Budapest is a beautiful European city split in half by the Danube, connected by multiple bridges. Buda and Pest actually developed independently of each other until a little over 100 years ago so are fairly distinct in personalities.
Pest is flat and dotted with trendy bars, shops, cafes, and restaurants. On the other hand, Buda is composed of rolling hills and holds the Royal Palace. If you are from Buda, they say the best thing about being in Pest is… looking at Buda.
The Guy’s paternal grandmother is from Hungary so stopping in Budapest was a must-do. The language is fairly difficult for English speakers to pick up, making communicating a challenge at times. Here are some pictures of the city.
Sights of Budapest
Other Places of Interest
We also visited the Central Market Hall, which was 3 stories tall and included souvenirs, fresh produce, a fish market, food stalls, and more.
It was sizeable and the cleanest market we’d experienced.
We also visited Hospital in the Rock – which we could only see as part of a tour group. The guide glossed over some major points, but it was pretty much a nuclear bunker that sometimes helped the Nazi’s out.
Food
Falafel places are abundant and also offer schnitzel, which is delicious if not a little dry.
One thing we noticed was there are a lot more Burger King’s than there are McDonald’s, which is drastically different from the US.
Since the weather is cold, restaurants with outdoor seating all offer blankets for each patron so they can still enjoy the ambiance.
Beer comes with a surprisingly large amount of head – like half the glass. And bartenders don’t expect much of a tip – but it is always appreciated if you leave them something.
Hungarian restaurants aren’t big on offering water. Legit, The Guy asked for a water and a coke and the waiter looked at him funny and only brought him a coke.
Goulash is a staple of Hungarian cuisine. I forgot to take a picture of it so here’s one of beet-root gnocchi instead.
Here’s a picture of the most delicious mish-mash plate of food we got. It cost something ridiculous like $27 but it was YUM.
Things To Note About Budapest
Some remarkable things about Budapest is not only its beauty but how clean this city is and friendly the people are.
Homeless people lay out entire beds throughout the subway stations, complete with clean bedding and things people with homes would have on their nightstands (i.e. drinks, glasses etc.)
They aren’t asked to leave because the policemen don’t have the heart to ask. People obey traffic signals down to a T. Maybe they’re onto something here…
The sales people are low key and unaggressive and we had the easiest time exchanging an old bank note we’ve ever experienced. The Guy and I were both surprised when we weren’t even asked for ID.
People are trusting, leaving their purses and bags unattended at their tables while stepping outside or going to the bathroom.
Overall, Budapest is beautiful, safe, and a great place to try some goulash and paprika! Just don’t count on getting water at every table…
Thank for the great introspective on Budapest. If there is one place I’d like to go, it’s there. After all, there’s a relative or two over there I don’t even know about. We’re so glad your surgery went well. Keep having fun and keep posting.