We have had limited opportunities to share any of our experiences due to the long days and limited access to our computer. We will provide details when we return home, but for now we at least wanted to share a few photographs from some of the places that we’ve seen. After a couple of days in Hanoi, Vietnam, we flew to Vientiane, Laos where we spent an afternoon at Buddha Park, which was amazing. Needless to say, the pictures don’t truly do it justice, but here is a brief glimpse into this wonderful site.
Jaws of TeethDifferent Styles of Statues in the ParkA Sense of CalmLooking Over the ParkReclining Buddha
One of the first things that we did upon our arrival in Cochabamba was to visit the Cristo de la Concordia, which is a statue of Jesus Christ. The statue sits on top of San Pedro Hill and is accessible by a cable car or you can walk the 2,000 steps to the statue if you prefer. The statue is quite interesting, but since San Pedro Hill is almost 900 feet (265 meters) above the city of Cochabamba, the views are worth the visit as well.
Steps Leading Up to the StatueView of CochabambaRiding the Cable CarViews of the City are Amazing
The Cristo de la Concordia statue was modeled after the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. The similarities are obvious, but the statue in Cochabamba is actually slightly larger. The statue is position such that the left hand points south and the right hand points north. Visiting the statue and seeing the views of the city should certainly be part of any visit to Cochabamba.
Close-Up of the StatueView from the Cable CarCochabamba Sits at the Base of the MountainsDefinitely Worth Taking the Cable Car Instead of Walking
Located at the base of Gellert Hill, the hill that the Citadella (fortress) sits atop, is a system of caves. One of the caves was converted into a chapel in the 1920’s and even served as a hospital for the Germans during WWII. Known as the Cave Church, it was certainly one of the most interesting places that we visited during our time in Budapest. A cross on top of the hill denotes the location of the church, which is also located near the famous Gellert Baths where people gather to enjoy the therapeutic thermal baths.
Altar Within Cave ChurchSeating for Religious CeremoniesCross On Top of Gellert HillChurch Exterior Outside of the CaveHistoric ArtifactsCourtyard in the Church ExteriorIntimidating Shadow
The atmosphere within Cave Church is interesting due to the lack of natural light and the rugged cavern walls. After its conversion to a hospital by the NAZI army during the war, it returned to serving as a church until 1951 when the Soviet Union had it shut down. The chapel was raided by the Soviet Army, the monks arrested, and the cave sealed up until Budapest regained their freedom in 1989. Today, the monks of the Pauline Order continue to operate the church and hold religious functions on the site as well as maintain it as a tourist attraction.
Walking into Cave Church from the EntranceHungarian ArtworkMore Art in the CaveStatue Outside of the ChurchMuseum DisplayFlowers in RemembranceMain Altar
There is a nominal fee in order to enter the church and walking through the cavern will take you about thirty minutes to fully explore. In addition to the statues and artwork inside of Cave Church itself, there is also a small museum with additional historic artifacts. Exploring the church and understanding its history is certainly worth the effort of walking along the Danube below Gellert Hill. We combined it with our visit to the Citadella, which sits high above. It may not be the most well-known site in Budapest, but if your itinerary allows, we would recommend visiting.
Ornate ConfessionalStatue Lit Up Against the Cave WallStained Glass Inside of the CaveWood Carving in the MuseumPainting in the MuseumWooden Statue Embedded into the Cave Wall
