Reminiscences 2024
In 2008, we toured with Tauck from Budapest to the Black Sea. In trying to recreate that trip, I might have to include some things documented elsewhere (e.g.,
blog from 2009, which I reconstructed first). Budapest, like Vienna, was once the capital of a much larger country, especially after the creation of the dual Monarchy (Austria-Hungary) in 1867. Consequently, it has a disproportionate amount of imperial trappings: a huge Parliament
building) and from previous periods, impressive churches, remnants of a large Jewish community that 
was active in Zionist causes from their 3000 seat Moorish style synagogue, and a castle that was mostly trashed in the World War II battles to reclaim the city from the Nazis.
Many of the additions were built around the time of the centennial of settlement by Arpad and his Magyars. One of the finest is the Opera House. It had a box for Emperor Franz Joseph. I’ve been there with Carolyn for Scheherazade, and with students for a Mahler. It was on our tour. The sphinx-like lions guard the entrants and keep riff raff out 
(sometimes).
There’s a cute subway (second in the world after London) that is cheap. However, you’re in real trouble if you don’t have your ticket handy. Undercover cops nailed someone on our time.
And some good Hungarian food. There was a big covered food court that we could not resist. Paprika rules.
As we went down the Danube, our next stop was at a showplace that featured Magyars–horses and riders who demonstrated why the Magyars came, saw, and conquered (but not why they lost much of the country to the Turks 
and had to throw in their lot with the Austrians. The place we stopped was probably Kalocsa, known for horses, and claiming to be the “Paprika Capital of the World.” The latter claim is interesting, because paprika originated in Mexico. And the Magyars originated in the Tarim Basin. They met in Hungary, on the Great Hungarian Plain.
When we got back on the boat, I learned that Tauck’s fees are really all inclusive. It was take any pictures of you from the table. And later it was all gratuities included, even washroom fees.