Over the winter break, Sarah and I decided to visit both Budapest and Prague despite not knowing much or anything about these two cities at all. We were also both really busy with schoolwork and adjusting to our new lives to do much planning, but we managed to pull it off anyway. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised with these two places, but I preferred Budapest over Prague a lot more. Call me crazy, but I actually can't wait to plan another trip back to Budapest!
Fisherman's Bastion was located on the Buda side of the city, and it was gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. The first time we went up there, the sky was already dark and it was a foggy night so we couldn't see much, let alone to take pictures. So we went back another day, with the blazing orange rays of the setting sun lighting the city on fire for us to see. We spent a couple of hours up there just appreciating the beauty of the city, and attempting to translate that into pictures. Safe to say, these pictures definitely did not do the place justice in the least bit.
The Széchenyi Thermal Baths were something we couldn't simply pass up on. After all, Budapest wasn't called the 'City of Baths' for nothing. Whilst I don't know how 'medicinal' or 'healing' the baths really are, it was a relaxing afternoon soaking in a heated pool in the middle of winter. It reminded me of the time Sarah and I visited the onsen together in Japan, which was hilarious because we saw each other naked and couldn't stop giggling.
Before this trip, I had no idea what Hungarian cuisine was all about, the only thing I knew was probably goulash. But after this trip, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that Hungarian food is unassumingly delicious. Their food is terrible for photo-taking purposes, but it sure as well taste bloody amazing, just like the one pictured above (left). I mean, honey pork knuckles with potato wedges? Yes sir I'll have two of that thank you very much.
We ended off our Budapest trip with a cheeky little treat - the Danube River Cruise which includes a buffet consisting of traditional Hungarian dishes and too much alcohol. Seeing the sights along the river under the moonlit sky was another experience altogether. There's a certain beauty in looking at things at night; because when the surroundings are so dark, that's when you focus solely on what is in front of you - you stop looking, and you start seeing.
Upon reaching Prague, we were told that the Charles Bridge is probably the most famous bridge which links the two sides of the city together, the Old Town and the Lesser Town. I'm not sure I see the appeal of the bridge, but that's probably because it's constantly overwhelmed with tourists and street stalls at all hours of the day. Also, it might be because I've left my heart back in Budapest, that's why it was so hard for me to love Prague as much as I had wanted to. I mean c'mon, it's so crowded you can barely take a proper photo of it even if you wanted to.
The John Lennon Wall, famed for its graffiti dedicated to the Beatles member, was unfortunately painted over just a few days before we were there. But in that short time span, graffiti filled the walls once again. Even though it wasn't the same as it were before, I think there was the symbolism of being reborn with it, to start anew. And in all that graffiti that some would call a mess, there was beauty in it, there was art. We missed the opportunity to leave our mark there, so if you do visit this wall, remember to bring a sharpie.
We finished off Prague by hiking up Petrin Hill, which we were told was a 'leisurely walk in the park', or maybe it's just me being incredibly unfit. But the paranomic view that we were awarded with when we reached the peak was stunning. And in that moment, I thought, "Prague's not so bad after all." This park is incredibly underrated, and if you're a fan of paranomic places like I am, Petrin Hill is definitely worth the visit. It's free, so why not?
1 comment:
Love your pictures!
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