Browsing through Budapest

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As we got off the train in what we thought was Budapest, we checked to find in fact we had one more stop ......so back on the train, difficult when you have to lug your bags on and off! As we had changed carriges Lisa left her book and 2 new bookmarks on the seat and was disappointed to have lost them. I got chatting to a young Somalian student who offered to assist with finding our way.......... he conned a train pass off us! We got rid of him quick smart and found out own way. Well we arrived in Buda - Pest and was staying in the Pest side which is the "Old town" very old but very interesting. Once again we walked narrow cobbled stoned streets which are predominantly one way. We found our accomodation without too much trouble. The massive, old green wooden security door that was our entrance led us into a huge dark and dusty hall. Lets hope still good inside............. This time we organised an apartment which has a kitchenette and washing machine it was pretty basic but servicable, what could we expect for 60 Euor per night........ wooo hooo need to do a wash badly, Richard is down to one polo shirt! I forgot to mention most places have been cool so i have been wearing either my polar fleece jacket or a cardigan I borrowed from Lisa. The weather in Budapest has been warmer during the day, nights are cool. Once we dropped our bags and put a load on, we headed to the streets to take a look around. We found a corner store and bought breakfast supplies, nibbles and alcohol. We asked reception about a fresh food market and found it to be 5min walking distance so off we trott to get fresh fruit & salads. On our walk home we found a mall type street which was laiden with cafe's all competing in price and product, only to find it was the street one over from us. So once again dropped the supplies and headed out to tea. Have to say after choosing a "economical two course" cafe we found that the food came from a cafe a few doors down and the chicken soup was a lot like Tanya's country chicken & veg?? Then the goulash was a lot like pork but we also got told they eat a lot of HORSE!!! Anyway we paid our money 1390 HUF = AU$8.60 (what more would you expect) and left, arriving home just after the rain about 9.30pm we were all tired so off to bed!

Next morning we ventured to see the sites, we walked down the main mall looking for the Information centre.......... never did find it...... Lisa and I started to browse in a few shops and bought a few tops. We had Subway for lunch and after lunch Richard stopped to look in a real estate window and saw something he liked so we popped in and arranged an inspection for 4pm!! It was 2pm so we had time to kill so we walked across the old Chain Bridge and back and only saw the sites we happened across such as St Michaels square and St Michaels Bastille, statues and monuments. The sites are all within aproximately 5 square klms. The agent collected us from a park square and took us to the apartment, once again all of the main entrance doors and hallways are dirty, dark & dingy but this apartment had been renovated by the builder who spends 6mths in USA & 6mths in Hungary. The apartment is in the "diplomatic" end of town very close to Parliment and one street back from the Danube. It was renovated with new plumbing, wiring and kitchen etc which was lovely and we appeared interested but at 33,400,000 HUF = AU$210,000 it only had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and all really nice but would be too hard to manage!! He said he had it on the market for 45,000.000HUF end of last year and wants to sell.... Amazing as everything is soooo old and not very appealling. The agent dropped us back at the fresh food market where we chose to buy fresh chicken and salad for tea............ First time i have cooked since starting out. Quite nice...... then we watched the movie Transporter on Lisa's computer.

Last day in Budapest we did the whole tourist circle and walked most of the way. After paying 1100HUF = AU$7 per person for 3 day pass we only used it twice! We caught the tram over a bridge to Gellert Hill which houses the Cave church which was conducting a servce so we couldnt enter. Noone wanted to climb the hill to see the Citadella monument so continued on to yet again, another finicular train that took us to the Buda Castle which now houses 4 museums. At the top is the town of Buda which was quaint and clean high above and ovelooking Pest across the Danube. We walked along the streets and found Fisherman's Bastion, looking across the Danube to Parliment House. Lisa took loads of pictures.

We walked back across to Pest to have lunch (standard 2.30pm & Richard missing his left hand) in the main square, me finally getting a bowl of Goulash soup and I was not disappoitned, scrumptous......... I will make if for the next guests to tea. A little more window shopping down the mall on our way back to our digs. We all had a rest so we could enjoy our last night in Budapest.

All in all we contained our tourist trail to the main route, not venturing too far from the old town centre. It was lovely but yet nothing stunning just all very interesting............. To date my fondest memories are of Lucerne and Innsbruk. Next stop is Prague as it was too expensive to arrange travel to Krakow.

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