we arrived in budapest yesterday around 10am. we didnt get stopped at the border, which was a good thing. as soon as we were in the country we had to change our euros to florints. suddenly we were millionares! on the bus people were saying they spent 3000 HUF on lunch (which only works out to $25) the exchange rate is 150HUF to $1. so confusing when converting mentally.
budapest is amazing. we went on a guided tour yesterday and the guide Csabá (chubba) told us 'only' 1000 years of hungarian history. we learnt that Saint Stephen was the first king and founder of practically every church in town. they all seem to love the guy. we also learnt that buda and pest were two different cities separated by the danube and they merged in the 1300s.
today we walked from pest, where our hotel is, to buda. it was an awesome walk and took us all day. buda is much more hilly and we certainly got a work out!
we went up to the royal palace which is almost the top point of the city (which hasnt been occupied since the 1200s because hungary was taken over like 30 times) and jess held the biggest eagle i've ever seen! we got some cool photos but we cant upload them to this computer. we'll be adding them to flikr soon. we sat in a cafe overlooking the whole of pest. we drank hungarian beer and were serenaded by a violinist playing my way and sweet georgia brown. it was perfect.
by the time we got back to the hotel we were knackered, so it was time for a quick power nap before going to the national monument: heroes square. chubba took us there yesterday and explained about all the statues (most of them were of this stephen guy) again, photos to come soon.
jess here. one thing ange failed to mention was the FOOD! i can tell you, you dont go hungry in hungary! last night we went to a traditional hungarian dungeon restaurant and had goulash and a delicions chicken dish and then apple strudel. everywhere you go, apple strudel! i swear i'll be farting apple strudel for weeks!! ahem. anyway, then today we had this delicious thing that was like a sweet bread thing that was coiled up. it was great. and then we had....oh my god...corn on the cob!!! my favourite. and then this meat skewer, that had pork, chicken and sausage and onion. kristian, i thought of you, you would have loved it! ange looked disgusted but ate some anyway. (only the onion!) she actually also took a bite of chicken.
anyway, all i can say is that Hungary has been an amazing place, everywhere you look is jam packed with culture and magic. pop, you have a beautiful homeland.
miss you all!
j
it's strange to see the mixture of decrepit buildings tucked in between beautifully restored ones. and people live in all of them. its hard to imagine what these people have gone through for the past 50 years and its sad to see the toll it has taken on many. but even so it is such a wondrous place. definately my favourite place so far.
jess also forgot to mention the traditional gypsy show we saw last night. (it's because i was too busy eating) they sang and danced in hungarian (yes it was danced in hungarian) and they did tricks and made audience "volunteers" drink lots and dance in hungarian. highly entertaining.
ok. lots of people want to use the internet and we are getting evil stares. must be off. talk to you in prague!
budapest is amazing. we went on a guided tour yesterday and the guide Csabá (chubba) told us 'only' 1000 years of hungarian history. we learnt that Saint Stephen was the first king and founder of practically every church in town. they all seem to love the guy. we also learnt that buda and pest were two different cities separated by the danube and they merged in the 1300s.
today we walked from pest, where our hotel is, to buda. it was an awesome walk and took us all day. buda is much more hilly and we certainly got a work out!
we went up to the royal palace which is almost the top point of the city (which hasnt been occupied since the 1200s because hungary was taken over like 30 times) and jess held the biggest eagle i've ever seen! we got some cool photos but we cant upload them to this computer. we'll be adding them to flikr soon. we sat in a cafe overlooking the whole of pest. we drank hungarian beer and were serenaded by a violinist playing my way and sweet georgia brown. it was perfect.
by the time we got back to the hotel we were knackered, so it was time for a quick power nap before going to the national monument: heroes square. chubba took us there yesterday and explained about all the statues (most of them were of this stephen guy) again, photos to come soon.
jess here. one thing ange failed to mention was the FOOD! i can tell you, you dont go hungry in hungary! last night we went to a traditional hungarian dungeon restaurant and had goulash and a delicions chicken dish and then apple strudel. everywhere you go, apple strudel! i swear i'll be farting apple strudel for weeks!! ahem. anyway, then today we had this delicious thing that was like a sweet bread thing that was coiled up. it was great. and then we had....oh my god...corn on the cob!!! my favourite. and then this meat skewer, that had pork, chicken and sausage and onion. kristian, i thought of you, you would have loved it! ange looked disgusted but ate some anyway. (only the onion!) she actually also took a bite of chicken.
anyway, all i can say is that Hungary has been an amazing place, everywhere you look is jam packed with culture and magic. pop, you have a beautiful homeland.
miss you all!
j
it's strange to see the mixture of decrepit buildings tucked in between beautifully restored ones. and people live in all of them. its hard to imagine what these people have gone through for the past 50 years and its sad to see the toll it has taken on many. but even so it is such a wondrous place. definately my favourite place so far.
jess also forgot to mention the traditional gypsy show we saw last night. (it's because i was too busy eating) they sang and danced in hungarian (yes it was danced in hungarian) and they did tricks and made audience "volunteers" drink lots and dance in hungarian. highly entertaining.
ok. lots of people want to use the internet and we are getting evil stares. must be off. talk to you in prague!
2 comments:
HI JESS AND ANGE
GREAT TO SEE YOU ARE HAVING SUCH A GREAT TIME. ENJOY THE NEXT LEG OF YOUR TRIP, WHEREVER THAT IS, AND KEEP UP THOSE FARTS JESS..
LOVE TO YOU BOTH QUETA
Hi Ange and Jess
yuo, guys, having an awsam (Ange, you know that my spelling is still under way :-)) time!!! Thats GREAT!!!! I am so glad you love Europe! Look, you must write a coffee book when you are back! I am really enjoying read your "traveling notes...". And take lots pics! There are never too many pics when you are back home! Have fun! V
ps. Sugar! Third time I am trying to send this massage ... :-0
pss. i ii try to be anonymous
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