I would really love to live here in the near future. Budapest is my fairy tale city. The atmosphere is welcoming and friendly, the architecture is beautiful, the history is rich, the food is INCREDIBLE and the possibilities are endless. There are so many things to do in the city. I'm convinced it's impossible to get bored.
Budapest was the first stop on my fall break expeditions with Molly, Sebastian, and Alex. We took a bus from Blagoevgrad to Sofia and from Sofia to Budapest. On the way, we had to stop at the Serbian border, where Alex, and Sebastian were chosen for baggage checks. Sebastian and I had packed our luggage together, so the border patrol was pulling bras and mascara out of the bag, showcasing them to her coworkers, and laughing at him. They totally thought he was a cross-dresser! The bus ride took a little longer than expected, but we reached our hostel shortly after arriving in Budapest because Sebastian can navigate the metro so well.
After settling in and taking taking a shower that was irritatingly long to my travel companions, we left for this really cool ruin bar, Instant, we heard about.
This place was unlike anything I had ever experienced! There were multiple rooms and levels all playing different music and the room designs were clever and unique. It truly is a bar that caters to everyone's interests, as evidenced by how packed it was when we arrived. There was dubstep music in the basement, and techno/electronic and house music playing in upstairs levels. It was such a fun time!
We started the next day with massive cappuccinos and a light breakfast outdoors in a charming cafe between the hostel and the St. Stephen's Basilica. Armed with our caffeine buzz, we explored the Basilica, which is named after the first King of Hungary. There were incredible panoramic views of the city from the top. In fact, it is one of the tallest buildings in all of Hungary!
From there, we went to the House of Terror museum to learn about the fascist and communist regimes in 20th century Hungary. The location was previously the headquarters for the secret police of both dictatorships, and now it serves as a memorial for victims, and center to educate visitors. The museum was composed of several floors and rooms, each equipped with informational handouts. Many of the rooms also contained video evidence of the atrocities, as well as first-hand accounts of what happened. The tour was very well-designed, informative, and touching. It ended in the basement cells where victims were tortured or killed. That was one of the most eerie places I have ever been in my life, and it was completely depressing. However, I thought it was setup very well and I learned a lot by going through the exhibits.
After a pit-stop to McDonald's to boost our melancholy moods, and a failed attempt to get into the overcrowded Parliament building, we went to the World Press Photo tour of 2011. Although visiting this exhibit didn't help to ameliorate our feelings of sadness, it was truly incredible to see. The photographers managed to capture really profound moments of time and results were unbelievably moving.
Next, we toured the city, walking through parks and castles. We did a LOT of sight-seeing. We saw Vajdahunyad Castle, which is located in City Park, and a copy of a castle in Transylvania. We also ventured to Heroes' Square, where Sebastian convinced a group of students to dance with him for the competition he was holding on his blog.
Following our sight-seeing adventures, we girls (against the wishes of our aching feet) wanted to do some shopping, so we hit up H&M. Molly and I bought some cool hats and we practically had to run to make it to our dinner cruise on time.
Upon arrival, we were asked for our reservations. We hadn't made any, but luck was in our favor and they manage to find us a last minute table aboard the ship. The dinner cruise on the Danube was so romantic. The whole city was lit up, but the water and night sky were a contrasting black. Words cannot describe the beauty. It was enchanting. We were served a three course meal, that was delicious and came with wine and champagne. The air was frosty, but going outside to see the sights was refreshing and I could feel myself transform into one of the happiest states I have ever been. That was when I made up my mind to move to Budapest ASAP.
The next day was very enjoyable as well. We had a yummy breakfast at a different place close to the St. Stephen's Basilica, followed it up with Starbucks to experience a taste of home, and proceeded onwards towards the Castle District. We broke up into our little photography expert groups and clicked away at the Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church, and of course, the Buda Castle. It was very widespread and we were there for hours soaking in the sights. The view of the Danube was particularly gorgeous.
Once we captured all the photos we needed, we went to lunch at this divine traditional Hungarian place not too far from the Castle District. It was quaint and cozy and the food was the best I've ever had. I ate goulash, paprikash chicken, and cottage cheese dumplings. We were sad to leave that restaurant, seeing as the waitstaff was so friendly, the food was incomparable in its greatness, and Sebastian, Alex, and I had to say goodbye to Molly.
She was heading to an event at the Basilica and then to Slovakia, and we were leaving for the Gellért Spa and then onto Transylvania to celebrate Halloween in the town of Dracula!! So we said our goodbyes, spent a seemingly unreasonable amount of money to use bathing suits and towels, and enjoyed the many baths in the spa. The place was massive and kind of confusing to navigate, but it was worth the hassle to relax before our next journey.
I fell in love with Budapest for it's beauty, romance, diversions, friendly inhabitants, and let's not forget, the food!
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