Let's try that again...

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Lesson 1: Read your travel books prior to visiting sites.

I decided on Monday to walk up to the National Gallery and the over to Matyas Templom and somewhere in there, have lunch and write postcards. Before leaving, however, I thought I would look into public transport passes and bargains associated with them. At the information center next to McD's on Deak Ter, I discovered as much as I needed and more. Look into it right when you arrive. If you are staying a week or so, the options really make sense. The one thing i found that I decided would be usefl for me was information on renting bikes, which I used on Tuesday.
Continuing with my plan, I walked over the chain bridge (Szechenyi Ianchid) and on the spur of the moment, 'splurged' on the Funicular ride to the top (700huf.) It was short, but interesting...sit in the first car if you are short. The other windows are too high if you areless than 5'6" tall. I stepped off to discover that, ooops, the National Gallery is closed on Mondays! The grounds are sort of interesting, although there is a lot of construction on the far side that interferes with the 'atmosphere' of the place. After wandering for a few minutes, I headed for Matyas Templom. On the way I stopped for a light lunch and to wrote post cards. Fourteen post cards and a nice nosh later, I purchased stamps at the post office, stamped the cards, and handed them to the cashier to send. She looked at them and said, "Not enough for USA." (Not enough, what?) "Postage." Well that surprized me since she is the one who sold me the postage I put on them and I specifically said "14 stamps for USA" when I asked for them so I was really confused. (So how much more do I have to pay?) She pulled out a calculator, looked confused, tried a number for a split second, then put the calculator away and whispered, "post box" and pointed at a small box in the corner. (what?) "Post box" a little louder, but not much. (Are you sure?) She answered with a simple not and turned away. Okay... I put the post cards into the post box with 40HUF too little on every single card and decided that if none of my family gets post cards, at least I paid for an interesting story.
Outside and across the street was a craft fair. All of the same things that you see at all of the trinket vendors was there, with little new except a couple of jewelers and a handmade handbag vendor. Matyas Templom was under construction, but open. I, however, did not have on a skirt and the sign specifically said that women should wear skirts. Knowing that I would be coming back to National Gallery tomorrow (since it was closed) I decided that I would prefer to continue my journey instead of going inside. The roof and surrounding structures were pretty neat, although much of the roof was covered with scaffolding. As I was walking down some of the fortification stairs to the town below I could hear the strains of a string quartet lofting sweetly through the air, playing...THE FLINTSTONES MEDLEY! Ah, Budapest...a land of contrasts.
I wandered through backstreets in Buda for a while then headed back across the Duna to sit in the sun, review job postings, and people watch. Dinner was at the Thai place nearby (my dish was nothing to write home about, but the boys enjoyed the hot-fried-rice.) Then the search for a good Margarita began...note, we have yet to find one, but the Mariott Hotel comes the closest to simulating the actual flavor.

This morning I got up and, after doing some laundry, started yesterday all over again...only this time, on a bike! I rented one from Zebra REntals (right next to McD's at Deak Ter) for 2,500 HUF/5+hours . Now a warning here, biking in Budapest is not the safest thing one can do especially if you decide that you need to stay on the streets with the cars instead of the sidewalks with the people. All I can say is: HELMETS ARE FREE WITH RENTAL so get one. There are some marked bike paths and pedestrians are pretty accommodating to bikers. Just be polite.
First stop, the Four Seasons Hotel (formerly Gresham Palace.) It really is quite beautiful, at least as much of it as I saw (the foyer.)
Back on the bike and off to Parliament. Quite an imposing edifice and worth a stop (read the guide books as my descrition would match theirs.) Just behind Parliament along Falk Miksa Utca is 'antique row.' If you like to brows miles of antique stores, this is the place for you...although the prices seemed high to me (I do not antique sop, so I wouldn't really know) I have been told that on this street they are reasonable compared to the ones on Vaci Utca.
Margit Island was my next destination. If you go, biking is the way to see the island and it is worth bringing a picnic lunch. Views of the city and great people watching make this island popular with both tourists and locals alike. There are organized sports fields, a sports center, people and dogs playing catch and a lot of half-maked people sunbathing. It was very flat.
As a matter of fact, I was getting a LOT done in a short amount of time because so far I had encountered NO HILLS. That was not to continue. After a restful hour eating and watching I hopped back on the bike and pedaled off to the Budavary Palota (Royal Palace) in which the National Gallery is located...at the top of the second tallest hill you can see from the Pest side of the river. Needless to say, I was mildly intimidated by the thought of biking up it on cobbled roads, but once I was doing it, it really was pretty easy. I didn't stop once and the grade around the fortifications was gradual enough that it was quite do-able. This route had really interesting niches and stairways, gardens and alcoves. If you can, take the road either up or down so that you can see the structures that surround the castle. There were not a lot of places to park the bike, but I found something that would work and went inside. The National Gallery is all that the guide books said it was, as was Matyas Templom, so if the descriptions rouse your interest, go.
The bike ride DOWN the cobblestone road was far less comfortable that the ride up. All I have to say is that I am glad that bike tires are made from rubber, not wood. The bike path took me along the water front to Gellert where I spent a leisurely 90 minutes in the spa. There are a lot of choices as to what you can accesss with what fee so ask, although the info desk person was on the phone for so long I finally gave up trying to ask and simply purchased a ticket. I selected the "swimming pool with locker" (2,800HUF...with reimbursement for not staying 2 hours I actually spent 2,400HUF) With that ticket, I got access to the swimming pool (cold) the bath next to the pool (warm) and a few other baths through a doorway by the womens showers (opposite end of pool from warm bath.) It was very relaxing and reviving.
After a quick shower (bring your own toiletries or you pay for them) I biked home, with a stop for some gelato. I encourage you to try the Hazelnut. I think it is now my favorite...even more than chocolate. Sad to say, while trying to negotiate the bike and the cone though an intersection, I dropped the cone! Alas, I only had 1/3 of the delicious Hazelnut Gelato, but the flavor will stay with me for a long time.
Near the hotel and along the Duna, I sat and had a light nap and the returned the bike. On the way home I stopped into a few clothing stores to see what is popular here...baby-doll dresses and 60's patterns are all the rage.
Dinner was at a tucked away place on the Vaci Utca. So tucked away in fact, that we almost missed it...but take my advise, DO NOT MISS THIS ONE! The City Cellars store front is simply 4 tables outside of a small door at 1052 Vaci Utca 11/a. The hostess has you follow her down some winding stairs into the cellar and back along a darkend, candle-lit walkway to a grotto-like room with brick walls, ceilings and floors. the wooden platforms on which the tables sit and the live violin music completed the atmosphere. The waiter recommended a 'traditional' beef dish with seared duck liver, tomato 'ragout'(I forget the Hungarian word for it, but that is what it was) and potatoes (yes it had a fair amount of paprika.) He also recommended the wine I pair it with. Everything was perfectly, prepared, perfectly paired, and perfectly delicious! Fred had some sort of pancake with mushrooms and sourcream sauce. He enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed my dinner. Plates were between 2,900-4,500HUF and my wine was 890HUF ($150-$25/plate and $4.50/wine.) WORTH IT!- Ei

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Photos

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Funicular

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National Gallery grounds

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National Gallery grounds2

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National Gallery grounds3

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Matyas Templom roof and front

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Matyas Templom stairs

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Buda street

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Four Seasons detail

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Four Seasons detail

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Parliament

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Margit Island

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Gellert