| Lows: -3°C || Highs: 0°C |
I'm going to have a go at writing, in a few words, about our trip to Budapest last week. For those that prefer pictures, there will be plenty of those as well, so just keep on scrolling!
We flew out from London Gatwick, and the trip started a little different to any other flight I've taken. We had special assistance this time around for various medical reasons. This meant a speedy trip on an indoor airport vehicle (caddy?) through passport and boarding, straight onto the plane. A new and pain-free experience!
Upon arriving at the hotel, our hungry stomachs led the way to food! I ordered a Weiner Schnitzel with a lemonade. It turns out that Hungarian lemonade is nothing like the lemonade we drink in England! It's flat, and way more full of flavour.
Mum and I went for a late-night spa trip before heading to bed. The spa entrance certainly set the scene for the salt caves, saunas, and aroma rooms that greeted us through the doors.
Day 1
Breakfast consisted of freshly squeezed orange juice, lightly toasted bread, and miniature croissants with homemade jam for me. Whilst dad and the grandparents tucked into scrambled egg and hot dog sausages!
Satisfied that we had fuelled up for the morning, we hopped on the metro and made our way into Pest (pronounced: pesht).
Our first stop was the cat café, but upon finding that closed until later in the afternoon, we wandered over to the City Park where we found an interesting permanent art installation, and walked past a lake that had been dammed and turned into a real ice skating area! It was huge!
Heroes Square was just nearby too, and then our stomachs called us towards any place that sold decent food at decent prices. The first place we came across was going to cost us 41euros per meal(!) so we kept searching. We stumbled across an excellent burger place, with it's seating area set up inside a shipping container! I was more than content.
Next, we had a spontaneous trip to Budapest zoo! I wanted to see the penguins, the sloths and the Komodo dragon. Becca wanted to see the Elephants and mum was desperate to see the Giraffes! We were not disappointed.
The lonely bear did make me sad, though.
Next stop, hot drinks. And where better to go than head back to the cat café which would now be open! We even got a 20% discount with the card we picked up from the hotel.
This little fella loved dad, whilst another curled up on granny's coat.
Following our purr-fect drinks, we made our way through old town Pest, dipping into souvenir shops for warmth! We found a beautiful Italian restaurant for dinner and tried a Hungarian drink: 'Palinka' afterwards - I wasn't a fan!
On our bus trip back to the hotel we saw a magical-Disney-looking tram! We were all very excited at the sight.
And the magic didn't end there! Not long after getting back to our rooms, some fireworks were being displayed across the road and we had the perfect view from our top floor windows!
Day 2
Another morning, another breakfast.
Becca, Granny and I had a slow, chilled morning at the pool whilst mum, dad, and Gramps went to the Holocaust museum.
Reunited in the early afternoon after some bus complications, we ended up at the nearby McDonald's. They sell much the same in Hungary - but pork burgers are an addition to the menu, as well as double quarter pounders!
Dressed in jeans, 3 tops, a jumper, a coat, a scarf, and a hat - I felt more prepared for the minus numbers than I had been the day before!
Tonight was all about the Christmas markets.
Granny and Grampy headed into the warm after the first market and some mulled wine, whilst we went in search of the cinnamon chimney cakes.
The lights around all of the markets are absolutely amazing!
After watching a light show projected onto the front of St Stephens Basilica, we found Granny and Gramps waiting for us in the Hot Stone restaurant. This was an interesting meal, and although tasty it was definitely the most stressful meal I've ever eaten!
Becca and I ordered chicken breast. The spices were spectacular, the 'steak potatoes' were amazing, and the miniature vegetables in oil were oh so cute. There was one problem... we didn't realise the chicken would be served the same as the steak: 'cook it yourself'. We'd been served raw chicken on a hot stone!
Day 3
This day was more action-packed than the other two. So I'm going to bullet point it and fill it with even more pictures!
- Breakfast
- Late start, chill at the hotel
- Metro into Pest
- St Stephen's Square market - full of police arming the area during mass
- Cute Café - I've decided the decor is what I'd like in my dream shipping container home!
- A walk around the inside of the Basilica
- Lunch: Hungarian Pizza! Deep fried dough with fried chicken and peppers placed on top.
- The ICE BAR! -1°C
- Danube Shoes at the side of the river
- Tram rides... (we nearly didn't get out before the doors shut, leaving dad on his own outside!)
- We walked from Pest to Buda, across the bridge to see a waterfall which had no water in it! :(
- We decided it was too many steps to climb to the Citadel in -2, so we hopped on the venicular railway to get a bird's eye view of the river from Buda
- Hot chocolate at the top of the Buda hill, in a café who's door handles were giant forks and knives!
- Bus back down to Pest
- Italian for dinner again! Celebrating Granny and Gramps 51st Wedding Anniversary
- We crossed 6 zebra crossings on the way back before realising we were going the wrong way, and crossed them all back again to the right bus stop
- It snowed!!!!
- Bed
If you made it to the end, congratulations! Here are a few spare pictures from the trip whilst I wait for my disposable ones to be developed!
Amy xo
