Falling in love with Budapest
Arriving in Budapest, I decided to shake off the bad vibes from the two days before and start fresh. It was fitting, seeing as I arrived at dawn on a sleepy Sunday morning. I had decided to treat myself as it was the last leg of my backpacking trip before visiting my friend in Sweden so I booked a hotel, not a hostel. The hotel staff at the Inn Side Kalvin House were really kind and if I ever make my way back (when I make my way back!) I will definitely stay here again.
The first thing I did after checking in, yep I took to the streets! The early morning light was so beautiful – I swear the light in eastern Europe is like honey. Cringe, but bear with me. I explored the empty subway stations, old train stations with their skylight domes lit up from behind and the war memorial pre-tourists.
When it got a bit warmer, I headed inside to the very touristy but not too kitsch indoor market. Walking around Budapest was super easy and relaxing. It’s a sprawling city that spans the Danube, but it was quite walkable (like Washington D.C or Prague). During my trip I had been sparing with souvenir shopping because of both my budget and space in my backpack but in Budapest I felt that I ought to get some embroidered goods (a better option than trying to get paprika past customs at the airport).
After shopping, I was walking along the river when I decided to buy a bus and boat ticket combination. Although I didn’t end up using the bus as much, the boat trip was well worth it! And I met the loveliest ladies on a girls’ trip from Italy. We became instant friends as we chatted about our respective holidays and I suggested some places they should stop while they gushed about the fact that I was doing a month-long solo trip. I think each of us felt both a bit of pride at our accomplishments and envy at the others’ travel chutzpah.
After seeing the Hungarian parliament at sunset, I think there will be few sights as engraved in my memory as that boat trip. I headed back to the hotel for some RnR and another early start. The thing Budapest is most famous for, is its affinity for thermal baths. There are too many to visit on one trip and most of them are kept secret by the locals anyway (I know – I asked someone where they go to get away from the tourists and he politely reminded me that I am a tourist and therefore he wasn’t going to be telling me any time soon). So, before the throngs of snappy happy visitors could awaken, I headed to Gellert Spa. I chose this one because it boasts different rooms and I had hoped that this would mean a slightly more private experience. Overall it was nice and relaxing – for about half an hour until the first girl and her mom started taking photos in front of the “no photos” sign. I decided it was best for my now-relaxed blood pressure to end my visit while the going was good. My other advice would be to bring a towel and swim cap – it’s mandatory and you’ll have to buy one if you don’t have one. It’s not expensive and makes a nice souvenir but still, any way to stay budget savvy, right?
I spent the afternoon walking around museums and galleries, riding around on the bus from the bus/boat combo the day before. Then I headed back to the hotel to freshen up and take a rest. My goal that evening was to see the city from above. Usually I hate hiking and, being South African, I try not to go outdoors at night when I travel. But so far Budapest had felt quite safe and I had heard that the walking route up the hill on the Buda side of the river was a very popular nighttime activity so there would be many people. That night, I waited for the sun to set and then headed out across the bridge to the hill. The climb wasn’t too bad and although there weren’t that many people on the way, once I got to the top there were plenty of other skyline seekers. The view was definitely worth it! Unfortunately, the wind had turned quite chilly and I ended up not staying too long. But I managed to see the Baroque architecture of the parliament building all lit up against the nighttime backdrop which was worth every shiver.
The next morning it was as if the city was waving goodbye, with its waves of pink and purple in the sky. I had a flight to Stockholm at lunch time, so I needed to get my things together quite early. With the last of my postcards written in haste as I was packing up, I was missing an address or two and the lady at the check-in desk offered to fill it in for me if I messaged her when I received them. I decided to take up her offer and, seeing as my friends all received their postcards a few days later, she is literally one of my favourite people I had met during that trip! Off I went, sans postcards, to the airport for the last two days of my trek through Europe.
