Vintage Maggie
Budapest day four. Thermal baths. Local McDonalds. Manhattan-like island. Old game museum. It was a long day. Great night out before. Here’s we go.
The last full day in Budapest is complete. Well the daytime is anyway.
Let me start with the night before.
We tried to go to an RnB club called Peaches and Cream. We stood in the wrong queue (VIP) for over 30 minutes to be told by a group of rude girls to move out the way.
Disheartened and annoyed we headed towards the Szimpla Kert which is the best ruin bar in Budapest.
On the way there we saw a club called Tesla.
It looked good from the outside and we went inside for 3000 Forint (£9).
It took some time to liven up but eventually the music was in full flow.
The light show was incredible.
It was a great time it must be said.
Back to today.
Today was a mega-packed day. We were exploring the north west side of the city mostly.
We went to the thermal baths that we got for free with our Budapest card.
It smelled like rotten eggs. I’m guessing this was the smell friends were describing when they went to Iceland.
It left us in a daze but was relaxing way to start the day.
We went to McDonalds and tried to local speciality. Something that we won’t find here.
There was a McCafe but we didn’t indulge.
The buildings around the McDonalds were very similar.
All had a coloured cladding and they could have some links to communist era constructions.
I found it quite astonishing.
We walked back to Margaret Island.
Margaret Island sits between Buda and Pest in the northern part of the Danube.
It’s almost like a New Jersey-Manhattan-Brooklyn/Queens situation.
Margaret Island is like Central Park.
A huge area of greenery and recreation.
We were going round the city during the day of the Budapest 10k run.
Loads of people had medals round their necks and sweat dripping from their foreheads.
One thing I will say about Budapest is they have a multitude of public transport.
Buses. Trams. Trolleybuses. Trains. Metro.
I don’t know how they manage it all.
It’s not that spread out either which is strange. It’s very concentrated where in most locations you have to walk at least ten minutes to get to a station.
Margaret Island was where we found this Budapest sign.
There was a British couple there where the guy of the two didn’t know how to take the photo. He was standing there forever and ever nearly falling into a puddle in the process.
After taking pictures and going round the rest of the island, we went to the pinball museum.
An interactive centre filled with old pinball and arcade machines. Some dating back to the pre-WWI.
It was incredible to play real Pacman and Space Invaders as well as some classic pinball machines.
Our plan for tonight is to go to that Szimpla Kert and chill out before waking up and exploring Pest before we head to the airport.
The trip so far has been a resounding success.
My head is clear and ready to get to work when I return.
Bosh.