2010 Trip: Budapest Day 1
17th May 2010
We arrived in Budapest, after much stopping and starting, at least two hours late. It was raining, windy, and cold. I had not booked a hostel, but I knew of one that looked OK, so I caught the underground. Unfortunately, I misread my map and got out at a station that wasn’t the line change station, that confused the hell out of me.
Anyhow, I got back on track and eventually found the hostel. It was full, but there was another place just across the road. It turned out to be an awesome hostel, called Tiger Tim’s Place. Fantastic atmosphere and great people. The host, Tim, provided a map and pointed out all of the best places to see and eat. He also explained the required codes to get into the building…
The directions to my bed, from the street, went something like this: Find the unmarked door on the street, then enter the first code. Go through the door and continue to the courtyard. Go through the brown door to your left (now also unlocked). Use the old elevator or stairs to ascend three floors. Turn left, at the T-junction, turn right. Proceed across two sets of balconies. Turn left, enter the second code. Go through the door, to the end of the hall, and proceed up the stairs. Turn around and proceed into the central communal area. Turn right, go to the door way and turn right again. Go through the door, bed is in the bottom bunk on the far side of the room.
By this time it was already early afternoon and I was famished. I headed to the Hummus Bar, a most delicious and recommended establishment; with proper falafel, mint tea, and decent hummus, they were a welcome pick me up! In my professional opinion the falafel rate 7.5/10. The best one can get in Christchurch are around 6/10.
Following this, I braved the weather again, and headed south. The rain slowly cleared as I approached the Szent Istvan Basilica. This stunning building is clean and well maintained. What a defined difference from the Orthodox churches to the east! The internal pillars are gilded in gold leaf and the patterning on the roof fairly shines. The stained glass windows are intricate and beautiful, particularly in the chapel at the far end of the church where a more modern design uses even more spectacular coloured glass.
This chapel also features the most sacred Hungarian relic, the mummified hand of their first king, King Stephen. This slightly grotesque object is in a fine golden shrine which, if you so decide, can be lit up by inserting 200 florins (about NZD$1.50) into a nearby coin slot. The traditional practice is for a group of people to gather, until the numbers get almost silly, then someone will shell out the 200. Everyone will the take their photos and leave. The custodian frowns on this behaviour - well it is more of a sour grimace.
Following this, I headed to the Hungarian State Opera House, world famous in Hungary. I got a ticket for the first of two tours of the day. Luckily, attractions in Hungary seem to be reduced to 50% off or even free if you are an EU citizen under 26! ‘Tis tres bonne! This tour was to be a slightly strange experience. They were filming the scenes of a movie in and around the opera house, there was a police presence, and all hands on deck. Add to this the 200 tourists, in 6 different languages, trying to be organised in a small space into different tours. The English group (for their was only one) numbered around 60 individuals, many of whom were that annoying branch of middle aged Americans who imagine themselves to be cultured by visiting an opera house. I’m sure they are lovely people if you are not in the same room as them.
Anyhow, in this chaos, we did manage to see some of the opera house. It is incredibly ornate and very beautiful. We got to look at the reception rooms and the private boxes, but unfortunately we didn’t get to go down onto the main floor itself (though we looked over it). It has one of the deepest stages in the world (at 48m), with over 150 parts of the stage that can be raised and lowered and even tilted electronically; this includes the orchestra pit with room for about 70 musicians.
After this, I wandered south to the synagogue. I ended up going in and taking a tour. It was a very impressive sight! It is the second largest synagogue in the world after the temple in New York, with seating for 3000. The synagogue was designed by Christian architects who built it in the shape of a church and decorated it in almost Arabic patterning. Slightly surreal.
The building played host to the administrators of the Budapest Jewish ghetto, which only lasted for 6 weeks at the end of WWII. Hungary wasn’t taken over directly by the Nazi’s till late in the war, and even then it wasn’t directly administered by the Nazis but by a sub group called the Arrow Cross, after their representative logo. In this ghetto, 600,000 of the 800,000 Jews in Budapest died (in only six weeks!). The population of Jews in Budapest today is only about 100,000. In memorial of this, there is a rather beautiful weeping willow tree made out of metal in one of the courtyards.
After this, I wandered north and headed to another recommended restaurant, which featured gnocchi with a delicious smoked cheese and salad. Very tasty. I headed back to the hostel and went out to a bar with a large group of people from the hostel. I spent the night dancing, which was pretty cool. The place, called Morissons, is in some underground cellars, and has a very cool vibe. Old street signs adorn the walls, and in one of the rooms a model train clatters around the ceiling. The only downside was that Hungarians, like the rest of eastern Europe, like to smoke inside, yuk!