Friday 13 November 2015

Random musings going to Budapest

Please excuse the appearance of this post as I'm doing this on my phone.

I felt like writing a post now which goes against the grain because it's like writing a review for a show during the first interval.

I flew to Budapest, Hungary today to take the waters and see a friend. I was getting withdrawal factors of hot springs in Korea and Japan so thought this was an excuse to discover a city I kept meaning to visit.

I flew Ryan Air which is a budget airline.

Only budget airlines and private jets board from the tarmac nowadays.

Had the funniest guy who was part of one of many stag parties.  I asked why they chose Budapest and he said it was the only plane last minute that had seats for 6 people. Ryanair has changed the way people travel...

While chatting he told me how his girlfriend was a shopaholic. When they first dated his missus, she wanted to make an impression and bought a special dress she bought in town. ( I think they were from Essex/Suffolk borders.)

She asked him what he thought to which he replied, "nice" but he told me he thought it was too lacy but it was too early in the relationship to say.

She then said - Nice? This is "dolce gabbana"! ( but say it in a Essex/ east Anglian accent)

He went - yeah well it's a bit of dodgy garb on ya but you look lovely.

Dodgy garb?!

It's bleeding Dolce bleeding gabbana.

Apparently it's their inside joke now but I got such a kick out of the story so wanted to share.


Another highlight was a lady in the opposite row offered me ten quid for my pret a manger sandwich which cost less than half that. I say a black market of non Ryan air food is an untapped market. FYI - I didn't sell.


As I arrived in Budapest, I realised how in prepared I was. I brought Euros but they have their own currency even though they are in the EU like the UK.


I know they were part of the Austrian empire but not much else.


I can make fun of most nationalities but realised I couldn't mimic an Hungarian accent and how would I take the mick out of a Budapest resident? 


How do you even refer to a resident of Budapest?  Budapestan? Budapestian?


I knew about goulash too though I didn't have that for dinner.  I went retro and had a schnitzel with ham and cheese with a side of stroganoff spaghetti garnished with oranges which must be a communist vestige.


I then tried the Hungarian version of topfenknudel. ( forgive my spelling to those from Central Europe)


It was the size of two fists and the cottage cheese and curd mix was like dough polenta and stale oatmeal covered in sour cream and powdered sugar.


To burn off the stodgy fare I visited Szechenyi baths which was one of the main reasons I came here.


It's one of the most magnificent public institutions anywhere. If I lived here, I would be here with my friends wading in the 3 outdoor pools, double digit indoor pools and saunas. A nice way to socialise that is healthy and not sedentary.


Hope you have a lovely weekend x

Ps will be replying to any comments when back in London

29 comments:

  1. Hey Naomi,
    Isn't that the fun of flying cheap airlines...you meet really interesting people!
    My guess as to the food you might try there would be chicken paprikash and a spatzle type of dish called "halushky". I think you might enjoy that.
    The baths look so royal. Glad you are enjoying them, but I'm a wee bit jealous that you get to experience this after all the baths in Japan. Just keep sharing lots of photos..even if you are posting from your phone!
    Enjoy the weekend...be safe.
    -Susan

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    1. Yes I had that too and was yummy!

      The baths have a different flavour to any other but I hope to go there on s regular basis now!

      It was super safe there and the security check at the airport was the most thorough I have ever seen!

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  2. I'd love more detail on the food. What beautiful architecture! Enjoy your trip. I generally prefer sedentary activities with friends like drinking wine and complaining about (their) first husbands. But see the case for something more productive.

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    1. I did take pics but their wine was plentiful and rich. Served big portions like the states. My fave dinner was z bowl of goulash with spaghetti on the side with sour cream and cheese!

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  3. Thank you for sharing your photos of Budapest.
    What can I say about Dodgy Garb On Ya - that's my kind of label.

    SSG xxx

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  4. Well so glad I get to hear of Budapest and anxiously await your next post hopefully to include The Beacons of Budapest those Darlings Jane & Lance Hattatt !!!

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    1. They were absolute darlings! I nearly missed my flight yabbering away too

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  5. I love having conversations with folks during my travels. It makes the experience richer. I had a drink with a couple of Democrats from Boston while in Turkey.
    Those baths look lovely,
    That food looks very nourishing. Will put hairs on your chest.

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    1. Yes you meet all sorts but loved meeting the Hattats especially. The food helps during a cold winter!

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  6. How fascinating and I love the story about the Dolce and Gabbana dress!!
    Yes, gorgeous architecture!!

    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena
    The Blink of an Eye

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  7. Loved the Dolce & Gabbana story!

    Our lovely DIL makes wonderful Hungarian food - but some of the things you've pictured here look truly evil. Specially the topfenknudel! How did you manage to eat it! Or was it better than it looks and sounds?

    Budapest is such a beautiful city. We spent a lot of time finding places that were important to our DIL and her father. So interesting How fabulous that you had such a wonderful meet-up with the divine Hattats too. Their apartment looks gorgeous. Hope you have more pics to post.

