Jet-lagged in Budapest
September 20th, 2007 Posted in Cheap Europe Travel, Destination reports
I’ve been spoiled by my frequent travels to Latin America and almost forgot what it was like to move across seven time zones in an airplane. I landed in Budapest yesterday, where a nice and helpful Hungary tourism person was waiting to show me around her capital city. Since I had just moved my watch from 1:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. though, my body wasn’t fully cooperative.
We did manage to stumble around plenty of highlights though without me falling face-first into a bowl of goulash. With the help of three well-placed espressos, I charged through and made it to the local bedtime. I’m almost ready for my main assignment here, which happens to be the enviable task of learning all I can about Hungarian wine for a magazine article.
Meanwhile, first groggy impressions of Budapest are this: great architecture, beautiful panoramic setting, interesting history, good public transportation. Negative: a high tolerance for graffiti, and definitely not the bargain it used to be. More on prices to come, but the four-star hotel I’m lucky enough to be crashing in is about the same price as it would be in the U.S., but with Internet access charges that make the Four Seasons gouging look cheap. I’m talking $6.25 for 30 minutes of log-in time. So that’s the end of this post…
2 Responses to “Jet-lagged in Budapest”
By Mike on Sep 20, 2007
If you’re learning about Hungarian wine you must be going to Eger! If you make it there, check out the local Olympic-sized pool (gorgeous wood walls) and the communist-style “natural” pool right across the street. (I’m a water polo player, maybe it was more interesting to me than it will be to you…)
Enjoy!
By Rob Hill on Feb 11, 2008
I think the best way off avoiding high internet charges and the ever increasing hotel prices in Budapest , stay in self catering flat with wireless internet access.
Budapest has still great rates compared to some parts of Europe.