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Ankur and I are back in the US after a weeklong river cruise on the Danube! Even though we’ve been back for a few days, I still wake up feeling a little discombobulated. It could be the jet lag. Or it could be the fact that it’s so much QUIETER here. I kind of got used to hearing the water outside our window. And hearing our parents’ voices in the hallway outside our room as they tried to hurry everyone along for breakfast.
Family vacations can be difficult with trying to coordinate so many people all at one time. Still, I think we did a pretty good job of sightseeing and participating in the walking tours. And we did a really good job at the eating, the drinking, and the selfie taking. (It’s what our family does best).
The best part about traveling on a ship is that you wake up in a different city every morning. It makes for some very comfortable traveling. Also, it felt pretty luxurious to sleep in a comfortable bed, wake up and take a shower, eat a gourmet buffet breakfast, and then step off the boat to explore a new area every single day.
I will be recapping our trip in seven different posts – one for each day – since each day was jam-packed full of activities, adventures, and photographs. And each city deserves a post of its own!
Flight to Budapest
Since we live in the middle of nowhere, we had to take three flights in order to meet everyone in Budapest. We flew from Knoxville –> Chicago –> Frankfurt –> Budapest. Lucky for me, I had a pretty great traveling partner that was quite entertaining but also a calming presence since I have a pretty terrible fear of flying.
Once we landed in Budapest, we quickly made our way through customs and a representative from our cruise ship shuttled us to a meeting point hotel to store our luggage while we explored. Since we landed around 9AM and didn’t have to board the cruise until 5PM, we had all day to explore both Buda and Pest. (Fun fact: I only recently found out – just a few weeks before our trip – that Budapest is bisected by the Danube. And the “Buda” side is on a hill and the “Pest” side is the flatter half).
Buda and Pest
Ankur and I walked around Budapest for about an hour. After nearly 20 hours of traveling, we were both pretty exhausted so we got iced coffee in hopes that it would energize us and keep us chugging along. Instead, I parked myself on the grass in front of the coffee shop and took an hour long nap.
Eventually, we got going again and met up with Arjun and Bhanu at Fisherman’s Bastion. From the towers, we were able to get a panoramic view of the Danube River and the rest of the city.
We stayed there for a few minutes, but after a while, our tummies were grumbling and ready to grub. On our walk back toward the hotel, we were stopped by a man who convinced us – with his salesman tactics – to eat at his restaurant. Once we walked in, we realized it was a shisha/hookah bar. We ended up just getting a pre-lunch drink to celebrate reaching Budapest safely. And to kick off an exciting week ahead!
PC: Standingidlyby
We walked back over the chain bridge toward Pest to find REAL lunch food. We ended up eating at the meeting point hotel since we had spent all our time walking around the city and were running short on time. Club sandwiches and french fries make for an authentic Hungarian meal, right?
Boarding the Cruise
At 4:30, we met up with our Cruise Director. She loaded all of us on a bus that would take us to the cruise. Once we set foot on the boat, we were smothered in hugs and kisses from all the moms and dads.
We are some lucky kids.
Once we boarded and got access to our rooms, we almost immediately jumped into the shower. After a day of traveling and a day of exploring Budapest, a shower was absolutely necessary. Around 6:00PM, we all met in the lounge for a welcome reception with champagne and appetizers.
After the captain and the cruise director gave their speeches and introduced the crew, we were required to participate in a small safety demonstration. Then, it was time for dinner! It was fun to be able to catch up with the family and finally be in the same place after so many months!
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In summary…
Budapest is definitely a place that I would like to go back to and explore in more depth. But it was nice to have even a short amount of time to get a taste of the city’s culture and history.
If we were to do it all over again (and if I had the ability to take the time off of work), we’d probably fly into Budapest a couple of days before the cruise. This would give us a few days to do all the touristy things. Also, I’d probably enjoy myself more if I were fully rested instead of just hoppin’ off a plane and go-go-going after 18 hours of flying.
Still, I’m pretty lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of this trip. So, before I dive into each post describing all the things I saw and the food I ate, I want to pause and say thank you to our parents for gifting us this unforgettable experience. We are so grateful and we love you for organizing this for the whole family.
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Questions of the Day:
- Have you ever been on a river cruise? An ocean cruise?
- Did you know Budapest was ACTUALLY Buda + Pest?
