Budapest. August 6

This morning we set out for a walk up Andrassy Avenue, the widest and loveliest road in Budapest. The street has all the fancy clothes stores, old buildings including the opera and the whole area is under UNESCO World Heritage. At the end of the road was Heroes Square which is more like a crescent and really lovely. We walked around looking at the statues for a while before walking over the bridge behind into the city park. We wandered for a while, having a look around, until Elise couldn’t deal with the heat anymore. She had to meet a friend that she had met earlier in the trip in a few hours, so decided to go home (this time by metro) and have a rest for a while.

Inside the Opera

Heroes Square 

Ash then went for a wander through the city park, first past the castle in the park then wandered up to where the famous Szechenyi baths are. I had a look around, taking it all in for when we would return later. Then I walked down the long tree lined street we had come up, back towards the house. I had a brief home pit stop before walking to Margaret island. The island was really cool, basically like a giant park. There were people riding bikes, and the giant four wheeler bike cars. Also many people sitting around the fountain, either dipping their feet in or hoping to cool down by osmosis. I sat down on a bench in the park and read for a bit, enjoy the peace and the brief cool stopping had provided. After reading for a bit I walked along the running path, internally lolling at the poor people literally dying from attempting to run in 37 degrees. I mean what were they thinking?! On the way home I picked up some stuff to make dinner then spent the night at home, using the quiet time to attempt to organise uni for next year.

Elise eventually met her friend Marcus and showed him around the city for a while. We went to check out ‘Margit-sziget’ or Margaret Island, which was pretty nice and then walked over the Buda side back to Chain Bridge. We got burritos for dinner and went out later to a place called Szimpla. Elise and Ash had been told to go here by some friends in Berlin and it was pretty fun. Budapest is famous for ruin bars, which are pretty much what they sound; bars inside ruined buildings. The most famous one is Szimpla. Inside there are a few bars in different parts of the building, a courtyard, an open stage and a place to get food.

Love A&E