Arrived by train at around 9.30am. Met by a driver with a Trenna Barr sign which made us feel like celebrities! First impression - the traffic! Road rules... There are rules?? Lanes on road are an option ... You want to turn? Go for it, oh and the car next to you, as well as the bus and the cyclist .... Aargh! Our apartment at the Citadine is small but comfortable, very clean and within a ten minute walk to the Eiffel Tower. Anyway no more blogging ......

We got picked up from the InterContinental in Budapest by a lovely man named Levant, who was born in Romania, but now lives about 30 kms from Budapest CBD. His English was very impressive and he admitted he wasn't sure about that as he is self taught. He also speaks Hungarian, Romanian, French, some Spanish and a little Italian. As you do! The central train station was about 10 minutes from the hotel although due to road works it took a little longer. When I...

Wandered down to the square near St Stephens Basillica for dinner. I'd seen some restaurants the night before when we stopped there for a photo shoot on our night lights tour. We ended up at Osteria Undici which, funnily enough, turned out to be an Italian restaurant. We had a bruschetta to start with prosciutto, soft mozzarella and ruccola (which we know as rocket), served on a baked bread. Then I ordered a chicken roulade, stuffed with Parmesan, red pepper, ...

Up early to shower and get to breakfast by about 7 am. Bags out the front of our stateroom by 8 then off the ship by 8.45. We are staying one extra night in Budapest at the InterContinental which overlooks the Danube. We can actually see our Avalon Tapestry ship from our window! We've had a quiet morning, and walked the Chain Bridge in the afternoon. There is a fenicular, which is like little cars being pulled by cables up a very steep hill on the Buda side. ...

We sailed overnight for Budapest which is our final destination. Arrived about 8.30 am. We went on a tour of Budapest of about 2 and a 1/2 hours, on coach and foot. The city spans the banks of the Danube, with seven bridges spanning ancient Buda on the hillside and Pest on the left. Such a magnificent city, though such a difficult history. Determined to read up a lot more about what challenges these European cities have gone through over the last centuries. ...