Budapest Day One

January first we drove east about three hours to visit our first former Eastern Bloc country, Hungary. Frankly, I lacked the energy for a big plane and Budapest offered history, culture and a big indoor waterpark. We learned about Communism the dictator version and about communism the economic system from YouTube videos over winter break to prepare for the walking tour and museum visits.

We drove straight to Szoborpark - Momento Park home to Stalin, Lenin and other Soviet Era statues that once glared at Budapest's citizens. Rick Steve's book in hand, we shivered our way through the six loops dedicated to showing the Soviet's major weapon - propaganda.

The first section included a re-creation of the giant grandstand that once stood along a major boulevard where Hungarian and Soviet leaders would watch military and civilian processions. During the 1956 Uprising, protestors cut Stalin off at the knees, leaving only the boots.

Budapesters of the time said this was a thermal bath attendant running after a customer who forgot her towel.

I loved this car.

After freezing for an hour we checked into the hotel and found immediate comfort food - kind of.  Hungary's version of Tex Mex and hamburgers.

We walked around the last day of Christmas markets and tried a Kürtőskalács - chimney cake - a sweet spiral pull-apart bread that is baked rotisserie-style outdoors over charcoal before returning to our apartment to watch "Iron Man."