Day 14 Goodbye Budapest

Up on the top deck, as the night had settled in, there was a chill in the air. We were all bundled up in our jackets, hats, and gloves. The Viking staff served us their special hot drink — a magic potion to keep us warm inside — a mixture of Tokaji (a Hungarian sweet wine), brandy, honey, cloves, and orange peel. This potion works. I had two just to be sure.

The lines were released, the thrusters quietly pushed us away from the Viking Vali still moored to the shore, and the Viking Vilhjalm took that moment to glide past us on the port side. I think they wanted to challenge us to a race up the Danube. Captain Juri Tolkacev knew better. This was not the night for speed or bravado. If it were, The Rinda would win easily. But this moment called for awe and reflection.

The Hungarian Parliament Building rose before us — an architectural masterpiece glowing against the dark sky. We didn’t go inside, but those who did told us it felt like a cathedral. A place built not just for governance but to inspire reverence.

A little history for context:
Completed in 1904, the Hungarian Parliament Building was designed to celebrate the nation’s independence and growing identity. It sits proudly along the Danube as a symbol of democracy and national unity. Nearly 40 million bricks and thousands of decorative elements went into its construction, blending Gothic Revival grandeur with Renaissance symmetry. Inside are sacred national treasures, including the Crown of St. Stephen — a reminder that this building isn’t just political; it’s historical, spiritual, and deeply woven into Hungary’s cultural soul.

As we made our way past Margaret Island and slipped under the last bridge, the glow of the Parliament slowly dissolved into the distance. A quiet hush came over the deck. The memory of this night — the lights, the river, the sense of time stretching far beyond our own stories — is etched into our souls forever.

Budapest… we didn’t have enough time to explore all of you. But you have given us plenty of reasons to return.

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