I Heart Budapest

In February this year, I went on a mini eurotrip with two of my friends and our fourth stop was in Budapest. I fell in love with this city instantaneously and became my favourite stop of the trip. Sometimes a city can just call out to you; it's history, architecture, the people.

I left my heart in Budapest...

I wanted to go to this city without really knowing much about it and at every turn I was surprised at how amazing it really is. It is the capital of Hungary and is cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It's charm is found in the perfect blend of old and modern.

This is my most favourite photo of the whole trip

Overlooking Pest from Buda Castle

Budapest was once two separate cities that were divided by the river Danube; Buda and Pest. The opposite sides of the city are vastly different because of the architecture and terrain. Buda sits higher on the hill side and overlooks Pest and the buildings are lower and more spacial. Buda was royal city. The Buda Castle was the residence of all the past Hungarian kings. The Hungarian president also lives on the Buda side of the city.
Pest lies flat next to the Danube and its architecture is more 'city-like' if I can explain it that way.

On the steps of Buda Castle

The Hungarian people call themselves Magyars. Asian in origin, similar to the Huns and Turks, they made they way to what is now Hungary. The land itself goes back to 900AD when the people became Christians under their first ruler, King Stephen.


The city has many wonderful attractions including St Stephen's Basilica. The building itself is expectantly beautiful but what I found most interesting was the mummified right hand of St Stephen. It is kept in a shrine within the church. At the time it was said that it was a miracle and so he was canonized.

On his deathbed, King Stephen asked and prayed for the Blessed Virgin Mary to be his successor, ruler of the Hungarians. To this day, Virgin Mary is viewed as the eternal Queen of Hungary.

This old lady stared at us the entire time our guide was talking to us

We went on two walking tours in Budapest: the city tour and the communism tour. Both are jam-packed with insightful information of the city and its history. I recommend doing both if you have the time for it.

Amanda and I

The city is famous for its thermal baths and many tourists flock to them for their healing properties. We didn't have time to go which is why I have to go back! :)

Chain Bridge

The Chain Bridge is a popular landmark that links both sides of the city. It is often depicted in postcards and magnets. Two majestic lions lie on either side of the bridge.

In my Vienna article, I mentioned how the Hungarians adored Empress Sisi of Austria. This is evident all over the city with monuments, streets, squares and even a bridge that is named after her. They speak of her with much respect and love.

There is so much that Budapest has to offer. A good few days should be spent in this city to fully appreciate all the wonders that it possesses. I went in winter but I'd love to go in the summer and truly absorb all its awesomeness.

What a classic :)

Prague: City of Statues

Prague was our second stop on our mini eurotrip in January/February this year. We arrived in the evening and I must admit, first impressions were not that great. The train station was dirty, the language was alien and the lady that helped us scared me with her wonky eye and debilitating body odour.

Taken from the Charles Bridge

We had to navigate our way through the city at night while it poured with rain and I was the only idiot who didn't bring an umbrella. To make matters worse, the rain stopped as we reached the hostel. Just my luck.

The next morning though, we woke up to a beautiful winter's morning and the city blew us away. The city has been preserved throughout history and takes you back into the world of ancient Bohemia.

On the Charles Bridge 

There are a few prize tourist attractions that bring people to Prague, come rain or shine. The famous Charles Bridge, for example, was the most prominent connection across the river from the Prague Castle to the city's Old Town. It was an integral trade route between Eastern and Western Europe.  More importantly, it's about 600m long and I ran that one winter's night at 3 am in my drunken state from a pub crawl I had with the girls. Along the bridge, there are 30 statues that line the bridge wall, mostly of saints.

Saint John of Nepomuk

One famous statue is of  Saint John of Nepomuk. Legend has it that he was the court priest who was tortured and then ordered to be drowned at the behest of the king because he refused to tell of his queen's confession and whether or not she was having an affair. He was thrown from the bridge and 5 angels saved him, hence the 5 stars around his head. It is meant to be good luck to touch the statue.

Prague is, in my humble opinion, most famous for its fully functioning, medieval astronomical clock. It was made in 1410 and still works today! Impressive by any standards. It is made up of 3 parts; the astronomical dial, the calendar dial and the 'Walk of the Apostles' that appear at each hourly strike. Dozens of tourists wait on the hour to watch the mini spectacle.  Legend says that the clock maker was a brilliant man beyond his time in engineering. The councillors of Prague did not want him sharing the mechanics with other cities so they lured him with a 'celebratory' feast where, instead, they blinded him. In his revenge, the clock maker committed suicide by throwing himself into the gears thus breaking the clock, leaving it damaged for the next hundred years. 

