House of Terror Museum in Budapest

My visit to the House of Terror Museum in Budapest last week left a profound impact on me. Today, as I explored the Museum of Communism in Prague, those same feelings of angst, sadness, and confusion resurfaced, bringing a renewed awareness of the difficult history both nations endured.

Here is a description of the house of

House of Terror Museum in Budapest Hungary: written October 28, 2024

The House of Terror Museum in Budapest is an evocative and chilling testament to Hungary’s turbulent 20th-century history, highlighting the brutal regimes that shaped the nation. Situated on Andrássy Avenue in the heart of the city, this imposing museum occupies a former headquarters of both the Nazi-aligned Arrow Cross Party and later the notorious Communist State Security services. The building itself, with its strikingly modern “TERROR” rooftop installation casting shadows across the façade, sets the tone for what lies inside.

Through immersive exhibits, visitors encounter personal stories, historical footage, and artifacts that document the lives shattered by oppressive forces. Each floor of the museum delves into the terrors experienced under both fascist and then communist regimes, showing the imprisonment, interrogation, and often death faced by those deemed enemies of the state. The basement, preserved as a prison area, includes recreated cells where detainees endured unimaginable conditions.

Highlights of the museum include the “Hall of Tears,” which memorializes the victims of these regimes, and an entire section dedicated to Hungary’s 1956 Revolution, a courageous but tragic attempt to break free from Soviet control. This museum isn’t just about Hungary’s history—it’s a powerful, universal reminder of the importance of freedom and resilience. Through its uncompromising presentation, the House of Terror challenges visitors to confront and reflect on these dark chapters, creating an experience that’s both harrowing and deeply moving.

The House of Terror Museum is a powerful reminder of the horrors that individuals endured under fascist and communist regimes, enduring surveillance, oppression, and persecution that stripped people of their dignity and lives. Walking through its haunting halls and reflecting on the fear and suffering that so many experienced, I’m filled with gratitude for the freedoms I enjoy today.

———-

Two days later, this place is still haunting me.

Living in a country where freedom of expression, press, religion, and association are safeguarded feels like a privilege I might have otherwise taken for granted. I’m grateful to live in a society where equal opportunity is a fundamental right, where individual voices can be raised without fear, and where justice and protections exist for all citizens. Standing in this museum, surrounded by the echoes of those who lived under constant fear, I’m reminded that these freedoms aren’t universal and that they are something truly worth cherishing and protecting.

BTW—I voted by mail before I left home for my trip!

Baltic capitals (with Russia and Berlin) cruise

Land of windmills, bicycles, canals, and Hansa

I find the Baltic capitals 12 day cruise to be one of the most interesting cruise itineraries of all because it is rich in history, beauty, variety, and it includes visits to the hub of activity and seat of government of several northern European countries.  It is also an affordable means of visiting expensive cities.  I enjoyed my second visit to this impressive region of the world even more because I travelled on Celebrity Cruise Line in a concierge class room. The itinerary included visits to six ports of call, including an overnight stay in St. Petersburg, Russia, and four much-needed sea days.  If I had to do it over again, I would've spent time in Amsterdam, the departure city, prior to the cruise.

 

Here are the highlights of the trip:

A visit to Berlin, Germany a city that I still find to be one of the most interesting in the world. Not only is it the birth place of Nazism and rise to power of Hitler, but it served as the epicenter of the 40+ year Cold War. The remnants of our recent history, especially of World War II and Berlin's role, abound-- from the war-torn Kaiser Wilhelm Cathedral to the monument to the murdered Jews, to the iconic East Berlin traffic signals, to Check Point Charlie, to the Reichstag , to the memorial of the book burning, to the Brandenburg  gate, to remaining segments of the Berlin wall scattered throughout the city -- there's always something to stimulate the mind about horror, war, duty, paranoia, denial, resistance, heart break, and resilience.  What's most impressive is how the Germans take full responsibility for the horrors of the Nazi regime.  In this effort, they continue to build monuments to commemorate and enlighten about what happened.  I could go back time and time again, to explore all its museums, monuments, public places, and memorials. 

