I started the day off by catching my train to Budapest. Sad to leave Vienna so soon. It was a very marvellous city.
I went to the train station and found my train and carriage number. Carriage 412, seat 12. A paid reservation was my understanding. I was a little alarmed at the age of the train carriage. It was in a very old style, had openable windows, sliding doors, and a corridor. I took some photos before too many hopped on.
A short time later a train tickets inspector came in and yelled up the corridor “this carriage is only for staff”. I was the only one in his immediate auditory range. I said I had a ticket. He yelled once again “no, this carriage is only for staff”, although I was the only one in earshot and could hear him perfectly. I said this was carriage 412, seat 12. He still insisted “only for staff”.
Then, upon realising more people were getting on behind him and that the reservation slots were assigned above the compartment window, he pulled out his phone to scan my ticket and apologised “okay, sorry”. No doubt someone in head office decided to sell these seats online without informing him or the cleaning crew as the seats and compartments were not in the best of shape. Bread crumbs on the seats, bubblegum stuck to the bin instead of inside it.
What a fun experience though. The curtains and seats seemed to have a bit of a smell. The ticket inspects (there were two more subsequent inspections) kept closing the door. But the French ladies and Taiwanese couple definitely preferred to open to let in a cross breeze.
This train wasn’t the modern style train that is super quiet and stealthy like in main Europe. When the train left the station it you could hear the whole carriage creak and stretch like the walls were what pulled the carriage and all carriages behind it. It was the type that went “click clack, click clack”. You could feel the wheels change tracks below your feet.
As the train raged forward the open window let in some grass seeds. As I inspected the window further I could read “SGPI 02 95” printed on the glass. Wondering if this was the date of manufacture.
In any case, I arrived in Budapest, albeit at the wrong station. I had booked my accommodation next to the train station I was meant to arrive at. I was now staying at a hotel on the opposite side of the Danube River and Castle Hill to the train I arrived on, and the airport. I think I realised that this train might have been a replacement train for a high-speed alternative.
I took some photos of the interesting trains at the train station in Budapest. I was a little curious if I had transported back in time a little. Especially after my experience getting here.
I walked 5km across town and had a look around as I went.
I checked in and laid down for half an hour. I had plans to see Budapest at sunset and that was going to be on a hill if I timed it right.
On my walk around town I still had some time before sunset. Sun sets late here. I climbed castle hill and saw an old Church of Mary Magdalene.
Further on, I came to a main tourist attraction for Castle Hill. I got to see Matthias Church.
I saw the Fisherman’s Bastion. There was also a great view from this position. I will have to look up why it’s called the Fisherman’s Bastion.
There was a view of the Hungarian Parliamentiary Building. I would get more views of this later on as well with the river.
I continued along the Castle Hill. Seeing a few other things. I wanted to climb a neighbouring hill on which a Citadel had been build. This was a large park with a number of old stone staircases and many other things. Some parts looked almost Soviet but Hungary was never in the Soviet Union, it was in the Warsaw Pact though I learn.
At the top, the Citadel was closed. Very disappointingly given it was open 24 hours a day on google. It was under construction.
I did see a lookout stop where other were gathering for the lights of Budapest to turn on. This is where I took the photo at the top of this picture.
After this, I crossed a bridge and walked along the river in hopes to find something to eat. I only found sitting restaurants and I was hoping for something I could eat while walking. Unfortunately I didn’t find too much so I finished my walk along the river, crossed a neighbouring bridge and walked underneath Castle Hill through a very loud tunnel back to my hotel.
I write this early next morning as I had some laundry to do to prepare for the flight. Today, I will do some more exploring of the architecture and other things.