Tour guide Lana Hansen – star of the Travel Can Be Murder Cozy Mystery series – loves to travel the world, taking readers on a virtual vacation along the way. Too bad for her so many of her guests die during her trips!
I know many of you love to travel, too! Over on Facebook, I have started a weekly featuring where I post the picture you see above without the name added, to see who can guess where in the world Lana Hansen is.
If you want to join in on the fun, head on over to my Facebook page to take part!
For those Facebook participants who have already figured out where Lana is, here is an excerpt from her first impressions of Fisherman’s Bastion and Buda Palace in Budapest, Hungary. I hope you enjoy it!
This excerpt of DEATH ON THE DANUBE comes from the “Exploring Castle Hill” chapter:
An hour later, their tour bus slipped and slid its way up the windy streets of the Castle Hill neighborhood towards Buda Palace. What Lana thought was one enormous structure was in fact a series of buildings clustered together on the tippity-top of Buda Hill. The architecture was a splendid mix of Gothic, baroque, and Renaissance. Flower beds, snow-covered this time of the year, were dotted about the complex. Lana imagined it would be even more beautiful here in the spring. Imposing statues of regal knights on armored horses and copper-topped monuments turned green from age completed the picture.
After they entered the complex, they followed the signs towards the History Museum. Carl detached himself from Sally long enough to help Lana find their local guide, a small bespectacled man in his late fifties. He bowed graciously at the group, introduced himself and then immediately launched into his well-rehearsed speech.
“Welcome to the Royal Palace. Here you can experience the splendor and glory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and get a glimpse of the lives of the aristocracy. This palace, completed in the thirteenth century, is now recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. We will start our tour by introducing you to the history of the many palaces, museums, and churches located here on top of Buda Hill. We will then visit our History Museum before walking to the upper level of the palace grounds. There we will see Matthias Church and Fisherman’s Bastion. Before we begin, I do want to warn you that despite the grand exteriors, almost none of the original interior decorations or architectural details remain. In fact, most of these structures were rebuilt in their original style after the war ended. When the Nazis occupied Hungary in 1940, they used these buildings as their offices and stripped them clean. Bombs and fires during World War II destroyed the rest.”
Lana could feel her group’s enthusiasm waning the longer he spoke. Great, she thought sarcastically, he really knows how to win a crowd. She hoped he had a few interesting stories to tell; otherwise this was going to be one long tour.
He led them slowly through the complex of palatial buildings, most now home to history and cultural museums, pointing out the few remaining original details and explaining the castle’s long and turbulent history.
Not much of a history buff, Lana did her best to listen, but in reality she was more interested in simply looking at the buildings’ exteriors than in learning why or how they had been constructed.
Frieda did her best to challenge the guide’s knowledge, but by the end of the first hour, even she was content to just follow along and listen. Sally had attached herself to Carl and wasn’t letting go, Lana noticed. But in contrast to last night, Carl seemed happy to cuddle with her. He held her hand as he pointed to a statue or monument he liked, and she chatted easily about the paintings and costumes she admired. Maybe I was seeing things last night and Carl truly is in love with Sally, Lana thought, hoping for Sally’s sake that she was right.
However, the snake in the grass—in the form of Jess—followed a short distance behind them, her eyes always on Carl. Several times she seemed to try to brush up against him, but each time, he eased Sally between them, causing Jess to retreat.
Oddly enough, Lana got the impression that Tom was also keeping his eye on Carl. How did they know each other? Lana wondered. Seattle was a village of sorts, but she doubted Carl and Tom ran in the same social circles. From what she had gathered so far, Tom worked for a yacht rental company, owned by his wife. And Helen had made clear that she saw them as above the other guests. As if to reaffirm Lana’s suspicions, Helen and Tom trailed behind the group, purposefully walking a good distance behind the rest.
The Hendersons, bless them, were right at the front, keeping pace with their guide better than most of the Fabulous Five. Lana only wondered how much of their guide’s lecture Mrs. Henderson could understand. Lana and Frieda took turns assisting Sara when she feared the path was too icy.
After their guide finished leading them through the last of the palace buildings, he paused at the exit and addressed the group. “We are now going to walk up to Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church. It is only a few minutes’ walk; however, I advise you to button up your jacket. The winds are quite fierce today, especially on the upper level.”
Their guide led them up the steep pathways and stairs towards the top of the hill. Luckily for Lana and her guests, someone had the foresight to sprinkle salt on the stairs and pathways; otherwise this would have been far too slippery to traverse. They soon reached a large gate and climbed another steep staircase to the top.
Lana couldn’t help but shiver when the wind whipped through her jacket. The guide was right about the weather; the winds here were far stronger than she’d anticipated. Then again, they were so high up, the buildings on the Pest side of the river looked like dollhouses. She ignored the biting cold and enjoyed the views, before Helen’s voice broke her concentration.
“Watch out, will you?” Helen snapped. Lana turned to see Jess had stumbled and bumped into Helen while taking a picture.
Helen turned to Jess, presumably to continue her tirade, when her features softened. “You look so familiar. Have we met before?”
Jess glared back at her. “You could say that. I’ve served you dozens of cappuccinos this past year. I don’t recall you tipping once.”
Helen’s eyes went wide in recognition. “Of course! You work at the marina’s café, don’t you? Fancy you being on the same tour as us.” Helen looked at Jess’s skintight pants and stud-covered leather jacket with disdain.