That sounds like a truly amazing adventure. My step son went to Budapest in January and was blown away by the culture there. I would love to go someday.
Oooboy DivPiv.
So beautifully presented
…….. a recap of your trip.
Reading about it felt like we were actually reliving those moments.
Great photo captures too.
Can’t wait to read the rest of it in the next couple of days.
God Bless you DivyAnkur. ❤️❤️
This looks like such a fun trip! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us 🙂
Much love,
Ashley | dearash.com
I had no idea that it used to be Buda and Pest – cool little fact! Also I’ve never been on a cruise before, but it’s definitely on my bucket list. Can’t wait to read more about your trip!
Jaime recently posted…DIY Cornstarch Slime (no Borax!)
I’ve never been to Budapest or done a river cruise….but I’d love to do both!! Can’t wait to hear more about each city!
Julie recently posted…Why You Should go to Snowbird Ski Resort this Summer!
This looks amazing! And your room is beautiful. I’m going on my first cruise this summer. Although not a river cruise I am excited to wake up to a different island each day. And friend – I take xanax for flying too and I am ANTI-DRUGS otherwise. haha
Sarah Althouse recently posted…5 Surprising Hula-Hooping Benefits (+ Tips To Get You Started!)
This sounds like an amazing adventure! I have never been on a cruise but it’s something I would like to do. Can’t wait to read more about it!
Oh wow that’s such a nice cabin and ship! Who knew, I must do one of these one day soon.
Looks so fun!
Nadalie recently posted…How to Automate Your Success with Good Habits
This looks like it was such a wonderful trip! I’ve been wanting to go on a cruise somewhere different and unique like that! Maybe someday!
Beth recently posted…Ollie at 3 1/2
I had no clue that Budapest was broken in half. That’s interesting! I’m really freaked out by the ocean and cruises in general, so I’ve never been on one. I’m not sure if I ever would, but it sounds great!
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I have never been on a cruise and would love to go on one. My husband has a pretty big fear of flying though (like even a xanax doesn’t do a lot of good), so not sure about that. And I had no idea Budapest was actually Buda and Pest! You learn something new every day!!
Danielle @ A Sprinkle of Joy recently posted…May Recap and June Goals {2017}
You had me a cruise. I love a good cruise no matter where it goes! We went on our first last year!
Being able to wake up to new sights each morning sounds super nice! I’d definitely want to do a cruise like this. Your quick experience in Budapest sounded great!
Your trip seems absolutely amazing! We have family about to visit friends in Budapest this week! I can’t wait to see their photos!
I have always wanted to go on a cruise. This one sure looks like a wonderful one to be able to go on.
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We have been on ocean cruises before but we have not tried river cruises yet. I am sure it is a pretty amazing experience too. Thank you for that trivia about Budapest being actually two places – Buda and Pest, one on each side of the Danube. Yay for something new I learned today.
This seems like an amazing trip. No, I haven’t been on an ocean cruise but it is on my bucket list as well as a caribbean vacation!
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I’m such a history buff, and loved learning the trivia about how the city is laid out into Buda and Pest. Looking forward to finding out more about the city and your other stops in your upcoming posts!
Kirstie recently posted…Thankfulness: Does It Really Work?
Oh, how fun. I have never done a cruise, but a river cruise sounds so fun! And this is a beautiful area to visit!
San recently posted…Hello June.
I have been on several ocean cruises but never a river cruise. Your room looks great and I can’t wait to read more. Also, I did not know about Buda and pest! Thank you for my educational lesson today! Hope you begin to get acclimated soon.
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Wow! It sounds like you had such a fun trip. I’ve always wanted to travel Europe but I never thought about doing a river cruise like this. How neat!
I would love to go to Budapest. It is definitely on my see list. Hopefully in the near future we can make it there.
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I love all of your pictures! I’ve never done a cruise before. I’m not sure I could handle it. I feel like I would feel trapped and claustrophobic.
Good morning DivPiv !!!
Loved all that – the way you jotted down every little detail about your reaching Budapest and your first day before you boarded the boat. Awww amazing. Love you. Looking forward to the next write up.
looks like a blast! i’ll have to put this on my list as my family would love.
We have taken many cruises over the years, and we always bring candy with us to give to the staff. It is amazing this little act of kindness brings a smile to their faces. Be friend with them and they will serve you well.
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Budapest is such an amazing city. And look like you have enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for sharing your story with us.