My impression of Budapest has changed. Changed! I think I am falling in love with this sweet, sweet city. The more I learn my attraction to this place grows more intense.

We took a bike tour of Budapest today. Given flat terrain and fair weather, bike tours are without a single doubt the very best way to see a city, learn about its history and get up close to important aspects of the area. Certainly more territory can be covered in a short amount of time this way. I can only imagine how long it might have taken Stan and me to walk the area we covered today and I cannot even begin to guess the number of miles we biked. Actually, Sunday's are a bit treacherous for bike tours because so many people are out and about on the streets. While there are great bike lanes here that separate bikes from cars and foot traffic, pedestrians are the most dangerous. They can become distracted and walk should to shoulder down a path crossing into bike lanes and they can suddenly stop to chat or take photos. That's what the bells on the handle bars are for. When pedestrians clog up the bike lane, you ring the bell. Most people know the sound and quickly get out of the way. Some never hear it. We didn't take anyone out today but I personally had a close call or two.

Again, our bike tour today was led by young man with a warm, engaging personality and a head full of knowledge about the area. Horan was born in Romania, a former Hungarian state, but his family moved to Hungary to escape the dangers of the dictatorial regime there years after WW II.

He led us past the grand Opera House and down a long boulevard to the City Park, Varosligit, which was built in 1896. The park was a venue for a huge exposition of Hungarian crafts, agriculture and technology in celebration and commemoration of the city's 1000th anniversary. Since the site of the park was several miles from the central city, the wide boulevard we had just biked was created then and below it, the world's first underground electric train was installed. As a note, London built the first underground train but it was powered by steam. Beautiful, grand mansions for Hungarian nobility were built during this time too to put the important families in close proximity of the exhibition and to impress visitors coming from around the world with the wealth of the area.

The entrance to the park is called Hero's Square. In your mind, picture a grand entrance to a venue. They call this entance the Gates to the park, but they are not like any gates we know. Looming over the square holding an orb of Hungarian crown in one hand and the apostolic double cross in the other; the two items symbolize possibly the importance the relationship of God and state to Hungary. The base of the Millennium Monument celebrates chieftains of the original seven Magyars tribes of Hungary . . . the nomadic horseman and warriors. Flanking the Angel, the columned gate holds statues of the most important historical rulers of the empire. To the left and right of the square are the Hall of Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts.

At the time it was built the park seems to have been designed in a style very much like Las Vegas Casinos or Disney Land with grand appearances and elaborat, realistic-looking facades but made of wood and plaster. Over the years, when the area remained a popular place to visit long after the exposition, the structures were rebuilt of brick, mortar and stone. Today, City Park remains one of the most spectacular venues in all of Budapest. What a fantastic place for visitors and locals alike to visit. Concerts and festivals are often held here. ----- If Stan and I lived in Budapest, I think we'd take a picnic dinner to this site for sunset at least once a week in good weather.

As we rode back toward the river, we stopped at a heart-wrenching spot. It is called the Museum of Terror today but before and after World War II it was in fact a place of terror. The building sits on the grand boulevard leading to City Park and was taken over and used as the headquarters of the Nazi-affiliated Arrow Cross party in 1944-45. Its basement was used as a prison and for interrogation and torture purposes. Hundreds of people considered enemy of the state were killed on the site. After the communist Soviet liberation of Hungary in 1945, the building was then taken over by the State Security (Hungarian version of the KGB). Remember this country was behind the Iron curtain. The Communist Secret Police, like the former Nazis were paranoid of subversive movements against the government among the people. They recruited spies - no one could trust anyone, not even friends or relatives. If someone spoke badly about the government, they were picked up and brought to this spot and interrogated and most often, tortured to their death. Around the girth of the building were small disks showing photographs of some of the hundreds and possibly thousands who lost their lives in this very building during and long after the end of World War II.

As our tour leader related these facts, my throat began to close and my eyes filled with tears. The horrific acts that took place in this building went on for over 45 years. Then Horan added, it was worse in dictatorial Romania at this time; that's why my family even left. Oh, my heart is still aching.

What we human beings do to each other??? And why??? It is beyond understanding. It is beyond regret and sadness. God save us!

We biked on further south until we reached and crossed the Green Bridge (Liberty Bridge) and then rode north along the Danube past the base of the Citadel and Bishop Gellert's Hill. We passed the Elizabeth Bridge on the right and Castle Hill on the left and finally crossed the river again at the Margit Bridge. We stopped at the Parliament building. This fantastic, iconic 400-room, sandcastle-style complex, was built in late 1800's around the time of the Exposition. The building still houses Hungarian Parliament and the Prime Minister today.

Just before our bike tour ended we stopped at The Strudel House, the oldest and most famous restaurant that still makes strudel by hand. You can choose from many different fillings . . . savory, fruit or cheese curd. Strudel and cappuccino!! Wonderful!!!

Tje bike tour was complete around 4 pm. We had been riding for a good 4 ½ hours. We decided to shop before heading to our apartment. We waked just a few blocks following Stan's navigations and found the primary shopping street. This pedestrian area first featured a huge typical weekend market with kiosks and tents marketing Hungarian goods, crafts, and FOOD! Although we had just had strudel and cappuccino, we could not resist the sight and the smell of freshly grilled flat bread folded and stuffed with chicken, sour cream, sliced onion, cucumber pickles and cabbage! My God!!! What goodness we just discovered!!!!! We shared one of these.

The sights and sounds of this wonderful Sunday afternoon market were fantastic.

We walked on. We looked at every small shop we passed. I have become infatuated with hand sewn handkerchiefs, doilies and table linens made here. I have not found a single one with a label stating "Made in Hungary." Most have a pasted-on sticker but I'm so skepticle.

Oh, but we did find a little shop with tiny hand-cut crystal liqueur goblets. I could not resist. We now have six tiny glasses that cost us 46 US dollars which may be worth only $5 . . . but I Iike them very much and will for a long, long time. We liked the proprietor too. She's married to a man from Mexico City! Imagine that! Even in Hungary they are talking about the proposed wall. She told us her husband says that if "he" builds the wall, his people will go under; go over; whatever. Nothing will stop them if they must go to America.

I say, hell, yeah!!!