DAILY PHOTO: Danube from Gellért Hill

Taken from Gellért Hill in Budapest

DAILY PHOTO: Clouds Over Parliament

Taken in the Summer of 2012 in Budapest

DAILY PHOTO: Blue Danube [w/ Musical Interlude]

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest

 

And for your listening pleasure, while you gaze at the picture:

DAILY PHOTO: Steeple & Sky in Szentendre

Taken in December of 2014 in Szentendre, Hungary

DAILY PHOTO: Looking Out Over the Danube, Budapest

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest

 

 

 

 

DAILY PHOTO: Buda Riverside Near Szent Anna’s Church

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest

DAILY PHOTO: Monochrome Chain Bridge [Széchenyi lánchíd]

Taken in December of 2014

Taken in December of 2014

From the Pest-side looking toward the Palace (Királyi Palota) on the Buda-side. The Chain Bridge (Széchenyi lánchíd) over the Danube is in the foreground.

DAILY PHOTO: A Bus in the River

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest

IMG_2215Amphibious tour vehicles have been around for a while. However, most of the ones that I’ve seen are “Ducks”–the converted DUKW military amphibians. In Budapest this winter was the first time I’d seen one that looked like a run-of-the-mill tour bus–at least as it was tooling down the Danube. (Granted, most of my travel is in the developing world, so maybe these “buses” are old news throughout Europe and North America.)

 

DAILY PHOTO: Blue Danube

Taken in December of 2014 in Szentendre.

Taken in December of 2014 in Szentendre.

DAILY PHOTO: Shoe Memorial

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest.

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest.

On the bank of the Danube, Pest-side just south of the Parliament building, there is an eery memorial consisting of an irregular row of shoes. The shoes are made of metal, but their brown rust looks like worn, brown shoe leather. It is in remembrance of the victims of the Arrowcross Militia who were shot there and left to topple into the river.

The Arrowcross Militia were Hungary’s Nazis. Hungary was allied with Germany at the beginning of World War II, but at one point (in 1944, as I recall) Hungary tried to break this alliance. Germany responded by taking over Hungary, and giving the Arrowcross (their fellow hardcore fascists) greater power and influence.

IMG_2176