Budapest Guide, Part V

Food. I will make some specific recommendations, then try to take a stab at some general thoughts about food in Budapest.

My first recommendation is what you don't have to do.

Literally everyone that we read or talked to about Budapest said that trying langos is an absolute must while in Budapest. It looks good, doesn't it? Langos is a fried, pastry sort of thing. We were expecting something along the lines of a doughnut. Whatever it is, we are not fans of it. We tried it in the Great Market Hall, as Rick Steves recommends. Simply put, just because everyone says it's good and that you must try it does not mean that it is actually good and that you must try it.

I do not know what Vorosmarty ter (square) is like throughout the year. But I know that in the weeks leading up to Christmas, it is awesome, full of vendors selling everything from knick-knacks to awesome plates of food to chimney cake. We had dinner there one night and went through a line pointing at stuff we wanted. The result was the plate of food above. Then for dessert we had chimney cake. Chimney cake is roasted, as you see above, seasoned (with cinnamon is great!), and then put into a bag so that you tear it off piece-by-piece. The result is incredible. As I said, I'm not sure what happens in Vorosmarty ter during the rest of the year. But if it's anything like Christmas season, go. Oh, and be sure to try the mulled wine. Mmmmm.

One of the simplest, yet best pizzas I have ever had, at Millenium da Pippo, a Sicilian restaurant on Andrassy ut (avenue).

Borsso Bistro, close to the hotel we stayed at, Butterfly Home. Rabbit in a paprika sauce, cucumber salad, and egg souffle was my dinner one night . . . and I was not disappointed.

Food in Budapest is a wonderful delight, full of many different options to try. As is true in most places, do what you can to get off the beaten path. While we were able to enjoy some meals on streets full of tourists and places catering to tourists, we really had to work to make that happen. The most enjoyable experiences were places on side streets, places away from the normal tourist tracks.

Of course, going to Budapest, or any place for that matter, in an off-season is helpful, as you will not be one of the thousands of people walking around the city. Restaurants and other businesses will literally be vying for your dollar, trying to entice you to spend some time with them. And your most memorable experiences will come not only from tasty food but also from experiences where you get a chance to visit with locals, where you are able to get to know the people of a particular locale.

Hungarians love their paprika and with good reason. They have learned how to flavor their foods well with this (is it a spice? an ingredient?). Whatever it is, it's good. And you will want to take some home with you. Try to immerse yourself into the foods the locals eat, staying away places that cater to what you normally eat while at home. Chances are, there will be plenty of those places around, wherever you are. For the most part, I would highly recommend steering clear of those places.

But I do have to confess that one of our last meals in Budapest was one at one of those places. For whatever reason, it sounded good. So we indulged our taste buds with it:

Burger King. Not too bad. And it did provide us with an interesting picture (right before a worker told us to put our camera up), with a whopper that costs 1,370 (forints that is, not dollars). And we thought it interesting to have Heineken as a drink option at a BK.

Budapest Guide, Part IV

I highly recommend the Opera House. The inside of this building is absolutely stunning, even if you are not an opera fan.

The gold that the interior was built with is so shiny that when the inside is fully lit, you cannot look directly at it for a long period of time for it will hurt your eyes.

The Opera House was commissioned to be built during the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. You will note which country comes first in that title: Austria. The empire was a vast one; but it was always known from where it was centered. Everything was bigger and better in Austria, particularly in its capital of Vienna. So when the Budapest Opera House was built, it could not be bigger than its counterpart in Vienna. So they just made it more beautiful.

We had the good fortune of being able to enjoy Verdi's opera, Rigoletto. But if you are not an opera fan, that's okay. Daily tours are offered.

But do find a way to get in there. You will not be disappointed.

Budapest Guide, Part III

Coffeehouses . . . Budapest has 'em . . . and they're mighty tasty.

From the overly elegant New York Cafe:

Which I would only recommend going to if you have plenty of time in the city. Cappuccino and biscuit is good but not $6 / cup good. Go only for the ambience.

