Hi yk!

I'm very interested in reading your trip report as I will be in Vienna and Budapest this summer.

Details! Details!

Hey yk - I'm not planning on visiting Vienna or Budapest in the near future, but I always enjoy reading your trip reports, so I look forward to your next installments.

Robyn

I'm anxious to read your report as well. I'll be in Vienna in July and am considering Budapest.

Hi yk!

You shame me, I am soooo far behind on trip reports. I can't believe you are back already,too. Looking forward to hearing about it!

Hi yk,
Didn't know you're back already. I'm reading this at an internet cafe in Trastevere. Looking forward to the rest, especially about that new museum.

Hi everyone - thanks in advance for your enthusiastic replies. I am still quite busy with errands (you know, laundry, mail, grocery shopping etc), but I'll try to get on it ASAP.

MlleFifi - I hope you're having a great time in Italy. Enjoy the rest of your trip! Also, a million thanks for all your tips on Budapest (though one didn't quite work out).

hi yk -

hope it doesn't take you tooo long to do the Vienna portion, as we're off there in about 6 weeks time!

regards, ann

Hi yk - looking forward to your report - maybe you'll tempt me back to Vienna and Budapest, two cities I've much enjoyed...

yk-Looking forward to more, especially your take on Budapest. I had a hard time with that city, sort of love/hate. Just loved Vienna though.

Yes, looking forward to reading about your trip. Vienna and Budapest are two of my favorites, although I like Budapest more. Interested in your impressions.

Welcome back! we await more of your trip report.

Why Vienna and Budapest?

I actually had not planned any European trips for this Spring, as I already have 2 short CA trips for April and May. However, back in late March, I received an email from M, who is my first cousin once removed, asking me for my thoughts on Vienna and Budapest. M also posts here on Fodors as mmyk72, and she lives near me in the greater Boston area. Even though we are off by one generation, we are about the same age. In any case, M has a business trip to Belgium in late April, and she was thinking of tagging 10 days of vacation time at the end of the business trip, and she's interested in Vienna and Budapest. Naturally, I invited myself along. I have always wanted to return to Vienna (absolutely love it from my last visit), and I definitely would love to visit a new city.

As soon as her dates were set in stone, I immediately called American Airlines to claim a FF ticket, open jaw BOS-VIE; BUD-BOS. I was able to get the exact flights on the exact dates without any difficulty (connecting at Heathrow on both directions), for 40,000 miles and $130 fees and taxes.

A few days later, I found out that M has asked her parents (my first cousins, who are in their 60s) to come as well, and in the midst of conversation, M's sister-in-law, C, also decides to come. So all of a sudden, we have a party of 5!

Booking apartments
This was the most difficult and stressful part of trip planning. As a novice to apartment-booking, it was a steep learning curve in the beginning. Unlike Paris apartments which has lots of listings and reviews, trying to find a 3BR/2BA apartment in Vienna and Budapest just 4 weeks in advance was no easy task.

Given that there are 5 of us and no one wants to sleep on a sofa bed in the living room, we decided that the best layout is a 3BR/2BA. For Vienna, I first tried the two highly-recommended rental websites:
http://www.apartment.at/index.php3/eng/
http://www.netland.at/wien/

Unfortunately, neither has anything available for our dates, so I moved on to VRBO. Eventually, we decided on this one:
http://www.vrbo.com/124090 (full review to follow)

The owner runs her travel agency, and also has her own rental website:
http://www.hahnsvienna.com/vienna-holiday-apartment.html

For Budapest, there seems to be even fewer "recommended" apt booking websites. We went through dozens of websites, including Ownersdirect.co.uk, VROB, and eventually stumbled upon travel-library.com. It was there where we found our Budapest apt:
http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/europe/hungary/budapest/cca_vorosmarty.html

My biggest concerns were being scammed (imagine arriving in the city with my relatives, and the apt doesn't exits!), or the apts weren't anywhere like the photos shown. Also, I could not find any reviews on these apartments at all, which add to my fear.

In the end, it all worked out fine. And perhaps I have become an apt convert after this trip.

Pre-bookings
Apart from booking the apartments, which was our top priority, my next goal was to find out what concerts and operas are on during our stay. I ended up booking:
1) Manon at Vienna Staatsoper
2) Romeo and Juliet (ballet) at Vienna Staatsoper
3) Concert at Musikverein in Vienna
4) La Traviata at Hungarian Opera House
5) Mendelssohn concert at Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest
6) Reservation for Sunday mass at Vienna Hofburg Chapel with the Vienna Boys' Choir (M made the reservation)
7) Advance reservation for an English tour at the Budapest Parliament
8) Advance discounted train tickets (SparSchiene) from Vienna to Budapest via Austrian Rail website. The SparSchiene tickets are only €19 each.

