Eger to Budapest

The Big Move

Although I had spent many wonderful days in Eger and visited many small, remote villages and was even involved in an archeological dig on the Great Plains.  Where I should have mentioned be prepared for extremely hot summers and minus temperature winters.  I discovered this the hard way by burning my fresh white English skin in 45 degree heat.  Abyway, I decided to move to Budapest as a lot of my friends had done, purely because there were more work opportunities and the life was buzzing a bit more.

Out of all the cities I have visited in Europe and the USA I think Budapest must be one of the most beautiful.  There is so much to do there and so much to see.  I started there teaching at various companies and it was a dream because I would start work at 7 A.M and finish by noon most of the time.  One of mine and almost all rxpat hangouts were Liszt Ferenc Square.  The whole square is lined with chic cafés and restaurants with outside seating much like Paris.  There are often high quality exhibitions from well-known artists.

Liszt Ferenc Square

Photo: Karma Café

There are many places to haunt at night, my favourite places were courtyards that had been converted to beer gardens with live music all night long.  Lonely Planet even mentioned it as one of the top 50 bars in the world.

Photo Credit: budnews.hu

There are series of these so-called ruin bars throught Budapest and they are always buzzing with life.  Budapest and Prague are often compared which are the most beautiful.  I have been to both and I would say Budapest is my favourite.  Both cities have a similar population but Prague is more compact whereas Budapest is spreadout.  One day in Prague was enough for me, whereas Budapest can give you days and days of enjoyment.

Budapest has the 2nd oldest underground in Europe after London and its art deco style is amazing.  But beware of pick-pockets.  The line is always very crowded so it is easy to become a victim.  

Andrassy St. is the main boulevard lined on both sides with beautiful trees and it's where you find most of the embassies as well as the Terror house which is a reflection on the torture that went on during the communist period.

Photo Credit: Transienttravels.com

There is also a magnifcent synagogue which the Germans failed to destroy and is one of the biggest in Europe.  It is situated on the corner of Wesselenyi and Dohany street a place where many ghosts lie beneath the cobbled street.  Hungary's jewidh death toll was 600,000 in the last months of WWII.  1/10 of the entire holocaust.

Photo Credit: www.all-free-photos.com

If you move away from the synagogue towards the Danube you will be ib for a pleasant surprise it looks across to Buda which is the older part of the city.  There you can see the royal castle, nowa museum, and I would hate to be the window cleaner.  There is also The Fisherman's Bastion, which gives you great views od Pest, the newer part of the city.  The Danube is lined again with elite restaurant with Parisienne style outside seating.  You can also see the famous 'Chain Bridge'  Designed by English engineer, Adam Clark.

Sziget Festival

This is the highlight of the year.  There is a huge island in the middle of the Danube which every August hosts a massive festival.  There are at least 4 big name bands every day for six days and all for 150 Euros.  Apart from the music there are theatre clubs, dance classes and much much more.

Photo Credit: festticket.com

Meeting a Princess

While living in Bdapest I did have many wonderful experiences, but there is one in my mind that sticks out.  I was working for a photo agency selling photos for commercial and media usem when one day we were informed that Sophia Lorean would be coming for her son's wedding, because he was marrying a Hungarian girl.  Poor son, the media was more interested in Sophia rather than the wedding.  I gout to stand within touching distance abd she was as beautiful then as she was when she was making movies.

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