Travels of THB

Thursday, May 7, 2026

Day 13: Budapest

The Last Full Day WITH TAUCK

mostly on the Buda side

THB is with the yellow group again today

First stop: a church on the Pest side

now on Buda side

THB is still with yellow team

the yellow leader is back in charrge

Hospital in caves; after WWII it was a nuclear attack shelter, and then turned into a museum in 2008; THB liked the tour, no pics allowed

Pest from Buda

back in Pest at the House of Strudel for a great lunch

now a synagogue that looks like a church (complete with organ): no pics allowed

"tree" with names of victims on the leaves

mass graveyard right next to the synagogue, non-traditional

another synagogue, pics okay

salmon on a plank

chimney cake

5 minutes to bake, then rolled in cinnamon sugar

best w/o ice cream or chccolate

going away dinner in Academy of Sciences...gypsy dancing

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Day 12: Buda-Pest-Buda-Pest-Buda-Pest

Today: THB and DB said goodbye to the Esprit, leaving the ship at a comfortable 9am, placing our 4 bags along the wall just outside 306. THB managed to leave his "wallet" jammed in the cabin safe and the cleaning crew found it and it was delivered to him on the bus before we left.

THB had not noticed it missing because now when traveling he just takes a few pieces of the local currency, a copy of his passport, and his I-phone (and uses the VISA card loaded on the phone). Lowers the risk of pick-pocketing and the currency and passport copy are zippered away

PHEW!

Next up: a bus ride to Budapest with local guides. Now THB is suffering from a local guide using the in-bus mic and talking non-stop and very Loudly. THB turns off his hearing aids, barely helps. By the time we get to Buda-side, THB's head is banging. At the first stop, a big plaza, THB isn't using the headphone any more.

Back on the bus, more crisscrossing around PestBuda and ending up at the Parliament building. DB goes off on what she reports as great tour and THB heads to the cafe to close his eyes and listen to his current audiobook (a historical saga set in the mid 1400s with lots of traveling in exotic locations).

5 pics by DB

a famous memorial where the last 60 Jews were murdered in Budapest in early 1945. Empty shoes...very poignant

Buffet lunch tor the Tauck'ers and THB and DB sit with people that we haven't met before. Ah-ha...one guy sits down and THB finds out he also has essential tremors (and, poor guy, Parkinson's). How's that for male bonding.

Our room is ready at the Al Habtoor Palace and we unpack.

View from our room

really good hotel room art

Dinner at Goli, not easy to find the name...and the meal is terrific!! THB estimates the cost at around $140 (THB cannot access his BofA account, so can't get the accuurate charge amt yet)