Budapest

I didn't realize how far Budapest is from Vienna. We set sail last night and won't arrive until 5:30 pm or so! Since this sail is so long and ship so slow, we will dock at 12:30 pm and depart on bus so we can see some of Budapest today. I'm really glad we are staying an extra night. I'm feeling better today and actually make it down to breakfast.

I never did get around to the eggs benedict that my friends said were so good. Afterwards is the disembarkation briefing and then wine tasting. It's winery exclusive wines today. As the other days, it's Marty and the same cheese plate.

Afterwards is lunch. The Hungarian cabbage soup with meatballs is good.

Beef goulash is tender and more the stew style. I like this thicker version better than the soup.

There is a "Pho Soup" that one of our friends tries. I don't know why. The noodles are too thick, no cilantro. After lunch we depart by bus for Budapest. A group of people want to go thermal bath. I don't really care either way so we are going apparently when we get to Budapest since some others on the cruise can't go tomorrow. My understanding was we would do some sightseeing then hop in cab and go to this place that is near where the boat will be moored. We drive around Budapest and get some history about the town etc. then arrive at Buda Castle. 

We walk with the tour guide for about 5 minutes then next thing I know were are hopping in cab. So much for sightseeing. Fortunately the cab can take all six of us so we don't need to worry about finding another cab. We end up at Gellert Bath. It's the dome on the right.

We end up with a small changing room that we can lock our stuff in. I didn't take a phone or camera in so you can click on their site for pool pictures. We find the main inside swimming pool and a soaking pool here. The water is lukewarm. We don't know how this place is laid out or anything. We talk to someone and find out around the corner there are two hotter pools 36C and 40C so we head over there. This is what we were expecting. There is also a stream room and plunge pool (10C). After about an hour plus here we decide to leave. I check out the outside pool but it's closed. However there was 36C pool and sauna outside as well. We gather our group and go to leave.

It turns out one of massages didn't go so well. Apparently the guy just worked on one side with one hand and used his phone the whole time! After some discussion, she gets her money back and we head back to the ship.

We get back to the ship in time for the Captain's farewell reception. There is a toast followed by Hungarian folk music and dance.

The funny thing is they do a Michael Jackson routine. I have a video of it that I may post later. I leave to towards the end to change our cab time in the morning. We are scheduled at 9:00 am but I want to sleep as much as I can. I convince them that changing the time by an hour is worth it. This is beluga lentil curry with coconut espuma and date. I don't get a lot of coconut thankfully and the lentils are tender.

This is a nice scallop but the salmon is a little over seasoned. The water melon balls are nice and refreshing.

The pheasant soup is fine but light. I would be able to tell you what it was without knowing.

The roast tenderloin is a perfect temperature. The potatoes are not gluey tonight and the goose liver jus is a good compliment to the loin.

The crème brulee is rosemary. It's really nice. However the grapefruit sorbet is too bitter in my opinion.

 Another "petit four" plate.

After dinner we have our Illumination cruise.

   

I have a night cap in the lounge and say bye to people we met a long the way. One couple is leaving at 3:00 am! I'm glad that's not us.

Vienna

March 28
Overnight we sail to Vienna. After a late night, I'm not up exactly early and the tour leaves at 8:45 unlike most days that leave at 9:30. I'm also feeling a little under the weather. So I pop an Aleve and a Sudafed. Good thing we brought Clif bars. This is the Mexico church (St. Francis of Assisi) near where we are moored. Nicknamed for the Mexico Square since Mexico protested the annexation of Austria by Germany.

The old part of Vienna is layed out nicely since they were forward looking when they down the old city wall. We some bus touring (so not a lot of photos out the windows) before we start our walk. The Hofburg Palace.

 Kunsthistorisches Museum

 Edible eggs for Easter.

 Roman ruins

Sundials don't do well with daylight savings.

The dome just outside the Spanish riding school.

We pass Plague Column, St Peters Catholic Church and arrive at St Stephen's Cathedral with it's glazed tiled roof.

And then I realize, I should charge the DSLR battery more often. I guess I have my phone. Inside of St Stephen's is nice but we decide not to go up the tower since I can't take pictures with my DSLR.

Our friends do the tower and send some pictures from above.

We head over to St. Peters afterwards.

We wander for bit and head back to the boat for lunch. I decide that I can't do both the afternoon palace tour and the evening wine tasting. Guess which one is going to win. I plug in the camera battery and we head to lunch. We start with mustard soup and consommé with a dumpling. The mustard soup is surprisingly good. It's not overpowering with mustard but you know it's there. The other soup is about what you would expect with a tender dumpling.

There is a Styria beef salad. It's marinated and sliced thin. It's really tender and mild. I eat it with butter lettuce and a hard boiled egg. I grab a chicken wrap to try and the usual salad bar.

The hot food is pasta so I mix the white and red sauce with penne.

 I try the cappuccino ice cream.

I return to the cabin and hand Aparna the camera. I start to read but I can't keep my eyes open. I think maybe I should set an alarm for 3:30 pm but I fall asleep. I wake up and it's 3:09. That's not bad. I start to finish what I was reading and next thing I know it's almost 4:30! Wow, I guess I needed that. I freshen up and blog a bit before Aparna returns a little after 5:00.
Since I didn't go to the palace I'm just posting random pictures that Aparna took. Maybe she'll get around to editing this and adding commentary.

Dinner is early as we are doing an evening wine tasting. The smoked salmon I really good.

 Creamy pumpkin soup is a little thin for cream soup but the roasted seeds add nice texture.

The Schnitzel Vienna style is not breaded as nicely as the one at Mozart Café (the crust doesn't stick as well) but the flavor is good especially with a little lemon.

Off to a Viennese Tavern for drinking and wine!

 Don't they know we just ate!

Our table gets called out for talking. Guess who was on the end.

 I didn't get any pictures of the chicken dance.

We get back to the boat for a late night snack. Hungarian goulash is soup like versus others that are stew like.

 The Vienna sausage has a nice smoky flavor. I know why Koegel's would want to copy this.

And of course, apple strudel.