Caged Birds

“Caged Bird

A free bird leaps on the back of the wind

and floats downstream till the current ends

and dips his wing in the orange suns rays and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage

can seldom see through his bars of rage

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill

of things unknown but longed for still

and his tune is heard on the distant hill

for the caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees

and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill

of things unknown but longed for still

and his tune is heard on the distant hill

for the caged bird sings of freedom.”

― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Do You Love Me Because I’m Beautiful Or Am I Beautiful Because You Love Me

One Day Man Asks GOD What’s The Difference Between Your Love & My Love! God Smiled & Replied a Bird In Sky Is My Love & a Bird In Cage Is YOUR Love


I really feel it is cruel to keep a bird in a cage, where it can hardly move freely. But who am I to judge, for we do have two dogs as pets, and although they are free all the time, sometimes we do have to tie them up.

I won this Bird Cage in a Diwali photo contest in Facebook. Actually, I was thinking of using it to keep lighted Diyas/ Lamps/ Tea light Candles during the festive seasons.
 This is the photo that won me the prize in Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ThePurpleTurtles

www.facebook.com/thekeybunch

    My dear friend Joseph had commented that he was somehow reminded of ABBA song Eagle, So I thought why not place the lyrics of the song here: 

They came flying from far away, now I'm under their spell
I love hearing the stories that they tell
They've seen places beyond my land and they've found new horizons
They speak strangely but I understand

And I dream I'm an eagle
And I dream I can spread my wings

Flying high, high, I'm a bird in the sky
I'm an eagle that rides on the breeze
High, high, what a feeling to fly
Over mountains and forests and seas
And to go anywhere that I please

As all good friends we talk all night, and we fly wing to wing
I have questions and they know everything
There's no limit to what I feel, we climb higher and higher
Am I dreaming or is it all real?

Is it true I'm an eagle?
Is it true I can spread my wings?

Flying high, high, I'm a bird in the sky
(I'm an eagle)
I'm an eagle that rides on the breeze
High, high, what a feeling to fly
(What a feeling)
Over mountains and forests and seas
And to go anywhere that I please

And I dream I'm an eagle
And I dream I can spread my wings

Flying high, high, I'm a bird in the sky
(I'm an eagle)
I'm an eagle that rides on the breeze
High, high, what a feeling to fly
(What a feeling)
Over mountains and forests and seas

Flying high, high, I'm a bird in the sky
(I'm an eagle)
I'm an eagle that rides on the breeze
High, high, what a feeling to fly
(What a feeling)
Over mountains and forests and seas
And to go anywhere that I please.

I too love this song very much. Thanks Joseph for mentioning  it.
By the way, as you must have noticed these are ceramic birds, and they are having fun modelling for me!!!

Instead of writing about my travels, today I have written on a different topic for a change.

Budapest, Hungary

Hungary is a country at the heart of Europe, but it is certainly different too in so many ways!

While not large in terms of population (it has only 10 million inhabitants) Hungary has a wealth of culture and history, complemented by a language so completely different from its neighbours that almost no shared words exist! It can be said this is a land of great contrasts.

Hungary is landlocked like its neighbours Austria, Slovakia and Serbia though it still deserves the nickname "land of waters", as it holds the largest lake in Europe (Lake Balaton) and is crossed by mighty rivers which divide and define its regions. Even its capital city is split by the Danube River, with Buda on the Western side and Pest on the Eastern bank. As well as water to cool off in, Hungary can be the perfect place to keep warm, as it is located over a very active geo-thermic area and has over a thousand thermal water springs and the second largest thermal Lake in the world for bathing (Lake Hévíz). "Taking the waters" for relaxation or as clinical treatments, is an important part of the Hungarian culture.

Hungarians today are direct descendants of the Magyars that arrived here, by way of Russia, in the ninth century. Hailing originally from the Central Asian steppe, these Magyars brought with them a fiendishly difficult language that has few links to any other, except a very distant relationship to Finnish. Along with the language came a unique culture, which, despite invasion by Mongols in the 13th century, occupation by Turks in the 16th and 17th centuries, Austrian Hapsburg rule in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Communist domination following World War II, has survived more or less intact.

Most Hungarians display a quiet but stoic pride for their nation and cling determinedly to a culture that remains undiminished despite centuries of foreign domination. Such pride is not without foundation: the country is home to some outstanding historic towns and cities, numerous elegant castles, palaces and churches, as well as some attractive – albeit mostly flat – countryside. This bucolic rural landscape is also home to many highly regarded wine growing regions such as those at Tokaj. There are more than 150 thermal spas – some of which date back to Roman times – and elegant bathhouses in some urban areas, most notably in the capital, Budapest.

The Heroes' Square

The Heroes’ square is one of the most visited sights of the Hungarian capital, i is situated in front of the City park, at the end of the Andrássy Avenue, one of the most important streets of Budapest, a World Heritage site. 

The millennial monument was built in 1896 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the arrival of Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin. The monument consists of two semi- circles on top of which the symbols of War and Peace, Work and Welfare, Knowledge and Glory can be seen.  The niches are decorated by the statues of kings, governors and famous characters of the Hungarian history. At the foot of each statue a small relief depicts the important moment of the life of the personality.

