Hungarian Rhapsody

This morning I heard a lively performance of Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody #15 and it made me think of Budapest.

Hungarian Parliament, Budapest, Hungary, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

One of my favorite European cities, Budapest is really two unified cities divided by the Danube River. The famous Castle Hill towers over the west Buda bank, while the Hungarian Parliament lies just over the river on the east side in the more modern Pest. You can go from one side to the other by walking or driving on the Széchenyi Chain Bridge. 

Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

Castle Hill is rich with history, having been settled successively by Celts, Romans, Hungarians, Mongolians, and Ottomans. Taken as a whole, it's easily one of the most beautifully arranged old towns in Europe. 

Steps to the Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

But it wasn't the whimsical Fisherman's Bastion or magnificent Royal Palace that captured my imagination. 

Royal Palace, Castle Hill, Budapest, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

It was the autumnal vines clinging to the old stone walls in the palace gardens that whispered to me and carried me away.

Castle Hill, Budapest, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

A crisp, overcast November day. Frozen in time. The creeping tangled web of waning life spoke of centuries past. Such a different time, yet at its core, intrinsically unchanged.

Castle Hill, Budapest, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark

  
A true Hungarian rhapsody. These are things that last. Sentiments. Stories. A feeling so strong it bypasses the ages.