15 members of our club enjoyed an exchange with Budapest and Bratislava May 10-25.  Denice Wheeler, Ron & Polly Toth were the exchange directors.

 

We arrived in Budapest on the 14th of May,

Sunday the 15th we took a walking tour along Heroes Square, City Park, Vajdahunyad Castle, then visited the Terror House which was a museum about the history of 20th century in Hungary, which included war and Holocaust information.  After lunch we visited the State Opera House and then enjoyed a welcome party.

Monday we walked through the Downtown area and visited the Parlimant House.  Then visited Buda Castle Hill - the Royal Palace, Matthias Church.

Tuesday we visited the Great Market Hall and visited Saint Stephan's Basilica.  We visited the Great Synagogue Complex and a short walk through the Old Jewish Quarter.  We finished the day with a farewell party. 

 

On Wed the 18th we arrived in Bratislava for our one week exchange.

Thur. we toured the House of Parliament and ancient downtown, toured the Old Opera House then had a cruise on the Danube River to Ancient Devin Castle.

 

Fri and Saturday our hosts arranged for us to visit the country side.  We visited the Mint Museum, a short stop at the geographical midpoint of Europe, visited a Slovak village open air museum in Martin, enjoyed a night excursion to a medieval castle and enjoyed the Aphrodite Spa house.

Sunday we enjoyed an excursion to National Salon of Vines for wine tasting followed by a local folk ensemble.

Monday was a free day spent with our hosts.

Tuesday we enjoyed a barbecue and visited with our hosts.  Then we left at 10:30 p.m for a train ride back to Prague.

 

The places were beautiful but the memories we will always treasure are the friends that we have made with our hosts and guides.