a trip to Budapest(Hungary)

We decided to travell by train to Budapest via Vienna(Austria)
a friend coalminer...was an Hungarian..he told me..to visit..
the train trip went smooth enough..we had to change in Vienna
towards Budapest Keleti..Hungarian border was reached..
control etc...no problem..Hungarians are welcoming folks...
after the Vienna express..we still needed a 4 hour trip to reach..
Budapest..lovely place situated directly on the Danube river..
travelling in Hungary was O.K...exept for the language..
even with a hot potato in my mouth..I could NOT speak it...
Budapest is a city divide into 2 parts..well..Buda..and Pest...
we changed a decent amount from U.S.dollars into forint..
they told us..just like in Poland...we could get more black market..
but..beware...some pickpockets or scam folks always active...
we reached Keleti train station on a sunny day...
and went to an adress marked as being a youth hostel...
it was cheap...and guess what??it used to be a students home..
but in the summer months..tourists could stay there..we got a room..
with 4 beds...but our whole stay...we were only me and my wife..
kitchen facilities..shower..room could be locked..what more does one
need??so we started our 3 day visit to this wonderful city...
first thing you need is orientation..we got a good city map from tourist
office..and we even took a subway train...went to see the Citadel..
nicely situated in Buda..with a panoramic view over the city..
this spot was called Varhegy..reachable by subway...it's touristic..
got lots of historical value..everything is there..a castle..musea...
some typical buildings..the junk gadget stuff for tourists..
we walked later on through the Pest side of Budapest..very hectic...
the Danube river cuts Buda from Pest..via wonderful bridges
with difficult names like Erzsebet,Szecheney..oh well..Hungarian..
I recall 3 words Hungarian..ahah..yes=igen...no=nem..please=kerem..
when I used to be in chatroom in HF..b?ke=peace..this crazy dude
came a lot in chatroom..he lives on the Balaton lake somewhere...
my wife wanted to dine in style..so we went for food somewhere.
forgot the name..something difficult to pronounce..food was excellent..
uniqe decors..and even a gypsy trio..who came on our table...
asked my wife..what to play...they played Dr.Zhivago,I believe??
song from Lara??sorry..I can't remember this very well..
on the streets in Budapest..or in little local restaurantss..
these gypsie violin players..ohoh...they can play a piece of music...
of course for a tip..after food...we went back to our sleeping hostel..
my wife was a fanatic about thermal baths,massages etc..
next day..we took a swim in Gellert baths..oh...please don't miss it..
http://www.budapesthotels.com/systempages/info.asp
will tell you crazy peeps more in later postings...
Tiger