Preparation and Resources
I read a lot of trip reports here, and also borrowed a bunch of guidebooks from my library.

For Vienna, the Fodors 2009 Austria is pretty good. But I ended up bringing a Lonely Planet Vienna with me on the trip as it's more relevant and compact (plus I love LP's maps).

For Budapest, I got the Fodors Top 25 Budapest, which gives a good, brief overview and very light. IMO, the Best guidebook is the Visible Cities guide (published by Blue Guide) because it focuses on lots of art and architecture. M got the Fodors Budapest, which we both thought was NOT that great. The sight description section is very limited, and it doesn't even have a section on the history of Hungary!

Since my main interests are art (esp Viennese Succession, or art nouveau), and architecture, I got a DVD and a book on Gustav Klimt from the library. I learned a lot about Klimt from both, esp his early career.
http://www.amazon.com/Klimt-Post-Impressionists-Cromwell-Productions/dp/B000KN7C1W

I also watched an architecture DVD series earlier this year which covered Otto Wagner's Post Office Savings Bank.

Dates and Weather

Our trip was actually 13 days total, but when you subtract the travel days, we only had 11 days on the ground. Out of the 11 days, we did active sightseeing for 9.5 days. 1 day was "rest" day upon arrival to Vienna, and another 0.5 day was used to travel to Budapest.

We were in Vienna the last week of April, and Budapest the first week of May. Weather was pretty much perfect. We had sunny to partly cloudy days the entire time, and had about 5 minutes of rain on just one day. Temperatures fluctuate between mid-50s (at night) to mid-70s. Many, many flowers were in bloom in Vienna, including lots of lilacs, as well as wisteria, azaleas and tulips. Everywhere we went in Vienna, there were flowers. Budapest, OTOH, seems less green. There aren't as many trees and green space in the city, and most aren't flowering trees.

Day 0; Getting there
As mentioned earlier, I flew AA from Boston to London Heathrow, then connect on BA from Heathrow to Vienna. M was already in Belgium, while M's parents & C flew to Vienna together from Houston.

The BOS-LHR flight was pretty much completely full. Even though I had one of the best seats in economy (exit row 21H on the 763) with extra legroom, I was still pretty miserable. The guy next to me in the window seat had seriously offensive BO! Fortunately, not long after the plane took off, he decided to use the airline blanket, which helped diminish the stink.

I had 3 hours for transfer at LHR, which was plenty of time because all I did was a T3-T3 transit. (BA's flight to VIE and a few other destinations depart from T3). Even though I didn't have to change terminals, I still had to clear security after deplaning in order to return to the departure hall of T3. I immediately proceeded to the Sakura Lounge. BA is revamping its T3 lounge, due to reopen in mid-May, so in the meantime, pax are asked to use the JL lounge for AM departures, which are operated by BA staff during those hours.

I was able to reserve my seat on the BA flight in advance, so I got the exit row with unlimited legroom. Arrival into Vienna was on time, and I was very glad to see my cousins and C waiting for me in the arrivals hall at VIE. Their flight had arrived 30 minutes earlier.

I have to agree with you about the Fodors maps. I took Fodors to both Vienna and Budapest, and found the maps infuriating. (Fortunately I also had Streetwise maps for both cities, but I don't need Streetwise with Lonely Planet.) I also find it annoying that sights are listed in the local language on maps and in the index - I don't speak German, and certainly not Hungarian, how am I supposed to know what, for example, Applied Arts Museum is in those languages?

Congratulations on finding the apartments!

Hello, yk. I'm really devouring your wonderful report because we are leaving for Central Europe in a month. We, too, will be going by train from Budapest to Vienna. But I'm wondering which website you used. When I tried to book it, the 19E was available. However, when I went to the next page it said that it was not available online. Thanks in advance for your help.

Day 1; Arrival to Vienna

At the airport, we got € from the ATM (20 yards to the right of the info booth), then proceeded out to catch the Airport Bus to Westbahnhof. Our apartment is a 5-min walk from Westbahnhof, so taking the Airport bus is the cheapest and most convenient option.
http://www.oebb.at/pv/busplan2009/1187.pdf

The bus runs every 20 minutes, and makes 2 stops: Sudbahnhof and then Westbahnhof. The trip takes about 35 minutes to Westbahnhof, and costs €6 per person (you pay the driver).

The bus stop at Westbahnhof is located on the North side of the station, while our apt on Mariahilferstrasse is on the South side, so we had to walk through the train station to get to the street.

