Done so SOON!?!

On our final full day in Budapest we knew there was something we had missed. Something we normally get to right out of the shoot. Something that had been calling and calling us. SHOPPING.

Robb, Lewis and I headed out to the West End Mall. The largest Mall in all of “Central Europe”. Robb checked the map to the mall right as we walked in... as if he could actually read Hungarian... That finished, we just wandered about it. I did a quick compulsory tour of all three floors (my own version of cardio for the day) and then headed back to get Lyle. With Lyle in tow, we just did the top two floors. Robb and Lewis did the whole mall on their won. Lyle and I bought, Nothing. RObb and Lewis bought a couple of shirts but wound up going crazy in the grocery store on the lower floor. Robb was so kind as to buy me my own bag of Negroes!

So to be fair, I’ve got no photos of the mall. I mean, come on people! It’s a mall! After a quick re-fresh at the hotel all four of us re-grouped and headed out to the river for last chance sightseeing. We took the tram tow stops up to the Chain Bridge which has some amazing lion statues and incredible views. We walked across the bridge from the Pest side over to the Buda side.

On the Chain Bridge.

Bridge detail.

Parliement viewed from the Royal Palce looked less palatial...

Once on the Buda side we took the funicular (and yes, I always sing out, Funiculi, Funicular) up the side of the hill to the Royal Palace. Seeing the Palace up close it really does impress you as a Palace. It seems the side we could see from the river was the backside. The front side is mighty impressive and palatial. Inside, the Palace is now the home of the Hungarian National Gallery.

We did a hurried tour but as Robb pointed out (via sign language from three floors below) it was getting late (point to watch) and soon the sun would be going down (make round finger with hand, lower it behind your horizontal arm) and we should go outside ( spin hand and point to door) and get some final photos (hold up hand in a square shape with index finger up, then click down repeatedly with index finger).

I understood immediately and we exited right away.

More palaital Royal Palace.

Getting artsy up on Castle Hill...

We toured about castle hill (yes, that is what its called) and it was nice to see the area by daylight and slightly warmer temperatures compared to our first evening of being disoriented in the freezing dark and cold.

After the sun had set, and a few beers drank, we headed down the hill by buss and back to our hotel.

But first, another visit to Gerbaud! They boast that they have been hand making chocolates for over a hundred years. I had to have some! I had to bring some home to Chandra! We all stopped, bought chocolates and then pastry. We got the pastry to go. AS we walked away, Lyle’s was so tasty, Robb and I doubled back to get more!

We spent our final evening going back to Menza for dinner (Lyle had to have the foie gras skillet meal again). And then back to the hotel for packing. Man, did we need to pack. Lyle and I finished and we hung out in Robb & Lewis’ room until finally Lyle went to bed, Lewis fell asleep and Robb and I couldn’t giggle any longer.

Mmmmm, beer good...