Budapest, Hungary Posted September 29, 2018 by Girl With Chalk Arrived in Budapest on the train. The train station is so beautiful, it looks like a museum. The building was constructed between 1881 and 1884 as one of the most modern railway stations of Europe. Inside the station are frescos by Karoly Lotz. The Hungarian Forint is the currency of Hungary, by the way, all of these only totals to approx. $100. The first thing I noticed when arriving at our Airbnb was a Frida Kahlo banner way up high on the other side of the river. I knew I had to go up there and check it out. Our apartment in Budapest, which is located steps away from the famous Chain Bridge. The Central Market Hall is Budapest’s largest and most expansive indoor market, built in the neo-Gothic style, offers a variety of food stalls, from fresh vegetables, fowl and meat to wine and liquor shops. Traditional Hungarian dishes are primarily based on meats, seasonal vegetables, fruits, fresh bread, dairy products, and cheeses. For lunch, I had my all-time favorite Hungarian Goulash. It is a stew of meat, seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating from medieval Hungary, goulash is a popular meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. Walking across the Chain Bridge, a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary. It was opened in 1849. View from the top of the lift or “Budapest Castle Hill Funicular”, which is a funicular railway. It links the Chain Bridge at river level to Buda Castle above. The line was opened on March 2, 1870, and has been in municipal ownership since 1920. Check out my video at the end of this blog post to see what it’s coming back down the hill. The Hungarian National Gallery, located at the top of the hill. I made it up to find an exhibition of paintings and drawings by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, on loan from Mexico City’s Museo Dolores Olmedo. I will return tomorrow to see this show before I leave Budapest. Matthias Church, a Roman Catholic church located in front of the Fisherman’s Bastion at the heart of Buda’s Castle District. View of the Hungarian Parliament building across the river from the top of the hill. Fisherman’s Bastion is a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill, around Matthias Church. The Buda side castle wall was protected by the fishermen’s guild and this is the reason why it was called fishermen’s Bastion. The guild of fishermen was responsible for defending this stretch of the city walls in the Middle Ages. It is a viewing terrace, with many stairs and walking paths. Crossing the Chain Bridge back to our Airbnb apartment. Two stone lion statues guard both bridgeheads. I love the lion statues, they are beautiful. Check out the video I took, riding the lift down the hill.