After Prague we decided to continue on to Budapest. It was a great decision to make the journey, but we did not get blessed with the best means of travel. Since the overnight bus was full, we had to leave at 9:00 the next morning. It definitely wasn’t the most ideal way to spend a sunny day. The high point of the bus ride was the beautiful mountain scenery, but when you are stuck in a bus that smells like stale cigarettes, the heat is on way too high, and the sun beats down on you through the window, the scenery is more of a tease than a comfort. And then, just when we thought we were becoming immune to the smell, we’d get a fresh whiff of the bus drivers’ new cigarette. Oh, and it was a very bumpy ride. Oh well, at least it wasn’t snowing, haha! On to Hungary!
Budapest is split into two by the Danube. Buda and Pest are the twin cities. We stayed in Pest, which is the more modern of the two. The first day we were there we went over the bridge to Buda and climbed the hill, which provided a beautiful view of the city. It was a perfect fall day, full of color. The trees framed the orange and red rooftops and the changing hues of the leaves complemented them beautifully.
Depending on how well you know us, you may or may not know how much we love to eat. Needless to say, and without being trite,we did not go hungry in Hungary! One afternoon after a long walk we went to a local market. After wandering the stalls and scoping out all the local delicacies, we settled on a local dish known as palatschinken. There are different variations in other eastern European countries, but basically they are Crepes. Thin pancakes that can either be sweet or savory, and eaten for lunch or dinner. We both chose savory and they were filled with cream cheese, ham, sautéed red onion, chili sauce (Dave’s had bacon too). You know how it is when you eat something and have to comment on how good it is after every bite? ...and are so full but kind of sad when it’s all gone? That’s how this meal was! I think I might have heard angels singing over the smacking of Dave’s gums!
Don't worry, we did more in Hungary than just eat! Stay tuned for the next episode!
