Last year we had plans to go to Budapest – as life often goes, plans change and we had to cancel that leg of our journey. This time however, we hit Budapest with a vengeance. We had a long to do list and only 5 full days to get through it…

On our first full day, we went in search of a market and found the Great Market Hall. Located on the Pest side and at the end of a long shopping pedestrian only street. It is the largest covered market in Hungary – score! The main floor was a combination of fruit and vegetables stalls and enough paprika merchandise to overload the senses. I made the mistake of taking He upstairs to where the handicrafts and souvenirs stalls were located.  It was probably no more than 10 minutes, but he was not very happy. It was of course crowded with all manner of dust collectors and overpriced “authentic” embroidery. To make up for this excruciating experience we managed to find our way to the lower level where like other markets we have been too (Cagliari…) all the interesting and smelly stuff was being sold. Here we found the fish mongers and the folks selling pickles. They had pretty much picked everything you could think of and the air was ripe with vinegar. We unfortunately did not buy any pickles as the quantities were a bit big and only He is a pickle aficionado.

We were both interested in seeing Memento Park, an open air museum that is dedicated to the monuments of Hungary’s communist phase, so on a sunny day we decided to venture a wee bit out of town. Here the bygone statues of Marx, Lenin and various other Hungarian Communist Leaders can continue their stoney pontification in peace. We had fun strolling through the monuments and posing with some of the more stoic figures. This was also the place to buy your red star hip flask or cigarette lighter… It was an easy bus ride as the stops were all called out by “bus Siri” – a must see stop if visiting Budapest.

He’s mom had been to Budapest a few weeks before we arrived and had a chance to go to the Gellert Baths but forgot her bathing suit. We did not make that mistake and also booked our ticket and changing rooms ahead of time. We decided upon the Széchenyi Thermal Baths as it was the largest and also the most reasonable. The complex was massive;  we spend most of our time in the two large bathing pools outside. There was a lap-pool as well but that required a bathing cap – if you entered without one the sharp-eyed lifeguard would blow his whistle at you. After a paddle around the outdoor pools He and I ventured inside where there was warmer pools, wet and dry saunas and treatment rooms; no I did not book any spa treatments. After lunch we took He’s phone out, as it is  waterproof so we could take some shots of us enjoying the water. The day we left, we took tram #2 as it is an inexpensive ride along the Danube and spotted the Gellert Spa. It was is housed in a large hotel and looked gorgeous. Totally worth a visit for when we go back to Budapest.

We had a string of lovely weather so He and I set off to tackle the Hills of Buda with a quick stroll along the Blue Danube and over the historic Chain Bridge. We paid our respects at the Shoes on the Danube sculpture to Jewish people killed by the fascists in WW2. And made our way to the Buda Castle. No, we did not take the Funicular up castle hill, as there was an extremely long line and the cost was a bit too much for our budget-travel motto. On the Buda side there is also the Matthias Church, the Fisherman’s Bastion and Gellert Hill. The Church and Bastion were in the centre of Old Town Buda, so of course teeming with tourists. He and I had a quick look around and then made our way toward Gellert Hill and the panoramic view. Also, from the balcony of our AirBnB we could see the statue that sits upon Gellert Hill so we had to go and check it out.

On Saturday night we decided to do something a little more adventurous. Friends, and fellow craft beer lovers, had given us some suggestions on breweries in Hungary and we were on a mission to find out where to procure these fine ales. A place called Léhütó, near the older part of Pest apparently had a vast array of local taps… off we went. After a quick pint of some very tasty brews we decided to check out the Food Truck scene. In Budapest they have turned empty lots into Food truck cafeterias and we thought it was a perfect way to enjoy some local food. Bolstered on some good food and beer we decided to check out Szimpla Kert, the original Ruin Bar in Budapest.  If you do not know what a ruin bar is, let me enlighten you… it is a bar in a ruin. Simple right. We had a pint and then being the old farts that we are headed home.