Some highlights from Budapest, a long bus ride, and learning about wine making and enjoying a wine tasting in Romania.
Day 2, Wednesday, June 24: Budapest and Balla Géza Winery
Ten of us from our group started the day with a two-hour walking tour of Budapest. Our CEO accompanied us; she knew the shortest way to check out some of the highlights on the Pest side of Budapest.
First, we took the metro to the Deák Ferenc Square (Deák Ferenc tér), then walked to the St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent István-bazilika). Shortly after 9 am, we were already marveling at the neoclassical architecture of this Roman Catholic basilica. It’s the third largest church in Hungary, named after the first King of Hungary who ruled from 975 until 1038.
It’s a historical landmark within Budapest’s UNESCO World Heritage Buffer Zone. Its height, 96 meters, is the same as the height of the Hungarian Parliament Building.
The Hungarian Parliament Building, the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, is located at the Kossuth Lajos Square (Kossuth Lajos tér). It actually stands on the banks of the Danube and is an impressive building.
From here, we also enjoyed the magnificent view of the Fisherman Bastion (Halászbástya), the Matthias Church (Mátyás templom), and the Buda Castle (Budai vár).
Close to the Kossuth Lajos Square is the Memorial to the Victims of the German Invasion. It was designed to honor the many sacrifices of those who suffered during the German occupation of World War II.
On the banks of the Danube, not far away from the Parliament, is a poignant monument – installed in 2005 – known as “The Shoes on the Danube Promenade.” Sixty pairs of old-fashioned shoes, women, men, and children wore in the 1940s, made of iron, are scattered along the edge of the river. On a plaque it reads: “To the memory of victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944-45.”
We also got a glimpse of the famous bridge, The Chain Bridge (Lánchíd), the oldest that connects Buda and Pest. It opened in 1849, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s now car-free.
On our way out of Budapest, we stopped at Nem Adom Fel Café and Bar. It’s proceeds help a foundation by the same name, Nem Adom Fel, which translates to English as “I never give up.” The foundation empowers Hungarians living with a disability, and the majority of the employees at the café are also living with a disability.
Then for four hours, we traveled in a minibus to Romania, to Balla Géza Winery. It can be found 26 km from Arad – a town close to the Hungarian border – in the Mures Valley.
Since 1999, this wine producing company is bringing back the full-bodied red wines of the region, allowed by the microclimate of the valley.
Enjoyed a wine tasting and a three-course dinner (mushroom soup with polenta, pork stew with boiled potatoes, and cream pastry).
We toured the vineyard, learned about traditional and modern wine making technologies.
After dinner, most of us in the group climbed up to the hilly vineyard for a lovely chat and sunset. We spent the night at the winery’s guesthouse.
