Last Night In Budapest

Shortly before sunset on my last day in Budapest, I grabbed my camera gear and walked briskly along the banks of the Danube river. I wanted to take a photo of the Parliament building at dusk from across the river. As I walked, I passed grand hotels, dinner barges, and open air restaurants where patrons were warmed by flaming gas heaters. 

I crossed the Chain Bridge, weaving my way through throngs of snap-shooting tourists. I was hurrying, because I needed to get into position before the sky turned dark. One young couple reclined on the railing of the bridge, which left me feeling somewhat. A fall would have been disastrous.

When I reached the Buda side of the river, I continued my walk northward. I noted a number of points where I could take the Parliament building from an interesting angle, but what I really wanted was a straight-on view. Unfortunately, this view is partially obscured by a barge. I took the shot, but I had to shoot over the barge, and therefore had to settle for capturing only part of the building. I then walked to each side of the barge and took shots from slightly oblique angles.

As I walked back toward, I continued taking photos from some of the spots that I had noted earlier. I set my tripod up carefully on the crowded Chain Bridge and took shots of the Parliament Building with the beautifully lit Margaret Bridge in the background. Once I got back over to the Pest side, I took shots of two beautiful structures, Buda Castle and the Fisherman’s Bastion.

I made my way back down a lively pedestrian street, passing the Hard Rock Cafe on the way. I looked at various restaurants and chose one that specialized in Hungarian food. I figured that it was a logical choice for my last night in the country. The food was delicious, and the dining room was filled with the sound of gypsy music played by a quartet of talented musicians. In addition to the violin, viola, and bass, one gentleman played the cimbalo, a small piano-like instrument that is played by hitting the open strings with mallets.

After dinner, I walked the banks of the Danube again, taking in the sights of the beautiful city until nearly midnight.