In the summer of 2023, I joined Viking’s “Romantic Danube—Budapest to Regensburg” river cruise. We travelled upstream along the picturesque Danube, stopping at a succession of charming towns and historic sites. Like pearls formed in the river of time, these old towns lie scattered along the banks of the Blue Danube. It was a wonderfully easygoing journey.
© InternetOur route took us through towns and cities in three countries, including Budapest in Hungary; Vienna and Krems in Austria; and Passau and Regensburg in Germany. The great advantage of a cruise is that it removes the hassle of getting from place to place: the ship is a hotel on the move. While you sleep, it sails to the next port. In the morning, there is no need to pack—you simply step ashore and start exploring. Viking is a world-renowned cruise company offering a luxurious experience, from excellent food on board to guided sightseeing excursions.
© Richard HuangAnother advantage of booking with Viking was that round-trip airfare was included in the fare.
© Richard HuangThey booked us on KLM with a connection in Amsterdam, which was a little more tiring than flying direct. Still, an extra stop means encountering more people and more things—and gaining a few extra experiences along the way.
© InternetThe most intriguing sight at Amsterdam Airport was the clock with a man who appeared to paint its hands. At regular intervals, a life-size silhouette would emerge, wipe away the old hands, and paint them back at the new time, over and over again. My friends thought it was a live performance. I was convinced it was merely a video playing on a loop.
© Richard HuangWe arrived in Budapest, the Hungarian capital and the starting point of our cruise, two days early so that we could explore this historic city on our own before boarding. To take a taxi from the airport, you first go to a dispatch booth and give your destination, the number of passengers, and the amount of luggage. You are then handed a long receipt listing all the relevant information, including the estimated fare and the licence plate of your assigned taxi. All you have to do is wait by the kerb for it to arrive. There was none of the long queuing so common at other airports. The whole process was smooth and reassuring, and the fare was quite reasonable. Uber was not much use in Budapest, but Bolt was extremely convenient.
© Richard HuangBy the time we reached our hotel, it was already six in the evening. The original plan was to head straight to Gellért Hill on the western bank to photograph the sunset and the city panorama. Rising prominently above Budapest, Gellért Hill is one of the best places to photograph the city and its famous bridges across the Danube. But time was tight and we did not yet know our way around, so in the end I abandoned the climb and settled for photographing the Liberty Statue from across the river. I did not particularly regret missing the Budapest panorama. Countless images of that kind can be found online, and there is little point in taking the same photograph yet again—though, of course, being there in person would have been an experience in itself. My travel photography has gradually shifted away from scenery and toward whatever I personally find interesting, especially the people and situations I encounter. Those are my own experiences and impressions. They vanish in an instant, leaving images that are unique and impossible to recreate.
© Richard HuangGiving up the climb left us time to wander the streets on our way to dinner at the internet-famous For Sale Pub.
© Richard HuangBudapest’s streets blend the old with the modern, often placing historic and contemporary buildings side by side within the same neighbourhood. This mixture reflects the city’s long history, from the Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire to modern development.
© Richard HuangThe city’s architecture ranges from Baroque and Gothic Revival to Art Nouveau and Modernism, giving Budapest much of its visual character. Small pubs and handicraft shops are also a common sight along the streets.
© Richard HuangBudapest has a rich coffeehouse culture. Its cafés are regarded as an essential part of the city’s cultural and social life, places where people linger over coffee, pastries, and snacks while talking, reading, or working. Many celebrated Hungarian writers, among them Ferenc Farkas and Sándor Ady, created works in the city’s cafés.
© Richard HuangLike many other European cities, Budapest is covered in graffiti, which lends it a slightly faded air. The economy, too, did not seem especially lively, while soaring prices and inflation had left people with plenty to complain about. When I saw this dejected old man, I initially thought the building was a church and that he had come to confess his sins. Only later did I discover that it was the neo-Baroque Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library, one of the places we had planned to visit. Its interior is exceptionally grand and beautiful. Unfortunately, when we returned the next day, it was closed. Being turned away became one of the countless small regrets of our Budapest visit.
© Richard HuangBudapest has three metro lines and one of the oldest underground railway systems in Europe. Above ground, it also has an extensive tram network. With the BudapestGO app, you can buy tickets and validate them with your phone when boarding. There are also 24-hour and 72-hour passes offering unlimited travel on the metro and trams, making it easy to reach the main sights. Budapest’s attractions are fairly concentrated, however, so covering them on foot is also possible. Taxis are convenient as well, so we abandoned our original plan to buy 72-hour passes—one more regret to add to the list.
© Richard HuangThese yellow trams were my favourites. Whenever I saw one, I could not resist taking a few more photographs. Beyond their eye-catching colour, they have a classic design that never grows old. Later, I saw the modern trams gradually replacing them, but they lacked the enduring appeal of the old ones. As the saying goes: time passes, but a classic lives forever. And look at this stop—red, blue, green, and yellow, all together. A rather pleasing combination.
© Richard HuangFollowing the tram tracks, we soon reached Liberty Bridge, also known as the Green Bridge because of its colour.
© Richard HuangBudapest was formed by the union of Buda and Pest, two districts divided by the Danube and linked by a series of bridges. The three best known are the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Elisabeth Bridge, and this one, the Green Bridge. Originally built in 1894 for Hungary’s millennium celebrations, it is Budapest’s youngest bridge. Its design is typically Gothic Revival, with abundant decorative patterns and carvings. Four corner towers represent war, industry, commerce, and culture. The central section can be raised to allow tall vessels to pass, though this feature is now used only on special occasions. Located in the city centre, the bridge links Gellért Baths on one side with the Central Market Hall and Váci Street on the other.
© Richard HuangOur destination, the For Sale Pub, was close to the Green Bridge. Popular with tourists, this themed pub is known for its distinctive décor and atmosphere. Its walls, ceiling, and furniture are covered with banknotes, notes, stamps, postcards, and all manner of other objects left behind by customers. Together they create a remarkable visual effect, making the pub a place unlike any other.
© Richard HuangEvery table comes with a large bowl of free peanuts. Unlike in most pubs, however, customers are encouraged to throw the shells on the floor without worrying about the mess. Great drifts of peanut shells have accumulated underfoot, creating a peculiar and entertaining atmosphere—what some people call the “peanut floor.” The pub also has live music. We ordered several traditional Hungarian dishes, including, of course, goulash. With nothing yet to compare it against, it was difficult to judge the cooking, but the portions were certainly generous. Full marks for that.
© Richard HuangAfter eating and drinking our fill, we took in Budapest by night on the walk back to the hotel. This red vehicle was a mobile bookshop, though it had already closed for the day. We later saw similar book kiosks elsewhere in the city.
© Richard HuangDarkness concealed the untidy graffiti, leaving the streets looking peaceful. My impression was that Budapest felt safer than many other European cities. I did not worry about pickpockets, nor did I notice any obviously disturbed homeless people roaming the streets.
© Richard HuangJust as I was reflecting on this, a group of men in matching outfits marched past us. Could they be members of some sort of gang? My better half informed me that they were merely sailors who had come ashore.
© Richard HuangThe ceaseless flow of the Danube brings a constant stream of visitors to the city and sustains a thriving river-cruise trade. In the distance, Elisabeth Bridge looked especially beautiful against the backdrop of Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, and Matthias Church. One of the ships before us would soon carry us along the romantic Danube for the next several days.
Good night, Budapest.
…Video…