    So glad you went to Budapest this time around and not Paris. Such a disturbing and sad time right now. We have to decide whether we'll go back to Paris next year. Our friend has offered us the apartment we always stay in, for a month.
    We lived in London when v young when it was under attack from IRA terrorists. Bombs in so many places. Even the tube station entrance near where I worked. I used that station twice a day every weekday. But we were v young and never thought anything bad would happen to us. As you get older you realise we are all mortal and vulnerable. Those poor young ones seeking a relaxing night out at the end of the week. One moment enjoying a glass or two and a meal with friends/family and the next a victim of a terrorist. And of course that doesn't even take into account the poor people in the Middle East who live with such danger and terrors on a daily basis. I pray for a lasting solution to bring peace - but it seems so insoluble. Pammie

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    1. There was do much to do in Budapest that 4 days only scratched the surface! But it was a treat to meet the Hattats! You have to meet them when you are there next too. I do wonder if Paris would be a good choice not do much for security because let's face it Sydney had a terrible incident and that's the last place I'd have thought...but the mood is very low and people have definitely tensed up and it might not be as fun to spend in Paris. I say Provence or Sicily! Quieter areas.

      But the topfenknudel was heavier than the Austrian version but I enjoyed the wines and food do much. Still full too xx

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  8. Love these snippets of your trip! Budapest looks gorgeous and of course you were able to meet two very special people, I'd go there just for that. We went to Prague in 2008 for 10 days and really questioned adding Budapest to our trip but we had some work to do finding the history of my husband's family and we had our 6 year old with us, so we kept it simple and stayed in Prague. Good thing too as we found some shocking things and it was quite a bit to take in.
    The food though, I have to say never have I lost weight on holiday but I was thin as a rail when we left, everything was a dumpling or pork, neither of which I eat. I did well at the kosher restaurant but we only went twice and 10 days is a long time. Loved the wine though, much of it was from Hungary.
    Hehehe your friend on the flight, what a good story so funny XOX

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    1. I was good then I went there and I gorged on heavy food but st least I tried it! I love dumplings but I had spätzle instead. Hard to be vegetarian there too. I had such fun chatting to the Hattats and their flat is amazing! You have to drop by your next trip over here! Xx

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  9. I LOVE how YOU write..............I have never heard the accent but ADORED the description of the dress!THOSE BATHS...........lets ALL meet up there!A BLOG GATHERING of SORTS??YOU make it HAPPEN!Maybe SPRING of next year?

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    1. I wish Contessa! I need a good excuse to go back to Cali...

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  10. How cool to just fly off to Budapest! I was there in 1979. I am assuming that much has changed - but the vestiges of the Austro-Hungarian society are pretty glam, no?

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    1. Ryanair has let people travel easier with all the pitfalls. Gdansk is an option many would not have consul before!

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  11. Well first of all, congratulations on being able to do this post from your phone - how the devil did you do that! I saw those baths on your Instagram page and they looked very enticing. I haven't really heard much of Budapest so the most I know is what youve told me in this post - I too would have taken euros and wouldn't have sold my pret a manger purchase! xx

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    1. I am thinking a trip to Budapest must now be a yearly thing and would cost as much as a few massages in London!!! Xx

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  12. Hello Naomi, I may have a chance to visit Korea over Christmas holidays and previously you posted some interesting hot springs sites in Korea on your Instagram (which for some reason, I am unable to open now), can you please give me some names to google with? I would probably have one week so I don't know how much can be accomplished in that little time and I don't speak Korean at all. I'm open to any recommendations aside from hot springs that would be 'must sees' in Korea (anywhere in Korea because I don't have firm plans for anything yet). Thank you so much and I hope you had a great time in Budapest. Best, Emily :-)

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  13. Oh! By the way, I hope not everything is closed during Christmas in Korea! Emily :-)

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    1. Hi Emily! Thee are sooo many places in Korea but for a week don't know if you want to travel Perse for a spa as in Seoul there are many. Every neighbor hood has at least one. But there's a place called Dragon Hill centrally located and unisex in many parts. Korea has their special rituals of exfoliating and getting your hair washed and massaged with either an egg mask or cucumber mask on the face. That's a must. Plus depending they have different baths of herbs and temperatures. They also will have a rNge of saunas like silver, jade amethyst. It does get very nuanced and has its own merits. I loved the outdoor Japanese ones but they were purely meditative with no treatments available. Ps they also have great Korean saunas in LA and NY! Hope you have a great time x

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    2. Thanks! I hope to find something suitable. I was hoping for a more natural and rustic setting but time is limited and as you said, there would be less treatments in those places. Regards, Emily :-)

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  14. I actually found the hot springs in Budapest a bit disturbing after Japan. People don't wash properly before they get in and the water isn't hot enough. It has to be a bacteria soup!

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    1. Yes there is that difference but they do enforce the shower although a proper wash isn't required but the water is constantly pumped throughout. I liked the swimming pool and that's something Asia doesn't have so there are pros and cons :)

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  15. bleeding Dolce bleeding gabbana… I can just hear the accent. Perfect.

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