Budaimpressed

Hello there. There are two reasons why I haven't updated in a week. The first one is, simply, that I couldn't be arsed. The second, and main reason, is that last week I was in the Hungarian capital, Budapest. For those who don't know what Budapest looks like, here's a picture:

I spent a rather splendid four days in the city, sandwiched betwixt overnight stays in a hotel at Stansted airport...which was perfectly acceptable, but just not Budapest, so probably doesn't count as part of the holiday. Am I digressing again? I think I might be, but such is my style. Anyhow, Budapest. What a place. Before I went, I had no real idea of what to expect from Hungary. Obviously, I'd heard of the country and I knew it was somewhere in Eastern Europe...but that was about the extent of my knowledge. I knew nothing of the culture, the food, the people...and on reflection I really had no idea what to expect when we got off the plane. Would there be horses and bears roaming the market square? Would there be powerful floating mages offering me magical potions for a few rupees? Would I have to round up chickens in order to pay for a glass of brown water? All these conundrums and more didn't really go through my head on the way there. Back in reality, I needn't have worried, as Budapest is pretty much like any other European capital: beautiful architecture, busy roads, lots of attractions and plenty of places to eat and drink.

One of the best bits about Hungary is that it isn't part of the Euro, so you still get a pretty good rate for your Pound - indeed, you can expect to get around 1000 Forints for about £3.50. Add to this the outstanding value you get for your Forints (a beer costs about 400 Forints on average - that's about £1.30-ish!), and Hungary is a fantastic prospect for those looking for a bargain holiday (people like me, for example). This value-for-money shit doesn't stop at beer either - food is ridiculously cheap, and it's fucking good too.

Even though we only spent four days in Budapest, my girlfriend and I saw and did a fuck-load of stuff. We visited the underground labyrinth, a couple of castles, the holocaust memorial museum, the House of Terror (the building in which both the Nazis and the Soviets set up their respective headquarters when they were lording it over the Hungarian people), several art galleries, the opera house, the national stadium, markets, shopping centres, and of course plenty of restaurants and bars. We had a cruise on the Danube (which also included a traditional Hungarian buffet) and I went for several epic runs around a park/island in the middle of the aforementioned river that splits the city in half. The weather was also really nice, which added a certain something to the experience - especially on Thursday when I went for a jog at dawn and was treated to a spectacular sunrise.

The trip seemed to fly by way too quickly, and before we knew it, it was time to go back home to shitty old rainy England. Bah!

Here are a few more select photos of the great city of Budapest:

If you're thinking about going to Eastern Europe, I really would recommend visiting the Hungarian capital. I can't really comment on the rest of the country as I didn't venture out of the city, but I was really taken with the feel of the place, the history and the welcoming nature of the indigenous bartenders. Although I'll never fully accept that 'don't go to the bar' shit that they do in Europe. It's just plain weird. Apart from that though, 'twas cool.