Welcome

Budapest, Hungary

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by

Diana
in

I really enjoyed my time in Budapest. One thing I have noticed about myself is that if the place I am staying is cute (doesn’t have to be fancy), then my mood is much better and I seem to enjoy myself. I had the loveliest Airbnb here and it made all the difference…on the group floor with a garden outside the front door and a small table to sit outside and enjoy the weather. While just outside the gate that leads into the apartment there was a lot of hustle and bustle. I was in the Jewish district. Lots of grafitti on the buildings but I suppose this is just the way folks are communicating these days. Not sure. But I felt incredibly safe in the area and there were many good food places.

It was also easy to get the buses and trams to get to other sites. The city seemed very clean. I think I only saw maybe 4 people “sleeping rough” but then again, I am not out super late at night. 🙂 The airbnb is listed as Barbara’s Place, Dob apartment-charming flat in Downtown. I ate several times at the Cirkusz which is in this neighborhood. Very popular.

Things are a little bit of a hodge podge…the first two photos are of one of the bars in the Four Seasons. Some friends said I needed to see the lobby. The cocktail I had was superb! The next photo on that row is a plaque that was often put in front of homes that had been owned by Jewish members of the city. Just above here is the biggest synagogue here. Behind it are plaques that represent the deceased Jews from the ghetto.
Upper row is a photo of the guide for the Jewish section. She was very good. Also, next to her is a young man from Columbia who has been in Malta learning English because he plans to go to medical school and you have to have good English. Very nice young man. Then the Opera House. My tour guide for the city and two women from Australia. I had an absolutely yummy steak dinner with them. Also rode the subway in Budapest. It is incredibly clean. This building beside the subway shot was initially made for a World Fair I think and initially just made out of cardboard and a few stones. But it was so popular that it was eventually built to last. Below, the first two photos are of what was an abandoned building that was just outside the Jewish quarter wall. However, there are about 3 airbnb places that have been fixed up in this building. Not sure I would want to stay here but pretty authentic. The photo with a plaque on the sidewalk makes where the Jewish ghetto walls were during the roundup of Jewish citizens.
Up above some yummy strudel we stopped for on one of the walks; a fun fountain; parliament; a memorial at a main Jewish synagogue that Tony Curtis donated. I am sorry the photos are blurry…I think they are too big.