Princess Crankypants

Budapest: Danube

Started the day at a great playground near the Zoo. Swings, slides, a pirate ship for climbing on, and a huge multi-area trampoline for 400 HUF per 5 minutes. We had a big time before racing across town on the Metro to make the 12:15 Danube river cruise departing from Dock 7.

Fantastic view of Parliment and a variety of historic and architectural wonders, but my boy was absorbed in the headphones for the narrated tour. It was available in about 50 languages, and he flipped through them all alphabetically. He was impressed when he recognized a word, “Mommy, she said HOTEL!” When he got out of hand with the volume buttons, I disconnected the headset from the controls, and he remained equally engrossed with pushing the buttons.

The middle part of the trip was an hour drop off on Margaret Island. We decided to call it Ant Island instead, like in A Bug’s Life, or maybe Bat Island or Super Island. We opted out of the guided tour and ate lemon icecream instead. There were multi-person bikes for rent, like pedal golf carts, in all sizes. I rented a tiny one for Lex. They all had silly names, this one was “Pottom.”

After a half-hour rental it was time for another lemon ice cream, and to meet the boat. The guide came by with her group to let us know why the road we pedaled along was closed off by police cars. Apparently they found an unexploded WWII device and were defusing it. No danger, but they would not let our boat land at the dock.

After a bit of a wait, we got word that the boat was allowed to land on the other side of the island, so we hiked across. The cruise back was shorter, and included a non-alcoholic fruit juice “cocktail” with crushed ice. Brilliant pictures of Lex knocking it back, trying to get the last ice cubes.

After a nap, we met Zac after his conference and went back to the playground and the trampoline. Then “Owl’s Castle” for dinner in the courtyard. Moon rising, live music, beautiful weather, wonderful food featuring the classic Hungarian fried cheese.

We walked to Heroes Square and took in the monuments on the way to the Metro stop. Lex was impressed with the swords and capes, and that these were “Heroes! Like super heroes!” and wanted to stay longer. We promised to come back again.

Budapest: Buda Hills

Take the M1 metro (runs just below street level, uses smaller trains to fit the special short tunnel) from Oktagon to Deák Ferenc Tér. Change to the M2 line (bigger trains, different tunnels, linked by escalators deep underground) to go under the Danube to Moszkva tér (Moscow Square) and catch either the 59 or 61 (old-style) tram for two stops. (Note: Loney Planet incorrectly suggests tram 18 or 56 for this leg.)

You’ll see the circular Hotel Budapest. Across the street, through the shrubbery is a footpath to the Cog Railway terminus (built in 1874.)

Ride the Cog up to Széchenyi-hegy, walk south for two minutes to the Children’s Railway (built in 1951 by Soviet Scouts.) Get off at the 4th stop, János-hegy, and hike uphill. There is a little playground. Hike uphill some more to the highest point of Budapest, and climb the 101 steps of Erzsébet-kilátó (Elizabeth Lookout, built in 1908).

Go back downhill a little way and take a chairlift down the mountain. Children under 3 ride free. Walk a little way down the road to catch a bus back to Moszkva tér. Switch to (modern, air conditioned!) tram 4 or 6. Our hotel is just one stop past Oktagon on this tram line.

Simple.