Trip to Vienna & Budapest Day 5&6

My biggest reason for travel is sightseeing. The top of the Eiffel, Big Ben, La Sagrada Familia and Robben Island are just some of the most notable attractions I've been fortunate to visit. I also love touring and learning about historical sites. In fact, one of the biggest reasons I love South Africa is because the government (and in some cases private citizens) have done such a great job of documenting its history.

So when I heard about the Terra Gaza in Budapest, and saw so many recommendations to visit it on Trip Advisor, I knew I had to go, especially since it was a five-minute stroll from my hotel. It was my first stop on my last day in Budapest and... Here's a disclaimer, I do not wish to disrespect anyone who may have any connection to the museum or the history behind the museum's creation, but it was a disappointment. I expected a lot more than I got. Actually, I got nothing from it.

The Terra Gaza, aka House of Terror, was created in honor of victims of the Communist and the Nazi regimes in Hungary beginning in the 1940s. Even a quick search for information, including on its website here doesn't yield any historical information except to indicate when the museum was created. I paid 2000F (you can pay an additional1500F for an audio guide, but you get paper audio guides in each section,) and spent no longer than 90 minutes in it. The final 30 minutes was spent buying time before I left for my next stop. I left not getting a real grasp of how things were. Sure I got that millions were tortured, thousands murdered. But I didn't get a connection like I did at the various museums in South Africa detailing its history with Apartheid.

The word "TERROR" etched on the roof

Terra Gaza, aka House of Terror

Entrance to the museum

 I must have visited more than 10 such museums in Cape Town and Johannesburg and was drawn uniquely to each story. With the House of Terror, not only are you prohibited from taking pictures, which I don't really get because nothing inside is at risk of deteriorating under the glare of lights, but there isn't a clear indication of where to begin besides the gate keeper saying, "Go to second floor." I ended up seeing some parts of it out of sequence. In fact, I think the disallowing of pictures is so that no visual representation is out there to show how boring it was. Sure I had plenty of chances to take pictures, but I didn't care. It was just story after story of individuals' personal stories of being imprisoned or tortured, which upon entering a room you have no indication of when it started or how long it is without staying until it started over. Some rooms had three different videos playing simultaneously, but no video or pictures from the period. There was also no genuine continuity from room to the next, setting up the years as they went by. If I had visited this place any day besides my last day, I would have been upset. But since I had hours to kill before my 9 p.m. train back, I hung in there for about 90 minutes; the shortest time I've ever spent at a historical center.

My next stop was the Central Market Hall, which I had been looking forward to. I hoped to score so many local finds that I'd be struggling to make my maximum weight at the check-in counter. Sadly it turned out it was closed. It doesn't open on Sundays? Why? I blame myself for not doing my research and just assuming one of the most popular attractions in Budapest would be open year round. I walked down to a smaller mall close by, with a few stalls open. I came with some money hoping to walk away with a few unique things, but left the Antique Market in the Bálna empty.

Central Market Hall

Empty hallway of the market

I didn't even try the food at the antique market, which was mostly sweets and pastries. I was startled by a huge dog walking around the second floor of the mall unaccompanied. What is it about Europe and stray dogs? I saw a lot of of dogs strolling unattended throughout my stay, especially in Vienna, where every homeless person on the street seemed to have a dog; some two. If you know me, you know how scared I am of dogs, but something about the way everyone went about unperturbed, made me feel less concerned as well. Maybe dogs in Europe are not raised in the same beastly way they are in the U.S. Back to the mall...well no, there's nothing worth writing about anymore, except the very good singers, who sounded American, entertaining people on the first floor, coffee shop style. The guy was also a guitarist.

The Antique Market in the Bálna, which opens Sunday

Since the main thing I had planned today (shopping) was out of the picture, I wandered into a cave church at the bottom of Gellert Hill in a bid to kill time. There was a service going on so visitors weren't allowed into the main worship hall, but there was plenty to look at for free in the visitors area.

As I headed back to my hotel, I stumbled on a street market and scored a few things. After a quick stop at my hotel, I headed to the uber popular Széchenyi bath house. It was the perfect way to end my day, and my stay in Budapest. The heat emanating from the water...Uhmmm..no words to describe. But I couldn't help but feel awkward. I was the only black person in the entire bath house, and as soon as I stepped into the water, a lady took a picture of me. It could've been the ugly shower cap I had on my head though.

