For those of you who are not familiar, Budapest used to be two different cities, Buda and Pest. Actually, I think there was a third, but they just took that name out of the equation when unifying the cities. Anyways, this divide is very clear in the city even today, because Buda and Pest are divided by the Danube river. The Pest part is known for its more advanced architecture, settlements and businesses, and is also very flat. The Buda part is very hilly, known for the Castle Hill and all of the homes of the aristocracy of the city in huge houses among the hills.
After settling into our hostel, where we were actually put in a room with only two other people and no bunk beds, instead of like a ten person room (which was awesome), I recognized a restaurant that is also in Berlin, Vapiano's, that I suggested we go to for dinner. Good choice. It's basically fresh Italian food made to order, and just so yummy and filling. Often times, and I don't know if I've mentioned this yet, but, when I'm traveling and finally get to some place, I'm not usually in the mood to try new things immediately - I want something familiar and satisfying. After a fantastic dinner, we walked around the pedestrian/shopping square in Pest, enjoying some ice cream, as well.
Later we decided to hit up something called a Ruins Pub - something very unique to Budapest, even though we found out everyone else in the world was going to see a very famous DJ at a club in the city. Regardless, these Ruins Pubs are set in old houses that were abandoned. We were definitely among a lot of Hungarians, rather than tourists, which was also a nice change of pace from Prague. One of the rooms' ceilings was gone and it was just open to the warm night. We enjoyed a drink, mostly just people watching while we were there, and then headed back for the night. We didn't really get to go to bed until after meeting a couple Scottish guys, who we talked to for a while. That's something I've really enjoyed about hostels - meeting lots of people from all over. Anyways, we were exhausted and called it a night fairly early.
The next day, we started off by going on a boat tour of the city on the Danube. Ever since Copenhagen, I've been a huge fan of the whole boat tour thing. You can see so much and gain a lot of perspective of a city by taking a boat tour, especially if you do it before you set out to walk around. One of the biggest, greatest architectural features of Budapest is their parliamentary building on the Pest side... Funny enough, I was sitting in front of a group of Brits, and all they had to say about it was: after we built Big Ben, everyone wanted to copy us just bigger and better, but we came first. I laughed to myself, naturally the Brits have to be the best.
Once we were done with our boat tour, we found Morgan, enjoyed a coffee, and set out to actually walk around the city, heading to Castle Hill in Buda, first. After quite a hike, we got to the top, where honestly, there wasn't tons to do, but lots to see. There, the president of Hungary still lives, and so we saw his house and mostly just walked around some of the beautiful buildings. Not to mention, the view of the entire city below us. We walked through the Fisherman's Bastion, which was primarily built for decoration, and rightfully so, with roman columns, lots of steps and seven towers, each representing Magyar tribe that came to Hungary in the first century. After walking through a market, we then found our way into the the Matthias Church, where I, naturally, needed to peak inside. Budapest's first parish church, this is where many of the Hapsburgs were crowned throughout the years, among a lot of other landmarks throughout history for the area.
We made our way down the hill and back to Pest to tour the opera house, which was probably one of the highlights for me. Our tour guide was so much fun and super animated. She was definitely around my age, and was so knowledgeable, though, with the third largest opera house in Europe being your subject, that can also be a little easy. It was amazing to hear about all the thoughts and details behind this ornate building. One being: the architect was so mad when he realized that he designed the room where royalty would come in and walk up the stairs to the theater so beautifully and they wouldn't even notice because protocol meant that they couldn't look around... to solve this, he put a huge mirror at the top of this great staircase, so that even looking forward the whole time, they could still observe the whole room. That staircase now, by the way, is used for children to come and sit on and watch miniature operas performed at the bottom - neat. Also, the royal box still exists and now is only for Heads of State, with one exception. Can you guess who it was? Who on this earth defies all rules to exactly what royalty means, so much so, they get to sit where so few have ever been allowed? Okay, well I'll tell you... Madonna! Apparently, part of Evita was filmed here, and Madonna wanted to come see an opera and naturally demanded she get to sit in the best seats in the house... After much prying, she got her way. God Bless America.
Food was afterwards in order, so we enjoyed a bagel in a Jewish cafe (yet again), as we were on our way to see the Great Synagogue - the largest functioning synagogue in Europe. It was very Cathedral like, and extremely ornate, particularly for a synagogue. There was a Jewish museum that we opted out of, but saw some pretty cool old grave stones and a couple awesome memorials... This area is actually, also, where a mass grave for Jews who died from an awful winter, while taking refuge in the synagogue because of the Nazi regime is located. The more moving memorial, to me, was a steel weeping willow with inscriptions on each leaf of a Hungarian Jew or family that died in the Holocaust. The inscription for the memorial reads, "Whose agony is greater than mine." Definitely something to think about... In German the word for memorial is denkmal - a combination of two words, denk (to think) and mal (time). When I was walking around the weeping willow, I didn't think of it as a memorial, but a denkmal. For some reason, I think the German expression describes the purpose and meaning more than the English word.
