Screwdapest

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Budapest

It all started to go wrong when we went to the wrong station when leaving Vienna. After looking at the departure board and not seeing our train, and looking at our ticket, we realised we have 25 minutes to get to Westbanhof and on to our train. Luckily we made it by the skin of our teeth, as we sat down in our seats the train pulled off. PHEW.

Once in Budapest, the transport really confused us, and the metro and a couple of trams later (and buying bottles of water to get the right change) we managed to get to our hostel. BUT, when we arrived there... wet, tired and up lots of stairs with our heavy bags... a fat smelly man high on coke with broken english told us that we couldnt stay as they had a leak in our allocated room.

We had to get the metro (involving more change panic) to the tourist office, who forwarded us to Best Hotel Service, to find somewhere to stay. We managed to get our own appartment with just giving them Sophies name (with no guarantee or identification), which was on the Pest side of Budapest. (Budapest is made up of Buda and Pest, seperated by the Danube River). But we were so scared that we didnt sleep well, as we all thought we were going to get broken into - as our luck had been so bad that felt weird having a nice flat with jacuzi. Also I lost my Hugh Stu jumper some how in the apparentment within 2hrs- I think the appartment cleaner stole it as there was no other way it could have gotten lost.

We tried to find Hungarian food, but ended up in a Scottish pub. Sophies salmon was really nice there tho.

The next day, after a bit of motivation we decided to get on with it and explore Budapest as much as we could seeig we only had a day there really. Pathetica fallicy was at its best whilst in Budapest, as it was raining. We walked up the the highest point of Budapest, over looking most of the sights. The rain made the ground bit slippy and muddy (as Jo found out) and poo foot was founded.

Buda is the old part of Budapest, and this is where the Castle/ Catherdral/Museums/Sights were. After going to the highest point we decided to go to the Castle district where pretty much all of the listed were. We then walked to the Margit-sziget Island, where there was a cool fountain that dance to music, Sophie and Jo were so inspired they joined in... But we found out that Budapest hated us so much that by just looking at a frog, it died... sad times.

By this point I realised that Budapest used to be communist. So I was on a mission to get a photo with a commie. First stop was the house of Parliment, which looked beautiful... but no communists there, only a statue of a man (no idea who he was, prob a president of some sorts... he didnt look communist) and really pathetic security. We then saw a man on a bridge... well a statue bridge and man... but he wasnt commie... and we saw some statues of men doing the YMCA... erm....

In despreration I refered back to my Screwdapest guide, and found out that they removed all communist monuments. Great. So I console myself in the next best thing.... retail therapy., gotta love capitalism always there.

We then set off for Croatia the next day.... getting up at FOUR in the morning to catch our 6 oclock train.

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