Bopping Around Budapest

With just about 48 hours in Budapest, Jessica and I were determined to squeeze in everything we had originally planned.

We arrived at about noon, and the first thing we had to do was exchange our currency to the Hungarian Forint. Hungary's currency has crazy denominations- I received bills marked as high as 10,000 and 5,000 Forints. (1 USD is equal to about 282 Hungarian Forints).

Then, we were prepared to make our way to our hostel, which I 100% selected based solely on the fact that it is called The Lazy Muggle. We chucked our luggage into our room and hit the streets. We didn't stop walking until 8 hours later.

The first thing we saw was the Hungarian Parliament Building. Honestly, after seeing that insanely beautiful structure, I could have contentedly left Hungary. It is so massive and intricate and each side is more beautiful than the last.

As we meandered the old streets of the Pest side of Budapest, we came across an enormous train station, outside of which was a tiny stand with a very long line. People were waiting for Kürtőskalács or Chimney Cakes, a traditional Hungarian street food that is basically a sweet dough baked as a hollow cylinder then doused in butter and the topping of your choice (traditionally cinnamon sugar).

It. Was. Great.

That night we mad our way over to the Buda side of the river and saw the incredibly beautiful skyline at night.

Our dinner was at a restaurant recommended to us by a hostel worker for its goulash. I felt like I had to order a beer to accompany my goulash since I was in Budapest, but ugh I just really don't like beer haha. The goulash was great and we asked for bread to come with it and the ended up bringing it to us in a bread bowl which was fine by me. At the end, we got to eat the goulash-soaked bread and it was amazing.

Our next day started bright and early and we continued to explore the Buda side of the city. On our way from the hostel, which is located on the Pest side, we passed a big indoor food and goods market. It had everything, Meat, spices, produce, baked goods, gloves, mittens, Russian nesting dolls, Christmas decorations, all (or mostly all) hand made.

Our exploration of Buda led us to many pretty places atop very high hills. We were able to see all of the city from various vantage points and it was really breathtaking. 

Our visit to the royal palace was really impressive. Just the sheer size of the buildings in this city are overwhelming. Looking up at the castle before we entered was astounding. We were lucky enough to see the traditionally dressed guards on horseback. I found it interesting that the castle has been destroyed so many times throughout history, but is always rebuilt. Now, it serves the city as a cultural and arts center. While we were there, it housed a Frida Khalo exhibit, which we didn't see because it sold out ages ago.

I think the best thing I ate in Budapest has to be Langosh. It is another street food that is basically fried dough with butter and other toppings, which in my case were garlic and cheese. Oh my (lan)gosh was it delightful. I'm glad I don't have easy access to them on a daily basis or there would be problems.

We hopped on the metro to Heroes Square, which features statues of prominent men from Hungarian history. Each is very distinct not only in posture, but in the items that accompany them. It really allows you to get a sense of their contributions without already knowing or reading anything about them.

Nearby, we found a gorgeous castle just as the sun was setting. The colors were so amazing. After walking around the castle and its neighboring woods to get our fix of the Halloween Spirit, we headed to another recommended restaurant called Drum Cafe for dinner. This time, I had Chicken Paprikash, a traditional Hungarian dish. It had a really nice flavor and now I want to try remaking it some time. 

We went with a girl from our hostel named Riya to a ruin bar. These are bars located in buildings that were destroyed during WWII. They have been fixed up enough to be inhabitable, but still contain the original bricks and have no ceiling. Its a really cool atmosphere and very big, so you can wander around. Each floor had different bars serving different drinks. I ended up getting a Budapest Cherry Beer because it was cheap. It ended up being pretty good for beer.

Our last morning, we visited a Turkish Thermal Bath before catching our train to Vienna. It was so relaxing and the first time the whole trip my feel didn't hurt (we averaged 12 miles a day during the 10-day trip). My favorite part was jumping into the cold plunge pool after being in the steam room. There were outdoor pools, which was the prettiest part. They were warm, which contrasted nicely against the chilly air, and were full of fountains and sculptures.

We certainly fit a lot into our one and a half days in Budapest, but I would love to return in the future and explore everything else the city has to offer.