When in Wien...

What seems like ages ago, but in fact was just three weeks back, was when the plane was slowly descending over Vienna. I was grinning like an idiot, thinking countless times, 'I'm finally in Europe, I'm finally in Europe'. It didn't help that the weather was extremely bright and warm, compared to the grey monsoons back in Delhi and Bangalore. It didn't help that we were gliding over a beautiful view of fields, arranged in rows of alternating greens and golds, and in between, windmills, like giant fans on the ground. It didn't help that patches of oranges roofs sprouted out between these fields, reminiscent of the same orange roofs I had painted for history class.
But then, exactly a week later, I was back in the city, back on its ground, and forget fields and windmills and houses with orange pitched roof, I was treated to stunning architecture, churches and their arresting interiors, gardens with sculptures, fountains, and the famous Viennese coffeehouses.

Here are a few photos,

Both the days we walked all along the Ringstrasse, which housed all the major monuments like the Opera House, Schönbrunn Palace, Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen's Church, St.Paul's Church, and Karlskirche. We saved the museums for another visit and just concentrated on walking and looking around and clicking few photos.

We were lucky to watch a choir practice in St. Stephen's church...

We had the privilege of seeing Mozarts all around,

the real one too!

Then there were some more churches,

Some more fountains,

Some marble sculptures,

This cute wall art, in this impeccably clean city,

And then this stranger, who apologized for photobombing my mom's photo by posing with her! So cool!

It was nice to just bask in the sun, walk on the neat cobbled streets, discover sculptures and fountains on any lane possible, walk in and out of magnificently designed structures like it was something we did everyday,and all this without the massive crowds, the lines, the pushing and the air of hurriedness up everyone's nose. 
What a way to start the holidays!

Budapest

Budapest,

where the streets are lined with beautiful ornate buildings,

where the day is drenched in long hours of sunlight, 

And where the old seamlessly works with the new.

Two weeks in the city, and my eyes still gawk out every time we step out of the house. It's also my first time on the continent, so every thing, right from the usual touristy trips, to the daily grocery shopping is met with a childlike delight. I beam at the efficient transport system, which has allowed me to the hop on and off of trams and buses with the ease of traveling like a true local. (Thanks Ma, K, and Google for that). I still jump out of fear every time a cyclist rides by, reminding me to look down, and assure myself I am not on the bicycle lane - a mistake I made several times when I arrived in the city. It is also equally annoying and enjoyable to cross the roads only at zebra crossing, which of course varies on how far or near you are to one.

Shopping for groceries or rather accompanying mom in that endeavour is another delight; but more on that later,I want to talk about the buildings - beautiful, ornate, with each window having its own triangular or semi circular pediment, and sometimes accompanied by flowers, chains, or my favourite, faces. Yes, large faces, both male and female, attached at the top of the pediment, sometimes with a stoic expression, sometimes in anger or disgust, which vaguely did remind me of the rakshasa face some hang outside their homes to ward off evil back home.

The buildings also never seem to start or end. Built right next to each other, it continues throughout the lane, and then follows the curvature of the turn of the road, and then continues on. As a result, you get an uninterrupted sight of ornate windows, and rows and rows of towering blocks, as far as the eye can see.

I spent the first week visiting touristy spots like The Chain Bridge, (no photos unfortunately; none of them came out well) and the Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion,

We unfortunately missed going inside the church. It's hard to keep track of time, when it's as bright as day at eight in the night.

Then a walk in the Castle District, filled with quaint little coffee shops, souvenir stalls, and again pretty buildings soaked in the bright yellow sunlight.

Then, there was Heroes Squares and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which my brother and I rode out to on a hot afternoon, switching from a bus to a tram to a trolley bus, which made a loud shrilling bell ring every time the doors opened or closed.

After taking a few snaps at Hero's Square, we paid the museum of contemporary art a visit, mainly to escape the hot sun. It was an interesting exhibit, housing everything from fashion to automobiles to paintings, sculptures to animation as well.

Then with mom on a surprisingly chilly day, I visited the Central Market, which housed everything for your fridge on the ground floor, and everything for your display rack on the first floor.
Meats of different shapes and sizes hung from atop, while below, under the glass case were a larger variety of sausages, were wrapped in different packaging colours, while cold cuts, steaks and ground meat were wrapped in delicate cellophane.

On the opposite side, a shop housed rows and rows of bottled wine and on the other side a brightly lit souvenir shop complete with dolls in traditional Hungarian attire, fridge magnets, lamps, and pouches of paprika.

Then comes the cheese. Oh yes! Now, they are a variety I have never seen before. They are in different colours - yellow, cream, red and even green; in different shapes and sizes - sliced, whole, or cubes. There is feta, parmigiana, cheddar, gouda and then different variety in each one of them! But then bread, cheese, meat and wine - these things have a whole aisle just for them, here, for that very reason.

On the left hand side of the market was the Liberty Bridge, which I did get a photo of, and which I liked more than the Chain Bridge, because of its bright green colour, the riveted joints, and the vibrations that occur when a tram passes through.

This is of course just the tip of the iceberg, there is still so much more to see, visit, explore, eat, drink, but for now,
Welcome to Budapest. Welcome home.