To the out-of-this-world taste of Cafe Gerbaud:

It's not cheap, either. But just go. Trust me.

To the stunning inside of the Alexandra Bookstore Coffeehouse on Andrassy Avenue:

Budapest has done well with its coffeehouses. You have plenty to choose from.

The truth is, though, you really can't go wrong. You need to go to some of the above. But some of your best experiences will most likely be from places you see as you walk about and decide to stop into. Such was the case with Central Kavehaz:

I wound up stopping in here a couple of times and was not disappointed either time. Tasty desserts and good drinks, mixed with an atmosphere that you takes you back decades before communism did its number on the country, makes for a very enjoyable experience.

Perhaps my favorite place is Jegbufe Cafe. Speaking of communism, that is the time when this place became famous. They're known for their no-nonsense ordering procedure and eating standing up, similar to what you would expect to find in the Soup Nazi's kitchen. I was walking around Budapest one morning and a tourist stopped me and asked for directions. I was feeling pretty good about myself, like I was blending in as a local. I stopped into the Jegbufe and was quickly brought back to reality. I tried to throw around the Hungarian phrases I knew and was put in my place.

The lady behind the counter put my change on a plate. I thought the plate was mine to take. I was mistaken; and she tried to let me know about it, in Hungarian. Fortunately, a friendly local behind me in line intervened, translated, and helped me understand that the plate is just there to pick up the change on. What ensued after that was a wonderful conversation between he and I, over breakfast, about Hungary, his frustrating conversations with Westerners, and a number of other subjects. It was, without a doubt, my favorite memory during my time in Budapest, as I had the chance to get to know Budapest from the back door, to experience it as a local. Rick Steves would be proud.

So go to Budapest and pop into a coffeehouse. You won't be disappointed.

Budapest Guide, Part II

I was much more impressed with Castle Hill than I imagined I would be.

We made two separate trips to the area because the views are really quite spectacular. In a nutshell, the area houses the old capital and government buildings of Budapest. I did not realize it; but it is sort of a city-within-a-city. There is a lot to see and do there, a good bit of which is really not worth your time. I would recommend carving out time, though, to simply walk around the area and soak in the views, particularly from Fisherman's Bastion.

Parliament, as seen in the first two pictures above, is quite a site. And the best place to view is from across the Danube River, in Castle Hill. I recommend accessing Castle Hill from the Chain Bridge and then either riding on or walking parallel to the fernicular going up the hill. We attempted to get there from both the northern and southern edges of the hill and found that route, and the maps that we had with us, very difficult to follow.

Budapest I

I thought I would begin writing a few posts about some places I have been, offering different ideas about each place. We'll see how it goes.

So this begins the first of a few posts about Budapest. Budapest is an amazing city. It is currently quite a value, as you can do, see, and eat pretty cheaply.

Budapest has a sad history from the twentieth century. The city spent much of the last one hundred years under some very oppressive regimes: first the Nazis, then a fifty year occupation by Soviet communism. WWII was not nice to them, as Hitler took over the country. Then the aftermath of the war allowed the Soviets to bully them for decades.

They seem to be doing well now, twenty-five years after the Soviets pulled out. The effects of Communism can be seen if you just look up. But, at the same time, their recovery efforts are also quite visible. My favorite place in the whole city is Ferenciek tere, a city square located not too far from the center of the city. There are two identical buildings in this square, straddling a road. Both had fifty years of dirt and soot on them, as cleanliness was not high on the list of importance during the Communist regime. One has since been cleaned and looks beautiful. The other building remains dirty. All you have to do is compare the two to get a stark reminder of Budapest's history.

The Cave Church lives on today.

Located on the banks of the Danube River, this church is literally located inside a cave. It's a beautiful place.

