Budapest in mathemagic land
Buda + Pest + Danube River dividing them = the Hungarian capital
1 in 4 Hungarians live in the capital (meaning that we can generalize with impunity based on solely our experience there)
1 Gestapo HQ + 1 KGB HQ = the House of Terror, about the most terrifying place I’ve ever seen live. The entry way was a real Soviet tank, placed on a pedastal of dripping machine oil with a background of pictures of the victims holding their serial number, lining the walls from ceiling to floor. We got a chance to experience the holding cells and the punishment cells (for instance, one was built to be only 2 feet tall so you could never stand, and another was only big enough to stand in, with light bulbs at eye level). We also saw the gallows and a chilling video from the man who cleaned the mess afterwards providing the details.
200 Forints = 1 US dollar = USA living large. For instance we ate at a very trendy (and Chino Latino like) restaurant for around 15 dollars a person for a four course meal apiece. Hostels or houses were about 10 dollars per night per person.
It also was much more of a city that people actually lived in rather than an old section set aside for tourists and public housing for the locals, like Prague.
Loved it.
Tags: Travel
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