Giving the Budapest Cards a workout.

When Steve and I arrived in Budapest, we purchased two Budapest Cards. These cards cost $53 each and allow us into various museums for free. Possession of these cards means we have gone into museums we typically would not venture anywhere near -- because I am determined to get “my money’s worth.” Today was a good example of that!  

1) We took the subway (FWC…free w/ card!) to Heroes’ Square, which is the “gateway” to Varosliget (City Park). Its large monuments with warriors and flailing horses reminded me somehow of France. Nice.

2) On the left side of the square is the Museum of Fine Arts (FWC). The Egyptian artifacts seemed oddly out of place here in Budapest, but I loved the sunlit galleries of Roman statues so much, I ran back for a photo pass (an extra 300 HUF). We spent more time here than planned, and already my feet and back were starting to hurt.

3) From here we walked into Varosliget (City Park), home of the Agricultural Museum (FWC). This is what I mean when I say this card has us going to places we wouldn’t normally choose to visit! But…it was actually pretty interesting, delivering more information than I ever knew (or cared to know frankly) on the topics of crop rotation and animal husbandry. They say this is the biggest museum of this type in Europe, and I sure believe it.

4) One of the best parts of the museum was the building it was in, Vajdahunyad Castle. This crazy looking place has a real mishmash of styles, and was built for the millennial celebration of 1896… but wasn’t actually finished until 1908. Oops. The castle had many visitors, but we had the Agriculture Museum all to ourselves. I know, big surprise there.

5) We then went through Varosliget park to find the Exhibition on the History of Aviation (FWC), which involved way too much walking (at this point it could be called trudging) and made us more tired. When we found the place it looked so derelict and uninviting, we decided to pass. Oddly, they were setting up some sort of concert there. No idea what was going on, but it looks like a pretty sad museum.

6) Where, oh where is the Holocaust Memorial Center? We covered the park trying to locate it, to no avail. Disappointing -- this one looked like it would be a good.

7) While looking for the Holocaust Memorial we did run into a Memorial to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence. Steve and I both loved the installation, but think it’s so sad when memorials aren’t kept up properly. There were weeds and long grass growing between the paving stones, and the effect was disuse and bad maintenance. Really nice memorial nonetheless though and worth a look if you are in that park.

8) Our plan was to walk home along Andrassy Avenue, but sore backs and feet got the best of us and we took the metro (FWC) home from there, not even yielding to the temptation of the House of Terror (museum covering the darkest sides of communism and fascism) that was on the way.

Whew! Big day, soooo tired.

After some chill time in the room, we went out to find dinner again, dreading what was waiting for us out there. We have had such bad luck dining in Budapest. But…it seems our luck has changed! Using a Fodor’s recommendation, we found a lovely street lined with some great looking cafes (and more reasonably priced than in our awful tourist trap neighborhood). We ate at Soul Café and I was so happy to find not just one, but SEVERAL vegetarian options to choose from. Whooo! It was a tough decision, but I had a green salad with incredible, fresh tomatoes, and Steve had a chilled yogurt-cucumber soup (ew…he was jealous of my salad). Then I had a grilled vegetable dish (a little oily but tasty) and Steve had rump roast in a creamy sauce with potatoes which he aid was really good. Everything was beautifully presented. Finally, we get some good food in Budapest, and I was caught without my camera. :^(