Budapest, 12-15 September, DAY 4

Day 4, Sunday 15th September 2013

Today is the last day of our stay here in Budapest. After a lovely breakfast on our large terrace we take metro line 1 to the city park where Szechenyi Bath & Spa is situated. This is the spa where all the people from Budapest go in summer. Today it's busy too coz after yesterday's rain it's warm and sunny, lucky us.

on the corner of where our appartment is 'Bella Carina' ^^

Szechenyi Bath & Spa 

It's not easy to find our way around the place as all signs are ONLY in Hungarian, mmm strange coz we hear a lot of other languages around us.

When we are in queue for the ticket office a nice English speaking guy helps us and sells me his 'Dr Fish concept'. Hey hey again (Antwerp was the 1st time) I let fishes nibble at my toes.

Hungarian men play chess everywhere 

The photos give an overview of the atmosphere and grandeur of the bath&spa. When we took an elevator by mistake and ended up on the 1st floor we saw young handsome girls dressed in white tees and shorts offering expensive luxury massage spa treatments. The 'spa life in Hungary' is changing and getting commercial, but slowly. 

Being clean and refreshed we walked through the park and ended up in the midst of all kind of festivities near the castle. After a late lunch in the park restaurant our Budapest trip ended. 

Can't wait till our next trip (my Bday trip to Istanbul ^^)
dikke kus
Carina

Budapest, 12 - 15 September (Peter's Bday trip) - DAY 3

DAY 3 Saturday 14 September, hey it's Peter's Bday!

It is raining cats and dogs today, predicted by Weather.com so we are prepared. 
We take the tram to the other side of the river Danube, there we go up the mountain with the cable tram to the museum area where also the famous Matthias church is. However, when we arrive at the church it's closed, while in our tourist guide it's explicitly stated the church is open on Saturday mornings (rain pouring down, grrrr)

On our way to the Matthias church we pass this old Trabant car, fun! 

We visit the Hungarian National Gallery, making pictures is forbidden. I did make a few of course, naughty me. There is an exhibition of Chagall 'Between War and Peace' at the moment, sort of the same as we saw a while ago in Paris. It is super to revisit this colorfull exhibition. But this time no photos :-( 

After our visit to the museum we decided not to visit the wine festival that's held next door, but have a nice glass of Hungarian white wine and some chocolate in posh place Gerbeaud, the famous traditional coffee house of Budapest.

Spinoza, the restaurant in the Jewish Quarter of town that was advised by the guy of our Appartment agency is good and serves great food and wine. We arrive early coz this is a popular and crowded place. We luv it, great atmosphere, live music. 
Afterwards we have coffee in a trendy place that just started. There are many new initiatives here in this old neighbourhood. 
We end up in a very nice winebar in the same narrow street. It was another great day in Budapest.

dinner at Spinoza restaurant in the old Jewish Quarter

our winebar in a narrow street in the old Jewish Quarter. 

Budapest, 12 - 15 September (Peter's Bday trip) - DAY 1 & 2

DAY 1 (arrival at 12th September late in the evening)

Our rented appartment (booking.com) is large, new and in the middle of town (Pest) at the edge of the old Jewish Quarter and near the bridge. At the other side of the street is a grocery, open 24/7 so what more do we want? Well we want a beer after a days work, rushing to the airport, flight and taxi. We put our suitcases in the appartment, however the 24/7 shop doesn't sell alcohol after 22.00 hrs. We find a bar at the corner of the street, not very fancy but hey they have beer.
We are in Budapest!

Trendy Deluxe Appartment at Kiraly str. 8-10. (Central Passage)

DAY 2, 13 September

Wow the sun is shining and it's dry, phew. We are going for a walk, which turned out to be a very very long one.
Across the bridge, along side the river, crossing another bridge back to the 'Pest side', through the old part of town following the Vaci Utca which is a very very long street until it's end.
We had tapas in a bar that just opened in a street that was being refurbished in the middle of town. The owner told us he had been in a relationship with a girl from Basque Country, Northern Spain: she taught him how to make tapas. 

We walked, shopped, visited a wonderful wine shop, where we received great advise about the many Hungarian wines and bought a lovely white one, I bought a fur hat in a tourist shop, we drank a beer and found a nice Italian restaurant where we asked for our fav pizza. 

Chain Bridge (Szechenyi lanchid) 

the famous Matthias church at Buda side; 

photo taken from the Chain Bridge (Szechenyi lanchid) 

looking at the House of Parliament from the Buda side of the river

at Buda side

more detailed house of parliament from Buda side

Bontxo a brand new tapas bar

me gusta mucho ^^

there are many many Hungarian wines 

at the back of the House of Parliament (Pest side)

great architecture

It was a super first 'getting to know the city' day, my feet are killing.