The third stop on our honeymoon itinerary was the breathtaking city of Budapest . Often touted as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Budapest is a feast for all the senses with an overabundance in culture, a great nightlife scene, and warm people. * Founded in 895AD by the Seven Chieftains of the Magyars , Budapest is linguistically and culturally different from the rest of Europe, who can trace their lineage to either the Romance-speaking (Latin), Germanic, or Slavic people.  * It seems that almost every corner of Budapest has a statue or work of art erected in it. Here's a statue of Andras Hadik , a Hungarian nobleman and Field Marshall of the Habsburg Army, who captured the Prussian capital of Berlin during the Seven Years War. * Our tour service that day was conducted by Discover Budapest , an awesome service run by a group of young Hungarians full of enthusiasm and zeal for their beautiful city. * Apart from walking tours, they also

Krakow Market Square Underground Salt Cathedral of Wieliczka Wawel Castle and Cathedral Auschwitz St. Mary's Basilica

Returning from a whole day of remembrance in Auschwitz , we purposely went straight to a church in order to say a prayer for the millions who were brutally murdered. That church was the majestic St. Mary's Basilica , located right on the Main Market Square of Krakow . * Originally built in the 13th Century, the Basilica's more formal name is the Church of Our Lady Assumed Into Heaven .

Now Auschwitz would normally not appear in any honeymoon itinerary, and with good reason. There is absolutely nothing positive to be felt in going to a place were over a million innocent men, women, and children were systematically murdered. And yet, we were honored to have visited this site and to have heard the shocking tale of evil and depravity that occurred here. We are all witness to this atrocity, and we shall never forget. * Arbeit Macht Frei - which translates to "work makes you free." Right on the entrance of the camp stands this bold-faced lie, offering hope to all newcomers that they were just to be used as slave labor, far from what really transpired here.

Following our morning in the Underground Salt Cathedral of Wieliczka , we decided to go the other direction in the afternoon by going uphill to learn more about the Kings and Queens of the Polish people. Wawel Hill , situated on the banks of the fabled Vistula River , is a castle complex built in the 8th Century serving as the political center of the Polish people for over a millennium. The complex includes the Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral , which contains the mausoleum of the Polish Monarchs. * The astounding view of the Wawel Cathedral grounds! The castle complex has often been described by observers as one of the most fascinating of all European castles .