Karps On Tour

Our exploration of Budapest commenced with a tranquil river cruise along the River Danube, offering a leisurely introduction to the city's breathtaking architecture. Budapest is a visual feast, boasting a blend of Roman, Ottoman, Gothic, Renaissance, and Art Nouveau influences that captivate the eye. Disembarking, we walked across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, linking Buda and Pest, and indulged in a delightful ride on the historic Funicular, a cable car at the Buda end of the bridge. In just a few minutes we reached the summit and wandered through the charming cobblestone streets of the Buda Castle area, passing quaint bric-a-brac shops along the way. The grandeur of Fisherman’s Bastion within Buda Castle unfolded before us. Renowned for its turrets and spires, this iconic attraction offers arguably the most breathtaking panorama of Budapest from the Buda side, showcasing the city's allure along the Danube. It's no surprise that this spot is a favorite for Instagrammers seek...

Lynette and I were very excited for our next leg of the journey, as our eldest son Joshua joined us in Vienna. What a wonderful way to meet up on the other side of the world! Our Airbnb was an apartment with water views directly on the The Alte Donau (Old Danube). When we woke up in the morning to a spectacular sunrise, we noticed what looked like lots of birds walking on water. We quickly realised parts of the lake were actually frozen, something we have never seen before. On our first day we stumbled upon Franziskanerkirche (Franciscan Monastery Church) a beautiful 400 year old church which is very popular for weddings in the summer. No surprises there! I would love to photograph a wedding there. We discovered more beautiful Christmas markets along the way. Lynette had always wanted to taste roasted chestnuts and there was a stall roasting them the traditional way. These were called Maroni chestnuts and are a cultivar of the sweet or Spanish chestnut. They are generally larger, w...