This is but one of the sanctuaries inside the church. The church was locked up for many years during the twentieth century, as the government did not allow worship to go on freely. I cannot remember all the particulars; but the church has a fascinating history, as people have met secretly to worship, at different points, for hundreds of years. The church is still in operation today and provides worshippers a very unique setting in which to worship.

You will not find the Cave Church at the top of many travel guides' lists . . . and rightfully so. You probably should not spend a great deal of time here, unless something really catches your interest. But, nonetheless, I would highly recommend taking the time to go inside. If you decide to go to the top of Gellert Hill to see a panorama of the city, be sure to go by it on your way up or on your way down, as it is located at the bottom of the hill, on its southern side. You will be rewarded with some beautiful views of the river and of the city.

Wonderful Views

During our travels, many times we search long and hard for the perfect view of something. Perhaps we think it is just around the corner . . . or we hope if we move a little this way or that way, we can find just the right spot. At other times, views simply come to us.

That's the case here. There were a number of spots I wanted to get to in Budapest to be able to capture what I thought was going to be an incredible photo . . . only to get there and the elements weren't right or it just plain stunk. This picture, however, was a complete surprise.

We came out of St. Stephen's Cathedral, which we had been looking forward to seeing. It wasn't a complete dud; but it sure did not meet our expectations. As we came out, we looked up and saw this. The picture might not capture the beauty of the moment. But as we looked down Zrinyi Utca (street), we could see all the way to the Danube River and across it into the hills far beyond it. It was breathtaking. We stood there for a few minutes in awe.

There is nothing wrong with doing extensive research to aid us in finding great spots to see. In fact, for me, that is part of the fun of travelling. But we must be open to new discoveries, things that just pop up. And when they do pop up, we need to take the time to fully enjoy them.

Changing It Up

Modern-day cameras are amazing. I'm impressed with I can do even with our fairly normal camera.

I took a little time and made the same image look completely different. I like all three pictures, as each of them seems to highlight or make something different stand out. The black-and-white pic is in my office because to me, it really is sort of breathtaking, especially in a 20 x 30 frame. What the black and white colors do to the church in the background is outstanding.

Life is sort of like that, too. If we allow ourselves to see things from a different perspective, we can have a totally different outlook . . . or at least understand how others would have a totally different outlook from us.

Doing a Little Digging

I know that I am unlike most people.

That sentence could be taken a few different ways, I suppose. But what I am aiming for is my enjoyment of planning travel. I enjoy planning travel: my travels, others' travels, travels I only dream of doing one day. I enjoy all parts of it. In preparation for our trip to Budapest, I poured through a number of travel books and guides. Rick Steves recommended a book that I picked up by Andres Torok, entitled, Budapest: A Critical Guide.

This is quite an interesting book, particularly because it was written (in the early '90s) not long after the Soviets left Hungary. The Soviets governed the area with an iron fist. And because of that, there weren't too terribly many interesting to see in Budapest when they left. But Torok loved his city and helped tourists find rather interesting spots, even though the air of communism still hung heavy over the area.

This is one such spot:

Underneath the glass windows lay the ruins of the boundary of the Roman Empire. It's quite a stunning site, just from the sheer history that lay underground. But the most amazing thing is how un-marked the site is today. Had I not read Torok's guide, I would have never known about it. Even walking past it, you would have no idea it was here. In fact, I had to come back to the area twice to verify exactly where it is and exactly what it is. There is a small sign laying off to the side of it that is not too terribly descriptive and you have to search to find.

I am not sure why Budapest doesn't do more to let people know the site exists. Perhaps people have not found it to be that interesting over the years. I'm just not sure. But I am glad I found it. And I am glad that I did some extensive research before our trip and knew that it was there.

Now sure, I had lots of time on my hands to travel this trip, more time than most people have before their trips. But if you just do some digging, you can find some incredibly interesting things to see in your travels . . . and your digging will be greatly rewarded.

Sticking With It

Sometimes, things do not meet our expectations. At that point, we are left with two options: either keep on keeping on . . . or give up.

