Frauentag in Budapest

Berlin celebrated International Women’s Day (March 8) for the first time as a public holiday this year.

Which means that schools and businesses were closed.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/berlin-declares-international-women-s-day-a-public-holiday

{View of the Parliament building from The Buda side of the Danube River, near where my hotel was}

My friend, Sarah, had told me about the app Weekend.com. It helps find deals on flights and hotels around Europe. So I started looking around. And while a trip for the four of us could have happened, we decided mom deserved a break and would have a more budget-friendly trip alone.

{Szechenyi Chain Bridge from Buda to Pest}

{Lion on the Bridge with Parliament in the background}

{St. Stephen’s Basilica}

{View of St. Stephen’s Basilica from my pre-show dinner}

After attending the Magic Flute in Berlin with Dave and really enjoying it, I decided to see Opera in Hungary. So I booked a ticket to see Carmen on my first night.

I had thought the performance was at the Hungarian Opera House, but after I arrived 20 minutes before show time, I quickly realized I was in the wrong place. An elderly man, who didn’t speak English, looked at my ticket and shook his head. Could I make it?

{Quick trip from the Hungarian Opera House to the Erkel Theater, which cost under $5}

Luckily, I had set up a Taxify account in anticipation of my trip. A quick tap of my phone, and I was at the right place ten minutes later. I made it!!

{Waiting for Carmen to start}

{Nighttime view of Parliament while on my way back to the hotel}

Hoping to sleep in, I set my alarm. But as I’m used to waking early, I was up by 7:00.

{Morning view from my balcony}

So I got ready, had a quick bite at the hotel’s complimentary breakfast buffet and headed out.

{Buda Castle}

{Hungarian Academy of Sciences}

Being a frugal foodie, I decided to enjoy breakfast at one of the fancy restaurants in town as opposed to a more expensive lunch or dinner.

{Costes downtown}

{Chocolate and banana French toast at Costes}

It was definitely good. And the service was great. But I think I’ll stick to only the hotel breakfast going forward.

With some time to spare before meeting my guide for a tour, I walked along the banks of the Danube.

{Shoes on the Danube}

It was here that I stumbled across the Shoes on the Danube memorial honoring the Jews who were killed by the fascist Arrow Cross (Hungarian Nazis) in Budapest during World War II. The Jews were taken to the river, told to take off their shoes (it was winter and they would be used), shot and pushed into the Danube. Very sad.

{In front of the Parliament building}

Seeing that the one Deutschbank (our German bank) in Budapest was nearby, I decided to swing by to pick up some cash. When I entered the branch, I noticed no ATM. And when I asked, I was told I could withdrawal money only if I had a had a Hungarian account. Too bad. (I never did take out cash, but instead relied on the Hungarian change I received at the Opera from buying a water using Euros.) {DeutscheBank branch}

At 10:00, I met Nandu, my AirBnB booked tour guide, for a 2 1/2 hour walking tour of Jewish Budapest. I lucked out. Nobody else booked so I had a private tour for a great price! Another benefit of traveling off season.

{First stop on my tour – Raoul Wallenberg memorial}

{Second stop on the tour – Gabor Sztehlo Memorial}

{Wall from Budapest’s Ghetto}

{View of Wall through run down courtyard}

{Apartment manager’s entrance – feared during communism. He knew everything and would report wrongdoings.}

{Rumbach Street Synagogue}

{Carl Lutz memorial}

{Kazinczy Street Synagogue}

{Dohány Street Synagogue}

Nandu, my tour guide, left me with several recommendations for restaurants and jazz locations before we parted.

I enjoyed an excellent lunch at Dobrumba. {Shashuka with salmon at Dohbrumba}

Afterwards, I strolled along the Danube and walked through the touristy Central Market Hall.

{Central Market Hall}

I continued walking through the Seventh district and scoped out Szimpla Kert, probably Budapest’s most famous ruin bar. After the fall of communism and with many building in disrepair, squatters moved in. They set up ad hoc bars, selling booze illegally. Later, it became a trend and registered, hence an onslaught of these ruin bars. Stag parties, no surprises, came next to the scene. {Szimpla Kert ‘Ruin bar’}

While at dinner at a ramen shop, I browsed entertainment options using the Culture Trip app.

I discovered I was only a short walk to the historic Madach Theater. I rushed over to see if there were still seats to the 7:00 performance and found myself watching Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, in Hungarian. Thankfully, there were English subtitles.

{Madach Theater}

Tired from being out for 14 hours, I headed back to my hotel and discovered I had logged over 11 miles for the day. Whew!

{My walking ‘High Score’ as Isaac called it}

The next morning, after breakfast at the hotel, and armed with my swim gear, I headed to one of Budapest’s famed thermal baths, the Rudra Baths.

http://www.rudasbaths.com/

{Outside the 16th century Rudra baths}

I spent a luxurious six hours there at the pool, Turkish baths, sauna, steam room, relaxation room, lunch and a massage. And felt terrific! Awe, self care.

Craving a coffee, I discovered a kitsch coffee shop, Bambi, that brought one back to 1960s days of communism. I don’t think the prices had changed much since then either.

{Coffee and cake at Bambi Café}

While enjoying my treat, I read a book while a table of around ten older gentlemen played dominos at a back table.

I headed back to the hotel and talked with Dave and the boys. They had had an epic day at the Lego Land Discovery Center in Berlin.

{bachelor weekend in Berlin}

Rested, I crossed the Margaret Bridge to buy a ticket for a jazz show. I was in luck. They weren’t sold out.

{Crossing the Margaret Bridge from Buda to Pest}

I then had dinner at an underground Indian restaurant nearby.

{MahaRana Indian Ayurvedic Restaurant}

{The Pintér Zoltan trio at the Budapest Jazz Club}

After enjoying the show, I walked back across the Margaret Bridge.

{Margaret Bridge looking towards Buda from Pest}

I had decided to go the the Castle District on my last day. It was a 20 minute walk from my hotel. While at breakfast, I discovered a walking tour of the district by the same person who guided the Jewish Budapest tour. I would finish just in time to walk back to the hotel in order to take a shuttle to the airport.

Since I was early and craving a soy latte, I went to the Hilton and sat at the bar enjoying my caffeine break.

{Budapest Hilton, which was completed in 1977 around the ruins of a 1200s monastery}

The walking tour was breathtaking. And Nandor was again very knowledgeable and brought the area to life. Some highlights: {Fisherman’s Bastion}

{View from Fisherman’s Bastion overlooking Pest and the Danube}

{Mathias Church}

{Medieval Jewish tombstones}

Heading back to the hotel, I was grateful for the weekend and the time alone. But was definitely looking forward to lots of snuggles from my boys.