Shoes on the Danube is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust.


fantastic and there is even live entertainment. I learned a lot about the Hungarians on the walking


The gothic style Matthias Church with it's patterned, tiled roof.


Budapest is a good restaurant. One similarity to other European cities is their skill in pairing wine with food and knowing how to enjoy a meal. My preference is for authentic local fare, so I tend to stay away from the very touristy places. However, even in those areas, you can sink your teeth into traditional goulash (like at the restaurant Parisi-6) and, oh, those fabulous desserts! For the times I did not wish to sit through a leisurely meal, yet wanted a quality meal made fresh daily, I opted for one of the many à la carte Turkish eat-in or take-away places. My palate really came alive at the Central Budapest Market. Not only is the building historically beautiful, the food is


40 • Summer 2018


tours. What struck me is how straightforward and law abiding they are. Tey don’t even jaywalk! But to me, their most outstanding trait is that they don’t try to cover up their flaws, especially when it comes to the Second World War. Tere are many memorials dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust, but the one that really moved me was the Shoes on the Danube located on the Promenade just south of the Hungarian Parliament building – 60 pairs of rusted shoes cast out of iron and fashioned in 1940s style. Sadly, the Jews and other victims were lined up and shot into the river but had to leave their shoes behind because, at that time, shoes were a valuable commodity. Tis me- morial brought tears to my eyes. As I write these words, my eyes are welling up again. So sad that the world has endured history like this but it was good to see that the Hungarians did not try to cover up their part in those horrific times. I could sense that, as a people, they are sincerely remorseful for the actions of their forefathers. I stayed in the elegant and modern Eurostars Buda- pest Hotel near Váci Utca (Váci street), right in the city centre on the Pest side. It’s perhaps their most famous pedestrian thoroughfare, filled with shops and restaurants for the eager tourists and well worth seeing. Te streets are lined with a unique blend of architectural styles, both old and modern. If you’re an architecture buff, this is the place to be, because there are so many styles beyond what I’ve seen in other EU cities. My favourites are the Gothic style (Matthias Church, Hungarian Parliament, Buda Castle Hill, Fisherman’s Bastion) and the Baroque style (Széchenyi Baths, Church of St. Anna, Royal Palace). You might find it interesting that the Hungarian Parlia- ment building is one of the oldest of its kind in Europe.


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