Beautiful Budapest, I will be back!

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Geo: 47.4984, 19.0408

Again, having never been to Hungary before, it was all a new adventure. One thing I will say is I didn't meet any unhelpful, miserable delights that we had experienced in the other European towns. People walked up to you in the street, when looking at a map, and asked if you needed help. Marta, who ran the campsite was also a true legend. 58-as kisvendéglö was the name of the campsite, but thankfully she had cards so we did not have to remember or pronounce it!

'58' was an old tram station in the outer city of Budapest. The trams no longer ventured out that far. But it meant the camps buildings were stunning. There were terraces to erect the tents on, as we all crowded into one area. It was then to the bar, as Marta gave us all a complementary wine or beer. Goulash, traditional Hungarian goulash was then demolished by the hordes. For those that don't know, it is a meaty, herbed broth with veg, meat and in this instance gnocchi! The girls shared a huge bowl between 5 if us, as we were not that hungry after a Haribo feast, that was purchased in order to spend our unchangeable euro shrapnel in Austria.

Above the campsite, there was a chair lift to the top of one of the hills, on the Buda side of the Danube. It was a gloriously, sunny afternoon, so the majority that could be bothered to go, decided to ride the interesting looking chair lift up and pathfind our way back again. As the chair scooped you into the air, it swung a little disconcertingly, however that was soon forgotten as we rose up above the city with some spectacular views. Once we had successfully dismounted and not been taken out by the chair that had delivered us, we climbed to the top of the lookout tower. The view from the top was incredible for a cityscape, and even that description does not do it justice. I have no idea of the mileage you could see, but it was a long way!! Rather than following the snaking path back to the campsite, we did some off routing, down what looked like a mountain bike run. It was steep and loose underfoot, meaning great fun for some, not so much for others. We then decided it was best to follow the path... this was not the same path ... we ended up the other side of the hill, so had to follow the road back around home again in time for fajita tea 😊

The night was another damp one, although by the time we were ready to leave the downpour had desisted. It was a double whammy bus to get into the centre in addition to the metro ride... or so we thought.... in contradiction to the back of the ticket and to Marta's information, the guard was not prepared to let us onto the underground with the ticket we had. Being budget travellers i.e. cheapskates!, we decided to walk. I succeeded in not going into the largest Mammut shop I have ever seen. Eventually we hit the river, with the beautiful Parliament building on the opposing side... the pest side. With our wandering down the river bank to the chain link bridge, a tout for the hop on hop off bus we were planning on doing started talking to us. We managed to blag it for 4000 Forits... abt £10. We did a trip along Danube river first and then hopped on the big red bus to see the sights as they were so spread out around the city. The Pest side of the city had been devastated by floods in the 1830's and so the buildings were all of that era onwards. The bridges linking Buda and Pest were all destroyed in WW2 but have since been rebuilt in the same ilk. This is bar one, the Elizabeth bridge, a new one, who's path needed to go where a church remained. They put the church on wheels and moved it …. And no that isn't a late April fouls!

One the Buda side of the river, remained the stunning palaces and cathedrals of old, so we 'hopped' off the bus for some light refreshments – marzipan ice-cream…. Possibly the best thing I have ever eaten!!!! Many a photo were posed and taken, then back on the bus for the rest of the loop. We didn't get off again, apart from a panorama shot of the city from the memorial statue. The rest of the tour was not that immense for sitting on the bus, it definitely requires longer in the city. I will be back!

That night, after a good old curry for dinner, we all spent the last of our Forit on wine and beer in the bar whilst gaffa taping tickets of the day into our hand written, biblical journals.

Romania and Vlad here we come!!!!

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