My prior blogs on Budapest got cut off. Here is the entire text. I made reference to photos that will no longer be part of this blog (same for Budapest part 2). I'm sure you'll still be able to follow.
With my rehab (dong about two hours per day while traveling) and activity, I've had no time to blog. So, here we go (writing on a bus from Sarajevo to Mostar).
Budapest:
As expected, my bags didn't make it to Budapest. I took public transit into the city because I had the time and wanted to see what it was like. Pretty old, eastern block-looking trains from the airport, but within the city there are very modern trams. I got out of the metro, quickly figured out where I needed to go by using sine reference points, was congratulating myself on having exceptional directional sense, then ran straight into a pole (about waist high) while not looking where I was going.
Our Airbnb apartment was really nice. It was in an old 5-story building with an inner courtyard. I recently read the Hungarian book "The Door," and I like to think that it took place in our building.
The apartment was right next to a very small and cute park. I made a point of drinking my coffee there one morning. It's exactly what I pictured as a quaint European park.
Tired, I walked around the neighborhood, ate some Wiener schnitzel, then crashed. For 13 hours. I meant to wake up at 8 but slept straight through my alarm and woke at noon. That afternoon I went on an "alternative" walking tour in the Jewish quarter, which is now quite bohemian. Lots of commissioned street art.
The tour ended with a beer at a "ruin pub", if which there are many in the city due to a recent law declaring that really old buildings can't be torn down (or something like that). So now bars are in really shabby buildings. It's kind of cool except for all the Brits having stag parties because beer is cheap in Hungary (about 2 bucks for a pint).
I met up with Jenny after the tour, and we went together dinner at a hip Jewish restaurant. Food is CHEAP in Budapest (although not as cheap as in Sarajevo), and pretty tasty. We walked to City Park, stumbled on a random party with a bunch of old people (locals) dancing (and in many cases butt-grabbing) to a live band. We bought a beer but unfortunately the party ended soon after we arrived.
Budapest:
As expected, my bags didn't make it to Budapest. I took public transit into the city because I had the time and wanted to see what it was like. Pretty old, eastern block-looking trains from the airport, but within the city there are very modern trams. I got out of the metro, quickly figured out where I needed to go by using sine reference points, was congratulating myself on having exceptional directional sense, then ran straight into a pole (about waist high) while not looking where I was going.
Our Airbnb apartment was really nice. It was in an old 5-story building with an inner courtyard. I recently read the Hungarian book "The Door," and I like to think that it took place in our building.
The apartment was right next to a very small and cute park. I made a point of drinking my coffee there one morning. It's exactly what I pictured as a quaint European park.
Tired, I walked around the neighborhood, ate some Wiener schnitzel, then crashed. For 13 hours. I meant to wake up at 8 but slept straight through my alarm and woke at noon. That afternoon I went on an "alternative" walking tour in the Jewish quarter, which is now quite bohemian. Lots of commissioned street art.
The tour ended with a beer at a "ruin pub", if which there are many in the city due to a recent law declaring that really old buildings can't be torn down (or something like that). So now bars are in really shabby buildings. It's kind of cool except for all the Brits having stag parties because beer is cheap in Hungary (about 2 bucks for a pint).
I met up with Jenny after the tour, and we went together dinner at a hip Jewish restaurant. Food is CHEAP in Budapest (although not as cheap as in Sarajevo), and pretty tasty. We walked to City Park, stumbled on a random party with a bunch of old people (locals) dancing (and in many cases butt-grabbing) to a live band. We bought a beer but unfortunately the party ended soon after we arrived.
No comments:
Post a Comment