Ready... Set.....

HIKE....

Aim..
Football is going to be missed at our house.
Jackson decided to take that matter into his hands and play with daddy.

Touchdown!

Budapest.. And our Journey home.

Cruising into Budapest!

When in Budapest on day 7. However I was not feeling so good this day (seemed to have a 24 hr bug going around the ship). I went on the tour however I slept through most of it. I did wake up at times and take some pictures. However I am unsure what most of the things I took pictures of. But at least I have proof I was there.

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary and the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial and transportation center with over 1.7 million inhabitants. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with the amalgamation in 1873 of right-bank Buda and Obuda together with Pest on the left bank.

Hero's square (above and below) is the Millennium Memorial with statues of the leaders of the seven tribes that founded Hungary in the 9th century and other outstanding figures of Hungarian history.

Museum of Fine Arts.

This is a memorial that honors the Jews who fell victim to fascist Arrow Cross militiamen in Budapest during World War II, and represents their shoes left behind on the bank when they fell into the river after being shot.

The first connection between Pest and Buda was made by the Chain Bridge.

The Christmas market in Budapest was so different from all the other cities we had seen.

Everything was handmade. Didn't have the same Christmas feel as the others with decorations and sweets.

I loved all the handmade toys and I was reminded that my kids would not think they were as cool as I did.

Some of the yummy food being cooked.

Budpest by night.

Finally it was time to go home. And I was more than ready.

One small problem. Paris and London had just been hit with a large snow storm delaying all kinds of flights across Europe. And of course our flight from Budapest was delayed getting to Paris causing us to miss our non stop flight from Paris to Salt Lake.

The above picture is the crowded Budapest airport at 5 am. Let me tell you about our journey home. We arrived at the airport at 5 am Monday morning (8 pm Sunday night at home). Stood in line for 3 hours to have are Air France re issue our ticket. Thankfully they were able to get us home the same day considering people around us had been trying to get oust since Saturday and some were not getting out until Wednesday. We ended up going to Milan, New York and than on to Salt Lake. Making it home at 1130 pm Monday night Salt Lake time. I have to say that was the longest day EVER!

Life on a River Cruise

River Cruising is such a different experience than a Ocean liner.

1. Only 150 people at most on board.

2. Local entertainment
We did tree decorating (it was a Christmas time cruise)

The finished product (Silver was our theme)

Local folk dancers (missed it this night)

The local polka music.

3.Always have something to see. Even while you cruise.

Going through a lock.

St. Michael's Church along the Danube.

4.Food

Three amazing meals a day!

With a local taste!

At one point I missed good old American food.

They celebrated birthday's and anniversaries!

Pretty!
5. Wonderful Staff

Up on the bridge with the Captain.

The staff even got in the spirit and dressed up like the locals

Our favorite waiter.. Peter.

They shared tricks to napkin folding.

They sang us Christmas carols.
6.Great People

Yes. We had a formal night.

We had photo bombers.

Sometimes we had a little too much wine.

And sometime you found someone else who had too much wine and danced with you in the foyer.

Most of all you enjoyed great company!

Now of course this trip was for work so it wasn't all play.

We had homework.

St. Nicholas even came aboard and left us gifts.