Budapest and Prague via NYC
Due to the flights, I spent three days in New York City before venturing on to Budapest and ending in Prague — the City of a Hundred Spires.
After checking into a hotel in Chinatown, I immediately dined at Lombardi’s, America’s first pizzeria (1905). The pies are coal-fired, thin-crust Neapolitan style pizza. I ordered the original.
New York City was exactly as I expected, with the tallest skyscrapers, sometimes blocking the sun, hustle and bustle, and extreme traffic noise — exhilarating.
Some of the highlights of my stay included the Met and Central Park.
Imagine is a memorial to John Lennon, located in Strawberry Fields (West Side between 71st and 74th). He was shot and killed nearby at The Dakota building.
Of course, the Statue of Liberty is a must see for many Americans. The most recent ancestors on my family tree passed through Ellis Island arriving from Denmark in 1912. My great grandparents missed their connection though. They were supposed to be on the Titanic!
I wanted to explore New York City further, but I had already booked a flight to Budapest. That first morning I walked across the famous Széchenyi Chain Bridge, stopping to take a photograph of the Parliament building. It was completed in 1885, influenced by Vienna’s gothic style city hall.
If you think Turkish coffee is strong, try Hungarian coffee. It will slap you in the face — twice. Later for lunch I ordered a “salad”. Don’t think of leafy green vegetables. Due to the short growing season a salad consists of sliced meats, cheese and mayonnaise.
Some architectural highlights:
I took a bus to Memento Park outside of Budapest, and worthwhile the side trip. It is an open air museum filled with sculptures, murals and statues of Communist leaders. Collected and set in a park as a reminder of a terrible time in Hungarian history. Never forget…
The next day, I was off to Prague — or the new Paris. What a gorgeous city! Especially in the Old Town Square at night.
I stayed mostly in the old center, which is dominated by the Orloj, the mechanical clock and astronomical dial, dating back to 1410, when it was created by horologist Mikuláš of Kadaň and Charles University professor of mathematics and astronomy Jan Šindel.
The date of the Old Jewish Cemetery is a mystery. The oldest gravestone is from 1439 which belongs to rabbi and poet Avigdor Kara. There are over 12,000 headstones mixed into a large jumble.
I did visit the Pinkas Synagogue. It has served as a memorial since the end of the WWII, commemorating nearly 80,000 Bohemian and Moravian Jews murdered by the Nazis during the occupation. Their names are all inscribed on the synagogue's walls.
Out of respect, I took no photos. Instead I leave you with this image…
Where am I now? You can find me on Blue Sky.