Hungry for more of Hungary.

Sorry guys meant to put this up on Monday but a horrendous journey back home meant it got delayed.  If you're interested in the details of what happened it broke down like this:

11:50 Plane lands

12:20 Find out car alarm wont immobilise, call AA
01:35 AA contracts job out to different co. man turns up

02:15 Man fiddles with car then say needs to be recovered, but he won't take us as he has already worked too many hours, calls for another AA van

02:30 No AA Van

02:35 Decide to live out rest of life in Luton Long Stay Car Park

02: 40 No AA van, Call AA back.

02:45 AA advises next pick up time is 5:30am! Go back to terminal.
05:34 Pick up arrives (not AA) Van man advises he is dropping us off at black cat round about as he needs to get his van to be MOT'd

05:36 Loose will to live.
06:30 Dropped at black cat roundabout

06:30 No AA van.
06:50 Real AA van arrives, get home around 07:40

The End 

8 hours to get 54 miles, incredible huh?

Anyway onto the actual reason for the blog, my Budapest trip.  I'll start with the not so amazing bits.  Mainly cos there really aren't that many but I figure I should add them just to be impartial, but first another pretty picture. 

Get prepared to spend a pretty penny.

Okay so while Budapest itself isn't that expensive, you'll find that the public bathrooms all cost you between 35p- 70p depending on where you are.  Considering how warm it is and how much water you may need to drink it could get rather annoying.  The upside is that this means you won't encounter a smelly wee hole anywhere in the city.

Top ten let downs.
We borrowed a 'Top Ten Best' book from a friend and while we took the chance not purchasing a new one the differences between what we found and what we were told was vast.  Take the Gellert spa and baths.  Supposedly the most luxurious baths in Hungary but these were a little disappointing, the book advised it was cheaper in the last 3 hrs of the day (not true) and didn't mention the fact that you pay extra for towels.  And that it is forbidden to go in the inside swimming pool without a bathing cap, which they also charge for. Honestly the showers weren't that hot (or clean) either, I may have well been spoilt though as I've been to some pretty amazing spas in my time. 

Parlimentary House 

This is beyond beautiful, but the so called free tours are anything but (around a tenner per person).  You'll queue for ages, under the museum across the way to get a ticket for a tour in your language.  These are advertised as being available on the hour throughout the day.  The next one free that we could have attended was at 3.45 (it was 11:50 at the time).  It IS beautiful though, and outside is where the real worthwhile view is anyway.

Now onto everything else!

I never imagined I'd feel so at home away from my home. Hungary has got to have one of the most chilled vibes of any city I have visited and is definitely in my top 5 most beautiful.  Summer is a great time to visit as pop up bars arrive throughout the city.  We found one right at the bottom of the Chain Bridge, bought cheap beers and sat listening to a free DJ all three nights we were there.  Each night a different type of music (anything from French rap to house and all that's in between). 

In a stark contrast, drinks at the Four Seasons Gresham Hotel was a completely different type of exciting.  Sat with my Cosmo and a glass of Hungarian sparkling wine (which I don't think I could tell from champagne) I had a happy little buzz on so when I said "doesn't that look like a thin Miranda Hart" my husband dismissed me.  A fool hardy mistake as it was indeed the comedian.

Miranda (we are on first name terms now) seemed very happy to be there and I must say looked particularly trim.  I worked hard at not looking like I was looking at her whilst simultaneously stalking her every move.  So dedicated was I to nonchalantly eyeballing my new BFF, I completely missed the fact that she was sat with Rose Byrne (my husband gets these points!) AND Melissa McCarthy.  Budapest treated us well that night (well all nights really).

It was a trip that I didn't expect to like as much, a place I didn't believe I would find as comfortable or magical or as breathtaking.  It was a quick weekend away, now I'm hatching a plan to get all my friend's to live there too.