Today we arrived in Budapest. Our arrival was timed such that we would have finished breakfast and see the sites of Budapest from the Danube along with Nevena's commentary. Or as Nevena put it "as we sail down the red carpet of the Hungarian Capital". There was some free time to look around the city in the morning but as we had a tour in the afternoon, dinner and then a night cruise up and down the river we use the morning time to pack for our disembarkation the following morning. While we did not need to get off the ship immediately in the morning we had to vacate our cabins by 9am.
The weather as we approached Budapest was heavily overcast but by the time the afternoon tour began it was a solid misty rain. The tour was partly by bus to point out the major attractions and then a walking tour with another hour to wander around. During the bus part of the tour we stopped for a tour of the Opera House. Nevena had asked us to compare this one with the Opera House we saw in Vienna. Well this one was probably better, certainly more ornate. While we were having a glass of bubbly on the main staircase beside the boxes we were given a recital. Most enjoyable. On with the bus trip and up to the Mathias Church and Fisherman's Bastion area The weather had closed in by the time we arrived. When it got to our free time we decided it was time for coffee and cakes in a local cafe (along with everyone else from the ship as it turned out).
Before dinner we were entertained with music (3 piece group) and 4 dancers. Of course it had a very strong Hungarian flavour about it. The lead violinist was unbelievable. Our final dinner was at the back restaurant - the Erlebnis Restaurant - where we had another lovely meal. This was the restaurant we ate in on our first night on the ship. A fitting way to start and end the journey we thought.
After dinner the captain pulled out of the dock and took the ship up the river, around Margaret Island and slowly back through Budapest. The weather had lifted a bit and the light display was fantastic. The pictures do not do it justice of course. Had to follow this with a nightcap which lasted longer than it probably should have!