After an initial scare (I had trouble finding the apt owner's office), we found the owner and arrived at the apartment.

After being shown around the apartment, we settled in and showered/rested. A few hours later, we ventured out to the supermarket. There are at least 3-4 different markets within a few blocks, with the closest one just 1/2 block from the building.

M arrived at Westbahnhof a few hours later, also taking the Airport Bus from the airport. We stayed in and cooked dinner that night.

Apartment Review

The owner has just finished renovating the apartment in early April, so everything is brand new. We were the second tenants to stay there. It is spacious, very clean, and well-equipped. The owner is extremely nice and thoughtful. Apart from the basics (towels, linens, TP), she also supplied French soap, real shampoo (L'Oreal), paper towels, fully-equipped kitchen, sugar/salt, laundry detergent, hairdryer. Wifi is included in the price.

The building is over 100 years old and currently undergoing renovations and the elevator is out of service (we were warned in advance). Our apt is on the 3rd floor (US 4th), but since it is such an old building, the ceilings are high so a 3rd floor apartment is really equivalent to a US 5th floor apt. We did get tired of walking 80 steps up twice a day! However, the owner gave us a very good discount (€120 per night instead of €150; plus a €35 cleaning fee) so we were fine with the stairs.

The apartment is 107 Sq Meters, which is over 1000 Sq Ft. It has a living/dining area (a bit small/cramped), and 3 bedrooms. The largest bedroom has one double plus one single bed; plus an ensuite bathroom with bathtub. The other bathroom is shower only, and a separate toilet. The second bedroom also has one double plus one single beds, and the third bedroom has 2 twin beds. Therefore, the maximum people can stay there is 8.

Living/Dining area:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3243.jpg

Ensuite bedroom:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3246.jpg

Second bedroom:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3244.jpg

Twin bedroom:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3242.jpg

Kitchen:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3248.jpg

Location
On my first visit to Vienna, we stayed at Pension Suzanne, a block from the Opera House. We loved staying inside the Ring. However, with our need for a large apt and budget, we were fine with staying at this apt which is a 5-min walk from Westbahnhof.

It turned out to be super convenient, thanks to extremely efficient public transit in Vienna. The U3 line from Westbahnhof zips us into center of town (St Stephen's or Hofburg) in just 5-6 minutes. During daytime, the U3 runs every few minutes, so from the time we leave our apartment to the time we arrive in center of town, it takes under 15 minutes. In addition, being close to Westbahnhof was convenient for us arriving from the airport, plus going to Melk and to Budapest (both trains depart from Westbahnhof). The last benefit is that Tram Line #58 runs right on Mariahilferstrasse, which takes us to Schonbrunn in 10 minutes. The tram 58 actually stops right in front of Schonbrunn, so it's closer than taking the U-Bahn.

At night, the U-Bahn runs less frequent, about once every 7-8 minutes. The apt neighborhood is totally safe. I went home around 11pm after the opera alone and didn't feel uncomfortable taking the U-Bahn then walking back from Westbahnhof.

Even though the apt is so close to Westbahnhof, we didn't hear any noise from the trains at all. None of the rooms face Mariahilferstrasse, so the apt is very quiet.

The only minor issues we had were:
1) Difficulty with the washing machine. Since it is new, the owner doesn't know how to use it and she has lost the manual. It took a few trials and errors before we figured it out
2) There were still a few cosmetic issues to be done at the apartment, but none was essential to our stay.
3) Construction work on the building started early in the morning, at 7am. But it won't be a problem for future tenants once it's all done.
4) There is no microwave, which would have been quite handy.

Apart from the above, the apartment is really perfect and the owner is super, super nice and accommodating. She responds to emails right away, and her home/office is in the next building, so in case of problems, she can come attend immediately. For the price we paid, I think this is an excellent deal!

jrjcolllins - If you are traveling from Budapest TO Vienna, I don't believe you can book online via Austrian Rail's website. AFAIK, the SparSchiene discount tickets are only available from Vienna TO Budapest but not the other direction. When I looked at Hungary Rail website before, I don't believe there was an option to purchase tickets online. Therefore, I think you need to wait until you arrive in Budapest to buy your train tickets.

hi yk,

just found your 2006 TR on Vienna. it was very useful with the links etc.

any up to date tips ? anything to book in advance? [apart from the opera - I've already done that, and the Musikverein, which I read as not having a concert that I am interested in while we are there, sadly].

regards, ann

PS - my opera ticket information seems to say that I can pick up the tickets from a number of places, not just the opera box office, at any time before the performance. is that right or have I misunderstood? incidentally, I applied for standby tickets about three months ago, and they came through about a month later - way before the month before the performance that you mention. was I just lucky, or do you think they have changed the system?