The hottest of three outdoor pools at the Széchenyi bath house

I became too conscious. And alone. I couldn't have wanted company anymore than during my hours there. Eventually an American couple from San Francisco came in with their two college-age daughters and we chatted for a bit. I actually forced myself into the conversation by telling them what else the place had to offer as the mother wondered out loud. Then right before I left, I spotted another black girl, who turned out to be Nigerian as well. No, we didn't chat, but I caught her accent when I ventured close enough to hear her educating her oyibo partner on Nigeria when they weren't sucking  on their faces.

Finally my trip was over. Stopped at a bar near my hotel to try the tourist-popular goulash soup. I didn't want to leave without seeing what the fuss was all about. It was alright. It's essentially cubed meats, potatoes and carrots in a broth. It was more potatoes than meat though, but it was OK.

And finally I was off, back to Vienna on the night train.

With one more day left, I was starting to feel the effect of touring in two countries. I could only manage one more place, which was the Belvedere Palace. What this palace lacks in its interior unlike, Schönbrunn Palace, it makes up for with its spectacular grounds. I didn't pay to tour inside because it's more of an art exhibit, but touring its grounds is free. And for free, this is what you get...

I had such a great trip, as you can probably tell from my detailed account. I was a bit skeptical about embarking on a solo trip, but I have to say it's the reason I was able to document so much. I have already booked my next trip, which at the moment is shaping up to be a partial solo trip. But I can't give that secret away yet. Thanks for stopping by to share my travel adventure with me.

Trip to Vienna & Budapest Day 3&4

One thing I noticed while out and about in Vienna, was how few black people I saw. I didn't mind it since I wasn't being stared at, unlike my trip to Istanbul. Now that was an experience. My friend was an instant celebrity with her waist-long box braids, and everyone wanted to take pictures of her and me. One guy called her "Michelle Obama," while I was "Rihanna." The nerve of him. Anyway, after two days of sightseeing and one serious proposition to participate in a threesome (a guy from Kosovo seriously asked) I was ready to see what Budapest had to offer.

I caught the 10:48a.m. train out of Wiebanhof and about an hour into the trip, we had crossed into Hungary. I didn't realize just how close it was to Hungary. My three-hour trip felt anything but that. I caught a snooze sometime in between, but got some pictures and video of the scenery.

 

I arrived at the Budapest-Keleti train station at exactly 2 p.m. The train left Vienna at 11:09 so it was under three hours. Talk about utter chaos. I thought I'd be walking off to a well-organized station, but I wish I knew to prepare like I was in Nigeria. Taxi "mafia," as one conductor I'd asked for help called them, were everywhere. Hawkers, everyone selling everything and then some. Barely anyone spoke English and those who did had no clue where my hotel was or what I could do. No directions guiding you to places for help. One man stopped me to ask if I needed help only to point me toward the tourist information while telling me how pretty I am. Like I cared about hearing it at that moment. Of 'cos tourist information was closed. It had to be. It is at this point that my words will begin to read like rants while lacking proper writing technique. So beware!

Passengers coming off the train at Keleti station in Budapest

I found the station's info center and spoke to an English speaking rep. After telling her I wanted to catch the train, she gave me bus options, which I only found out later. Then I was told to go upstairs to buy my local ticket, which was actually right across from her. Let's just say I spent more than an hour at the station dragging my luggage up and down stairs a million times. Finally I figured out where I needed to be (on my own) and bought a three-day local transportation pass (trains, buses, trams all inclusive) for 4,150 Forinth (just under $17.) The English-speaking ticket agent also couldn't tell me anything on where and how I could get to my hotel area. Unbelievably, and out of sheer frustration, I figured out the system on my own. By the time I figured out where I was going, I realized I was directed to a bus. I have access to trains, buses, trams, trolleys and the entire public transportation system and she sends me to the bus? My hotel happened to have a Metro station within two minutes of it and was just off of the popular Andrassy Avenue. So I don't know how no one could help me out with what train to take.

