Page 240 - WDT MAGAZINE IRELAND ISSUE WINTER 2018

who come for the bluesy entertainment, but mostly
for the sophisticated Middle Eastern-style food offered
at really affordable prices. My cold broccoli coconut
cream soup was dressed with passion fruit foam and
a paper-thin slice of dried eggplant. Paired with a
beetroot salad and a glass of Hungarian wine, dinner
cost around $10.

Day Three

No visit to Budapest would be complete without a
visit to the city’s historic Castle Hill, a World Heritage
Site since 1987. The scenic way to get there is by
riding the almost-150-year-old funicular near the Buda
base of the Chain Bridge.
Up top, I rambled the royal palace, site of lavish
ceremonies during the Austro Hungarian period,
now home to the Budapest History Museum and the
Hungarian National Gallery. I ogled Matthias Church,
the historic spot where 15th century King Matthias
was crowned and celebrated two of his weddings. I
snapped a boatload of scenic photos from Fisher-
man’s Bastion, built as a lookout station atop the old
castle walls at the turn of the 19th century, and today
one of the best viewpoints in the city. Next time, I’ll
visit the labyrinth of caves underneath the Castle
District – the place where scores of locals sheltered
during World War II, where the Turks housed harems
in the 16th century and where, in the 15th century,
King Matthias supposedly housed his most famous
prisoner: Count Dracula.
Viking handled transferring my luggage from the Hil-
ton to its longship Vilhjalm, so I had a long afternoon
to play.
I spent most of the time exploring Margaret Island.
It’s literally an island of tranquility in the middle of the
Danube, accessible on foot from the Margaret Bridge,
near the center of Budapest. Cars are pretty much
prohibited on the island.
The magic starts as soon as visitors step onto the
island: They’re greeted by a massive fountain that
dances to music. There’s a rotating song list that
ranges from kiddie tunes in the mornings, classical
music during afternoons, and romantic sounds most
evenings. Hundreds of LED lights splash the ambiance

240 WDT MAGAZINE WINTER 2018