"Budapest: Under construction"

Saturday, June 17 Budapest, Hungary

After an overnight train to Vienna and a few transfers around the hour of 3 or 4, we arrived in Budapest to find the main metro line was closed for construction. A lot of walking about with heavy bags in the heat looking for the "petite castle bus" and various other lines, we found ourselves outside of one of the posh-est hotels in Budapest. (Thank you, Deloite: Erica's job provided her with hotel points that allowed us to stay in for free in hotels for most of our trip.) So our scrubby, sweaty, backpacking, eurail selves walked into the lobby and were greeted with that "Can I help you? [You certainly don't belong here!]" greeting from the concierge. It was later followed by, "You will be staying on the executive floor in our executive suite with a view of the Danube, parliament building and castle. Breakfast is complimentary and served in the executive lounge. There are also appetizers from 3 until 10 o'clock." Booya.

Exhausted, we made it as far as down the street for a late lunch and ventured about the "castle district" where our hotel was located. The area is apparently named so after all of the homes of noblemen built there back in the day. We actually walked down a street I believe translated as "knights road" but was later taken over by all the church and monks.