Budapest

I’m sitting in the bus on the way to Oradea so I have time for writing, thinking over what I saw and experienced in Budapest, the Hungarian capitol city last week.

I went there without any peculiar purpose. This year I have already spent some time in four European capitol cities: Brussels, London, Paris and Vienna, so it was high time to look around at home, too. I tried to do it with the eyes of a tourist. I was lucky to have accommodation in the heart of the capitol, in Lipótváros, a few minute walk from Saint Stephan’s Basilica, the State Opera, Andrássy boulevard and Deák F. square. Who could wish more?

This part of the city is one of the most frequented quarters, which is visited by tourists. They arrive in big groups or individually as it happens all over Europe in the capital cities. One day I ran into Italian and an Asian group at the Basilica.

 Another day three Italian people from Napoli stopped me in Szabadság square looking for the Basilica and asking for information where to go. English words were as common as Hungarian in the streets. 

My first destination was the Kossuth square.

 Since then I learned tour guiding in Budapest, I haven’t been there, however, many things have already changed. Because of some political and perhaps esthetical reasons, the square was renovated, some statues were moved and new ones were erected. There is information bellow what and how it changed: 

http://latogatokozpont.parlament.hu/kossuth-ter  

On the right side of the square there is special leading metal sign in the pavement for the blind, even a bronze model of the Hungarian Parliament Building with braille subtitles. 

At around 12.15 there is a ceremony in the square, a kind of performance of National Guard. Not as spectacular as changing the guards in London but the music and the enthusiasm of the young soldiers deserve some attention. Anyway, it is ours. 

Many people don’t know that the original main façade and entrance of the building is not that what is used by our politicians nowadays but the other side of the building, at the bank of the River Danube. The original plan at the end of the 19^th century was that the politicians would arrive by ship.It deserves a look, so beatiful. 

The two other buildings in front of the Parliament Building: the Ethnographic Museum and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture were originally planned to be parliament building as well. It is unique in the world that finally there are three parliament buildings in the same square.   

Those who get hungry while are looking around there, there are good cheap restaurants in 10 minute walk area. We chose a Humus bar in Hollán Ernő street. The lentil soup was excellent.

http://www.hummusbar.hu/eng/

The Ethnographic Museum

  http://www.neprajz.hu/

 was another day’s programme. Theoretically it is ideal for a rainy day. 

There is a constant collection and some temporary exhibitions as well. 

 The collection of folk costumes, furniture and articles for personal use are rich, but the quality of them is shockingly poor. Many of them have already lost the brightness of the colours…

Anyway, even in this condition, exhibitions like this always bring back childhood memories. 

Not the folk costumes but the articles for personal use were part of my grandparents’ lives. I was born in a big, 4-generation-live-together family. As a little girl I saw how the bread was made and baked in the traditional wood heated oven, how the strudel or the handmade pasta was made for the Sunday meat soup. Just like in the next photo.

Of course I went into the Basilica,

http://en.bazilika.biz/

And met some friends in a cafe,

 looked around in shops and could go to a good multiplex cinema what I always love.

 I chose a French comedy: Qu’est-ce qu’on a fait au  Bon Dieu?       

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbyLWzBLLf8

and I didn’t get disappointed.

However, Budapest nowadays doesn’t always get a good reputation, I have to say I had a good experience there according to those people who work in shops, restaurants etc. All of them were nice, helpful with a smile on their faces. I wish everyone have similar experience who visit there.