Budapest

Budapest.
Again.
Oh yes.

I feel no shame, no matter what you might say (I hear the collective groan: this is the 8th time we've have to read about Budapest!) because it's been 4 years since the last post about this city and this time the circumstances are different in that we've never stayed on the Buda side, and we never stayed in this swanky apartment before.

Let's face it, I'll use any excuse to talk about this place.

Since our beloved but dumpy Casa Sol on the Pest side is no more, we've hopped to the other side of the river and upgraded (the toilet seats don't spontaneously collapse on us here Linda) and now we're a 5-10 minute walk to the market, Gellert baths and the alley with the gelato stand. (The alley has an official name but we are so food-oriented that we don't care.)

Other than the different accommodations, everything else followed our typical visit to Budapest: walking, food, gelato, baths, some touring, and repeat.

As of this writing not one of my friends has been to visit Budapest in spite of my passionate recommendations. It's still incredibly affordable, the food is wonderful, the people are friendly and English is as readily spoken here as any Italian city I've ever been to.

So check it out and book a ticket as fast as you can.

Off the balcony of our swanky apartment at dawn and dusk and while sipping coffee watching it rain. And by the way, this place is $130 a night. For a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath apartment with washer and dryer . Try finding even a smoke-saturated, carpet-stained, polyester-coverlet decorated circa 1980 hotel room in San Francisco for that price.

Some scenes from our marathon walks: to the Castle District, to the market (once again there's an official name but we just call it the market so we don't look so ridiculous trying to pronounce the Hungarian names), and a couple of parks and restaurants.

I include this one because I realized this is exactly, right down to the shoes, the same outfit I am wearing in nearly every other Budapest post from 4 years ago. Hey, I find something comfortable and I stick with it obviously. (Do not let my lack of fashion sense make you doubt my taste in good cities).

I got a chance to spontaneously bust out my Romanian and didn't do too badly on the fly. Or else they were just too kind to admit they couldn't understand a word I was saying.

A word to the wise: we saw more tour groups, and tourists in general, this time around than ever before so get on it and book your flights while it's still cheap and relatively uncrowded. Apparently my recommendation has gotten around to the rest of the world.

We are still tired.