Hungry

“Nice one spudsy”, “Good work fella” was how 7 lads from Manchester loudly greeted their stepped immersion into the outdoor thermal spa.  Although my sentiments mirrored theirs, I preferred to let out a long, happy sigh that drifted with the steam.  Welcome to Budapest.

The city has a number of thermal springs from which the water spouts.   At 75 degrees.  You can choose between about 6 spas that utilise the hot stuff.  Our one had outdoor pools at about 38 degrees and 6 indoor pools which went from 24 to 40.  I had a sauna and jumped in an 18 degrees immersion pool. I’m still ironing out the goose bumps.

Budapest is in fact two old cities, one called Buda and the other... Have a guess.  Imagine that town council meeting.  “Well we have come up with a few potential names, which we would like to vote on”

Think of a wide Regents Street, and you have got the main drag, Andrassy which for 2 miles leads up to Hero’s Square and the main park. Underneath is a metro line that is so shallow, I think it was three steps down; I was surprised not to see the train poking out of the road.

We had a stupidly cheap apartment in the city centre and spent a couple of days wandering around.  The castle of Buda, which sits on a large rock, looks imperially down over the Danube and gives the whole city a regal backdrop.  Hazel’s highlight was a busker playing Billie Jean on a Sax, all to her!

Our highlight may well have been a chocolate shop, with the most amazing cake. Or maybe the petrified hand of St Stephen in the Cathedral.  800 years it’s been there. Blimey.