Day 153, 4 December 2012, Budapest, Hungary. Wow! Been a brilliant day (and definitely a long one). Great flight out of Luton on WizzAir - just 2 hours 10 minutes to Budapest. We arrived. Bags arrived. Really - what more could you ask for. The drive from the airport was interesting because Budapest looked very, shall we say, Eastern European. A gray, cloudy day, dilapidated buildings, cold looking people in the streets. Once into the city centre however the fabulous architecture and grand buildings took our breath away - we walked through the city and down Andrassy Avenue to eventually reach our hotel - the Radisson Blu Beke. Possibly the flashest hotel we've stayed in months (for the simple reason we have the next 2 nights here as part of our cruise). We checked in, had a snooze and drink and headed out again - believe it or not it was 6 degrees or so when we arrived but then the temp fell through the floor and we spent around 4 hours roaming the Christmas markets with massive snow flakes falling into our mulled wine and hot cider! Cracking way to cool down a hot drink. If anyone heads to Budapest and wants the cheapest buffet in town, we can highly recommend the Octogon Bistro on Terez Korut - somewhere around €10 for a buffet dinner and drinks (for the both of us!) We visited a smaller market near the hotel and tried their mulled wine then made it to the main Christmas market in Vorosmarty Square, just behind St Stephen's Basilica. We got there around 7.30 pm and thought it was closing early because the lights were turned off as we arrived... but we were just in time for the incredible sound and light projection show on the back of the Basilica. The sparkling lights, the Christmas tree in the middle of the ice rink, the chestnuts roasting on the open fires (literally - and they were playing the song too). We are both thoroughly in the Christmas mood now. A walking tour and a visit to Budapest's famous thermal baths is on the agenda for tomorrow. Too happy. Merry Christmas!