Budapest is ...
... "not suitable for people who want to go on a diet."
We read this quote in a travel guide before the trip and it was confirmed!
We hadn't even been in the country for an hour when we already had our first 'small'
goulash soup in front of us. That was in a side street in the Drum Cafe (Dob utca 2),
where we were warmly welcomed and served - the waiter even spoke German well.
And the soup was almost a stew with plenty of meat, potatoes and vegetables - but still not boiled down.
And it was 'well poured', so we still weren't too hungry in the evening.
And that was a huge mistake!
Because going to a local restaurant without really being
hungry
I couldn't resist making a pun:
'Hungry in Hungary'?!?
can only be a huge mistake...
We had researched the restaurant scene before the trip, and my Cyberspace Sleuth (as I lovingly call my wife) found the name for typical restaurants in the country: the so-called 'Csárda'.
Originally established as accommodation and pubs for shepherds, these restaurants, which are mostly family-run, are now known for traditional cuisine, the highest level of service and outstanding hospitality. The Csárda can be found particularly in the Hungarian Puszta region but also everywhere else in the country. In Budapest on Berzsenyi Daniel utca 4.
When the 'Kronstadt small roast' came to the table, the table top bent under the load!
Here is a picture of the schnitzel that Heike had the following day. Yes, that's right - we liked the restaurant so much that we went back the next day. But this time (capable of learning as we are) we only had 2 small scoops of ice cream beforehand.
But let's start at the beginning - upon arrival at the airport:
Also pre-researched was the information that at the Budapest airport it would be important to pay attention to what type of exchange rates are offered (don't choose a fixed rate!) and that when it comes to taxis you should definitely take the 'Fötaxis', which are licensed and offer fixed prices so that you don't get ripped off there too. We can correct/make this a little more specific here:
The ATMs (between gates A2/B2) were pretty standard - no hidden fees or additional costs.
And when it came to the taxi ride, we were pleasantly surprised! There were only Fötaxi cars there. Before the journey you had to tell a counter where you wanted to go and then you were given a voucher with the details of which taxi we were allocated and the approximate cost (in euros and forints). We found it very comfortable and calming.
Budapest is ...
... simply a beautiful city!
Aside from the generally well-preserved and pretty facades throughout the city, here are some of the special sights:
We almost didn't see the inside of the basilica, which would have been a real shame. It was only opened in 1905 after more than 55 years of construction and was completely renovated in 2004. You can also notice this inside the basilica, as everything looks incredibly well-kept and as good as new.
The impressive dimensions of the basilica become particularly clear when you
look up at the mighty 96 meter high dome, where you can see an impressive mosaic
depicting God, Jesus and various angels:
You can visit the dome (for a fee) and from there you have an overwhelming panoramic view of the entire city.
What was rather strange to our eyes (and Protestant background) was the relic of Saint Stephen (First King of Hungary / 11th century). His embalmed hand (the "Holy Right") is displayed in a shrine in the side chapel.
Entry to the basilica is free, but a donation is requested to maintain it.
We actually planned to take the railway to get to the castle hill (pic on the right):
But due to our long walks through the city (15 km on the first day alone...) we were already so exhausted that we shied away from the long routes up the mountain and preferred to take the electrically powered 'Castle Shuttle', which took us to the sights. You can get off at the respective sights and get back on later. The shuttle bus runs approximately every 10 minutes. When no one can fit in (the small vehicle carries around 12 people), the driver quickly calls another bus using his cell phone.
The highlight on the castle hill is of course the castle itself, but we found the Matthias Church with the beautiful colorful roof and the Fisherman's Bastion next to it with its playful towers to be much more worth seeing. A little further west is the citadel with the Budapest version of the Statue of Liberty ;-)
As my dear wife said so nice: 'I would like to be the boss here too!'
The parliament is impressive because of its size:
The 268m long, 123m wide and 96m high neo-Gothic palace was completed in 17 years of construction and was the largest parliament building in the world at the time.
Unfortunately, the picture is not from me, but from the free gallery pixabay.
If possible, we try to go to the market square or market hall in every city we visit. So here too, because the market hall is definitely worth seeing!
The goods are offered here on two levels: food on the lower floor and souvenirs and clothing (some of which are self-made) on the upper floor. There is also the opportunity to enjoy regional cuisine at many stalls. Of course we stocked up on the original hungarian paprika powder.
We were just a little unlucky with the hotel.
On the one hand, we had to change rooms because there was a pretty pervasive smell of feces at night - and:
No! Not after we used the toilet >;->
Secondly, we both couldn't cope with the beds and woke up quite exhausted.
And finally, the area around the hotel was probably the current hotspot for loitering (in my native languange we call it "cornering" - meaning "hanging around at the corner all night"), which the young people took full advantage of until 5 a.m. (But the hotel can't do anything about that)
The breakfast was suited very good for survival - but nothing more.
The hope of enjoying authentic Hungarian salami was dashed very early on the first morning.
On the second morning, a few slices appeared, but they were unmistakably of Aldi or Lidl quality
(well-known discounters in my country),
giving no indication that the end product came from happy Hungarian cattle.
Referring to the cold cuts on the buffet as boring would be a missed opportunity to use the term anemic.
The jam was provided in small tin containers and its taste could definitely compete with industrial products.
You can imagine: we wouldn't necessarily recommend this hotel!
So much for the trip to Budapest - we'll continue in Dublin in a few weeks!
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