We had that sort of experience a few months ago. We decided to go to the opera on our last night in Budapest. We looked forward to the event all week-long and expected it to be a wonderful wrap-up our stay in that amazing city. I listened to a podcast about experiencing operas before going, as I had never been to one. Actually, I think I went to one in Abilene, while in graduate school, once. But whatever it was thrilled me so much that I looked at my phone all night long, checking sports scores.

The podcast described how wonderful it is to experience an opera that is done in a language foreign to your own because the real treat of opera is being captivated by the emotions of the music and the characters. I was expecting that and then was blown away by the inside of the Budapest Opera House:

I was looking forward to a great evening. However, the first two acts of the opera were a bit of a dud . . . to me, anyway. We debated leaving after the first act. Then I was ready to get out of there after Act Two. But, fortunately, Lauren wanted to stay. So we did. And I am glad we did.

By sticking with it, Act Three wrapped the story of Rigoletto up well. Things finally made sense . . . or sort of. The opera, of course, was sung in Italian. There were subtitles. But since we were in Budapest, the subtitles were in, um, Hungarian. Some English words in the program helped set the scene a bit. But the difficulties in translation made me angry and frustrated.

But something about the third act caused me to chill out, take it in, and enjoy it. I wish I had been more open to the experience earlier in the evening. Nonetheless, I am glad we stuck with it and enjoyed the best part of it.

We were in a situation where we had to decide whether or not to stick with it. We did and were glad we did. We have also had times where we decided to head out, in similar situations. And we are glad we did that, as well, such as trying to see Central Park in NYC. I really, really, really wanted to see it. The day we planned to do that it was pouring. We walked up there, were miserable, and decided to go no farther than the edge of the park. And by doing so, we enjoyed some of the drier, less wet sites of Midtown.

How do you decide? Unfortunately, I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all approach to making decisions with travel, particularly when an experience isn't what you thought it would be. The best thing you can do is follow your instincts, your gut. Often, something deep down within us is trying to tell us what we should do, based upon who we are, what we like, what we don't like. The key is trying to listen to that and then (sorry to be cliche) following your heart.

The Beauty of Travel

One of my favorite TV shows is, An Idiot Abroad. The show takes a man named Karl Pilkington around the world. The genius of it is in the idiot, Karl. Karl is like so many of us. He has funny quirks, things annoy him, and everything is better where he is from. In other words, he is not a good traveler. Or, he is the world's best traveler.

The producers of the show, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, place Karl in some very exotic places around the world, doing very exotic things, seeing some of the world's great wonders. Along the way, viewers are treated to amazing sites, places, food, etc. The true beauty of the show is that one gets to watch Karl, an idiot, do travel. The irony is it shows how Karl is like each of us. We are all idiots, thinking that our own way and our culture's way of doing things is best. Sociologists call it: "ethnocentrism." Gervais and Merchant prefer to term it: "idiot."

Amazingly, there are some breakthroughs. Karl has some wonderful travel moments, in which he realizes that there is more to life than what he knows in his tiny circle, at home. On one such breakthrough, Karl is in Mexico, to see Chichen Itza. At the end of the show, Karl reflects that the people of Mexico really know what they are doing. He notes that they go through their lives, doing what they want to do, not concerned about what other people think. He believes that makes people in Mexico happier than people where he comes from. He was particularly intrigued by people in a small village who work in the field all day long, then come home and "do nothing," as he put it. They just mill around town all day, doing nothing in particular. But he noted they were the happiest people he had ever seen.

That's what travel can do . . . if we allow it to. Travel can expose us to things that do not make sense to us. But upon reflection, we realize there is more than one way to do something, more than one way to do life than what we see with our normal, everyday surroundings.

Travel can do this with things as simple as a pickle on a hot dog (I had never considered until I went to Chicago):

Or as interesting as pay-to-use public toilets in Budapest (something I still have not wrapped my head around but am intrigued by):

But that's the beauty of travel.