LOVE.LIGHT.LANTERNS

[lovelightandlanterns]

Pictured: The Hungarian Parliament. . I visited Budapest in March 2017 in what was to be my first solo trip. One of my first stops was a tour of the Hungarian Parliament. It is one of the center pieces of Budapest and looks just as beautiful at night as it does in the day! . . The building is accessible to the public via daily tours that run throughout the day. The building can be found in in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube. Interestingly, it is currently the largest building in Hungary and still one of the the tallest buildings in Budapest. That's something I didn't notice until I left Budapest, literally no major skyscrapers! . . The design of the building was the creative genius of Imre Steindl, who won the right to design the building having won a competition that would decide who would be its architect. Construction was eventually completed in 1904. About 100,000 people were involved in construction. 40 million bricks, half a million precious stones and 40 kilograms (88 lb) of gold were used. . Have you visited The Hungarian Parliament? . #hungarianparliament #hungary #budapest #traveleurope #travel #solotravel #bucketlisters #bucketlist #dametravler (at Parliament of Hungary, Budapest)

[lovelightandlanterns]

Pictured: Memento Park, Budapest. . Designed by Hungarian architect Ákos Eleőd, Memento Park is an open-air museum that sits just outside of the centre of Budapest. It holds statues, sculptures and plaques from Hungary’s communist era (1949 – 1989). The park is about an hour bus ride from the city center, but that shouldn’t put you off. You’ll be treated to an array of scenery including winding hills and a top down view of the city as you make your way up to the park. . . After the fall of the Communism in Hungary in 1989, many of the Communist statues and monuments were either torn down or removed. Many of these became the initial phases of the park. On June 29, 1993, the second anniversary of the withdrawal of the Soviet troops from Hungarian territory, the park celebrated a grand opening as a public outdoor museum. . . Memento Park is a classic example of a great attraction that has lots to offer, but is lacking in some places. I had to do some extra research online as there was nothing in the way of educational guides when I got there. No tour guides, no audio guides, no pamphlets/booklets, no information plaques next to each statue -  nothing.  . . I would also advise that you either go just after lunch, or just before dinner as there isn't really anywhere to eat, or nowhere that I could see. I went around 4:00pm in the afternoon and had the pleasure of watching the sunset on the journey back to the city center. It can also be very winding so bring a scarf and hat if you're going at a time when it's chilly.  . . Overall I would say that Memento Park is a fun attraction if you want to get some cool Instagram pictures, but it's not a must see. If you have some time to kill, go right ahead, otherwise, you're not missing anything if you don't go.  I'll end with a very interesting quote from the parks designer:  "This park is about dictatorship. And at the same time, because it can be talked about, described, built, this park is about democracy. After all, only democracy is able to give the opportunity to let us think freely about dictatorship." Speaks for our current times, doesn't it?  . . #mementopark #budapest #hungary #bucketlist #travel #travelblogger (at Memento Park Budapest)

[lovelightandlanterns]

Hidden in woodlands in the heart of Surrey, we find a stunning sculpture park filled with charismatic art installations that showcase a wide variety of artistic minds and disciplines.  Surrey is a county in the south east of England and also one of the home counties bordering Greater London.  Sculptures in the park range in style, size and material, and placed along easy to follow, colour and number marked routes that act as a guide. . . Here's what you should know about the park before you visit... - Wear sturdy and comfortable walking shoes for your visit. Parts of the park route will take you up very steep hills, set with narrow stairways. If you struggle to get up stairs, or get tired after walking for long distances, this may not be the place for you to visit, or you may consider only doing parts of the park. - Provided you don’t stop for too long at any point, it should take you around 2-3 hours to get around the park. - You can actually purchase the sculptures. They range from a few hundred pounds to well over £100,000 for the more decadent pieces. - Reaching the park is a bit of a hassle. When we researched train journey’s, the cheapest day return ticket from London we could find was around £23. The nearest train station is not within walking distance of the park, which means you have to get a cab. Trust me, walking is not an option unless you want to tire yourself out before your day even begins. There are also no coaches or buses that stop anywhere near the park either. - I would highly recommend you drive. It took us around an hour and a half from London, and provided you go outside of peak traffic hours, it should be a smooth ride. - Bring a packed lunch. There are no restaurants or indoor seating areas onsite, so bare that in mind if you’re visiting when it’s cold. - The only point of food nearby is a hotel that sits just opposite the park, but be warned, the food is expensive. The nearest town area is not within walking distance, and doesn’t offer much in terms of food options. - The park opens at 10:00am and closes at 5:00pm. . Have you visited the park? #surreysculpturepark #sculpturepark #art #artinstillation#travel #bucketlist

[lovelightandlanterns]

Location: Stonehenge Bucket list notes: UNSECO Heritage Site. . . Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. Wiltshire of course, is the home of Salisbury, a beautifully preserved cathedral city. I did not get the chance to visit, but if you like visiting historical cities, rich in fine architecture, it’s worth going if you’re in the area. . In an effort to improve the site, Stonehenge now features a modern looking visitors centre that includes a museum, gift shop and other minor related attractions. The old visitors centre was apparently built nearer to the site. I think building the new one further away, makes for a more dramatic effect as you approach the stones. My visit was part of a bigger day trip, so I only had 2 hours to explore both the main site and the visitors centre and headed straight for the stones first. The journey to the Stones took around one hour and a half without traffic. . There are two ways of getting to the Stones once you arrive. You can either walk, which will take you about 30 minutes, or take a bus shuttle, which takes about 5 minutes. With limited time, I decided to take the bus, but on a bright sunny day, I can imagine walking is wonderful. . The exact purpose for the stones and methods used to place them are still in constant debate. One thing however is certain: the people that built Stonehenge were highly intelligent engineers for their time and incredibly resilient people. The heavier stones weigh up to 25 tonnes, and some were transported from over 200miles away from the site. Stonehenge is truly a site to be marveled at. There is a  protective rope that goes around the main site, but I did get closer than I imagined you could get. Despite the presence of tourists, there was still an air of mystery about the place. Some theorists suggest that Stonehenge was a site of healing, I certainly felt calm being there and tried to imagine what it would have been like for those who walked its sacred grounds thousands of years ago. . . Have you visited the Stones? . #stonehenge #travel #travelblogger #bucketlist (at Stonehenge)