I read a lot about Budapest before going to visit and explore but still one thing surprised me about the city--the architecture.  I guess that I was imagining a slightly richer Sofia because economically since the change Hungary has done slightly better at adjusting than Bulgaria has.  But because both countries lived for nearly 50 under communism, I expected block buildings, dirty streets and graffiti.  I wasn't disappointed but I was surprised.

Parliament was beautiful.  Some might argue a little bit over the top but come on you can't tell me that this isn't an impressive building.

[caption id="attachment_504" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Parliament in Budapest as seen from the Danube"]<img class="size-full wp-image-504" title="Parliament Budapest " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc048792.jpg" alt="Parliament in Budapest as seen from the Danube" width="500" height="666" />[/caption]

The size, the architecture, the location--this is a serious building.  And based on the architecture in Sofia, I didn't expect this.  In hindsight, I should have.  Had I spent a little more time thinking about the history of Hungary and less about the food and wine I wouldn't have been as surprised.  Hungary after all spent 50 plus years as a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled by the Habsburgs.  The influences of this union is clear.  It's especially clear to me after visiting both Vienna and Budapest.<!--more-->

Then there are the beautiful ceramic-tile roofs that both Vienna and Budapest have.

[caption id="attachment_506" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Museum of Applied Arts "]<img class="size-full wp-image-506" title="Museum of Applied Arts " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc04842.jpg" alt="Museum of Applied Arts " width="500" height="666" />[/caption]

One great example of the roofs is the Museum of Applied Arts but there is also the Matyas Church.  The Matyas church is currently under construction so it wasn't easy for me to get a good picture of the roof but the tiles are at least as pretty there as on the Museum of Applied Arts.  I think that it's worth noting that much of Budapest had to be rebuilt after World War II.  Originally, Hungary sided with the Nazis but at the end of the war when it was clear that Germany was going to be defeated Hungary switched sides.  In response, the Nazis bombed the entire city churches, bridges, other major buildings nothing escaped the dropping bombs.  Major things were rebuilt but still some ruins remain (some have even become bars).

The train station was designed by Gustave Eiffel.  Yes the same man who designed the, get this, Eiffel Tower in Paris.  The station is glass and steel. I put it on my list of things to see.  I am glad that I saw it but as my friend Robyn put it: inside it's just a scary, dirty train station like every other one in Europe.

[caption id="attachment_508" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Eiffel&#39;s Train Station"]<img class="size-full wp-image-508" title="Train Station " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc05305.jpg" alt="Eiffel's Train Station" width="500" height="375" />[/caption]

Of course there are a number of bridges which everyone one who lives in Budapest knows the names of but I spent more time taking pictures of the bridges than trying to remember their names.

[caption id="attachment_509" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="A Bridge over the Danube"]<img class="size-full wp-image-509" title="Budapest Bridge" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc05152.jpg" alt="A Bridge over the Danube" width="500" height="666" />[/caption]

Finally I would be remiss if I didn't mention how pretty Budapest is at night.  As you can see during the in the bridge picture the sky is a nice color of steel gray, the water is a darker shade of the same color and the buildings are similarly neutral.  It was like that every day I was in Budapest except the first when I was lucky enough to take the  pictures of the parliament and the museum; on this day the sky was blue and the sun was out.  These days are apparently the exception to the rule.  So I guess to counter act the gray--they light up the city.  Trees, buildings, boulevards--if you can string lights and there's an electrical source man these Budapest-ians will do it.

Unfortunately the lights don't make the city any warmer but they do make it very pretty after dark.

[caption id="attachment_510" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Lights along the 4/6 tram line"]<img class="size-full wp-image-510" title="Budapest at Night " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc05302.jpg" alt="Lights along the 4/6 tram line" width="500" height="666" />[/caption]