The Real World: Budapest 2016

This is the true story... of 10 strangers... picked to live in a house...hahah you know the rest. My first "Eastern European" destination was in the beautiful city of Budapest, Hungary. I had done my research and could hardly wait to start exploring. Adding to the overall splendor we were meeting up with two of the greatest people I know, Kelly and Sarah. Have you heard that saying "your vibe attracts your tribe?" Well Kelly, my college roommate and BFF always has herself surrounded with the coolest people. You'll know what I mean seconds after meeting her. Kelly introduced me to Sarah a few years back in Chicago. Sarah is also one of those girls that instantly makes you happy just being around her. Kelly, now living in Spain, of course already had the best new crew and they were coming along! This squad of women quickly became my new best friends, I should have expected nothing less. 

Meet the crew: Ellie, Kelly, Jen, Me, Sarah, Kelly, Mackenzie and Shannon. Not pictured Darryl and Rollie

Darryl and I got into Budapest just before dinner time on Friday. We were really excited to try out one of the most talked about dishes...goulash. 
​First things first we stopped at our 10 bed, Airbnb to drop off our bags. Our place was in a great location on the Pest side of the Danube River, spacious and relaxing. We did have a pretty difficult time finding the actual apartment the first time in this post-war building. Check out Kelly's video, you'll see what I mean! So after we finally got in and set our bags down, we set out to find our Hungarian Goulash!

I don't know how to bring justice to the amazingness inside this bowl. It was perfect! Beef so tender is just melts in your mouth! The best part is this restaurant wasn't even famous for goulash! We just went in the first place we found close to our Airbnb. After this bowl I got the feeling you can't go wrong with ordering goulash at any Hungarian restaurant. 
When traveling around I find it important to try what that city is known for (healthy or not), it personally helps me identify with the place more. I'm not particularly a huge fan of beef but my mom did get a postcard about this meal! 
After filling up on inexpensive goulash and beer we headed back to round up the troops for our first night out! 

Goulash at Bajor Sarok

The second thing on the agenda and to do list in Budapest was check out these famous ruin bars. What is a Ruin Bar? A Ruin Bar is located in a run- down building that used to serve a different purpose. They transformed these spaces into really funky eclectic bars so people can drink cheaply! We tried several of them out but kept going back to Szimpla Kert. Szimpla's was the first ruin bar, it's located in the Jewish Quarter. It's atmosphere was amazing! Each room has such a different vibe! 

Famous ruin bar Szimpla Kert

Szimpla's is filled with so many odd's and ends. Sometimes I would stop and look around, was I really smoking watermelon hooka out of this bath tub cut in half? Is that a large green bunny? And what about that old Russian car sitting over there. Yes, those are all real images from this bar. As the night wound down I starting to find this odd place cosy. 

Up and at it the next morning.. I mean late afternoon around 2pm we started our free walking tour! Our tour guide was awesome and a native to Hungary. We started in Pest and ended in Fisherman's Bastion in Buda. My favorite part of the tour might have been when it ended in Fisherman's Bastion, the 7 towers at dusk was a sight to behold. I found the history behind the Chain Bridge linking the two cities together to be fascinating. It was quite stunning in person. Some of the tour highlights are: Chain Bridge (pictures below), Buda Castle, Royal Palace, Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion.  

That evening we checked out one of the many famous river (booze) cruises! The boats are lined up along the Danube River and they offer fantastic views of both sides of the city. We hopped on one that started around 7pm, tickets are available to purchase along the river or online. We purchased ours along the river and I "think" we negotiated the price down. We also received two free drink tickets. So worth it, the city just lights up at night. 

On our last full day in Budapest, all feeling somewhat hazy from last nights booze cruise and ruin bar, we went to the best place to detox Szechenyi! It's amazing how many thermal spas are available in the city. We opted for the most well know, Szechenyi Thermal Bath. This bath was incredible, not just by its enormous size but how clean everything was kept. The bright yellow facade added a beautiful contrast of the the outdoor pools. We spent over 6 hours exploring the different in and outdoor pools, all naturally heated by thermal springs. My favorite by far was the pool on the outside, it had a whirlpool that whipped everyone around in circles. I couldn't help but feel like a kid again. 

We went out on a bang with our last night in Budapest. We had one of the best meals of my life at Drum Cafe and revisited Szimpla. I know we only scratched the surface of what makes Budapest so beautiful, so it was hard to leave. I hope I find another opportunity to revisit. 

Travel tips to Budapest: 

• Exchange money in the city, don't do it at the airport. 
• They have Uber! Best way to travel to Szechenyi (further north of the city). 
• Pest offers the best/ most reasonable accommodations/ restaurants.
• Best time to visit: May- August, we went in February. 
• Check out Airbnb, instead of hostels. 

Must Do's

• Thermal Spas- Szechenyi and Gellert are the most popular
• River cruise at night
• Ruin Bars- Szimpla Kert, Instant and, Fogashaz
• Dinner Spots- Pest-Buda Bistro, Comme Chez Soi and, Drum Cafe 
• Free walking tour

Friends make everything better, I'm so grateful to have this experience with these amazing people. 

Any questions please don't be afraid to ask by commenting below! 

To see live coverage of this trip check out Kelly's Vlog! She is a master music and video collaborator showing us her worldly travels! 

xx. Abby 

Fisherman's Bastion

View of Parliament from Fisherman's Bastion

Miss Kelly at Fisherman's Bastion

Dinner at Drum Cafe