Budapest

I went into Hungary with zero expectations and was genuinely interested in what it would be like. The best way to describe it is a blend of Portland or Seattle with a touch of Florence. The city feels modern but yet has a strong presence of classic European architecture, creating an interesting mix of old and new.

Hungary uses the Hungarian Forint (HUF) as its currency, and the exchange rate is pretty wild. One dollar is equivalent to about 0.0027 HUF.  It was a bit of a shock to buy a coffee and see the total come to 1,000 HUF. From the areas I explored it did not seem to be as cheap as I expected. The prices were pretty comparable to Florence. 

Most of our time here was spent exploring the city. Looking for cool vintage stores, trying out authentic Hungarian food, and site seeing. My favorite place we visited was the Single Garden. It was a ruin bar housed in a big building with at least 10 different bars inside. We visited it during the day and at night, and I absolutely loved it during the day. The atmosphere was incredible, with walls covered in signatures and little messages from people all over the world. Some messages were happy, others motivating, heartbreaking, and just intriguing. I could have stayed all day reading the walls and seeing the art work many left behind. Adding to the ambiance many local artists played guitar in some of the rooms, giving the place a relaxed, creative vibe. 

I also got the chance to see the most amazing architecture at fisherman's bastion. This is a must do if you ever find yourself in Budapest. It’s a little hike to get there, but once you are on top, you see the most beautiful skyline. We were lucky enough to see a hot air balloon floating through the sky. Just around the corner, we found many restaurants serving traditional Hungarian food. I got a dish with paprika chicken and egg dumplings. The portions are smaller than what I am used to, but good overall. 

Also a fun little fact that budapest is actually pronounced as “boo-duh-pesht” and not “boo-da-pest”.