The City of Baths

I’ve always heard from friends that Budapest is a really cool city. Now I know why. Some call it the “Paris of the East” but instantly I loved this grungy eastern European city. The first night a bunch of us go out to an outdoor terrace literally on a stairwell and check out a live band. I was going to call it an early night as I was tired from traveling, but then it starts to pour like crazy. I guess I was stuck..but it is so nice to enjoy the cooling rain when it has been sweltering hot for the past few weeks. Some folks decide to enjoy the rain and start dancing in it. About an hour later, the rain calms down, so we decide to head home, but of course stop at another bar on the way. Then it starts pouring like crazy again. Stuck again at the bar; but overall it was an awesome night.

I spend the next two days wandering around the city, learning its history, much of which I had learned before while in Vienna just a few months back. It is called the “City of Baths’ as it has many natural springs and waters.  I only learnt when I got here that the city is actually 3 cities united into one. Buda is the hilly side, and Pest is the flat side. The bridges, some named after the emperor of the Austro Hungarian Empire, are magnificent and fun to walk over. The best way to experience the city is just to walk across the bridges to either side, admiring the sites along the way. Sitting at the edge of the Buda side and overlooking the Parliament is quite stunning, especially at night.  All of the sites are lit up and look gorgeous against the water. The funny thing is that the Parliament building looks more like a castle, and the Buda Castle looks more like a government building. I also had a chance to check out the Terror Museum which offers a history of the Holocaust and the area itself was used as a Nazi headquarter.

I also notice random helicopters hovering above the city, and guards blocking of certain streets. This is because they are filming Die Hard 5, though I was not lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Bruce Willis. One thing that makes you love a city is also the company you have. I met up with a friend, our paths crossed in Marseille a few years ago and he had some local friends. Spending time with locals, watching soccer games with them and going to best clubs in town makes all the difference. One place called the Moon Terrace on Margaret Island (between Buda & Pest) was an awesome place. It’s a huge outdoor lounge with a dance floor inside; it felt as though all of Budapest was at this place that night. I really don’t want to leave…but alas I have to move on.