Day 2: Real sightseeing in Vienna begins! Naschmarkt & Schonbrunn

Today is Saturday, so Naschmarkt is a must because Sat is the largest market day; plus we want to get some fresh produce!

We began our day buying transport passes for Vienna. Let me digress a little here:

Transport Pass options in Vienna
http://www.wienerlinien.at/wl/ep/channelView.do?channelId=-17256&pageTypeId=10220

There are plenty of different passes of various duration available, depending your length of stay as well as days of visit. A best deal is the 8-daycard for €27,20. It can be shared among several people, as long as they travel together. So, for 4 people, they can use the 8-daycard for 2 days (4x2 = 8); or 2 people can use it for 4 days; or 1 person can use it for 8 days (does not have to be consecutive).

Another good deal is the Wochenkarte (only mentioned in the German version of the website). It is a weekly pass but only valid Monday - Sunday for €14. So, if your stay is during that time and even for just 4 or 5 days, the Wochenkarte is still the best deal.

IMO, the Vienna Card is NOT a good deal. It is €18,50 for 3 days, vs €13,60 for a 72-hr transport pass. You have to do some serious sightseeing during those 3 days to make your money back, because the Vienna Card only gives a €1-2 discount at museums or attractions.

------------------------------
After we got our passes (I got a one-day pass, the rest of them shared a 8-daycard for the next 2 days), we had to do some housekeeping: picking up our reserved tickets from Musikverein and the Opera House, followed by a quick photo-op at Albertina.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3249.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3250.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3252.jpg

We passed by Secession on our way to Naschmarkt. To the Age its Art, to Art its Freedom is the motto at the entrance.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3254.jpg

The 3 masks represents: painting, architecture, and sculpture:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3255.jpg

Naschmarkt was hopping by the time we got there. Getting through the narrow passageways was at times a challenge due to the crowds. There were lots and lots of different kinds of fresh produce, including my favorite: in-season spargel (white asparagus)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3256.jpg

Towards the Western end of Naschmarkt are the Otto Wagner Wienzeile Houses, located at No. 38 & 40 Linke Wienzeile.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3263.jpg

No. 38, on the corner, features gilded medallion reliefs on the facade
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3257.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3265.jpg

No. 40 is known as the Majolikahaus (Majolica House) because of the Majolica tiles forming the floral motif facade.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3260.jpg

We grabbed a quick lunch from one of the take-out Döner kebab stalls (€3) then bought a bunch of produce and headed back to the apartment. We could have spent many more hours there as we didn't even venture to the flea market (only on Saturdays) but we had to go.

Schonbrunn
It was such a beautiful day - deep blue sky with no clouds - that we decided to change our itinerary and visit Schonbrunn while the weather is nice.

As mentioned before, we picked up tram #58 right outside our apartment, and arrived at the main entrance of Schonbrunn in 10 minutes.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3266.jpg

We bought the Classic lite Pass for €14,90 each, which includes the Grand tour plus Gloriette, Privy Garden, Maze & Labyrinth.
http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/plan-your-visit/tickets-tours.html

In retrospect, we could have just been as happy with Grand Tour tickets alone, because those "extras" really weren't worth the extra 2 euro price.

If you go, absolutely do the Grand Tour and NOT the Imperial Tour. The Grand Tour covers more room, and IMO, the best rooms in the Palace. While I have been to quite a few palaces in Europe (Versailles, Sanssouci, Schloss Charlottenburg, Würzburg Residenz, Hofburg Palace etc), the rooms at Schonbrunn are really unique. We were very impressed with the Chinese porcelain room, the lacquer room, the millions room, just to name a few!
http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en/things-to-know/tour-of-the-palace.html

After touring the palace, we visited the Gardens. Most of the gardens are free, and the Privy Garden (included in our Pass) isn't worth mentioning. We hiked up the hill to the Gloriette, and our ticket allows us to climb to the top of it. I don't think the view is really that much of a difference.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3279.jpg

On our way out, we passed by the garden to the west of the palace building, where wisterias are in full bloom.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3286.jpg

We took Tram 58 back to our apartment and stayed in for dinner, cooking the produce we bought at Naschmarkt. We bought some white asparagus, but without the right equipment, they don't taste as good as I recall.

