Finally a day without a tight schedule, we spent gentle time with this lovely city. In our bike tour yesterday, Hero Square with the gates leading to the beautiful City Park was particularly interesting to us. This morning we found a bus that took us from our front door directly to the square. With far fewer people visiting today on a Monday, we were able to spend quality time looking at the columned gates and the statues that it holds. The focal point is the collection of statues representing the chieftains of the seven tribes of Hungary, the horseman and the warriors. At its foot is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, dedicated to all soldiers who fought for Hungary throughout its history. Someone had recently laid a wreath upon it. Atop the gates are four sculptures. On the left far end the statute represents labor; the other far end represents knowledge. On the inner points, the statues represent War on the left and Peace on the right.

Located inside the park is one of the city's spas. Yes, Budapest is gifted with thermal waters. Spas for medicinal purposes have been in place here for centuries; Roman legionnaires used 15 different baths here in their time. This grand, ornate beautiful spa, the Szechenyi Spa, is said to be a favorite of tourists but not locals. It was built in renaissance style between 1909 and 1913. We looked around, took some photos and bought a bottle of the spring mineral water. We imagined we felt better immediately after drinking it. Certainly good medicine.

As we headed back toward the river, we rode the Underrground Number 1 line, the first underground built in Budapest in about 1896. It was the first electric powered underground transport in the world. We got off to have a look around the grand Opera House. I'm going to attend an opera someday; so far I never have, but it seems that should be a bucket-list item for a Marianna/Little Rock girl. There was no scheduled performance tonight so my hopes of attending one will have to wait until another time.

We had no pressing plans so we walked back toward the river and then to the south down the wide market street we found yesterday - again, without Sunday crowds, the scene looked completely different. Our goal was to make it to the Market Hall. Hunor, yesterday's bike tour guide, told us Market Hall once was a rambunctious place where country folk came in to market their products. During the period around 1896 when the Exposition was about to be conducted, the city cleaned up the market hall area. They built permanent booths for the vendors, put in tile floors and instilled strictly enforced rules like no loud talking, no hawking of goods, no spitting and no cursing. Today that's still the case. There are market police who make sure rules are not broken. TherThe enviornment is very civilized in there but the foodstuffs for sale there are plentiful and beautiful!! I only wish I could be here for a week or two with a kitchen at hand to sample the wide selection of fresh vegetables, aged meats, cheeses and breads!!! I would cook up a storm! It was a colorful, aromatic, visually-delightful experience to walk through the stalls.

By then we were starving. We walked back to the market street - our plans were to find a restaurant without a crowd, one that might need our patronage. We did and it paid off. Stan had roasted leg of goose with jacketed potatoes and fantastic braised red cabbage; I had paprika chicken with spätzle. Beautiful!

Yes, I know those of you who know about the spas of Budapest are asking yourselves why haven't they gone to a spa? But of course! You know we'd partake!!! Stuffed to the gills, we walked to the famous St. Gellert Thermal Baths and Swimming Pool. It was just across the Liberty Bridge (Green Bridge) from the Market Hall. All we had to do was walk across the bridge, happily, the walk was as comfortable as can be. For the first time in days, the wind had calmed and our many layers of clothing began to feel a bit too warm! Now that's luxury; never thought I'd feel that way, but I have to admit we are a bit weary of the cold.

St. Gellert's Spa and Hotel is a huge, grand, grand facility built at the foot of the Citadel at Gellert's Hill. It opened to the public in 1918. I have never seen such tile work or a labyrinth of tiled hallways and steps leading to and from this pool or that pool, this sauna or that steam room. It is a true example of grandious design. One might think that a thermal facility as old as this might be a bit moss-covered or at least a victim of bathroom black mold. No, indeed not. Seems that far long ago the designers of these old spas figured out a way of ventilating the indoor pools so that these creepy things do not grow. We bathed in the warmed pools, sat in the steam rooms and then roasted in sauna, one after the other, each one hotter than the other. A full belly, the relaxing warm waters and the heat from the sauna only made me want to go nite-nite!

Well, we've done it. We visited Budapest and have come a full circle first thinking it a sad, shabby place to now realizing there is a world of history here and a reason for everything. For example, we have learned that while Hungary was under communist control from 1945 to 1991, none of the beautiful historical buildings were maintained and certainly not restored. They just sat here, slowly deteriorating during the 46 years of communist control. And during that period the only new buildings to go up were of strict utilitarian design with little artistic influence. Since 1991, the state of Hungary and the City of Budapest have been slowly cleaning, restoring and reconstructing the buildings and the city but this work requires a lot of time and a lot of money. Many of the buildings have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites and can only be restored to exact original design. What a good thing! This means people of all ages to come may come here and get a glimpse of the grand yester-years of Hungary's past.

So we say goodnight and farewell, Budapest. You are one of our favorite cities, but we are off in the morning for a day-long train ride through the Austrian Alps for a little visit in Zurich. Kisses to the people of Budapest!