How about this?? Beethoven composed the Moonlight Sonata right here! And I NOW KNOW WHY. Budapest is astonishingly beautiful in a tragic sort of way. It breaks your heart. The Danube is far from blue. In fact it is a muddy brown - but magical, nevertheless. We are staying at the magnificent Four Seasons Hotel on the river bank, and from my large French windows I watch the river's many moods. I went in search of a Hungarian Rhapsody and found it on the first night itself, at a Gypsy concert in the woods. Listening to the 100 gypsies playing Franz Lizt in that enchanting setting, as the sky turned a vivid shade of orange.... then purple.... then dark, velvety black, I nearly turned composer myself.
What really broke my heart were the Baroque buildings riddled with bullet holes from the many wars Hungary has survived. Today, the country is nearly broke, but the Magyars are a proud people. There is so very much I have learnt in these four short days - did you know Hungary is the second largest producer of foie gras in the world after France.... or that its wines are refined and sophisticated enough to compete with the best anywhere, especially the rich Pinot Noir and my personal favourite - a local sparkling white that's better than Champagne?? On that note, shall we say ciao ciao for now? Have to rush to a chic bistro called Menza, close the the Champs Elysee of Budapest for some more bubbles. I'll catch you in a day or two from Prague...