Danube River Cruise Tour from Budapest to Bucharest

 Our tour began when we arrived in Budapest.  The airport in Budapest is small, lacks modern conveniences like reliable elevators, however, the people are welcoming and classical music is being played to help calm any frayed nerves over missing luggage. (Our baggage arrived, but some passengers were missing a bag or two).  This photo portrays the beautiful city of Budapest, divided by the Danube River.  Buda which includes the castle district and the Fisherman's Bastion where we stayed (in the Hilton Hotel, which is an old castle),and Pest which is the lively center of the metropolis--includes museums, shopping districts.



The cable cars used mostly for tourists nowadays.



We travelled with two other couples.  (The S's and K's)   We have been friends for many years.  It was so much fun to share our experiences of Eastern Europe for eleven days together.  This was our first full day together after  we had shopped in the market of Budapest.

The city is rich with old beautiful buildings.    Note the colourful roof of St. Mattias.

The Fisherman's Bastion--our hotel is on the right.

A beautiful view of the Danube--across the river you can see cruise boats docked--we sailed from there on July 16, 2011 on the Viking Primadonna.



View from our hotel window onto the Fisherman's Bastion.



Entrance to St. Mattias



On the street down from our hotel--an historic building where now they serve delicious Hungarian food!



Along the Danube...

After leaving Budapest at midnight we arrived the next morning at 0800 in Kalocsa and Puszta (the Great Plains),  Hungary.  Within the hour and after a fine buffet breakfast, we were off the boat and onto buses for an excursion .

Our tour guide offering us Hungarian made apricot brandy.

Home made bread with drippings, paprika and red onion was the delicacy served with the brandy.

A rodeo of sorts followed.

Horse tricks.

And more impressive abilities being showcased.

A one day old mule with his mother.

We are on the prairies, after all.

After a few hours at the farm we were treated to a beautiful organ recital in this cathedral at Kalocsa.

Having set sail at 12:30 or so, we arrived at the custom control (Mohacs)  three hours later--leaving the European Union into Croatia.

Vukovar and Osijek, Croatia

Monday morning we left the cruise ship for an excursion to Osijek and Vukovar.

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Walled bastion of Osijek

Wood is the main source of fuel for warmth during the long cold winter months.

Renatta was our tour guide.  She was a teenager during the years of the Serb-Croat War.  She told interesting and heart rending stories of those years when  2000 defenders of Vukovar were killed; 800 went missing; 22,000 civilians were killed or forced into exile.  Population in Croatia today is 4.7million.

88% of the population is Roman Catholic   This church building was a refuge for some of the city's population.  However, as can be seen from the picture, it was severely damaged during the war.  They are rebuilding now.

Our tour guide described Vukovar as a "city of ashes", but that like a phoenix, it would rise from the ashes.

We found the mood in this town to be like the pictures.  We are reassured by the hope expressed by Renatta, however, for many life is difficult.

Belgrade, Serbia

Fortified settlement of Belgrade founded by the Romans in the 3rd Century B.C.

Several square blocks of pedestrian shopping area.  Note the fundraising cow in the forefront.  The streets were lined with these artistic statues.

The part of the city across the river has been rebuilt since W.W.II.  Over the course of the city's history starting in Roman times, the city's strategic importance is evident by the fact that it was destroyed about 40 times.  The latest attack on the city was in the 1990s during the Balkan crisis when NATO aircraft bombed some parts of Belgrade.

The largest percentage of people in Belgrade are Orthodox Christians.

Kostolac, Serbia, Viminacium and the Kazan Gorge

Morning has broken as we near Kostolac, Serbia

Driving through town where gypsies have moved into abandoned buildings.

A place of archaelogical interest.

Some very cool "digs"--Roman baths in this case.

The three musketeers!

Excavated Mausoleum part of the old Roman city.

Cruising through the Kazan Gorge. 

An Orthodox church between the river and a road.

Do you see the face in the rock?  It was carved in 1994-2004.  It is on the Romanian side of the river-- a carving of a hero of the country, apparently inspired by Mt Rushmore.

Vidin, Bulgaria

After arriving in Vidin, Bulgaria at approximately 0800 we left for a shore excursion to Belogradshick Rocks and Fortress.  Note that our stateroom was on the first floor directly behind the flag on the right.  A favourite place for some solitude was on that little deck.

Here we are at the Belogradshick Rocks/Fortress.  It was a welcome hike and sightseeing tour. 

On these poles people attach announcements in regards to their loved ones' deaths.  We saw them everywhere in Bulgaria.

In the afternoon we strolled through the market.  Our tour guide today told us that Bulgaria is the poorest part of Europe, but that people are generally very happy, love children and that all their food is organically grown.  On this day I was wishing that I could bring some of these vegetables and fruits home with me.