What a treat Budapest was. A beautiful city with lovely friendly people, the most lovely was Jennifer who helped us find the food and drink we needed. As well as lessons in Hungarian wine and food. Really amazing wine after the Croatian wine, that's another story. Jennifer is half Hungarian half English and has recently returned to her home city. She speaks fluent Hungarian which is such a bonus to us kiwi chicks who struggle to say hello and thank you in either Croatian or Hungarian.
She took us to two excellent restaurants, paving the way by charming the waiters.
Our apartment was another Airbnb success. A very large 2 bedroom apartment right behind the opera house, just off Andrassey. The high ceilings made it feel even more spacious and it opened onto an internal courtyard. If I could find one like that in Wellington I'd be very happy. Jennifer showed us some of the sights, the ruin pubs were a highlight. Some clever person decided that the derelict old apartment blocks and factory buildings in District VII could be reborn as pubs. They have been very successful with the one we visited voted one of the best bar in the world, quite some achievement.
The ruin pubs are a bit grungy with the original rooms of the apartment buildings outfitted as private spaces within the whole and the art installations are very different. As Di commented, it was a bit like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. The first one we went to had a rabbit installation running for the wall right up onto the ceiling. The owls were amazing too. Our Friday evening at Simple (not quite the Hungarian spelling) was really interesting. It was packed with people, many of them part of stag parties from the UK, Manchester was well represented, interesting lads who were very keen for us to join them partying.
We declined with much amusement and enjoyed a shisha while people watching and chatting. We finally wandered home after an entertaining night out around midnight. I'm not sure Di and I would have gone there on our own, thanks to Jennifer for showing us the night life of Budapest. The day life was also interesting, hunger and sore feet making the choice of a on off city tour bus a good one. We sat up top in the open buffeted by a very cold wind. It was freezing out, late autumn bringing a promise of winters chill. Despite being rugged up, we were grateful for the stops where we could get some sun.
I will write more about the day out and about, including photos, when I can figure out how to upload these onto my new iPod. I bought the photo kit, just need to get the right cable for my camera. Today my computer withdrawals led me to Saturn in Vienna and a new iPod so I have internet for the rest of my trip. Essential for me. We are now in Vienna, just for a short stop, tomorrow it's back to Trieste.
She took us to two excellent restaurants, paving the way by charming the waiters.
Our apartment was another Airbnb success. A very large 2 bedroom apartment right behind the opera house, just off Andrassey. The high ceilings made it feel even more spacious and it opened onto an internal courtyard. If I could find one like that in Wellington I'd be very happy. Jennifer showed us some of the sights, the ruin pubs were a highlight. Some clever person decided that the derelict old apartment blocks and factory buildings in District VII could be reborn as pubs. They have been very successful with the one we visited voted one of the best bar in the world, quite some achievement.
The ruin pubs are a bit grungy with the original rooms of the apartment buildings outfitted as private spaces within the whole and the art installations are very different. As Di commented, it was a bit like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. The first one we went to had a rabbit installation running for the wall right up onto the ceiling. The owls were amazing too. Our Friday evening at Simple (not quite the Hungarian spelling) was really interesting. It was packed with people, many of them part of stag parties from the UK, Manchester was well represented, interesting lads who were very keen for us to join them partying.
We declined with much amusement and enjoyed a shisha while people watching and chatting. We finally wandered home after an entertaining night out around midnight. I'm not sure Di and I would have gone there on our own, thanks to Jennifer for showing us the night life of Budapest. The day life was also interesting, hunger and sore feet making the choice of a on off city tour bus a good one. We sat up top in the open buffeted by a very cold wind. It was freezing out, late autumn bringing a promise of winters chill. Despite being rugged up, we were grateful for the stops where we could get some sun.
I will write more about the day out and about, including photos, when I can figure out how to upload these onto my new iPod. I bought the photo kit, just need to get the right cable for my camera. Today my computer withdrawals led me to Saturn in Vienna and a new iPod so I have internet for the rest of my trip. Essential for me. We are now in Vienna, just for a short stop, tomorrow it's back to Trieste.
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