Land of the Magyars
Written: Apr 25 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: low cost, so many things to do
Cons: unfriendly people, public transportation
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| krisptoast's Full Review: Budapest |
The first thing I should tell you is that I should tell you is that I lived for four months in Budapest on an exchange program, so I know about as much about that particular city as any American can. Budapest is a great city, but it has some drawbacks that you should know about. While it has a lot of beautiful architecture, many of the buildings are in serious disrepair, and there are a number of offensive communist concrete block appartement buildings. The Communist occupation severely harmed Hungary's economy, but it is recovering, and it is now the second wealthiest Eastern European nation after the Czech Republic. Buda and Pest have distinctively different personalities, Pest being the more modern commercial center, and Buda being older and more residential. One of the largest drawbacks of Budapest in my mind is it's sprawl. While the city contains about 2 million people, many of these people live far from the city center, and it can be very difficult to access the center from the outskirts. I lived near the edge of Pest, and I had to take two busses and a subway to get to the center. Aditionally, the street I lived on wasn't even paved, proving treacherous for car suspentions.
The public transportation system in Budapest is inconvenient to say the least. Although it has the oldest subway system in continental Europe, it is limited to three lines, and it is almost always neccessary to use at least one bus when commuting outside of the center of the city. Once in the city, however, there are many things to do, and it very interesting. You must visit at least a few of the museums as well as the Parliament building, which is absolutely gorgeous. Another big attraction is the mineral baths, the best of which can be found in the Gellert Hotel. There are also a large numbner of restaurants serving a variety of cuisines. This brings me to another point (and possibly the greatest advantage of the city), which is cost. Budapest is extremely cheap, and one can indulge in decadant pastries for a fraction of the price you would pay in America or any other European country. Food is definately not Hungary's strong point, moslty consisting of deep fried pork, paprika chicken and goulash. The deserts, however, are wonderful: you must try somloi galuska (brownies with chocolate syrup and whipped cream) and gesztenyes pure (chestnut puree).
Aditionally, the night-life in Budapest is vibrant, and there are many bars and clubs which go strong through the night. Unfortunately, Hungarians do not indulge in many mixed drinks, and one must generally make due with various beers and standard liquors, as well as the Hungarian specialty called Unicum. This liquor is positively the most vile substance i have ever tasted, but it is something that ought to be experienced at least once. The general Hungarian consensus is that if it tastes that bad it must be good for you, and the cure for drinking too much Unicum is generally drinking more. Admission fees to the clubs are usually low if they exist at all, and the only problem I have with them is their insistence on playing techno music. Being out and about at night is also not a safety issue, Budapest being an extremely safe city. I walked aroud the city and took public transportation at three in the morning many times, and never felt unsafe at all. Unfortunately, Hungarians do not generally embrace Americans. They are not outwardly hostile, but it is clear that they have an inherent distaste of Americans. This is at least partly due to their fierce nationalism, produced by years of oppession by other peoples (Austrians, Nazis, and the Soviet Union). The language is also extremely difficult to learn, being related only to Finish and some obscure Indian languages. The pronuciation alone is enough to give one a tongue cramp, however you should be able to master a fiew basic phrases needed to get around.
There is really too much I want to say in this review to pit in because I would end up boring you to death, but let me give a few parting words. The four months I spent in Budapest were simply the best of my life, and it a city that people of all ages and interests can enjoy, because of its great variety- from an evening at the opera to a night of clubbing. Budapest is too often passed over as "just another Eastern European country), but it is really unique, and there is so much to do. despite the drawbacks, Budapest is certainly a city on the rise, and I encourage everyone to experience it.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
krisptoast
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Member: Chumley Sittler
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 1 member
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