Getting out of Vienna and into Budapest went smoothly: the train station was less than a 3 minute walk from the hostel, and the train itself was fast, smooth and comfortable with nice views of the Austro-Hungarian countryside flying by. (We saw deer!) Within 3 hours we arrived in Budapest, passing on the way in lots of ugly apartment blocks and ominous industrial parks. It was raining and we had a hard time changing money so we could get on the Metro, but undeterred we pressed on. Even when we caught a tram in the wrong direction, we didn't let our spirits get dampened. When we eventually located the right street and found it full of piles of feces (origin unknown), our resolve faltered a little. But before too long we were safely in the Thumbs Up hostel, in our private room with its own TV and a strange loft structure.
We ate that evening at a restaurant recommended by the hostel, the Blue Rose. It was great, mixing Hungarian and international foods at really good prices. Zarah got a three-course vegetarian set menu for 2100 Hungarian Forint (~$12). We also got to watch a Hungarian-dubbed version of "Malcolm in the Middle" (Már megint Malcolm") on the TV in the corner.
That night we went on a pub crawl organised by the hostel involving us, some assorted Australians and Kiwis, and a bunch of American students on a study program in Vienna. It...it deteriorated pretty rapidly.
The first place we went to had exceptionally cheap drinks - beers for less than a Euro, for example. It was also the smokiest place I have been in my entire life. It was almost impossible to breath or see into the distance inside those walls. The next place was bigger and really cool - a bit more expensive, but not enough to deter us. The third place was a multi-storey nightclub but by then we had done enough damage and headed back. Not that things got much easier for us once we were back - I passed out on the couch in our room. I did better than Zarah, who passed out halfway up the ladder/stairs leading to the bed.
Anyway, that first day bled through to the second, as we both lay in bed moaning until the late afternoon. We rose only to go in search of food, seeking out a nearby McDonalds and a supermarket. Zarah made some pasta for dinner and we retired with good intentions for the next day.
And we followed through! The next morning we got up and headed out in search of a park with lots of nice statues and buildings scattered throughout. But then we got on the wrong bus and wound up across the Danube in Buda. Making the most of the situation, we walked along the river, taking in the beautiful architecture and atmosphere.
We headed up to Castle Buda, where we caught the arrival of the US Ambassador for some meeting, complete with full honour guard and parade.
The day was briefly marred by a poor choice of lunch venue - the food was overpriced, of low quality and dubious hygiene. But the stress induced by the meal was soon forgotten once we arrived at the Gellert Hotel and went to their thermal baths. After soaking and relaxing for a couple of hours, we headed back to the hostel, made dinner and went to bed.
The next day was unfortunately another lost day, as I fell ill. Luckily I had Zarah to look after me and make soup, improving my condition vastly.
And so we arrive at our final full day in Budapest. We intended to head to Memento Park, where the relics of the city's Communist past are on display. Unfortunately, a public transit strike was in effect, and the site was more or less inaccessible as a result. So instead we went back to that park we missed out on earlier. It was nice walking around there, but a little odd: the place seemed to be a kind of anti-Memento Park, scattered with statues of Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill and George Washington.
We walked down to Hero Square before turning back.
In the evening, we went to the Hungarian State Opera House to see a ballet performance of "Romeo and Juliet" which was great.
And Zarah got Perthed, when a friend from back home recognised her as we were taking our seats. It was a bit odd.
And so that was our time in Budapest - halfway in productivity terms between Madrid and Vienna, and yet another place we'll have to come back to to fully enjoy.
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