Railway Dog

For a dog, the Pest side of the river Danube has few parks, dirty pavements, and many oblivious legs. (When we returned a week later we discovered Buda is much nicer for dogs, full of greenery, paths and parks). The human found many things to look at, but the experience on the street is mostly grubby and crowded. The Danube riverside is clean at least!

A full adult ticket is needed for a dog on any Budapest city public transport, whether metro, tram or bus. Only one dog per doorway. Muzzles must be worn (this rule was not enforced for this small dog, so the muzzle remained in my pocket).

We did a quick city tour with a local student. It turned out to be just us. Her local history knowledge was basic, but explained in fascinating detail what it was like to be a young woman in Hungary. To sum it up: best learn foreign languages and leave the country ASAP. Leaving behind sexism, bigotry, corrupt politics, an aging willfully ignorant population that holds the country back. She explained why I got no hassle at all from Hungarian men. Apparently women over 30 do not exist to them! A bonus for me.

The Holocaust memorial in Budapest infamously ignores the huge part Hungary played in deporting its Jews to concentration camps. The current government is in denial about this involvement even though the evidence is clear (which I saw more of recently in Auschwitz). The memorial is all about the Germans. So the memorial was attacked while it was being built and had a police guard for a while. However the long term stalemate has been to let it be, damage and all, and people leave historical evidence and art in front of it.

There are also many beautiful large buildings and statues from the days of the Austro Hungarian empire. Some facades are highly detailed and ornate.

The ruin bar district of Budapest results from bars, cafes and ‘karavans’ taking over the 1940’s wartime ruins in the 1990’s immediate post communist era. Initially for locals, these are now popular with tourists too. This ‘karavan’ spot is filled with food vans including a vegan burger bar. Their tables are fairly empty in daytime. They fill throughout the night with revellers, including loud British and French stag dos.