Our tour included visits of Museum Island, The Brandenburg Gate, The Reichstag, Charlottenburg Palace, the Holocaust Memorial, and everything listed in the previous sentences.  Bratwurst for lunch was delicious.

This time, I spent more time at the Topography of Terror Museum (comprehensive indoor and outdoor exhibits detailing the history of repression under the Nazis) and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews.

It is well worth the 3 Hour drive. from Port city of Warnemunde.  Both times I took a full day tour with SPB, a company that provides excellent tours of Russia and Baltic capital cities. 

Brandenburg Gate

 

Berlin Wall

Charlottenburg Palace

My second two-day visit to St. Petersburg, Russia was as enjoyable as the first.  This fabulous city, patterned after the great capital cities of Western Europe with royal palaces and gardens mirroring Versailles, should be placed on everyone’s bucket list.  Highlights included visits to Catherine’s Palace, Peterhoff, Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral, Senate Square, a Hydrofoil ride, the Palace where Rasputin spent his final hours (Yusopov), a canal cruise, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, typical Russian meals, and the piece de resistance: The Hermitage, the world's second largest art museum behind the Louvre.

Prior to my visit, again, I studied the lives of the Tsars, with a focus on Peter the Great, Catherine the great, and the downfall of the Romanov dynasty.

Hermitage and St Issac's across The Neva River

Peterhoff Gardens and Fountains

Matryoshka Dolls

Bronze Horseman

 

Sunrise and sunset cruising through the Stockholm archipelago of 30,000 islands and islets. 

Vasa Museum in Stockholm.  This was my second visit to one of my favorite museums in the world.  The museum actually houses the 384year-old war ship that sank during its maiden voyage in 1628, along with informative-interactive exhibits describing the raising of the ship in 1961, life on board the ship, naval warfare, life in Sweden in the 1600s, skeletal remains, and more.  There are even facial reconstructions of victims onboard the sunken ship, enhanced by modern technology, created from skeletal remains.  See http://www.vasamuseet.se/en/

 

View of Tallinn’s OldTown from the ship

Tours in St Petersburg, Berlin, Tallinn, and Stockholm.  HOHO bus tour in Copenhagen and Helsinki

Nyhavn

 

Little Mermaid-Mascot of Copenhagen

On the Stroget

Helsinki-Market Square

Tallinn, Estonia-City Walls

 

Life onboard the Celebrity Constellation.  It is a beautiful ship, newly refurbished, and decorated with eclectic, thought-provoking artwork throughout.  The food was well above average.  I had escargots EVERY NIGHT!  We loved the ship’s song and dance cast!

 

Escargots every night

Excellent guest lecturers.  There was a naturalist, Karen Dodd and a Harry Murphy, a doctor of Education.  They lectured on the Romanovs, The Berlin Wall, Alfred Nobel, WW II, Russian, Viking, Prussian, and Hanseatic history and culture, Amber, and even The History of Hollywood.  Karen Dodd delivered such impassioned and interesting talks that I would listen to her lecture on toothpicks.  She even invited everyone to join her from 5AM-9AM, up on deck, as we cruised through the Stockholm archipelago.  I learned so much from her about the Hanseatic League, the development of German vs. Viking societies, whales, and more.  Her lectures truly enhanced my experience. We replayed both speakers’ lectures several times in our room, on the Celebrity channel.

Our wonderful dinner mates.  Agnes and Richard from Ohio; Juanita and Ross from Portland, OR; and Jane, Don, and their 12-yr old grandson, Anakin, from Portland, OR

Don, Jane,Anakin, Karla, Joel, Juanita, Ross,Agnes, Richard

As before, the weather was pleasant everywhere--we only had rain in Stockholm and at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews (15 minutes, in Berlin).

Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, and Suez Canal Cruise in 50 days

In 50 days, I will board a beautiful ship in Barcelona that will visit Egypt, Jordan, Dubai, and pass thru the Suez Canal.  At the end of the cruise, I will spend 2 nights in Dubai.  Petra, Luxor, and Dubai will be new to me. 