                                     Women selling beautiful hand knitted sweaters

In the middle of Heroes' square  stands a 36 meters high Corinthian column with the statue of Archangel Gabriel on the top, the symbol of the Roman Catholic religion. At the pedestal the equestrian statues commemorate Arpad and the seven chieftains of the Hungarian tribes, who settled their people in the present territory of Hungary. His descendants formed the Hungarian Royal Dynasty.

The biggest gallery of Budapest and Hungary (1895). Temporary exhibitions of contemporary Hungarian and international arts, design, photography, and new artistic trends.

A walk along the Danube Promenade, stretching between Elizabeth Bridge and the Chain Bridge in Pest, provides a beautiful view of the Buda side. The Promenade dates back to the Millennium celebrations in 1896, and is  lined up with trees and benches and lovely colorful flowers in rows and rows of pots. You can see so many 5- star hotels/ restaurants standing  majestically along the walkway.

One can even take a tram (no.2)and enjoy the view of river Danube and the important buildings on its banks, it is cheap and fun.

This is doll we bought here.

These dolls are made of Bisque Porcelain

The handmade dolls and various other handicrafts sold here are simply irresistible. 

Hungary is also famous for its Chillies, they have mild, medium and hot, but don't let the redness fool you to think they are hot, for compared to our Indian chillies even their 'Hot' is no where as hot as our Guntur chillies.  We just had a piece of Pizza with with what they claimed to be the hottest chilli sauce, (it was not hot at all). You have various  roadside food stalls and you can have a variety of drinks here. We tried the Spanish Sangria, which was okay not so great. 

And when you are in Budapest don't miss the New York Cafe, which is famous for its special coffee and chocolates. There may be hundreds of reasons, people might recommend visiting Budapest, but according to me there is just one  reason you should make it a point to visit Budapest is because it is the most romantic city in world. I had to take this weird picture: it is the reflection of a building  on the opposite side. The building looks all broken up and joined together, but it is not.

Hope  you enjoyed the second part of our visit to Budapest.

           

Budapest: The City Of Lights

Architecturally, Budapest is a gem, with enough baroque, neoclassical, eclectic and art novae buildings to satisfy anyone’s appetite and thus, making Budapest is the most beautiful city in central Europe. Although founded, more than 800 years ago, its beauty still stands unparalleled, despite earthquakes, fires, sieges and world wars. The buildings themselves in Budapest bear tell-tale signs of recent and ancient history.
The Hungarian capital is a delight both by day and by night, with its parks, brimming with attractions, museums filled with treasures, pleasure boats sailing up and down the scenic Danube and Turkish-era thermal baths, and of course its food and wine.

The capital has two sides, Buda and Pest, stretching along the banks of the Danube, representing two different characters of the city. Suburban Buda and its historic castle district offer medieval streets and houses, museums, caves and Roman ruins. The dynamic Pest side boasts the largest parliament building in Europe, riverside promenades, flea markets, bookstores, antique stores and café houses.

The most visited site is Trinity Square, dominated by one of Budapest's most characteristic building, the Mathias Church, which is over 700 years old. Multicolored roof tiles cover the building some of which retained its original Gothic style.

Castle Hill (old town)- has been a cultural and strategic focal point of the city for centuries and was also the site of over 30 sieges. The inevitable damage resulted in several episodes of rebuilding, often re-using stones from the rubble and giving the district a fascinating mix of architectural styles. The showpieces are the spectacular Mátyás Church and the Buda Royal Palace to the south.

The views over Pest from the Fishermen's Bastion is simply breath taking.The Fishermen's Bastion (Halászbástya) is often the first stop for tourists visiting Budapest, the fairytale turrets offering an elevated vantage point from which to view the city. The minarets and walls look medieval, but they were actually built in 1902 by Frigyes Schulek to complement Mátyás Church.

The name of the church refers to King Matthias Corvinus who expanded and embellished the building in Renaissance style. He also added the southern high tower (60 m high) called Matthias bell tower that bears the Hunyadi-s coat of arms a raven holding a golden ring in its beak.
Matthias was a much revered ruler of the era and was one of the greatest kings of Hungary. He was very fond of the arts and sciences and invited famous artists from abroad to help establish Renaissance enlightenment in Hungary. His royal court was famous even in Western Europe and visitors often praised the magnificence of his royal palace.Visible from almost everywhere in Budapest, Gellért Hill (Gellért hegy), with the impressive Freedom Monument on its peak, is one of the city's memorable landmarks.

The royal castle visible  from the bridge,and from the river Danube  

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, Hungary was fully independent, and since then there has been no obstacle in its flowering into one of most beautiful and romantic country.
And what could be more romantic than an evening cruise on the blue river Danube. 
As the sun goes down, and as we sip our Champagne, and feast on the mighty bridges linking Buda and Pest, the mesmerising castle, the views of the glittering Parliament, the monuments of freedom, soaking into the Buda, soaking into the Pest, the "City of lights".................

The two B&W pictures were taken by me.

There is more to come about Budapest, stay tuned.