Our first stop was Hero Square in the centre of the city. It is vast and impressive, with towering monuments depicting people or events of the past and surrounded by exquisitely decorated buildings.
We stopped at. the Citadel for panoramic views of the city, then on to Mathias Church with its gorgeous interior and more fantastic panoramic views from the terrace.
From there we made our way to a very old restaurant near the river for a delicious noon meal. On the way we passed a memorial consisting of many pairs of shoes, caste in metal, along the edge of the Danube. Towards the end of the Second World War many Jews were simply lined up here, shot and thrown into the water.
We then had free time so Larry, Lizzy, Mary Angelica and I walked to the great synagogue we had had pointed out on our drive around. MA had a look, then went back to look at the market. The rest of us took the tour inside and in the garden. Inside we were privileged to see the great gold doors opened, the screen removed and the Torahs revealed! What an amazing sight!
Walking through the arcade to the garden, we saw photos and memorial stones of many of those who died in the ghetto in WWII, and in the garden the silver tree with names inscribed on the leaves, and a lovely stained glass memorial.
We then had to hoof it back to the bus, to head back to the ship, which had gone on ahead to the next port ( to make up time ).
Carol wanted me to print the story of Princess Margaret into the Blog. So here's how I remember it: She was the daughter of King Steven and his wife Queen Elizabeth (Cici). In gratitude for something (coronation by the Pope? a victory over the Turks? conversion of the population? ) he promised that he would give his daughter to God. He built a convent/abbey/monastery on an island in the Danube where she became a Religious and spent the rest of her life dying at the age of 24 or 27 roughly. The island was named for her. (Carol - maybe you should Google it). [ Typing this up I did Google it, and here is the real story: "In the middle Ages it was called the Island of Rabbits and it functioned as royal hunting reserve. In the 13th century King Béla IV. founded a nunnery on the island after the Mongol Invasion. The king made a vow to sent her daughter, Princess Margaret to a Dominican nunnery if he could rebuild the country devastated by the Mongols.
The Mongols had to suddenly return to their homeland so King Béla had a chance to reorganise and rebuild the country. Faithful to his vow Béla sent the 11-year old Margaret to the convent. Since then the island has bore her name."
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