Here is the itinerary of this 16-day, repositioning cruise:

16 nights departing October 26, 2012 on
Celebrity's Celebrity Solstice

ITINERARY

DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART Fri Oct 26 Barcelona, Spain 6:00pm Sat Oct 27 At Sea Sun Oct 28 At Sea Mon Oct 29 At Sea Tue Oct 30 Cairo / Giza (Alexandria), Egypt 6:00am Wed Oct 31 Cairo / Giza (Alexandria), Egypt 6:00pm Thu Nov 1 Suez Canal, Egypt (Cruising) 6:00am 8:00pm Fri Nov 2 Luxor (Safaga), Egypt 8:00am Sat Nov 3 Luxor (Safaga), Egypt 8:00pm Sun Nov 4 Petra (Aqaba), Jordan 7:00am 6:00pm Mon Nov 5 At Sea Tue Nov 6 At Sea Wed Nov 7 At Sea Thu Nov 8 At Sea Fri Nov 9 At Sea Sat Nov 10 At Sea Sun Nov 11 Dubai, United Arab Emirates 6:00am

26 Days crossing the Atlantic and Touring 6 Countries in the Mediterranean

In 30 days, I will drive a few miles north to board a shiny new ship that will cross the Atlantic and take us to ports in Southern Europe. I am delighted that I will stay on board for the next segment that will tour Greece and Turkey. I am especially excited that I will visit Istanbul for the first time. I look forward to 12 sea days and 13 rich port days from my nice balcony room.

Here is the 26-day itinerary:

Day :1 departs Ft Lauderdale
Days 2-7: Days at Sea
Day 8: Ponte Delgalda, Portugal
Days 9-10: Days at Sea
Day 11: Cartagena, Spain
Day 12: Barcelona, Spain
Day 13: Toulon, France
Day 14: Florence/Pisa Port City
Day 15: Rome’s Port City-cruise ends here
2nd cruise begins
Day 15 Rome’s Port City
Day 16 Sea Day
Day 17 Santorini. Greece
Day 18 Sea Day
Day 19 Istanbul, Turkey
Day 20 Istanbul, Turkey
Day 21 Ephesus, Turkey
Day 22 Athens, Greece
Day 23 Mykonos, Greece
Day 24 Sea Day
Day 25 Naples/Amalfi Coast/Capri etc.
Day 26 Rome’s Port City-cruise ends here

Queen Victoria is a Beautiful Ship!

The Queen Victoria is one of only three of the majestic ships in Cunard's elegant fleet. Built in 2007, she accommodates 2000 passengers, was captained by the first ever female Capt. in Cunard's history, and took us on a 16-day journey that was a combination of an 8-day European cruise and an 8-day transatlantic crossing.

Known for its beautiful public spaces that are elegantly decorated in tasteful Victorian-Era style, the QV contains a sumptuous, several deck Grand Lobby; a large ballroom, known as the Queens Room, where live bands play while guests ballroom dance; a large Royal Arcade shopping area; and the impressive Royal Court theatre. Of course, there are cozy bars and pubs galore. Overall, as important as history is in creating a certain elegant ambience onboard, what makes it all work is that Cunard has successfully fused heritage with modernity.

Here are some of the characteristics of our journey that I found especially appealing along with some observations and comments:

We felt the service was excellent.

The ship is extremely elegant.

We went to afternoon tea (complete wih scones, watercress sandwiches, and petits fours) every day at 3:30PM in the Queens ballroom. There was live music with a string quartet, a pianist, or a harpist. The waiters wore white gloves.

The chocoholic buffet was first class all the way: in addition to a diverse variety of chocolate delights, they had a sushi bar, cheese bar, cold cut bar, fruit bar, and other appetizers bar. They prepared made-to-order crepes, flambéed desserts, fondues (milk, dark and white choc fondue), and several premium liqueurs: Baileys, Kahlua, Grand Marnier, Frangelico and more.

