Aug 21, 2011 - A Late Arrival at Esztergom

Another blue sky day with temperatures in the 30s. We had breakfast and set off in the bus for Pest. We were taken round by the parliament building, and ornate neo-gothic structure inspired by the Palace of Westminster, the British Houses of Parliament. The plans for this building won a competition to build the Hungarian Parliament Building. Interestingly, and unusually, the plans which placed second and third in the competition were used to build other government buildings across the square from the Parliament Building. The Square between...

Nov 9, 2007 - Esztergom

Nov 10th We arrived yesterday and are staying with our wonderful hosts, Lajos and Rosza. We got caught up in so much conversation this morning that Rosza practially had to kick us out of the house after breakfast so that we would take in the local sites. We know we will return to a great conversation this evening. Such as with Turkey, we are learning more and more about the Hungarian history...one we are finding difficult to understand and accept (given the very sad experiences that the Hungarian people endured this century). The world is...

Jun 18, 2005 - Day 15 - Bratislava/ Sturovo /Esztergom (Hungary

One of the major reasons for us wanting to go to Bratislava in the first place had been to take the hydrofoil down to Budapest, travelling down the Danube. A mate has done the trip and said it was well worth the money... however, nothing is simple in Bratislava, and this was no exception, and additionally, it would have put us in Budapest on the weekend still, where I have no doubt more marauding hordes of drunken poms would have celebrated our arrival. Giving this section of the trip up was not easy for me, and some A&R folk might be aware...

May 30, 2005 - Esztergom, pools for a hot day

Took the train out of Budapest 1 1/2 hours N. to this border town...found a place called Gran Camping on the Danube, hot as all get out today (in the 90's) and lo and behold they had a swimming pool! Yeah! I lounged in it for an hour and a half...and the cost for the O.N. was less than in Budapest, what were we thinking, ha! Took a walk in the eve up to the largest church in Hungary (yes, here in this tiny burg)...impressively big but not much else to say for it. This was the seat for the Archbishop of the area for a long time, hence the...