One of the first things I noticed in Budapest was how cheap most things were - specifically beer. It was cheaper to buy a beer than it was to buy a pop or a water. Besides that, Budapest actually was an amazing place and I was quite sad that I didn't spend more than two nights there as there was so much to do and see!
There were a few landmarks that I passed here, for example it was my first time staying in a hostel. However, here I did stay in a private room, which ended up being about a 5 minute walk from the actual hostel. That said, the "family dinners" were a great way to meet people and really forced me out of my comfort zone. Those that have known me for awhile know that I've always been on the shy side and just like being a waitress helped break me out of my shell a bit, this did the same thing. I've become much more comfortable talking to new people and really opening up -- this is huge for me and something that really started in the Budapest hostel that I really hope to take back with me to NYC in October.
This was also the first city that I had visited that I did a history tour. Those that knew me back in school remember that I've never been a history person and was definitely more math/science focused (proved by winning the math award in high school - yes, I was that cool). That said, actually seeing some of the sights for the first time and hearing the history behind them was very intriguing to me. From this point on, I made sure that I tried to do as many guided city tours as possible to really get the most out of the cities that I'm visiting on this trip.
The city was absolutely beautiful and I saw some amazing sights, I have way too many photos to share here, but below are a sample:
One thing that I did think was pretty cool was that in one of the parks, they had a fountain that played along to classical music. I'm easily amused and may have spent a good hour or so watching this fountain. And I even took a video :) It doesn't really do it justice, but I'm sure you can see why I was enthralled with it...or maybe not, but you would be if you ever go to Budapest:
Also, one of the highlights of Budapest was spending one night in the Casino, appropriately called the "Las Vegas Casino". Blackjack is my game and for the most part, I'm quite lucky, so I thought "Why not?" when the people from the hostel went. And sure enough, I was successful :) I made about 20,000 HUF on a 500 HUF bet...now I was really excited when I counted all my chips and felt incredibly rich. Unfortunately, I did the math and this actually only really equates to about $120...but still, it did pay for most of my stay in Budapest, so I can't complain too much. I would like to thank my dad for teaching me the rules of Blackjack, it has served me well!
And finally, the last thing that stood out to me in Budapest was that the map I was given at the tourist office in the train station. It marked every Burger King in the city. Of all things that I wanted to see in Budapest, I can promise you that going to Burger King was not at the top of my list. Or even at the bottom, for that matter. That said, I did walk by one of the many and I love seeing what the various menus are in foreign countries, and I'm not going to lie - I didn't go in - but some of these items actually sound quite delicious!
