East to Budapest

The train journey to Budapest was certainly enlivened by the news from Edinburgh via text of the sacking of Graham Rix as Hearts boss. Suddenly access to an internet cafe became the be all and end all of Budapest priorities!

Only once up to speed on events at home, were we able to properly take a look around. Budapest is a weird mish mash of new and old, scruffy and grand. We went there expecting it to be quite cheap, but actually found it quite expensive - definitely the type of place where some local knowledge of where to go would be helpful. The nicest part of the city was the castle hill (Buda), but this was also the most touristy, whereas the other side of the Danube (Pest) contained the more down to earth part of town.

Highlight of the 2 days was our dinner arrangements on the second night, with alfresco dining from a snack stall, drinking beer and glühwein, whilst listening to live jazz (part of the Budapest Spring Festival), followed by cake and coffee in the most extravagant grand cafe in the central square. Probably the only time our pudding cost more than double our main meal and alcohol!

This flag was particularly interesting - the hole in the middle is where a soviet symbol was ripped out following the 1956 uprising, and it still flies today, with the hole in it, to represent the struggle for freedom.