Anyway I finally arrive at the Silver Hotel two hours after getting to Budapest and my nightmare continued. The hotel, which I booked last minute as well through Booking.com, was moving me and some 10 other rooms to another hotel apparently because a group of English tourists had rendered said rooms unusable. I was too tired to delve further for details. After 20 or more apologies and assuring me it was around the corner, I left with a voucher for two free cups of soup at a nearby restaurant, which I lost en route. The around-the-corner hotel turned out to be the Central Green Hotel another four blocks away, off Andrassy. I love working out and don't mind lifting suitcases, but by this time I was mentally exhausted, frustrated and upset that she lied. Thankfully the hotel I ended up with turned out to be nicer and about 100ft from Andrassy, with a subway (the M1 line) right on the corner of my hotel and Andrassy. Score! It wasn't anything fancy, but I wasn't looking for fancy and overpriced. My criteria was complimentary breakfast, WIFI and clean room. I ended up with a room with three single beds and much bigger space than my hotel in Vienna, but only after carrying my suitcase up two flights of steep and winding stairs because there were no elevators and no one offered to carry it up for me. I didn't even want to leave the room for the rest of the night. 

After cooling my head and a nice hot shower, an hour and a half later, I figured I could take a stroll to the Place of Heroes aka Heroes Square,which was about two miles from my hotel and turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It was about 7 p.m. when I ventured out for what I thought would be a quick trip to the square and back. I spent the next three hours walking around the square, which is surrounded by a few museums (Museums of Fine Arts and Agriculture, just to name a few.)

Heroes Square at night

Panels with statues of some of Hungary's biggest heroes

Museum of Fine Arts featuring a Rembrandt exhibition

The outside of the Museum of Agriculture (left and right.) I have more pictures of the castle on my Picasa page if you'd like to see more of Europe's largest agricultural museum.

It was really cold that night, some 39F, and I kept saying I'd leave soon, especially since I was alone and there weren't that many people walking the streets. But I couldn't bring myself too. That should tell you how I felt in Budapest. Safe, safe and more safe. I don't think I'd have walked around this museum, with so many trees and paths leading somewhere else that it'd be easy to do just about anything, alone if it was in the U.S. Yet I never felt threatened.

I worked up an appetite by the time I headed back to my hotel and thought I would be feasting on Cheetos and plantain chips for the night because the concierge had told me there wasn't any restaurant around. But I spotted this fancy one on the bank of a pond across the Museum of Agriculture and next to Heroes Square.

Cosy ambiance, but with a tourist appeal

My Barany Sulok was amazing!

 Robinson Timeless Kitchen was a fine dining kind of restaurant and the food was amazing. I ordered the Barany Sulok, which was a knuckle (shank) of lamb with tomatoes, onions, green beans, bacon and potato balls. It was 4900F ($20) and also had a Mojito. It seemed like a mostly tourist kind of crowd, which is probably why my concierge never mentioned it. It has the look of an expensive dining option, that even I was scared to go in (my hunger was gripping that I was gonna eat there no matter what,) but it isn't too expensive for the Dollar, Pound or Euro currency traveler. Plus it accepted American Express, my preferred traveling credit card, which isn't widely accepted around Budapest except in major tourist spots.

After a complimentary breakfast in the morning, I started my second day in a much happier mood. I was supposed to walk to an ATM to get local currency, but by the time I found one, I was halfway toward my first stop: the St. Stephen's Basilica. Thanks to Bencé, the overnight concierge at my hotel, who was a delight in helping me identify my tour sites on a non-English map I was given, I knew what trains, trams or walking routes I needed to take. It was somewhat of a long walk to St. Stephen's, but since it's such a busy shopping and tourist-friendly street, you hardly notice how long as you walk past attractions like this:

The Hungarian State Opera House on Andrassy Avenue

Half an hour after I left my hotel, I walked into St. Stephen's Basilica. It was 200 Forinth to walk in, or 1€, but I left my wallet with my € at the hotel and my smallest bill was 5000F. So the kind gentleman let me in for free. So grateful. A service was in progress so we weren't allowed to wander around certain parts of the church even after the service concluded. The church is truly glamorous.

