Budapest

You might have noticed I'm not chronicling my Budapest trip to great lengths. True, and the reason is mostly because I planned this trip (the first part, at least) as a relaxing trip, so not too many touristic sights. I'll have time for such a trip later.

The arrival in Budapest on Friday morning was greeted by a bomb alert at the airport. Someone left a handbag on a bench, which later turned out to be just a handbag (well, I haven't read of blasts on news anyway), and the site was immediately cordoned, but we could go out no problem.

Once in town, I wandered about, but the constant drizzle proved to be annoying. The Nagyvásárcsarnok (Great Market Hall) was nearby, so I visited it, and marvelled at the products. Lots of sausages, paprika (of course), wine, fruit and sweets. It's a beautiful building, close to the Szabadság híd (Liberty Bridge).

 

After having a delicious lunch at Frici Papa (advised by my friend, previous guest and current host Anna), a traditional and no-frills Hungarian restaurant, I wandered a bit more, before meeting Nora, my previous host. She and her boyfriend Támas brought me to a fantastic dive bar, which didn't see much change from the past 30 years. After spending some time at their place, discussing Italo Disco among other things, we parted, as they were headed for a Swans concert (jealous!), while I went downtown to meet Anna. Then we started drinking (technically incorrect: they started drinking, I resumed drinking), with her friend Enikő (and Adrienn, who also was my guest with Anna) and we basically never stopped.

The day after we had lunch with a risotto I made, then we picked up where we stopped and went drinking again. They showed me the Szimpla Kert, one of the most wondrous pubs I have ever seen. Everything inside its large building is made from recovered scraps. There's a car inside the garden where you can sit and drink. Apparently this is a thing in Budapest and it has a name: ruin pubs. The same thing, in Italy, would be illegal, impossible or simply ugly, as our national obsession with safety would kick in and close it down. I'd like to ask how many people die or got injured in a year in Budapest ruin pubs, but I don't want to hear the anwer.

After that we met Judit, another of Anna's friends, and the drinking resumed. Egészségére!