Hot Night(s) in Budapest

Well not really, I'm just quoting Jethro Tull because despite our thorough and relentlessly constant pursuit of the weather channel which promised beautiful days and day temperatures in the perfect mid 70's and nights in the high 50's I stared out the window of the plane as we hovered above the city for our landing and turned over to Frank with a look of absolute horror and said "EGAD, IT'S RAINING!" Well, not really, I don't ever say egad. Anyway, raining it was, a cool and drizzly rain for which I was not prepared and has ruined our perfect record of landing in European cities on perfectly gorgeous magical mornings after long uncomfortable sleepless flights. I stare out the window of our airport transfer van and see the ugly remnants of a city that was under Communist rule for too many years but then we suddenly pass into a whole other place and despite the gray ugly day it shines in it's beauty. We finally arrive at our hotel, The Gerloczy Cafe and Rooms

which is in a quaint and lovely little square in a beautiful part of town and it doesn't disappoint.

from it's spiral staircase to it's stunning stained glass ceiling

and it's warm and welcoming staff, it is perfect. Since the day is so dreary and we are so tired, we do something we never do when we arrive, we take a nap. Two hours later though, wearing layers of clothing for warmth we go exploring.

Eventually we buy ugly hoodies at a second hand store for warmth and shelter and begin to feel a little better. We have two days of rain...but on the third day...Perfection! The sun shines, the birds sing, I look out our window

at the rooftops of Budapest.

It's a good day for a wine festival! So off we go and walk a few blocks to the Danube

 

and cross the river over a beautiful bridge

to Buda, and climb the steep stone steps to Buda Castle

and to the Budapest Wine Festival.

where they give us this lovely little accessory

and we go a-tasting...

in awe of this incredibly magnificent setting with the most amazing views of Pest

then there's this wonderful regional parade

and this is worth it all.

The weather stays beautiful for the rest of our stay so we can do more exploring

and marvel at the architecture

and take too many pictures of parliament, just because...and enjoy a little cafe life

and chicken paprikash

and goulash

in this beautiful city that lights up at night like a Christmas tree

with it's warm, friendly people who all speak English because nobody, and I mean nobody, can speak their impenetrable language and their crazy drivers,  through those tiny little cobblestone streets, who seem to speed up and gun it when they spy a pedestrian; and their hounds everywhere

which makes not having this guy around

a little easier to bear. So after four days, which is not enough, we say goodbye because there are other places to go. Think we'll be back though, maybe next year's wine fest...