On the Danube River

After two days in Budapest, we bade the city goodbye and continued on the Danube River.  As you can see on the map, we headed south then east, passing through Kalocsa, Belgrade, Vidin, Belogradchik and finally to Bucharest.  I will be posting photos along the way.  

Here we are as we began our journey… first, the safety drill.

Our intrepid congierge, Stanislav… 

and our captain, Istvan.

We are on our way!  

Our first stop was at Kalocsa, one of the oldest towns in Hungary.  Kalocsa was once an important trading town on the Danube, but declined when the river changed course and is now four miles from the river.  Kalocsa is the capital of Hungary's paprika production.  Hungarian goulash was invented here by herdsmen.  They used to put all their food into one pot over a fire and add some paprika.

The town is also known for folk art, home to the "painting women" who created Kalocsa embroidery, known all over the world.

Kalocsa was one of two bishopric seats founded by King Stephen in the 11th century, and the town contains a cathedral as well as the archbishop's palace.

The Cathedral at Kalocsa:

The archbishop's palace:

The town:

Next post:  the Horsemen of the Puszta… not to be missed!