One of the first things we notice is the use of pictures on restaurant menus, which is particularly helpful as the Hungarian language is difficult to decipher for many visitors. So difficult means really difficult. Not a single word is related to anything we know. The language remains completely incomprehensible to us and the place names are difficult for us to pronounce. However, this leads to many laughs when we read out to each other what is written on the signs.
Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a city full of surprises and contrasts that never ceases to fascinate its visitors. The city is not only the political and cultural centre of the country, but also a living testimony to Hungary's rich and turbulent history.
Hungarian history is characterised by numerous cultural influences and historical turning points. For centuries, the Hungarian people have struggled to find their identity, influenced by various waves of immigration and occupations. This eventful past is reflected in the country's architecture, culture and mentality.
When interacting with Hungarians here in Budapest, we notice that they often seem quite serious and smile less than expected.
A special feature of Budapest is the unconventional layout of its railway stations. The West Railway Station, which is actually in the north-east, and the East Railway Station, which is in the west, are examples of the peculiar logic often found in Hungary. These curious details are said to give the city its unique charm and humour. They say.
The Hungarian mentality is characterised by remarkable flexibility and adaptability. This concept, known as "kiskapu", describes the ability to find creative solutions in complex situations. This characteristic can be seen in everyday life, whether in overcoming everyday challenges or in a business context. It is clear that the Rubik's cube, the Rubik's cube and many other crazy things were invented here.
The city of Budapest appears in a different light in the evening and looks more lively and beautiful than during the day. The illuminations and the "Glitter Tram", which I have dubbed, are particularly striking and create a special atmosphere. The Christmas market with its projections, similar to those in Bern, attracts many people. Here, too, the smiles on people's faces seem to be rarer. And we notice a lot of "made" people, Botox wherever you look.
Budapest is a very modern and relatively clean city with many sights and a strong coffee house culture. The city offers a variety of international restaurants, which we tried but couldn't sample them all.
As far as the infrastructure is concerned, the roads in Budapest are in a worse state than in Austria, although the motorways seem to be good. (We'll be grateful later when we're bouncing from pothole to pothole in Bulgaria). Diesel is cheaper in Hungary, but the rest of the city is quite expensive, kind of cosmopolitan. The roads are also very wide in town centres and there are a lot of cars, which leads to a considerable noise level in the city.
The internet in Hungary is amazingly good. So if we weren't constantly changing our plans, it would be great to work in Hungary. It also seems to be the city of surveillance, we see an incredible number of cameras. So if we ever get lost, all we have to do is ask someone who has access to the video recordings.
To summarise, we can say that Budapest offers a mixture of historical charm and modern city life without losing sight of the costs and urban noise. Despite these challenges, the city remains a destination we would travel to again. Perhaps once in summer, when strolling along the "beautiful blue Danube" would be a pleasure.
Merci for "travelling with us
We are thinking about taking another break from travelling in the summer and visiting our families in Germany and Switzerland. One of the ideas is to organise a Lecture about our long journey to the Persian Gulf to prepare. If you would like to, what would interest you the most? We will also tell stories here that don't find a place here on the blog. We're thinking of the Bern and Berlin area - simply because we have family there. But other places are also conceivable. Feel free to write to us.
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