Motourama Part 20: Budapest and Bonus Sisters

Hello family, friends and followers! Today we pick up where yesterday’s Travel Story left off: exploring Budapest.

Budapest is a city of many faces; you have the old historical part, the very natural part with parks and the river Donau, and a beautiful modern inner city for shopping and lounging. Budapest actually consists of two cities: Buda on the west side of the Donau and Pest on the east side. Pest in both Danish and German means plague – as in the black death. Our fun fact of the day!

As we had arrived at Victoria and Mathias’ flat (located in Pest) in the afternoon, we went straight out to see the sights of the city, in order not to lose daylight. Victoria and Mathias were studying for their exams, so we would meet up with them in the evening. We had planned out the most effective route with as many sights along the way as possible, so we wouldn’t miss anything. It was a really nice walk, and we enjoyed our afternoon in the sunny, early summer weather.

Electric busses! In an old-school package.

Esben on top of the Liberty Bridge with Gallért Hill in the background.

Only to be outdone by these two rascals!

This construction of a new playground looks more like a scene from a zoo.

The view from Gallért Hill and the Citadella where you can see Elisabeth Bridge (closest), Széchenyi Chain Bridge (second) and Margaret Bridge (third).

The Matthias Church of the Fisherman’s Bastion.

The archways of the Fisherman’s Bastion. Oh, yeah, and Denise.

Esben the giant! Or just a small door? We will never know.

The Bastion and the Church.

The old part of Buda is full of small streets like this.

Street art in the form of a bronze tank, overlooking the Parliament on the Pest side of Donau.

Parliament itself.

While looking for a place to eat, we went by a couple of restaurants to look at the menus. Most places have a person standing in the street, to try and lure people in. Usually we just speak Danish as our secret language, to discuss whether or not we want to eat there.

One place, a very nice looking steak house, had just the right food for our mood (hah, it rhymes), but we had been recommended another restaurant by Victoria and Mathias, that we wanted to take a look at first. While discussing this in Danish, the lady who tried to lure us in, apologised in Danish, that she could understand us. What are the chances?! Seriously, could someone do the maths? It turned out she had been studying in Denmark for a year through the Erasmus Program. We had a laugh, went to check out the recommended restaurant, and went back again for the delicious burgers and the friendly, Danish-speaking lady.

We later met up with Victoria and Mathias for beers, and had a great evening.

Until next time, don’t assume no-one understands you, even when you speak a rarely spoken language.