St. Stephen's Basilica

It's the largest church in Budapest

The church was named after Hungary's first king, St. Stephen

St. Stephen's can accommodate up to 8,500 at the same time

For 400F ($1.63) you can climb up to the top for a panoramic view of Budapest. I missed out on climbing up at its namesake in Vienna. This time, I had to. It was worth it. It was a very long climb, but once I walked out, the first thing I said was 'wow.' It was that breathtaking. I suggest anyone visiting Budapest should climb up the tower. Think climbing up the Eiffel, only it's not as high, but way less cheaper. And oh, there's an elevator option, but why do that?

From the top, I had views of the Parliament and even Gellért Hill, which I also climbed.

As the daughter of an airline pilot who has flown all over the world, you'd think I'd have had fair my share of seeing the world. Unfortunately my mom wasn't keen on tagging six kids along on her vacations so only my three oldest siblings got to travel with her. And travel they did. Multiple times and to multiple places. I never flew out of Nigeria until the day I relocated to the U.S. It was another six years before I flew out of the U.S. when I gave myself a graduation gift to London and Paris. So anyone who's been a part of any of my trips will tell you that I'm big on maximizing my travel experiences visiting as many sites possible in the shortest time. I'd rather snack on something on the go, than sit at some gourmet restaurant chowing down on an expensive meal. I'm pretty slow at eating so I save my sit downs for the end of the day.

As soon as I left the Basilica, I hopped on the train and headed for my next attraction, which was the Gellért Hill. Oh menn! Even more breathtaking than I expected. The hill is a 140m high dolomite rock overlooking the Danube River on the Buda side of the city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site named after Bishop Gellért Sagredo, a missionary who came to the city from Italy to convert locals to Christianity. The story goes that some non-believers put him in a barrel and rolled him down the hill into the River.

The bridge I walked across from Pest

Foot of the hill with a statue of Gellért atop the picture and a waterfall at the bottom

Monument depicting Gellért on the path up the climb

It's a bit of a climb, but considering I wasn't working out the entire trip, I was happy to hike, though I was literally breathless by the time I got there. If you don't want feel like the hike, there's a road path that takes you up to the top, with bike, bus and car access.

Finally made it to the top

The Statue of Liberty commemorates Hungary's liberation from Nazi rule

I loved being up here. Was amazing!

Behind the statue is the Citadel, which is essentially a small city at the top of the hill. You can read about it by clicking here.

There were too many paths to walk through, but didn't want to spend my whole day here so I walked the main road only. Here I finally spotted three black people. It was the first time I spotted a black person since I left the train station. There was an older black couple and another black guy. Though I didn't have to, I thought I could make a bathroom stop and was asked to pay  €.70 or 180F. For what? On my way down I met another black family of four (parents with their presumably college-aged children.) It may seem weird that I'm documenting every sighting of a black person, but it's indicative of how few they seem to be in Budapest. Keep in mind that those I met were probably tourists like me.

I walked back across the bridge to Pest and caught the train to the Parliament. With the view I saw from St. Stephen's I had to see this castle up close. And for free, I got to use a very clean restroom at the visitors center, where I met some ladies who couldn't believe there was a free restroom in this city. I really hadn't tried to use a public bathroom until the Gellért. So I didn't realize there may be many more places charging tourists to use restrooms. I cannot confirm this as fact, but I suppose be mindful of it while visiting. I didn't pay to tour the Parliament, but visited the free underground exhibit dedicated to the Oct. 25, 1956 massacre that took place in Kossuth Square, also called the Hungarian Revolution. and took a nice rest in the warm visitors cafe.

Hungarian Parliament

Great view of the river with benches to relax

Finally, I took the train and then a tram to get to Buda Castle, which, depending on who you talk to is this single castle...

Or the collection of structures around it, including the President's Office, which I happened to stop by during the change of guards...

The Fisherman's Bastion and Matthias Church are also within walking distance and worth the walk through. I've also heard it referred to as part of the Buda Castle. By the time I got there it was after 5 p.m. and a medium fog had enveloped the city, leaving a less than spectacular night view. It was still pretty enough for me to take a few pics before heading back to my hotel.

The Fisherman's Bastion

Matthias Church

The weather was getting increasingly colder and foggier so I was looking forward to my trip to a bath house, but it was closed. Back at the hotel, I booked a city cruise only to get dolled up, head out to the river bank and find out all cruises were closed because of too much fog. Definitely disappointed, but I was OK with it knowing I had lots of time to get one or both of them done before heading back to Vienna at night the following day.