Anyways, we stopped by our hostel for a few after this, before heading out to a park in Pest, which is the location of a castle from the "divided" times and also one of the famous baths. Not routed from the Romans, but the Turks, these baths have many different purposes. In this particular one, there is a huge swimming pool, thermal baths, and is also used for some sort of medicinal/therapy purpose. It was definitely something gorgeous to see, and very popular among the Hungarians, primarily the young. Then, we headed on our way to meet the girl from Morgan's school, who she was staying with and is interning in Budapest all summer, for dinner.
While waiting, we had a little incident, and when I say we, I mean Brooke. We were standing outside of the designated Burger King, when a gypsy came up to Brooke, mad that the group of people she just asked for for money denied her, and drew her fist up to Brooke's face. Now, before I finish this story, there are a few things I would like to preface it with. First, everyone in Budapest, and probably Hungary, hates gypsies. Two, I'm still trying to figure out exactly what defines someone as a gypsy other than possibly being nomadic? Three, this woman was not even five feet tall, and not imposing physically beyond her ready fist. Okay, so literally this was happening less than a foot from my face, and even though it felt like slow motion, before I could make a decision on whether or not, or what the best help would be from me, intervention wise, Brooke ran. And when I say ran, she booked it toward a VERY busy street while screaming. While the gypsy began to chase her laughing, I looked at Morgan, asked her why this stuff always happens to Brooke, and immediately made my way around to meet Brooke and the gypsy on the other side of the circle they were making. Brooke ran straight into a small and close liquor shop, and we followed her in there, not knowing where the gypsy disappeared to. After calming down from everything, and talking to some already drunk American grad students who were in the store to buy some more, we waited outside only for a couple minutes more before Morgan's friend came. Thankfully, later, we were able to laugh ourselves silly about the whole incident. Honestly, it was so surreal.
Alisia, Morgan's friend, took us to a restaurant she knew well, that served some traditional Hungarian food. Though, not brave enough to get one of my own, I did try some of the goulash (pronounced gooey-ash), which was excellent! It was nice to talk to Alisia, because, having lived there, she was more familiar with the people and the scene in Budapest... Apparently, just about any restaurant you go to in the area, is truly geared toward tourists, because most Hungarians could not afford to eat there. The meals, though, were relatively inexpensive. She told us about how corrupt the aristocracy is of Budapest, down to the public transportation system, where they'll overcharge people who are caught without a pass, especially tourists. This is something that we heard about from our Scottish friends, too, as they got caught without tickets and were charged ridiculous amounts of money for it.
The next morning, we did a little running around before heading on our train to Munich... But, not without, once again, a minor incident, that I myself experienced. When at the post office, wanting to send a postcard, I pulled out one of my 1000 Hungarian Forints (equal to approx. $5) to pay for the stamps. All of a sudden, an already unhappy looking woman working the register looks at me with an even angrier tone and says, "NO GOOD." I looked at her so confused, thinking that maybe the bill was too big and that she didn't have the right change for it, or something. But she just kept saying no good and pulled out another 1000 Forint bill showing me the differences proving that mine was fake. All of a sudden it made sense why she was so angry with me, and I pulled out another bill, that was, in fact, real. Immediately, all I could think about was where that bill had come from... where I had given a bigger bill and gotten change. I believe it to be a touristy shop, where I got a magnet for my grandma (by the way, Grandma, you're going to have a nice handful of additions to your collection). I didn't even find myself angry! I was mostly just irritated because I had planned the amount of cash that I withdrew to the T.
Emily a few years ago probably would have been VERY angry... Emily now, truly wasn't. Why? Well, when I think of money being stolen, I automatically think of a story Gwil told me during our confirmation classes, way back when. Apparently, his daughter had money stolen in a gym locker room, and, having worked for a long time with juvenile court cases in Butler as a judge, he told her not to worry, because for whatever reason, that person probably needed the money more than her. Probably, the store owner knew I wouldn't catch the fake money when she handed it to me, and planned it after realizing it was fake, as the signs were very clear. Or perhaps, she never caught it. Either way, two other people benefited from my stupid $5. And just like Gwil told us, they probably need it more than I.
Hungary is on the right path toward full "development," but it still has a way to go. The Hungarians are known for looking sad, following right behind their national anthem, possibly the only one written in a minor key. Their history consists constantly being taken over and/or ruled by so may different groups of people, it's amazing the people can all identify with themselves. Knowing that, as well, brings so much sense to the fact that there is practically no relative to the language they speak there... Not to mention, the common people who live there can't even afford to go out and eat? Or that counterfeit money is so easily circulated?
Budapest was certainly a great break from the more museum-like Prague, and I wish I had had more time there. Yes, there were tourists there, but not like Prague, and the whole city didn't seem like an exhibit - it felt real. But part of that reality is things like low income life and begging and criminal activity. Despite all of its down trodden-ness, Budapest is possibly my most favorite city that we've been to so far. Why? Because it's real, because every human has to struggle for something at some point in their life. Some people struggle for more necessary things like food and money, while others struggle to merely gain comforts that are only actually wants. If my $5 went to some Hungarian who actually spent it on food, then how I could I possibly be mad? Traveling has definitely allowed me to gain a lot of perspective about people, where they come from, and why they are who they are, which is all I really wanted out of traveling around; Hungary only enhanced this. Just like we all struggle, we all are looking for something in life... so, what are you hungry for? Is it food? Is it companionship? Happiness? Nice things? Or, in honor of where my eyes were opened even more: what are you Hungary for?
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