Budapest after twenty years

Leaving Baku

Despite a full dinner, I was hungry and tired after midnight.  I had a cheeseburger and expensive coffee from McDonald’s.

Fortunately, time passed quickly and soon the check-in counters opened at 0135 for my 0435 flight to Budapest.  Baku airport had turned busy since I arrived, with many flights leaving in the 0300-0400 time-band.

Despite Wizz Air telling passengers they must bring home-printed boarding passes, only official printed ones are accepted in Baku.  It makes sense as document check requirements for this route would probably be applicable to most on the flight.

It took probably half an hour to get through security and immigration, with too few lanes open for the number of people.  Once airside, the lounge new my bus gate was closed so I had to use another one much further away.

Snacks consisted mainly of cold pastries which they can microwave, instant noodles, instant mashed potatoes, cookies and cakes.  It was quite minimalist but I wasn’t hungry.  The most important thing for me was water as I needed some for my flight.  The aviation security people had thrown away my empty bottle for some reason so I couldn’t refill it at a fountain (and also had me power up my laptop).

I made my way to the gate about 45 mins prior to departure, with some difficulty dragging my wheelie bag through the deep pile terminal floor.  With a remote gate, boarding was done by bus, with no consideration to those who had paid extra for priority boarding.

While the cabin door closed on time, the cargo hold didn’t and we departed about 15 mins late.  It wasn’t the best flight I’ve had.  Scheduled time of 4h10 on an aircraft configured to the maximum certified capacity, with non-recline seats, at night.

I don’t understand why the seats don’t recline as other airlines carry the same number of passengers with reclining seats.  Perhaps non-recline seats require less maintenance and weigh less.  These seats would have been borderline OK on a daylight flight but not at night.

I really felt for the team of super-tall men whom I thought were basketballers but they play volleyball.  I don’t even come to their shoulders.

Even though I had my eyes shut for most of the time, I didn’t actually doze off.  I was upright most of the time except for when I tried sleeping on the tray table.

Back in Budapest

We landed in Budapest at 0700, about 15 mins late.  The airport has grown considerably since my last visit maybe 20 years ago.  This is despite their national airline Malev having gone belly-up, but the gap now filled by Wizz Air.

Wizz Air probably opted to have a remote bus gate even though there were unused airbridges everywhere.  The bus delivered us to an empty immigration hall at Terminal 2b but the order of disembarkation gets all mixed up after a bus ride; even though I was in row 5 it took me 25 mins to clear immigration.

Kerbside, bus 100E was waiting and I bought my ticket at a self-service kiosk and departed nearly immediately.  I got to the 7×24 Central Hostel around 0900.  It’s more like a cheap apartment let out as individual rooms to budget travellers.  I stored my bag, relaxed briefly before making an exit because my room wouldn’t be ready for a few hours.

Walking Tour

It was good planning on my part to have booked an 1100 Free Walking Tour, knowing that I would not be in my accommodation yet.  And that’s despite not having had an sleep.

First up, I needed to get some cash.  I couldn’t believe all the ATMs at the airport were private Euronet ones that charge hefty fees.  And in the city, they’re everywhere as well!  I steered clear of them and used a bank one for free.

Then I grabbed breakfast and coffee and McDonald’s to break the large note from the ATM and used the loo.  I somehow snuck into the loo without paying; couldn’t believe having to pay at McDonald’s.

With smaller notes of cash, I was now ready to join my walking tour, meeting the guide Istvan outside the Basilica.  In my sleep-deprived state, I didn’t absorb a lot of what he had said but I still enjoyed what he imparted during the moment.

Some of the things I do remember include:

• There’s a memorial that tries to blame the holocaust on the Germans and whitewash Hungary’s participation. The Hungarian people are very anti this memorial but to no avail, and the memorial still stands.  However, people have set up their counter-memorial with placards showing the opposite point of view.
• Hungarians have won Nobel prizes in every category except Peace!
• Budapest has been built over many decades and generations in different styles. It can pass for many cities in movies, eg. Vienna, Paris, Buenos Aires.
• In 1945, Germans and Hungarians largely left the city in ruin before the Russians successfully gained control.
• Hungary was the most open of the eastern bloc countries and its style of communism was referred to as goulash communism.
• Tram No 2 is one of the best ways of seeing the city cheaply. Metro Line 1 also gives access to many sights.
• Buda is hilly whereas Pest is flat. It’s a reflection of Buda being the start of the hilly Transdanubia region, and Pest being the start of the Carpathian plains.

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Bath time

After the walking tour, I finally had access to my room.  It was around 1500 when I got to see my bed but with so little time in Budapest this trip, I had to keep going.  No rest for the wicked.

I took a bus to Rudas Baths and paid HUF4500 to enter the thermal baths which was reserved for men today (that price excludes the swimming pool and other areas which are unisex even today.

It’s very much like the Kiraly Baths which I went to twenty years ago.  Under the Turkish dome with some coloured glass letting lights in, was a large hot pool.  It was surrounded by four smaller pools in the corners, with water at other temperatures.  There was also a steam room and a sauna.

Unlike my historic experience at Kiraly, everyone now is required to wear an apron or swimwear.  No full nudity is allowed.  The crowd is better behave with only a couple of people touching themselves inappropriately.  Back then, Kiraly was a hive of “activity” for gay men.

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I spent about 1h20 mins in and out of the main pool, steam room and sauna.  I then tried the super hot 42 degC pool but finally stepped down to 32 degC, 30 degC and 28 degC.  As a result, my body didn’t sweat profusely in my fresh clothes as I left the site 2h after entering.

With laundry on my mind, I grabbed a simple Turkish dinner of falafel (microwaved), rice and salad.  Not the best choice after having been in Azerbaijan eating similar cuisine.

I started the laundry in the hostel around 1830 but had to take it to a laundromat to dry it off around 2030.  Bloody front loaders take forever; like nearly 2h.  It’s amazing how I can function with so little sleep!

Random observations

Budapest is still a little rundown even after all these years.  And some shops are now Chinese operated, as in other parts of Europe.  And some labourers seem to be from the Middle East.

Pastries and some cakes are sold by weight rather than by piece.  I guess its fairer but in other countries perhaps the manufacturing is less artisanal, more mass-produced and individual pieces have the same weight?