“What, lowly waitresses aren’t allowed to take a vacation?”
“You can do whatever you want. I just didn’t expect to see someone of your age on this kind of tour. I thought someone like you would prefer to go clubbing on a beach during spring break,” Helen said curtly and turned on her heel.
“People like me enjoy culture, too.” Jess spat out the words, but Helen was already walking away.
Despite the obvious tension among many of the members, Lana ensured her group stayed with the guide as he led them through the upper complex of buildings. They first stopped to marvel at the flying buttresses, spires, and colorful geometric pattern of tiles decorating the roof of Matthias Church. After explaining its history, their guide pointed to a fairytale-like structure straddling the edge of the hill.
“That is Fisherman’s Bastion. It was built to celebrate the thousandth birthday of the Hungarian state and finished in 1902. The unique style is inspired by early medieval architecture. From here, you have the most spectacular views of Budapest in the city.”
Lana gaped at the seven white stone spires topping the series of covered passageways and balconies leading along the hill’s edge. They merged together to form a path leading to a circular churchlike building constructed from the same stone.
From the passageway and open balconies, the panoramic views of the city were spectacular. Lana took in the forested hills touched with snow on the Buda side, the bridges straddling the river, the pattern of homes and streets far below, and the massive Hungarian Parliament Building on the Pest side.
“We are lucky it is not snowing today. The skies are clear,” the guide said. He pointed to his left. “There you can see Margaret Island, just behind the yellow bridge named after it. If you look to your right, most of you will recognize Chain Bridge. It was completed in 1849 and was the first bridge to cross the Danube.”
Lana half-listened, but was more interested in soaking up the glorious views from their high perch. A light layer of snow covered the many rooftops, though much of it had blown away in the strong winds. Her guests were busy photographing everything in sight. She felt sorry for the friends back home who would have to look through all those pictures.
“Boy, it sure is cold here. I guess I can’t complain about Seattle’s winters anymore, can I, Carl?” Sally said with a laugh.
“Let me warm you up, dumpling.” Carl stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her torso, holding her tight. Sally snuggled into his embrace and rested her head happily on his chest. Carl kissed her head as they enjoyed the views together.
As painful as it was to be around a couple in love, Lana was glad to see them happy. She wasn’t convinced that she could ever love again, though her friends firmly believed that she should get back on that horse as soon as possible. Dotty and Willow had a long list of potential dates they were dying to set her up with, but she couldn’t imagine going out with anyone else. How could she ever trust a man again, after Ron had left her like that?
Lana shook her thoughts loose, focusing on the beauty of Budapest instead. Suddenly she realized that Sara was still inside the enclosed passageway, leaning heavily against the stone wall. Lana had gotten so caught up in her own thoughts, she’d forgotten about assisting the older lady.
“Can I help you?” Lana asked.
Sara looked up at her with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Lana. It does look treacherous.”
“My pleasure. Oh wow, would you look at that,” Lana gushed as they stepped out towards the balcony’s railing. The sunlight broke through the clouds and lit up the river, making the waves in the Danube River sparkle like diamonds.
“It looks like a big fat snake slithering though the city, doesn’t it?” Sara said.
Lana laughed. “It sure does have the same shape. I’m going to take a few pictures, if you don’t mind.”
“Be my guest. In fact, would you take one of me with Pest in the background? My daughter always complains that I forget to take selfies on my trips. She likes to travel vicariously.”
“I’m happy to, Sara. I can imagine she’ll appreciate seeing her mom enjoying herself abroad, more than just pictures of random buildings.”
The snow made the castle, views, and Fisherman’s Bastion even more enchanting than she had expected. Yet it was a struggle to stay warm. She was so glad Dotty had advised her to buy a good pair of gloves for the trip. She was especially thankful for the knitted hat and scarf that Dotty had given her. If only she had bought a warmer jacket when she was at Second Hand Love. She was shivering so badly, she figured most of her snapshots would be blurry.
Just as Lana hoped the older guests were doing okay, she overheard Frieda grumble, “Now I know what meat in a freezer feels like” to Rebecca.
Their guide must have heard her, too, because he announced, “Good news; it’s time to warm up. I will now take you to the National Music Museum, then escort you back down to the entrance for the conclusion of our tour.”
***
If you enjoyed this excerpt, why not pick up your copy of Death on the Danube now and read it from the start?
Death on the Danube is available as paperback, audiobook, eBook, Large Print, and in Kindle Unlimited on:
Prefer to read it in another language? This entire series is also available in Spanish, Dutch, French, German, and Italian!
Mort sur le Danube: Un meurtre au Nouvel An à Budapest (Les mystères cosy « Voyage avec le tueur » t. 1)
Muerte en el Danubio: Un asesinato de Año Nuevo en Budapest (Serie de Misterios Acogedores «Viajar Puede Ser Mortal» nº 1)
Morte sul Danubio: Un omicidio di Capodanno a Budapest (Viaggiare può essere mortale – Misteri Cozy Vol. 1)
Tod an der Donau: Ein Neujahrsmord in Budapest (Reisen Kann Tödlich Sein Cozy-Krimis 1)
Dood aan de Donau eBook (Reizen Kan Moord Zijn Cozy Mysteries, Boek 1)