sandpit now. Hope to travel to the states soon. Missing my friends and family is the hardest part of this adventure. I'm thankful I've met some great people here! Will be just as hard to say goodbye to them when this trip ends. I'm lucky to have such good friends. 

Sharm El Sheik

These are the last of the photos from Egypt.  They were all taken in Sharm El Sheik. Sharm is a resort area in the South Sinai area of Egypt, at the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula and along the Red Sea.  I was hoping to kite but there was no wind. It was a disappointment as the water was crystal clear and really flat. 

I did go snorkeling, though and that was pretty incredible.  The reefs are well known and are just off the beach. I was able to go out on a pier from my resort and plop in at the end and there was a large reef system right there.  

I liked the vases and colors of these walls

The bougainvillea everywhere reminded me of home

This was the walkway down to the sea

Add caption

This was their Christmas Nativity scene.

And some other holiday decorations. It was treat for me as Saudi doesn't do this.  I didn't miss the christmas carols playing constantly at home but did miss the decorations. It really never felt like Christmas here

The view from one of the restaurants

You can see the huge reef system in these next few photos. It was incredible and so close to shore

Goofy holiday decorations

This was looking back towards the resort

The fish seemed to have no fear

This one was really interested in my camera.

Almost too interested, it was a little scary at times, he would charge at it

I think it is a trigger fish and if I remember correctly from my salt water fish tank days, they can bite

I was sweating taking photos as he came so close. He was really beautiful, yellow and a bright blue on his sides

Mom ahead of me on the camels. Saudi camel saddles are highly superior to the Egyptian ones. And these are Sinai camels, they weren't as pretty as the ones in Saudi, either. Can't say I ever thought I'd be passing judgement on various breeds of camels and their riding gear!