Much refreshed, we started the day with a buffet breakfast at the hotel. It was that odd mix of European, Asian and American offerings where things are a bit wrong... pinenuts to put on the porridge, hot chocolate made with water, steamed pork dumplings and a huge selection of deli meats and cheeses, along with black and green olives. We selected carefully and ate well before heading out to walk over the chain bridge to the castle district. It was an easy walk and we caught a heritage funicular to the top of the steep hill. Things unraveled a bit after that. We stopped to get drinks but Flynn dropped Josh’s on the ground and on my shoes on the way to our table. We then headed off to find Josh’s choice - the telephone museum (?!?) but the location eluded us. Trip adviser did call it a “hidden gem” and it turned out to be very well hidden indeed. Too well hidden for team starrett to find. Undaunted, we tried to go through the labyrinth where Vlad the Impaler was held captive but they only accepted Huf currency - no credit cards or Euro so we couldn’t get in. Finally we walked over to the national library but it was closed to tourists for the summer. There were a lot of statues and plaques but they were all in Hungarian so we left the district as uninformed as we arrived. We did have a nice time wandering around, chatting and looking at the buildings. The houses are all joined together with big wooden doors securing the tunnel entrances to inner courtyards.
Lunch was taken care of by a trip to KFC to check out the Budapest version. A complete ordering fail saw us end up with spicy chicken in a bucket, four cups for post mix drink and a strange box of boiled rice with mixed veg, popcorn chicken and mango sauce. We ate what we could and headed off to the afternoon activity- a pirate themed escape room. This was a highlight. Fully themed with secret doors, different levels and fun puzzles, it’s the best one any of us have been to. We solved the puzzles, found the treasure and made it out with the hour.
In the afternoon we cruised by a ruin bar for a look (interesting but no one keen to stay) and then meandered along towards the hotel with no definite purpose. By now it was late afternoon and we had racked up 17.5km of walking. We decided on dinner in the square next to St Stephen’s church at an outdoor cafe. The church bells, which were charming from a distance, inhibited all conversation close up, but it was a good meal and it was nice to sit and watch the world go by. Everyone looks like a tourist, although we noticed today that tradies are wearing casual clothes (no hi vis) so maybe workwear for all here is very laid back.
There is an odd tree in the park across from our hotel, set up as shrine to Michael Jackson. Google informed us that he used to say at our hotel and his fans set it up during a vigil the night he passed away, and now maintain it. Apparently there are flash mob performances there on his birthday - it’s a strange world.
An early night for all after a long day.
Lunch was taken care of by a trip to KFC to check out the Budapest version. A complete ordering fail saw us end up with spicy chicken in a bucket, four cups for post mix drink and a strange box of boiled rice with mixed veg, popcorn chicken and mango sauce. We ate what we could and headed off to the afternoon activity- a pirate themed escape room. This was a highlight. Fully themed with secret doors, different levels and fun puzzles, it’s the best one any of us have been to. We solved the puzzles, found the treasure and made it out with the hour.
In the afternoon we cruised by a ruin bar for a look (interesting but no one keen to stay) and then meandered along towards the hotel with no definite purpose. By now it was late afternoon and we had racked up 17.5km of walking. We decided on dinner in the square next to St Stephen’s church at an outdoor cafe. The church bells, which were charming from a distance, inhibited all conversation close up, but it was a good meal and it was nice to sit and watch the world go by. Everyone looks like a tourist, although we noticed today that tradies are wearing casual clothes (no hi vis) so maybe workwear for all here is very laid back.
There is an odd tree in the park across from our hotel, set up as shrine to Michael Jackson. Google informed us that he used to say at our hotel and his fans set it up during a vigil the night he passed away, and now maintain it. Apparently there are flash mob performances there on his birthday - it’s a strange world.
An early night for all after a long day.
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