We didn't plan anything for today, and it turned out to be a nice slow day. After a late breakfast at the hotel we walked to Buda Castle. The changing of the guard happened to take place just as we went by. A bugle fanfare announced that something was about to happen, so we walked in that direction with lots of other tourists,and saw the short ceremony. Five soldiers performed the entire ceremony right in front of the building holding the office of the President of the Republic of Hungary.

The hotel is in the Castle District on the Buda side of the Danube River. Right next door is the Matthias Church. When I tried to visit, it was closed; a wedding may have been going on. We saw it the last time we were here about five years ago. The Fisherman’s Bastion is right beside the hotel, too, and very picturesque. We can see a bit of it from the hotel window. The views from the hotel window include the regal-looking Parliament Building.

We enjoyed a four-course, prix fixe dinner at Alabardos Restaurant just a short walk from the hotel. The food was fine, but the service was even better. It was hard to tell which one was our waiter; several men kept checking on us to see if we needed anything. We had an amuse bouche of carrot and paprika soup garnished with sausage chip and cream, goose liver pate with berries and crustini, marrow soup, Hungarian catfish for me and Beef for Philip, and a surprise dessert--a fruity and creamy cake, but no chocolate.