I love Budapest. Have spent over a month there each year for the past few years.
This past year I spent time staying in the Jewish Quarter in Center City. Was there when the big protest march by the teachers and government workers shut down the city.
Just across the Chain Bridge, is a hotel that is in front of Buda Castle and across the river from the parliment building. My room had a balcony facing the Danube River.
Much to my surprise, I had a front row seat for the Red Bull International Stunt Plane Competition. The planes started by flying under the Chain Bridge and then weaved between huge orange cones on barges in front of the Parliment Building. It was amazing.
In the underground unter City Center Square is a bakery that makes and sells stove pipe or chimney cakes. They are Kürtőskalács, made from sweet, yeast dough, of which a strip is spun and then wrapped around a truncated cone–shaped baking spit, and rolled in granulated sugar, coconut, or several other flavors.
They are a must try.
I’m headed back this Fall for a few weeks. Was supposed to present at a conference there in June, but a family member death changed my plans.
Thanks for sharing your memories.
Good food and drinks there, really cheap.
For a beautiful journey from Budapest that is cheap.. like 15 Euros, take the train along the Danube to Brataslava, Slovakia when the fields of sunflowers are in full bloom.
Try Turos Taska the next time you’re there. They are a pastry with powdered sugar on the outside and on the inside they have raisins and a dried sweetened cottage cheese. They’re absolutely delicious - some of my favorites.