The balcony rooms are ample in size.

Everyone was so “civilized” no one ever got loud. We even joined a “very orderly and proper” conga line one night. Even the casino was as quiet as a mouse.

We never had to wait in lines. We never felt it was crowded--ever. There were times when we would walk around the ships and see entire rooms (public areas, bars etc.) that had no people in them.

The passengers were 80% British.

Many venues shut down early, at about 10:30. This is likely in response to a demographically older clientele.

We had the good fortune of being on probably the only 16-day cruise in history with no children.

I found the food to be average – hit or miss. Here are 2 comments posted by other passengers:

The food was not up to the standards that most Americans expect. It was geared to British people. Very bland, boring, and non-descript.

The only disappointment was with the food. We had heard while on a previous cruise from at least one individual that the food on Cunard was not "good" - when compared to Holland America Cunard's food was definitely not as good.

Once it was discovered Joel had some food restrictions/preferences etc., the head waiter (Joachim) came every night to give us a copy of the next evening’s dinner menu as well as a vegetarian menu from which we could choose. Both he and our waiter went the extra mile to give excellent service. My waiter even squeezed my lemon (with a neat fork and spoon method) and removed my shrimp from the skewer! At the end of each meal, they brought truffles and carmelized ginger to our table.

The grand, choreographed, gala shows were fabulous, the comedians were entertaining, and as the various bands and musicians around the ship were great.

Composition of our dinner table of 10 was 7 British, 1 Canadian, and 2 American.

Along with 15 other guests, I performed in a fashion show on our 6th sea day.

There were great historians and enrichment speakers: Captain Howard Deck; and Professor Simon Newman were particularly outstanding. The virtual tour of the bridge conducted by ship’s officers was quite impressive.

A live band played every night (the Queens "ballroom tempo band" played 15 out of the 16 nights) additionally the ship's orchestra (the Royal Court Orchestra) accompanied this band for two nights of "big band music".

In keeping with Cunard tradition, evenings on the ship are quite formal. Specifically there were five formal nights, four semi-formal nights, and seven “elegant casual” nights. Gentleman must wear a jacket every single night to dinner in the main dining room and they request that the dress code be observed ship-wide after 6 PM, every night. I must admit that everyone looked elegant dressed in traditional formal attire each evening. It was nice to glide through the lounges, restaurants, and other public spaces dressed in our dinner finest.

The norovirus precautions really negatively altered our experience the first 5 days. Yet, they might have been effective; we are happy we didn’t catch it.

Days 1-5: SERIOUS NORO-VIRUS (ship infection) precautions DOMINATED the 1st third of the trip. We were hyper-washing our hands, avoiding touching surfaces—even bannisters, avoiding touching people. The captain even postponed captain’s ball because she wanted (needed) to avoid people. They made us hand sanitize everywhere we went. They encouraged us not to use public restrooms. All items were removed from tables in restaurants and they even stopped serving in the Golden Lion pub. The Lido buffet was all wrapped up and we could not touch ANYTHING. Merchandise was not out and available to touch in shops and daily “bazaars”. I couldn’t go into perfume shop and spray on my cologne daily. There were warning signs everywhere—even on bannisters, warning us not to touch.

There were full amenities/toiletries in bathrooms.

The ship’s photography services were not assertive enough.

Here are some of the activities in which I engaged: attended lots of lectures on everything from ports of call, to the history of the Olympics, to ancient Greece; ballroom dance lessons and line dance classes every day; drama class; Photoshop classes; watched fun contests by the pool, watched dancing and singing contests, went to sail away parties, took shore excursions to Olympia Greece and Gibraltar; a murder mystery show; participated in a fashion show; breakfast out on deck; daily afternnon tea with scones, masquerade ball, room service breakfast often; and many more….(Didn’t do spa or fitness or sunbathing this cruise).

We gained and hour many days as we crossed from East to West. The gift of an extra hour is always a real treat.

Overall, it was a relaxing and invigorating experience with rich delights for the mind and body!