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Published: March 18th 2007
On the train
on the way to Budapest from Bratislava(July 1 through July 4 2006)
July 1
The train left the Bratislava station an hour late. We were to get off at the Keleti Train Station, and once we arrived to the city we were a bit confused. However, in the end it all worked out. The train station is small, with few platforms, but it is an amazing building. We had again booked a hostel online. The hostel's address was not written on it's information, but we knew it was near one of the train stations. Since we believed to be in the quieter part of town we guessed that the hostel was near the Nyugati Train station. So with our map in hand we headed towards that station. The lady at the information desk had not heard of our hostel, so she could only tell us that the station was a good 25 min walk. With bags on tow, we were feeling kind of bad. We headed out of the station and walked on "Thokoly ut" for less than five minutes when we spot the name of our hostel--Our Place Hostel. We couldn't believe it. We rang the door and walked up to the floor.
This hostel is
Budapest
View of the Keleti Train Station from our room's balcony. by far the best we have ever stayed at. The way it is set up, allows all the travelers to always interact with one another. The rooms are next to each other, and they all lead into the central area, the living room. The staff is great, amenities are provided for, and it feels like staying at a friend's place. I highly recommend the hostel. Our room was small, with two bunk beds, we get the two bottom ones. The room has a small balcony, and the door is left open. A view of the train station is what the balcony provides. During the night, leaving the door open, feeling the fresh air and hearing the noises of the traffic was great. We meet a couple of people, mostly from Australia, chat and see what they have been doing in the city. Our stomachs are grumbling, as we had not eaten all day. One of the Aussies tells us that they would be going to a dinner party with everyone at Excalibur, a medieval-themed restaurant. Since the group was going a few hours later, we told them we would skip that and meet them there, as we had to go
Budapest
Heroes' Square get something in our system fast.
But before that we wanted to get some booze for later in the night, so we marched everywhere around the area trying to find a supermarket or convenience store to buy a bottle of wine. Unfortunately the supermarket was already closed and the few shop we went into did not accept credit cards. On our way to the hostel we walk a bit far, in the direction of the train station, and we buy a few drinks. We also stopped at a Pizza Hut, which is next to the hostel. We sit down, and enjoy a nice pizza, and fill our bellies. We again head to the hostel, where now everyone is in the living room watching the first match of the day--England v. Portugal. Portugal won in the end.
The group left, and we drank some beers as we watched the second game, France v. Brazil. One of the craziest characters we have ever met, staying at the hostel, walks into the living room and watched the match with us. His name is Patrick, and he tells us his life story. How much of it is true, I have no idea. He was
Budapest
Heroes' Square originally from Florida, and had traveled across the US working in different things, notably a jazz player in a band. He had moved to Holland a few years back, and was now traveling around Eastern Europe. A bit jumpy when he talked, he would spin tall tale after tall tale. The lady who checked us was leaving, and he tried to make out with her, but in the end only got a dinner date with her for the next night.
We said good bye to Patrick after France won, and we headed to the restaurant to meet up with the group. The place was packed, and everybody enjoyed the meal tremendously. My brother and I looked at each and knew we should have waited and eaten here instead. The restaurant provides a show of sorts, a fire breather and belly dancers as you eat. We decide to come here before we leave as the others describe the experience.
From here we go to a club near the Blaha Lujza metro stop. In a small ally way, we finally find the place and we enjoy the night. Around three o'clock I am done, and head back to the hostel by myself,
Budapest
Heroes' Square and go to sleep. My brother leaves a bit later, and had trouble finding the hostel.
July 2
Sunday morning comes along, and the sky is gray. Ger, one of the guys staying at the hostel from Ireland, a good buddy by the end of our trip, since we would meet him again with his buddies in Prague, tells me what to sight see for the day, and my brother and I head out to see the city. The hostel is the Pest side of the city, and our first stop was Heroes' Square. The walk there was nice, not too long. We first take a stroll through the city park, Varosliget. A few people walking around, and kids playing on the playgrounds. We finally walk out onto the square and gaze at the various statues depicted of the statesmen famous in Hungary. Two museums, Museum of Fine Arts and Palace of Art, are on the square, and we decided not to go in. We walk north from there to the Szechenyi baths, and walk inside. The day is gray, and we skip it for the moment as we forgot our towels and bathing suits, but we check the
Budapest
Heroes' Square prices, which aren't that bad. From the park, we walked southwest on Andrassy avenue, seeing the famous buildings listed as World Heritage. We pass by the House of Terror, all the way to Terer road. From there we head back in the direction of the Excalibur restaurant, and turn west to see the Parliament. The walk from Heroes' Square to the Parliament is worth the time. Once at the Parliament, a military officer yells at me because I cross a fence into a parking lot, and I soon retreat. We walk on the grounds, take pictures, and walk south on the Danube towards Chain Bridge to cross to Buda.
An art and culture fair is taking place. The atmosphere is great, and at the end of the bridge on the Buda side children are performing songs and dances from Hungary. Our first stop on the Buda side of the city was Independence Monument, south from the Chain Bridge and the Royal Palace. The sky becomes a bit grayer, and we manage to cut trough traffic and make our way to Gellert Hill. The climb was great. The views that it provides are magnificent. Once at the top the view of
Budapest
On Andrassy ut, where many World Heritage buildings are located. Budapest was thrilling, and the rains of the day in the distance are a cool background as we saw the city. The wall of rain is coming fast, so we head to a stall and drink a beer while the rain goes through. The rain leaves surprisingly fast and we hike down and head to the Royal Palace.
