Budapest

It was a battle to get to Budapest from Warsaw. Our sleeper train only went as far as the Polish border due to the weather conditions (flooding). We had to backtrack to Warsaw overnight and then fly to Budapest the next morning instead. We were exhausted on arrival.

But it was worth the hassle.

Another great walking tour revealed how the Hungarians originally came from Siberia via several waves of migrations over 400 years and that their language has Asian roots! As the tour guide said “no one understands us and we don’t understand shit either”

Of course you tend to think of thermal baths, spas and goulash when thinking of Budapest. And stag parties!!

We did experience and/or see most of these things while there and overall came away with the impression that this is a fun party town with a lot of fine architecture.

Unfortunately, due to the high water levels, we couldn’t take the classic boat trip down the Danube but we did take to the baths, walk the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and marvel at the interiors of the art nouveau Four Seasons hotel, which has a fabulous lobby and bar, second to none I have experienced !

The chandelier alone was worth the tortuous traveling experience from Warsaw. The locals like to point out that the building was used as shabby apartments in the communist era and are proud of its restoration.

We didn’t get into the politics as much here but I am well aware that many British communists left or withdrew support for the party (including the Scottish miners) after the Hungarian uprising was brutally suppressed by Russia in 1956.

Next stop, the short ride to Vienna :)