Day 4: Off to Hungary I go

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I made it to Gatwick on time - rail replacement busses are such a drag, but at least there was still service. The flight was uneventful - Budapest customs was a hoot. I am forever grateful to have a Canadian passport and am forever baffled by how people from other countries are automatically scrutinized. Not a single question for me - stamp and go.

Anyway, Budapest is as I remember it - busy and bustling, humid, and full of gorgeous architecture. Also full of older people who don't speak English but insist on having conversations with you lol. It's cute.

I dragged myself to the hostel (so hot, so tired) and only as I got off the metro did I realize I stayed here last time lol. Skill. Also, pleasant surprise, totally forgot I had booked a single room - sing all the hallelujah. I also nearly wept when I saw there was a fan. (It's really humid ok. We've covered this.)

It was supper time so I headed off to Kantin - I remember it from last time so figured I'd return. They upped their prices, but it was still tasty so that's fine. I had their homemade elderberry lemonade that is to die for, an app with smoked cheese (yay dairy!) and unknown (but tasty) sausage. The main was beef stew with egg barley and it was amazing..!!! And for dessert the cottage cheese dumplings were even better than I remembered. Solid choice on my part.

I felt like a balloon afterwards so I decided to go walk it off along the Danube, seeing Parliament and some statues along the way. I love the lions outside the Parliament - they look like they have real 'tude. I also like that the sprinklers came on just as I finished walking through the square - I had fun watching kids from all over run into them afterwards. But my favourite thing along the Danube is their "Shoes on the Danube" memorial remembering those (mostly Jews) that were killed during WW2 along the Danube - they'd be asked to remove their shoes, then they'd be shot so they'd fall into the water below - it's a simple and poignant memorial.

And that was it for today - I look forward to my fan aided slumber.

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