Death tolls the bell of time

Above the clock is a tower that you can go to the top of and see the whole city as far as the eye can see. We went at night. The city is as breath taking in the evening as it is by day.

Old Town Sqaure

A beautiful example of Gothic architecture is the Roman Catholic cathedral, St Vitus, within the Prague Castle. A monster of a church, it is the resting place of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors. 

The other side of the cathedral.

The main face of the St Vitus

To those that don't know, and neither did I don't worry, Hitler had intended Prague to be the capital of his new empire and so ordered that the city not be destroyed. He also wanted to save one Jewish synagogue as a testament to the 'exterminated race'. 

The view of Prague from the Castle

All in all, Prague is a beautiful city that is definitely worth your while to stop and visit. Transport is easy, the exchange rate is fair, the beer is amazing and the people are friendly. Although it's my second time visiting this city, I would definitely go again. 

Auschwitz, Death Camp Part 2

Most people grow up with some knowledge of World War II. I did more than most in South Africa because my grandmother is a direct survivor of the war. I always heard stories of her experiences growing up so I have a natural interest in the history of what happened. When the opportunity to see Auschwitz came, I jumped at it.

Jews were brought from all over Europe via cattle train to Berkenau. Sometimes it took up to 10 days to reach the camp, without food or water. Many old people and children were dead upon arrival.

An example of the cattle train

Once unloaded, men and women were immediately examined by officers to judge who would live and work, and who would be put to death. Those are the ones who were sent straight to the gas chambers. Doctors also had their pick of who they wanted to experiment on here.

The line up

5-7 kg of poison was used to kill about 1 500 people

Poison was used in the chambers called Cyclon B. People died within 15-20 minutes. Bodies were either put to incinerators or cremation pits.

Crematorium at Auschwitz

Prisoners were punished for whatever reasons officers could think of; working too slowly, helping fellow prisoners, sharing a meal. Punishments included death by starvation, prolonged standing, cell confinement and also beatings. This happened in a building called the "Death Block."

The ruins of one the blown up chambers

Towards the liberation of the camp, the SS men tried to conceal evidence of the camp by blowing up the gas chambers and and two crematoria at Berkenau but you can still see the ruins of what was left.





If you decide to visit Poland (which I highly recommend you do), visiting Auschwitz will add substance and depth to your trip. I was emotionally exhausted after the tour but it has certainly made me so grateful for what I have.

This is written in 20 different languages at the memorial site

Here is Part 1 of my Auschwitz post

Auschwitz, The Final Solution Part 1

This past weekend I decided to travel to Krakow one last time before going back home to South Africa. I'd been once before but this time I wanted to go for two reasons besides seeing the beautiful city.

1. Say goodbye to my dear friend Amanda who taught with me in Radom

2. Visit Auschwitz

"Work brings Freedom"

Auschwitz was the biggest concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Poland for Poles, political prisoners and European Jews. From 1940 to 1945, it was the centre of mass extermination of the Jewish race. An estimated 1,5 million victims died there.

The camp was walled off by double electric barbed wire

Not only did death come via gas chamber, but also through deliberate starvation, work exhaustion, criminal experiments, shooting and hanging.

Auschwitz was chosen as the site for the eradication of Jews because it was "easily isolated and camouflaged." The camp is situated in the south of Poland and surrounded by forest.

The camps were based around the town Oswiecim

Auschwitz is made up of three big camps named I, II (Auschwitz - Berkenau) and III (Auschwitz - Monowice). There are a few kilometres between them. I and II are now museums open to the public.

Suitcases brought with families

Most Jews that arrived were convinced that they were being resettled in Eastern Europe. Promise of land and honest work made people bring their most prized belongings with them. Jewelry was usually hidden or sewn into their clothes but was always found by soldiers. Thousands of glasses, shoes, clothes, cups and pots; anything you can think of, was brought and sorted through to be taken back to Germany.





Hair was shaven off every prisoner and collected to be made into cloth for clothes and blankets in Germany. 7 tons of hair was found in the camp the day it was liberated.

To be continued in Part 2

The railway line to Berkenau that transported the prisoners