Castle Hill Budapest pt3 6th january 2014

Continuing our final day in Budapest on castle hill , pt2 HERE , after having dinner the sun is starting to set,  the colour of the setting sun is turning the buildings a glorious colour :)

                                                               The Mathius church

 standing on the Fishermans bastion wall watching the buildings turn colour and finally into shade as the sun sets behind us :)

After a quick drink in a small cafe all the flood lights are on now, i have framed the Bastions battlements through this arch over the staircase.

                                                             the moon is out now :)

 Looking up towards the Chain bridge and  Buda castle on the right with the Citidel in the distance high up on the hill.   pity we never had time to go up there, maybe next time :)

                                                                   Moon above the Spire

  One last image of the Fishermans Bastion we are going to head back to Buda castle above the venicular railway and our way back down.

                                              We are now under Buda castle all lit up :)

                                                       The Moon is following us  lol

                    The chain bridge from the top of venicular railway and St Stephens Basillica

                                   Superb view from up here looking down the Danube

                                                 a final Panorama from a beautiful city :)

Goodbye Budapest , its been a superb short break for my birthday. hope to return again some day hopefully.

Budapest Castle Hill 6th january 2014 PT2

Continuing the last day in Budapest, Jan and i are on Castle Hill heading towards the Fisherman's Bastion.   its come over a bit cloudy at the moment but its still quite warm for January , just into double figures :)
Walking through the courtyard next to the Matthias Church ,having just photographed a Hooded Crow , we marvel at the stunning architecture . the statues are amazing in the central area.

Walking up onto the upper level we get superb views of the turrets and arch windows , its very busy up here today , cant imagine what it must be like in peak season.  i did read somewhere that said you would have no chance of taking pictures without people getting in the way  lol

 

The view up river towards Margaret bridge and the island mid river.

 

Here i am in front of the church .

                         Looking through one of the many arch's to the Parliament building.

                                           the front of the Bastion , very elaborate!

                                                                           The inside :)

Here is the view looking towards the Citadel on Gellert hill in the distance to the right of the bridges

                                                                  a weird looking panorama :)

                  Jan in the courtyard as the low sun starts to set producing long shadows

                                                          another couple of  Arch shots :D

             Walking through the village and looking in the small souvenir shops and feeling hungry

We have come to a small restaurant , so as we haven't eaten anything today and its past 2 o'clock we decide to go in here , just a few pics from out side & inside

                                Deep fried chicken sounds good to me, Jan wants the Goulash

                       its really nice in hear , with stone cellars with tables and more upstairs.

               as we come out Jan spots a iron clad statue     "do not touch"   Yes Jan   tut tut :)

to be continued .............................................................................

Budapest - Castle Hill 6th January 2014 PT1

It is our final day full day in  Budapest. Jan wants to go to the Great market hall , the oldest one in Hungary.   she says its not to far away , literally about 5 minutes walk .   so off we go, coming to the road where it is Supposed to be , a small non descript door way leads to A Tiny local food hall!!!!!!!    Haha      note to self ,  NEVER leave directions to Jan again!     lol
the great market place is actually miles away  Oooops .

Now we are going to Castle Hill  our main destination for the day and we have glorious blue sky.
After a 10 minutes walk down to the Danube we are now crossing the Széchenyi chain bridge.  its a beautiful morning and i love the shadow of the suspension bridge reflected in the water :)

       Stunning buildings along the river, the sun brings out the colours that looked flat yesterday.

                                            Looking down to Margaret island in the distance.

We have reached Buda side of the river,  the lion sculptures that were so difficult to photograph in the dark look superb against the blue sky :)

Crossing over Clark Ádám Square to the the Castle Hill Funicular railway , which goes up to Buda Castle , one of the major tourist attractions in Budapest.  it it quite expensive for a very short journey, about £7 ish return for a 1.5 minute ride !!! , but we are on holiday and have to go on it :)
considering its January we still have to Que up for a ticket, must be impossible in the height of tourist season.

it was originally built in 1869 and went into service a year later before being bombed in the war and eventually re built and opened in 1986.   the carriages look superb all in varnished wood and go up the 312 ft track to Castle Hill .

                                                                             up we go :)

arriving at the top , a large courtyard with guards standing motionless in front!   must be bored  lol

                     a superb view down to the Paliament building and the bridges further up river

                                 first Panorama of the day , view HERE LARGE

Walking in front of the Royal Palace/Buda Castle we are looking down on the bridge we walked across and to the right in background St. Stephen's Basilica where we first arrived a few days ago

                                                 another panorama , view large HERE

We are now around the back of the castle,  an amazing building and its  fascinating history  HERE

                                     a huge waterfall fountain , kept dry in the winter months

 

making our way around the rear of the castle and all the outlying buildings , some not having been re built and left like this.

                                                               very odd sculpture!

   the road into the village with cobbled streets and bright painted buildings , statues are everywhere

Our first view of the Matthias Church ,looking stunning against the blue sky , the Fishermans Bastion is behind it overlooking the Danube

                                            a Hooded Crow :)  never seen one before

                                                             continues part 2