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Published: November 12th 2006
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Budapest
Looking at the Chain Bridge from the Palace Well from Vienna it was over to Budapest!!!
I think the journey was about 4 hours this time, as we travelled through the countryside my mind wandered through countless thoughts and ideas, none I can really remember at the moment! I think its just that travel thing when you are so used to long journeys your mind just gets used to wandering!
Anyway, got into the Pest side of Budapest. For those unaware Budapest is made of of one side of the Danube River (the hilly side) being Buda, and the west side, or flat side being Pest. I got a bus trolley to my accommodation, called the Boomerang Hostel (of all things in Budapest?) and just veged out there for most of the evening.
After having a dorm room all to myself ... ah yes!!!!! I got up and walked down to Deak Ter, to join a well publicised walking tour of Budapest. As I didn't know too much about the city, or Hungary, I thought this would be appropriate to go on, perhaps more so than the others I had previously been on, but they taught me things anyway!!!!!
Enough dross, we made our way
via the underground system (2nd oldest in Europe behind the Tube) to Hosok ter, otherwise known as Heroes Square. It is here where the city of Budapest erected a large monument in the middle of this square to past Hungarian kings and leaders throughout history. In the year 896 the Maygar (Hungarian) took control of Hungary, when Arpad (the first guy in front of the monuement) led his troops. So this is when they classify themselves as becoming a nation, so in 1896, for the thousandth anniversary many landmakrs and buildings sprung up all over Budapest, and Heroes Square and surrounding buildings were just a few of those to commerate the anniversary.
Then we went across to City Park, where an ice rink was entertaining a mass of kids. We walked over to Vajdahunyard Castle, which has a drawbridge which was pretty cool and looked at the buildings around the area. There is a statue there and if you touch the pen, apparantly you receive improved writing skills!!! Hopefully this works for me ... the dross will then be endless!!! We then walked through the park to Szechenzyi Baths. Now Budapest is famous for its natural baths, with many
Pool
Swimming pool inside the springs under the city. This is just one of the many around the city, but this is famous for having chess sets set up in the water for the old men to play, as apparantly they just sit there all day.
Back on the underground to the Opera House and from here we walkked aroung much of the Pest main area. Passed some more Jewish monuments and synagogues. Stopped for a bite to eat ... as paprika is a Hungarian speciality they put it on everything! Every sandwich and meal of any sort seemed to have paprika on it! We made out way to the Danube River and wandered up to the most famous bridge, the Chain Bridge. Along the way we stopped for a photo with a statue that Prince Charles apparantly liked when he visited, so now its a major tourist statue!!! Another one of those touch here for ...., this time I forget what it represented!
We walked across Chain Bridge, which is imposing, and the lion statues are supposed to be perfect, or so the sculpture said, and if anyone could prove they weren't, then he would kill himself ... so legend has it
that a kid said they had no tongues and the guy then leapt off the bridge into the Danube. Do you believe that?
We made our way up to Mathius Church for the end of our tour. This allowed for great views of the city and a statue stands for their first King, King Stephen. The Fisherman's Bastion is where many photos are taken, and its wall like structure with holes to see out from can show great views of the Parliament Building. Which is apparantly the same height as St Stephens Basilica (1896 feet 0 again to comemmorate the 896 anniversary), but during the Soviet reign, they put a large red star on top of the Parliament Building to make it just that tad higher.
From this vantage point also allowed me to witness one of the most obvious scams I have ever seen. These 3 guys were doing that ''1 ball under a cup and move it around .. where is the ball? ah 1 guys guess correct and doubles his money - easy!!'' it was so blatantly obvious and I was enjoying just watching, until some elderly American guy came by and started telling them
they all knew each other to everyone around, as though he had guessed something nobody else had!!! Moron!!! After a while though a young American couple fell for it and coughed up some money .. they left pondering "I wonder where the ball went?'' more morons!!!
Myself and a guy from Canberra and a guy from American wandered around, and to some labryinths for alook and then to the palace. From there we walked back down to the Chain Bridge and then over to Parliament which had strict security as there were riots in Budapest 2 weeks ago. I heard from fellow travellers about these riots and some said they saw fellow travellers caught up in them and come back bloodied and bruised. The main area for these riots occurred just a block away from my hostel, which is the next area we visited, before finding a place for dinner and a few drinks.
Some of the best moments travelling are, when you overhear conversations and listen to other people, whether they be locals or fellow travellers. I have heard many an interesting thing, and after overhearing a conversation between tsome locals (who were speaking English) they joined
us for dinner and we had a great time, sharing a meal (paprika again) and drinks - but we were sure not to clink our beers before drinking as its frowned upon here. Apparantly when the Hopsburgs led the Austrian empire to take over Budapest, they laughed at the locals while clinking their beers to their success.
The following day after a sleep in, I walked back towards Heroes Square, along Andrassy, which is lined with World Heritage listed 19th century buildings (that ones for mum). From Heroes Square I wandered back towards the station to confirm my train to Ljubljana and then continued onto a street called Vaci, which is lined with shops. Some shopping done there and at the Great Market Hall before crossing the bridge to Gellert Baths. I lapped up the water in these famous baths, swimming in the pool and lapping up the spas. Very relaxing, although after this I headed to the thermal spas which are just full of old naked men!!!! Not as comfortable as the other place, just seeing these old bodies clamber up close to enjoy the 38 degree water. Saw some sights which left me dry reaching. After spending
about 2 and a half hours in the baths all up, I then wandered up this hill to the Statue of Liberty. Not the American one, but this statue was called the Statue of Liberation while Soviet power ruled and then Statue of Liberty afterwards. As the sun was setting it was an awesome place to be although Budapest was largely covered in smog.
Then down to Gellert statue and across to the palace, as the sun set and offered some great night shots of Budapest and especially the Chain Bridge. After a McDonald's meal at the first ever McDonalds built behind the Iron Curtain in 1986, I took the rest of the night easy.
I was so disappointed with Hungarian souvenirs! After the expectations were so high after visiting the Czech Republic ... I was given nothing by Hungary ... no play on words, nothing humourous to it!!! Just lots of Hard Rock Cafe Budapest everywhere.
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