Budapest, Hungary - October 25-29, 2018
Budapest is the city of bridges. It is actually two cities. Buda on one side of the Danube river and Pest on the other. As soon as we arrived we knew this would be a great place. It is full of ancient buildings, excellent restaurants, thermal baths, ruin bars, and has the best public transport I have ever used.
We stayed in downtown Budapest very near the Oktogon subway station. We had a great little apartment with a very eccentric host named Gabor. He had a bottle of Palinka (a fruit Brandy) ready to try in the fridge. It was delicious but will knock your socks of if you have more than two. It was a comfy two bedroom affair with kitchen and two bathrooms. Very clean and secure, with a courtyard for the boys to run around in.
Palinka for a welcome shot.
We approached exploring Budapest like any other city. We just start walking around. Luckily near where we stayed there was a lot to do, but the first thing we needed to do was eat. Like most travel days on arrival we were starving and didn't care much what we ate. So we hit a burger place two blocks away with big burgers and cheap beer. It was an early night after the long train ride.
Up early the next day with the boys, we were well rested and ready to hit the town. We went out for breakfast. I had traditional Hungarian breakfast of different sausages, cheese and pate with toast. Archer and Vander surprisingly really took a liking to the Pate.
Breakfast al fresco with Vander.
Arch eyeing up some pate.
The rest of that day was spent walking around with the boys seeing all the local sites. They included the Parliament building which is right on the river and is incredible.
Archer and Vander were mostly enamoured with the lions statues guarding the front entrance and the horse statues of past heroes on the well manicured lawns around the building.
After putting the boys to bed Jackie and I decided to head out and see what goes on after dark. We went to a local ruin bar. A ruin bar is not just one bar but normally anywhere from ten to fifty bars and restaurants packed into an old unused building or open space. They are definitely a Budapest must to experience. We explored until the wee hours of the night, like midnight for us old kid laden parents, and stumbled home after a few too many Hungarian brews. A beer will run you from 2-4 CAD.
Can I get a litre of beer?
The morning after was a bit rough haha but we made it through with coffee and another walk through the neighbourhood. That afternoon we visited a place called Heroes Square. It is a monument to Hungary's heroes past backed by a small lake and large park. The park contains an old castle that was turned into the museum of agriculture. The boys enjoyed the open space and leaves while we watched the locals play animated games of ping pong while slurping beers.
We tried our first street food here in the park. First was a Langos. It is a deep fried flat bread with a variety of toppings. We went with the local favourite of garlic and sour crème and topped with cheese.
Delicious Langos.
The second option was sort of a fried dough folded over itself and filled with cheese and red onions. Also very good. I forget what it was called, but try it if you can.
That evening we visited a water park on the outskirts of the city. It was called Aquaworld. Sorry we didn't take any pictures but the boys LOVED it!! It was all indoors, with a large kids area and plenty of slides and a wave pool for the adults. http://www.aquaworldresort.hu/en
The next morning we went to the famous Central Market. This is where I got hosed when trying our first bits of local Hungarian specialties. We had heard about the food at the market but we were not overly impressed with the selection. The market is large with hundreds of vendors selling meat and vegetables and trinkets. There are only six or seven food carts on the upper floor. We choose a typical and assumedly affordable one with what looked like friendly trustworthy faces. We were wrong. I ordered a cabbage roll, and beef goulash. This alone would have cost me about 10 CAD but then the "nice" server started asking me questions and gesturing to the piles off food in front of him. To each gesture I agreed, thinking these are all the accoutrement that locals eat with their food. As this was happening some locals started glancing my way and smiling. I had no idea what was going on, I was just excited for some new food. All said and done our two plates of food cost over fifty CAD!!! HAHA lesson learned. The market is worth a look but is a tourist trap in my eyes. Here are our plates of food. They WERE good by the way, no matter how pricey.
Beef goulash hiding under that fried cheese I got suckered into buying.
A walk around the city and then a nap worked off all that heavy Hungarian food. Here are some pictures of the city.
The boys in front of the cathedral.
Jackie and I visited the thermal baths the next day. There are a number of these complexes throughout the city but we were closest to one of the most popular and largest. Szechenyi Bath is also in the large park near the square of heroes.
http://www.bathsbudapest.com/szechenyi-bath
Large pools at roughly 30 degree C.
Inside the bath complex.
There is a somber history in Budapest. Like a large part of Europe they were not able to escape the years of Nazi tyranny. The Jewish residents of the city suffered more than the regular population. Late in WW2 the Soviets were knocking on the gates of the city. The Nazi's knew time was up. Instead of leaving peacefully and cutting their losses they decided to make a never forgotten mark on the city. They marched hundreds of Jews down to the rivers edge. They told them to take their shoes off and place their few belongings in those shoes. They were then lined up and executed cowardly on the rivers edge. A memorial commemorates those who were murdered in that spot.
The pools varied in temperature.
A perfect way to end a day at the spa. Some mulled wine just outside the baths.
There is a somber history in Budapest. Like a large part of Europe they were not able to escape the years of Nazi tyranny. The Jewish residents of the city suffered more than the regular population. Late in WW2 the Soviets were knocking on the gates of the city. The Nazi's knew time was up. Instead of leaving peacefully and cutting their losses they decided to make a never forgotten mark on the city. They marched hundreds of Jews down to the rivers edge. They told them to take their shoes off and place their few belongings in those shoes. They were then lined up and executed cowardly on the rivers edge. A memorial commemorates those who were murdered in that spot.
That night we took a cruise on the river. It was an hour long and comes with a complementary drink. Costs about ten dollars US. Very beautiful views of the city.
Before we knew it our five days in Budapest were over. We hopped on a bus destined for Prague.
We were all very surprised by this city. Our first venture into eastern Europe was exciting and didn't disappoint. A place with exceptional food, great bars and places for young people to party, and so easy to get around in. I suggest getting a Budapest card while you are there. It gives you access to all public transport, entry into museums, and all sorts of extras like night cruises on the river.
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