top of page

The Buda Side

On Wednesday we wanted to cross the Danube and spend some time on the Buda side. According to our bike tour guide there is always a bit of a rivalry between the Buda and the Pest sides of the river. She also said that in Budapest there are two kinds of people - those that live on the Buda side and those that want to live on the Buda side!

Jen and I woke bright and early because we wanted to find the Central Market Hall to do some shopping. We got to the market by 8am and headed upstairs. On the first floor all the stalls sell food, mostly produce and meat. Upstairs, however, is full of Hungarian crafts, souvenirs and clothes. I was on a quest to find a Hungarian secret box (a small box that can only be open by someone who knows how to find the secret key). Jen loves to shop so she was in the market for just about anything! Shortly after I made my first purchases, however, I started to feel weak. By the time Jen found a shop with some awesome clothes, I was in a full on panic attack. The owner of the store could not have been more kind and helpful. He sat me down, got me water, told me to take everything slowly, brought me fresh currant to try to get some sugar in me, and then even gave me a face massage! While I was trying to pull myself together I listened to him tell Jen that two years ago Nicole Kidman stopped in his shop and bought a traditionally embroidered shirt in every color he had! I was feeling a bit better and needed to get some fresh air so I profusely thanked this kind Hungarian (who was actually from Romania) and we made our way outside. We had massage appointments at the Gellert Baths and I was really hoping that the massage would relax me and get rid of the panic.

We crossed the bridge to the Buda side and were in awe of the Gellert Baths. This huge traditional bath house had twelve different pools, several saunas and steam rooms, a variety of places for massages and other treatments. Jen and I headed to our 9:30 massages and had the two most kind and wonderful therapists. Unfortunately I was still struggling with some panic and my massage wasn’t as relaxing as I’d hoped but I’m still really glad I went to the bath house and got to see the spa.

After spending some more time walking around the spa and checking out the different temperature pools, Jen and I had to meet CJ, Adam, Tea and Talia at the funicular to ride up to the top of Castle Hill to check out Buda Castle. The funicular was fun and once we got to the top the view of the Pest side was beautiful. We walked around the ruins of the original Buda Castle and saw the Fisherman’s Bastion. This gorgeous terrace was built as an overlook and certainly gave a splendid view of the Danube and the Pest side.

After our exploration of the Buda side we needed a rest and a break from the sightseeing so we spent some time at home. The girls enjoyed some time playing with their Legos and stuffed animals and Adam got some laundry done. That afternoon we thought the girls would want to do something a little bit different so Adam took them out to two special events. First they stopped at The Cat Cafe. This cafe had about ten cats just wandering around inside and they were welcome to sit on laps, climb around benches, chairs and tables and cuddle up with any willing patron. Of course my girls thought this was incredibly cool and was one of the highlights. They loved Da Boss, a Maine Coon, who was simply huge and fluffy. After a nice hot chocolate (not my ideal beverage on an 85 degree day, but that was their choices) they went to an ice cream shop that serves all their ice cream scooped into a cone and shaped into a rose. Each girl chose three flavors and the server made them beautiful roses. It was certainly unique for them and I think it is an afternoon they will remember.

All in all we loved our time in Budapest. The people left the strongest impression with us because they were all just so nice. Our host was fantastic. Yellow Zebra Bikes went out of their way to make a personal tour that worked for our family. The man in the market that helped me during my panic attack could not have been kinder. My massage therapist that held my hand and offered a full refund since I didn’t actually get a massage was amazing with me (and I refused a refund - it was more than worth it to pay for the comfort during my panic). CJ and Adam needed to print our tickets and a man at a hotel was more than happy to help. We were just so impressed with the kindness and helpfulness of everyone! Thanks for the memories, Budapest! And now on to Vienna!

SEARCH BY TAGS:
bottom of page