The Great Synagogue on Dohány Street (Nagy Zsinagóga), Budapest. It was built between 1854-1859 by the Neolog Jewish community of Pest with the Viennese architect Ludwig Foerster.
For the first few days we stayed in an apartment near the synagogue.
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The Great Synagogue.
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Garden of remembrance, the Great Synagogue. The weeping willow was created by Imre Varga as a memorial to the Holocaust. The inscription (Hebrew): "Whose agony is greater than mine".
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For some reason we seemed to run into their big cleaning day - many lumps of trash was in public display, and some people were even scavenging through the piles.
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Unknown relief on a building along Károly körút (boulevard), Budapest.
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Unknown building on Károly körút (boulevard), Budapest.
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Metro station (underground), Deák tér (Deák square). When we first arrived here from the airport, it took us almost half an hour to figure out where our apartment is (on Holló utca).
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Deák tér (Deák square).
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Intersection at Deák tér (Deák square). In the background is Anker Palace (the yellow one), built in the late-19th century.
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Lutheran church in Deák tér (Deák square), built between 1797-1808 (but its facade was completed in 1856). There were many free concerts here.
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Looking from Deák tér (Deák square) to the direction of Váci utca (Váci street).
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Fruit shop.
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Iman at Szomory Dezső tér.
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Unknown church.
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Unknown church.
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Interesting decor.
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Anna Café on Váci street - probably the most popular coffee chain in Budapest.
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Finally we sat down at a diner on Váci street. Iman ordered pasta, mine was Hungarian beef stew (Goulash): the white stuff is potato.
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Me having dinner. This concludes the first day.
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The second day, our first stop was Széchenyi Lánchíd (Széchenyi Chain Bridge): this is the most famous bridge in Budapest (also the first one for the city), spanning over River Danube between Buda and Pest.
Buda Castle (Várhegy) can be seen in the background.
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One of the lions guarding the Széchenyi Chain Bridge.
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River Danube (Duna). (Where is the "blue" Danube?)
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Me on Széchenyi Chain Bridge. It was still a bit chilly.
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Near the incline entrance, Buda Castle (Várhegy).
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We took the incline upward to the Palace of the Buda Castle.
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The Palace of the Buda Castle.
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Iman at the Palace of the Buda Castle.
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The Palace of the Buda Castle.
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The Palace of the Buda Castle.
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Looking from the Palace of the Buda Castle to the Pest side of Danube.
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The Palace of the Buda Castle.
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The Palace of the Buda Castle.
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We thus started our tour of the Castle District. This area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Post office in the Castle District.
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Iman at the post office in the Castle District.
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Common wooden toys: bungie jumpers!
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Iman at Dísz tér, Castle District.
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Hungarians love dried chili! At dinner they even give you chili paste for the bread!
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The famous Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church). It was named after King Matthias Corvinus (Good King Mátyás).
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A model of the Matthias Church.
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Statue of Szent István.
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Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church).
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Iman at the Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya).
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Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church).
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Looking from the Fishermen's Bastion to the Parliament.
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Me at the Fishermen's Bastion.
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The Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya): seven round towers symbolizing the seven Magyar tribes. This area is believed to have housed a local fish market during medieval times.
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Iman at the Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya).
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Iman at the Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya).
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The Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya).
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The back of the Hilton Hotel. It is blended into the remain of a Dominican church.
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Passage of Fortune, Castle District. What could happen if we walk through
it?
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Walking past the passage is a small square, with souvenir shops around.
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And they sell witches!
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Iman in a souvenir shop.
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In a souvenir shop, Castle District.
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Inside the Fortuna Passage, Castle District.
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Shadows of Iman and I.
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Relic from the USSR era.
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A nice and cozy bookstore inside the Fortuna Passage...
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... with coffee too!
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A restaurant built in a cellar.
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A secret garden - actually it's a corner of a local apartment (Castle District).
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And it's private!
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Országház utca, looking toward Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church).
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Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church).
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National Archives of Hungary.
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Mary Magdelene Tower (Mária Magdolna Torony).
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Mary Magdelene Tower (Mária Magdolna Torony).
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Castle District.
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Pink phones everywhere!
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That's where we are now!
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Iman pointing to the Mary Magdelene Tower (Mária Magdolna Torony).
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Looking from the other side of the Castle District (not facing Danube).
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Castle District.
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Castle District.
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Castle District.
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Castle District.
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Spinoza Ház on Dob utca - a special restaurant with good music performance. But why Spinoza?
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Day 2 - we finally went back to our apartment. Really exhausted.
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Iman in front of the apartment buzzer.
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