Traveling Down the Danube

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Time is like a river comprised of events that occur and are then carried away. It moves relentlessly, and even in its aftermath maintains the same unstoppable flow.

So said Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius, who served as Roman emperor during the first century AD. Aurelius had seen his share of history, much of it violent, and understood time’s inevitable passage. He also took some of the earliest steps in nation-building, and his influence can be felt in cities of what is now Central Europe. The cities’ remnants of the past, combined with the sophistication of the present, lead to a more intellectual kind of adventure for modern travelers like us.

Our river was not time, but the mighty Danube, Europe’s second-longest river running from Germany’s Black Forest in the north to the Asia-bordering Black Sea in the south. The river runs every color but blue, contacts there told us, and is said to be Europe’s most polluted waterway. But our Viking Cruise ship found us safe passage as we moved from Budapest to Vienna to Prague, stopping at points in between, each more enlightening than the last.

Budapest

Hungary’s capital is a city unfamiliar to many western travelers, but it shouldn’t be. A combination of cities of Buda, Pest and Obuda separated by geography and the Danube, the combined metro area boasts a surprising amount of culture, style and Art Deco architecture, which reflects the capital’s sophistication. It’s also awash in history, which adds a compelling dimension for any traveler.

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Located in the Carpathian Basin, Hungary was considered the gateway to Europe for marauding armies from the east, according to Esther, our guide. First occupied by the Celts in the third century B.C., the country and its capital also played unwilling hosts to Roman legions, Attila the Hun, the nomadic Magyars, the Hapsburgs from neighboring Austria, Nazi forces during World War II and, finally, the Russian army. “They each liberated us,” Esther said, “but then forgot to leave.”

Today, Hungary, which can claim only about a third of the amount of land it had occupied at the height of the Hungarian crown, struggles economically, Esther further explained. Runaway inflation—gasoline is the equivalent of $7.70 per gallon—no major industry and a younger generation fleeing the country in search of better-paying careers continue to create challenges for the parliamentary republic of 9.71 million people. You wouldn’t know that walking the streets of Budapest, however, a city vibrant and alive like many other European capitals, with history at every corner.

Budapest has more than its share of nightlife, including performance art, restaurants, nightclubs and coffee shops. Despite the fact that it originated in Mexico, paprika is a mainstay in Hungarian cooking, available both in sweet and hot varieties. If you’re lucky you may come across a “ruin bar,” also known as a “kert” (Hungarian for “garden”. They’re impromptu gathering spaces usually located in crumbling buildings that play host to everything from local farmers’ markets to movie screenings to afterhours dance parties and are unique to Budapest.

But as with most of our Danube destinations, cathedrals, castles and other historic buildings occupied our days, including St. Stephen’s Cathedral, dedicated to the very first Catholic martyr. There also is Buda Castle, its neo-Baroque façade spreading out from under a copper-green dome perched on top a hill overlooking the Danube. The Hapsburg-era structure, built on the ruins of previous fortifications, also is home to the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum.

But our journey started at the Heroes Square, the massive structure completed in 1900 that highlights much of the country’s history. Larger-than-life-sized statues commemorate Hungary’s victories and its occupations over the centuries. Based on size and scope alone, Heroes Square is a jawdropper, but walk in any direction and you’ll quickly discover that so is the rest of Budapest.

Which Coin?

European travelers should know that there are few free public restrooms on the continent. Even in countries like Hungary, which uses its own currency, it costs the equivalent of 1 Euro (slightly more than 1 U.S. Dollar) to relieve yourself. Public restrooms are marked by signs saying “W.C.”, which normally stands for “Water Closet.” Most Europeans translate the initials as “which coin?” That’s the type of wry humor we ran into a lot on our travels.