Budapest — Belváros-Lipótváros

The plan for the morning of this last day was to explore district V, Belváros-Lipótváros, the latter named after King Leopold II, a part of Pest that I had not given enough attention to previously. Lipótváros holds St. Stephen's Basilica, government buildings, public buildings and high-end hotels.

I started at the southern part of district V, Belváros, at Fövám Tér. The intent was to walk up the Danube Promenade and turn inland.

Sun and water bathing locals.

Very long cruise boat, Liberty Statue on the hill, and Elisabeth Bridge. As you can see it was a clear day, but I recall it was a little nippy.

A better view of the bridge.

The Rudas Baths on the Buda bank, another thermal bath complex.

Buda castle again.

Somehow I missed the Little Princess statue, but I came across Dunai Szél (Danube Wind) on the grounds of a hotel. It's not well known as I had to search for it. A couple of reviews give details, that it was created in 1937, relocated several times, and the original is in the Hungarian National Gallery.

Fascinating how the sculptor has managed to suggest a translucent skirt in stone. Budapest would seem to be a treasure trove of sculpture from the number of results returned when I went searching.

The Vigado concert hall.

The fountain in Vigado square.

Deák Ferenc street lined with high-end stores.

Vörösmarty square with a statue to the poet.

The Café Gerbeaud dating from 1858. Budapest is also a treasure trove of cafes.

A search shows that this is the Hungarian Ministry of Finance on József Nádor square (page in Hungarian).

The quirky porcelain sculpture Herendi életfa is also here.

A passage within the Ministry of Finance building led me to…

The Budapest Eye.

Customers lining up.

Photographers at the Danubius fountain trying to capture the whole ferris wheel.

Lovers' padlocks probably.

St. Stephen's Basilica.

A frontal view.

And that was the end of my exploration of district V. A short walk found me at Elisabeth Square where Andrássy Avenue begins. I descended into the metro to teleport to another area for more adventures.

Budapest — Gellért thermal bath.

I wanted have a thermal bath experience, so I headed down to the Gellért Thermal Bath.

It was on the Buda side so easy to reach from my lodgings, and what better day than Sunday to relax?

There are several baths in the city but this one was renowned for its art nouveau interior.

Some of that beautiful stained glass.

Hungarian thermal baths are very organised, not unlike taking a cultural tour: you line up for tickets, you follow a set path, have the experience, and come out enlightened. Or at least refreshed and relaxed.

You get this high tech wristband which is not a watch, but an electronic key that gives you access to a locker of your choice.

The main pool inside the bath.

I did not use this pool because one is required to have a swimming cap and I did not.

In case you are wondering, I didn't risk my phone. I brought a waterproof camera for this excursion.

Another view.

There are smaller pools on the perimeter with spa water gushing out of several taps and people take turns to get a water massage under the tap. I took advantage of these for almost an hour. The ticket allowed me all day use but I wasn't intending to stay that long so I wanted to make the most of the morning.

On the roof level is a large outdoor pool. It didn't look popular, probably because the water was cold. It was also quite deep and not for beginners.

But not to worry, another level up there was a hot pool.

A closer look.

Near the pool is a sauna hut.

A brazier with hot rocks keeps the room hot and steamy.

When you emerge you can have a heart-stopping plunge in a cold tub if you wish.

Then go back to the hot pool which got more crowded as the morning wore on.

I repeated the routine a couple of times.

The pool is set in a garden with classical sculptures.

Nearby is a beer garden where one can have after bath drinks.

I went down to the outdoor pool and sunned myself on a deck chair for a while.

Flower beds on the perimeter.

We are under Gellért Hill of course and the statue of a woman holding a palm leaf.

Statue in an alcove.

Mosaic wall.

Entrance to stairs or other room.

Well, that was a relaxing experience, but all good things must come to an end. I was feeling ravenous after all that relaxation so I set off in search of lunch.

This is the Liberty Bridge outside the hotel complex the baths are part of. Fövám Tér and the Central Market Hall are on the other side of the Danube.

Budapest — Central Market

In the morning after breakfast at the guest house I embarked on my explorations of Budapest. The officers of Budapest transport are reputed to be very strict so I didn't want to fall foul of them, even accidentally. I decided to save myself time and money by purchasing a multi-day pass. The guest house proprietor said I could buy one from a vending machine. And so it was, though I had to fight the terribly unreliable touch screen. I helped a couple of tourists get through their ordeal after that.

I caught the tram to the metro station Budapest Déli which is one end of line 2. Déli is also a train station, though I never used it to get anywhere. Here I entered the bowels of the earth and made a couple of line transfers.

Eventually I arrived at Fövám Tér. Tér is Hungarian for square. I learnt a few words simply because I kept seeing them.

This is the location of the Central Market Hall.

Inside is a produce market, and of course souvenir shops. Although Saturday is traditionally market day, this market would be operation every weekday too as it is covered.

You get an idea of the area from the steelwork.

I was obviously at an intersection of galleries.

Fruit shop.

Grocer.

Souvenirs.

Tea, chocolate and drinks. Bolt is Hungarian for shop, another word I learnt by sight.

Sweets and pastries.

Now I'm on the first level.

Rather crowded with tourists.

A good view of the ground floor.

Another view.

An online translator tells me that mintabolt means sample shop. But it looks like a smallgoods store to me.

The first level runs mostly along the perimeter of the hall with some overhead lanes.

I ventured out to take photos of the surroundings. I believe this is part of the Corvinus University.

The back of the Central Market.

Seems a fun run was happening.

The university library.

Sculptures that took my fancy.

I walked up the street to Kálvin Tér. This is the Mercure hotel. The Kálvin in this case being John Calvin.

The church that gave the square its name.

I walked back in the direction of the market towards Liberty Bridge.

From here the Liberty Status on Gellért Hill can be seen.

The buildings around the square.

After the market, I headed up Vámház körút towards Astoria metro station, which will be in the next installment.