Again the hike was nice, but now we are feeling a bit more tired. Once at the top, we walk slow and meander around the grounds and take it easy. My brother uses the bathroom inside the Budapest History Museum, and we continue on. Through the walk we bump into Ger, and meet a good friend of his, Emmet, who just arrived into the city with two other guys. Joel, another fellow we hung out with, a Canadian, was also with them, and we plan to meet at the hostel around 8 to go out and drink. (I don't know how, but everyone at the hostel became friends, and we had a hell of a time with everybody.) Still up around the area we walk towards the Fisherman's Bastion, and we head down. We decide to go back into Pest and stop
Budapest
On Andrassy ut, where many World Heritage buildings are located. at St. Stephen's Basilica. One great building which which has magnificent architecture. We sit in the square in front of the basilica and call some family to say hello. Half a block south we find a nice coffee shop, and relax for a few minutes before we head back to the hostel and start the night. Again, we walk, and again, the walk was great. In our time in Budapest, we managed to see a lot of the city by walking everywhere.
Dinner consisted of KFC, a bottle of wine, and beer. We ate with Ishi, an Iowa State student, and John, another Iowa State student. They had traveled to a few cities together, and were now in Budapest. Two cool people, and again the party we had with everyone at the hostel was great.
We spent much of the early evening drinking, and getting to know each other. By the time we head out, we were waisted. Southwest of the hostel there are some bars, and we stop at a couple of them. Drink, play pool, and finally make our way back to the club we were at last night. We said goodbye to the Aussies who were leaving.
Budapest
On Andrassy ut, where many World Heritage buildings are located. And went to bed.
July 3
Our third day was sunny and magnificent. I say goodbye to Ishi and John, one was going to Salzburg and the other I believe to Italy. The two Canadians, the four Irishmen, and my brother and I head to the Szechenyi baths in the early-afternoon. Pools everywhere, inside and out, ranging from every temperature allow us to relax after a night of heavy drinking. We take advantage of everything, especially the saunas. We leave happy and meander back to the hostel and get ready to go to Excalibur--which had been on our mind since the first night we had arrived in Budapest. As we were leaving, three of the Irishmen and my brother and I, bump into three Englishmen who were checking into the hostel. We invite them along, and the company for dinner and beer drinking was excellent. We became friends fast, and drank like crazy. The food is unbelievable. I ordered half a duck, fried. Served with potatoes, onions, and fruit, and I washed it all down with one liter of beer after another. The plate was humongous, and it was a workout to finish. By far one of the most
Budapest
The Parliament satisfying meals we had ever had. And with all we had, the price was reasonable.
A belly dancer entertained the table and the fire breather was funny. We talked and drank, until finally the rest of the group joined us. So it was around 10 of us, and we headed back to one of the bars we had been the night before to play some pool and keep the flow of beer going. Strangely enough, Patrick was there and decided to follow us all night. He had two girls with him, and who told us he just randomly had come up to them. We got completely wasted, and at one point Ger and I break a mug cheering, causing beer and glass to go everywhere. I am wet, and glass shards in my hair. A fun time at the bar, we get the smart idea of leaving a bit past 2 am to head to some of the open air night clubs the city has to offer, just south of the Independence Monument. The hike was tremendous. We hike for ever, stop in a residential area at a convenience store, and buy beer. It was just the two Englishmen, two
Budapest
The Parliament-Flag of the Revolution. of the Irishmen, Patrick, and me. The others had fallen behind on the walk, and we lost them. It was around 4 when we get into one, buy a beer, and it closes 20 mintues later. Good thing there was another just down the street. We danced, drank more. During the time there, we ran into some locals that seemed to know Patrick very well. They hugged and danced for a little bit. We were a bit shocked about the whole thing, so Ger asks Patrick how he knew the people. "Ohh", he says, "he knows me from my time in New York when I used to play guitar in a rock band". Everyone was surprised at the comment. Pretty cool we thought. I don't know why but I decide to ask the local how he knew Patrick. He says, "ohh, he is the crazy guy at the bar last night, who was making everyone laugh by his craziness".
An hour later or so, my brother shows up out of nowhere with the two Irish girls and the other two Irishmen. We kept dancing, and celebrated a good night in Budapest with wonderful people. Patrick decides to jump into a
Budapest
The Parliament-Memorial of 1956. pool, and Emmet gets pushed by someone in the pool, which in turn damages his cell phone.
The place closes right before sunrise, and as we walk north on the Danube, the sun rises, and we simply stand watching something amazing. We stood there for 20-30 minutes enjoying each other's company with a great view. We took the tram back to the hostel, and were able to take a 3 hour nap before we left for Krakow.
July 4
We get waken up at around 10am by the owner, extremely nice, he had promised to wake us so we wouldn't miss our train. We said our goodbyes to everyone. Woke some people up, but a great hostel with great people.
Budapest treated us very well. The whole city is amazing, and it has a feeling like no other. The architecture wasn't over the top, but it was beautiful. The people all treated us well, and the time we were there was perfect.
We left the station, Keleti, and headed to Krakow on a 10 hour train ride.
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