The Kim Files 3

Friday was Castle Hill day. We spent most of the day exploring the castle district. After meandering around the Budapest Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery, and oohing and ahhing over the views, Kim and Ron went into the Arany Sas, or Golden Eagle Museum. Been there, done that, no reason to do it again. No stop on Castle Hill would be complete without a stop at the Retesvar, my favorite strudel place in the city. None of us were disappointed. From here we went to Fisherman's Bastion, but in a capitalist move, the filled it with restaurant tables and chairs to force tourists to eat or drink to enjoy the views. We did find spots to by-pass this and had a great time. Ron took Kim into St. Matthias Church. Covered in scaffolding until 2012, it is still impressive, but unfortunately, the little museum inside with the history of St. Stephan's crown is also closed until 2013. That is one of my favorite parts of the inner church. Not to show religious favoritism, the two of them went to the Medieval Jewish Prayer House. The middle-aged woman guide was rather rude bordering on obnoxious, making me miss the little old man who was so pleasant upon my visit. Kim being a musician was sent off to the Museum of Music, while the two of us waited for her outside in the shade and coolness of the entry on a marble bench. After going home for a rest, we returned to the hill for dinner at Rivalda restaurant where we dined in an old monastic courtyard under the stars while musicians serenaded us with violin and saxophone. I had thought that we could go to the upper level of the Bastion for a well lit view of the Parliament building, but they were still charging to enter at 9:30 pm. They had told me that it was free after 9:00 pm. Instead, we went behind the President of Hungary's office, where the view was magnificent, not feeling like we missed out at all.

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