Budapest Part 1

Welcome to Budapest, Hungary!!! This was the last stop on the tour for the choirs and orchestra from U of R. It was also the most foreign to everyone. Dave said that unlike other parts of Europe (where you hear Western European languages), in Budapest, you only hear Eastern European languages and that it is extremely different from everywhere he has been. But he loved it and wished that they could have spent more time there. This is looking towards the famous Parliament building across the Danube River.

Dave was extremely impressed with Hero Square. This square is a relic of a proud era in Hungarian history. The statues in the colonnade are renowned Hungarian leaders and politicians.

The Schola group in front of Heroes' Square.

Ahh -- typical Europe! :-( You spend your whole life hearing about amazing churches and building and monuments and then you get a chance to go and .... they're covered in scaffolding. Oh well! This is the Matyas Church located on the Buda side of the city. The choirs and orchestra gave their final performance in this grand church. The church was built in 13th century but lost most of its detail when the Turks converted it to a mosque. After the liberation of Buda, the church was rebuilt in the Baroque style by the Franciscans.

Buda and Pest separated by the blue Danube River -- which from all accounts is NOT so blue after all. :-)