Dotty

pokka dotts, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

These are my feet. Clad in dotted-theme tights and shoes. I walked really fast from the hotel to St Stephen's Basilica. It was hard with the uneven surface. ( See picture to appreciate fully the trouble the ankles had) The weather was glorious so I really have no right to complain:) Found a starbucks just beside the Basilica!

Szent István-bazilika

St Stephen's Basilica, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

St. Stephen's Basilica is a Roman Catholic Basilica in the centre of Budapest.It is named after the first King of Hungary It is the third highest building in Hungary. Which tells you they're not big into sky scrappers. The architecture is neo-classical. Construction started way back in 1851

I walked here on a crisp sunny morning when the temperature was 2 degrees. This was taken around 7:13am. Just look at the gorgeous sky. Behind this cathedral is the start of Andrassy Avenue (Andrassy Ut) which is an iconic boulevard in Budapest.

Interesting fact: The preserved right hand of St Stephen is kept in a shrine in the chapel of holy Right.This mumified hand is paraded in the streets on August 20th.

Hungarian embroidery

typical colours of Hungarian embriodery, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

They're big into embroidery in Budapest. Most shops were selling paprika ( a separate post for this) or embroidery or both. Here is just one such table runner seen in a shop along Vaci street. Hand sewn. There were cheaper versions sold outside along the street towards the end of the evening but we were told they were machine sewn.

Apparently Hungarian embroidery dates back to the middle ages where the number of embroidered cloth you had was a mark of wealth. Floral patterns are big. And I think they're called "Kalocsa". If you see the picture above, the flowers and leave are prominent with bright clear colors which work well together.

Interesting fact; the oldest embroidery in Hungary is the robe of the first King of Hungary Stephen the first and it can be found in the national museum. Apparently his wife helped embroider the robe. Well done to her!!!!

Secret Box

Secret Box, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

We saw a lot of these being sold. Mandatory in all souvenir shops in Budapest. It's called a secret box because you cant open it at all by pulling at the drawers or lifting the lid up. If you slide the back of the box, there is a mechanism which will allow you to open up a piece of the wood and you will see your key. Open it up and you have a space ( very small really) to store your secret stash

What is a Trabant?

What is a Trabant?, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

The trabant is a car produced previously in East Germany. It was exported mainly to the other communist countries and this includes Hungary. It was meant to be fast and durable. The average lifespan was 28 years. The engine was not the most efficient. as it emitted a large amount of exhaust fumes. With the reunification of Germany. the Trabant prouction line eventually closed in 1991.

This many explain why there were more than a few T-shirts being sold with the "Trabant" on it.