Markets, Heroes and Bird Shit

---

Headed to the Market Hall (which is literally around the corner) first thing this morning to get some fresh supplies. This hall has been used since the 19th century to sell any manner of fresh produce and is packed with meat, fish, fruit, veges, grains, breads, cheese, etc on the ground floor. On the first floor you can buy Hungarian hand crafts and cool stuff like knives and whips, and the Hungarian version of a food court. If you come to Hungary you must try a langos, covered in garlic butter and sour cream, and washed down with a beer - the breakfast of champions!
Despite the Market Hall opening at 6am we were a bit too keen and most of the stalls had not set up yet by 7am, so we detoured down to the Danube. A light mist hung over the river and it was cuttingly crisp like I remembered from a couple of times when I was here in ‘82. It had a very nostalgic feel to the morning and a film crew was making the most of it with a group of extras in pre-WWII garb working nearby.

Breakfast and a power nap later, we ventured onto Europe’s oldest underground metro to get to Hosok Ter (Hero Square) and the City Park. Most people wouldn’t know it but the yellow metro line in Budapest was built in 1867 - it feels like you are hurtling along at 100’s of km/hr, an effect cleverly achieved by using the original cars from 150 years ago.
Hero Square is a tribute to the dozen of so kings of Hungary, dating back to the 10th century. They are a bad ass looking bunch - not helped by an absence of eyes in their bronze casting - with all manner of evil weaponry at their side. I’m not sure that pig tails and naked chariot riders helped their marauding image, but they certainly held their own for near on a millennium throughout much of Europe. Any Hungarian is only more than happy to tell you of Hungary’s greatness and how they nearly ruled the world…and still do today, but just on a smaller scale.

Beyond Hero Square is the City Park which is a bit of a hidden gem, despite its huge size. In the middle of park is a manmade lake, in which sits an island, which in turn is home to Vajdahunyad Castle…loads of doors and classic architectural delights for the avid tourist. And the odd evil-looking sculpture t oremind you how menacing the Hungos were.

On the way from the castle to the other side of the park we wandered under a picturesque line of trees. It didn’t take long to figure out that what sounded like rain a clear Spring morning was in fact a mass of simultaneous avian bowel movements from directly above us. Sarah and Kaspar ducked and dived to great effect but Gabor copped one right on his bald spot (if you can have a bald spot when you shave your head)! I've never understood the notion that being shat on is good luck …I think it really means that the person standing next to the one that got shat on is the lucky one.

We topped the day off with a visit to Nagymama’s place. We did alright in the absence of a translator (Marti was at work), but Kaspar did most of the talking anyway and we were quite happy sitting in the background, being fed more outstanding old school Hungarian fare.

---

Photos

What the...
...is that little head doing under this guy's coat?

Clever egg
just like his Nagypapa

Comments

[chiara]

cool!
bella fotografs. Shat on foto is Funny.