A few points about Schonbrunn I forgot to mention above:

1) You can purchase the Grand Tour ticket online in advance on Schonbrunn's website, thereby bypassing any lines when you arrive at Schonbrunn. (Classic Pass is not avail online.) We arrived there around 2pm on Saturday afternoon, and fortunately, didn't have any queues on arrival. The rooms were still very crowded. We were sandwiched between 2 tour groups, which was very annoying.

2) Tram #58 departs from Westbahnhof, so it may not be the best option for you if you're staying far from Westbahnhof.

3) We spent about 3 hours there: 1 hour for the Palace tour, 2 hours for the Gardens.

----------------------
ann - my opera and ballet tickets confirmations were both in German. It does seem like you can pick up your tickets at any of the venue place (Burgtheater, Volksoper etc). I was too lazy to translate everything into English, so I just took the printout to the box office to pick up my tickets. The Staatosper box office is now located on Operngasse 2, directly across the street from the west side of the Opera House.

They also offered standby tickets back in 2006. I wasn't sure why I didn't bother, though I seem to recall the website back then didn't quite explain the process too clearly in English, so I just figured it would be easier to buy them online right at 1 month in advance.

The only thing I would suggest booking in advance, is tickets for the Sunday Mass at the Hofburg Chapel if the Vienna Boys' Choir is still singing (they go on break during the summer, I think). You need to email them for tickets (but you don't need to pay until you pick up your tickets in person). Email address is:
whmk@chello.at

And as I wrote above, if you plan to visit Schonbrunn, you can purchase your tickets in advance. However, I would not do it too far ahead of time, as I believe the tickets are not exchangable and you don't want to end up being stuck with a bad weather day.

Day 3 Vienna Part I

Vienna Boys Choir, Wien Museums, Kaisergruft

M had emailed in advance for tickets for the Sunday Mass at Hofburg Chapel, featuring the Vienna Boys' Choir. Email address is:
whmk@chello.at

There are 6 prices, ranging from €6 - €29. The Choir sits on the 3rd floor balcony, so very very few seats offer a view of them. The most expensive tickets offer a good view of the altar. We opted for the cheapest 5 euros tickets.

The Mass begins at 9:15am, but we had to pick up our tickets by 8:45, or they would be sold to the standby line.

Even though our seats have no view, there is a projection screen in the room so we could still see the service and the choir. The sound is not bad, and the Vienna Boys' Choir really sound fantastic. The instrumentalists are all members of the Staatsoper orchestra, and the adult men choir are from the Staastoper as well.

View of the altar from our level (only the first row - more expensive - can see this, and only if they LEAN way forward):
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3292.jpg

The service is fairly long, and in German and Latin (I think). But the choir sings several times in between, and at the conclusion of the service, they descend from their balcony down to the front of the altar to sing the last piece. The entire service lasted about 1.5 hours. The piece performed that morning was Hadyn's Grosse Orgelmesse (Great Organ Mass) by the Hadyn Choir of the Vienna Boys' Choir.

Even though we had to sit through the mass, I still think it is a great experience. However, I wouldn't pay for the more expensive seats.

After the mass, we headed towards the Wien Museum Karlsplatz, passing by the Burggarten full of spring blooms and a number of sculptures:

Mozart with a treble clef
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3298.jpg

Franz Josef
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3302.jpg

Karlsplatz is also full of blooms
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3305.jpg

Since today is Sunday, all municipal museums (under the Wien Museum umbrella) are free. That includes A HUGE LIST of museums:
http://www.wienmuseum.at/en/locations.html

Wien Museum Karlsplatz
http://www.wienmuseum.at/en/locations/location-detail/standort/wien-museum-karlsplatz-1.html

A fantastic museum, IMO, with good English explanations and very well-organized. It covers the history of Vienna, from prehistoric times until 1900s. It has 3 floors, and each section is not that big so it is very managable. It gives a great overview without overwhelming the museum-goer. For each period, it has some excellent examples from that time period. It was a very good way to learn the history of Vienna. On the top floor, is where "Vienna around 1900" section located.

On view is one of Klimt's early commissioned work which made him very famous: Auditorium at the Old Burgtheatre. The painting, not that large, depicts over 1000 person's faces, each one look like as if it were a photo. It was truly an amazing piece of artwork. Other Klimt works on view include his portrait of Emilie Flöge, Love, and Pallas Athene.

On the same floor are also works by the Wiener Werkstätte, and an entire living room that belonged to Adolf Loos. I was truly in heaven.

I split up with the rest of the group as I didn't want to be rushed. I ended up spending about 2 hours total there. The museum shop sells an excellent guide book called Viennese Jugendstil, Walking and Seeing published by Falters CityWalks. It has 4 walking routes (3 of which are a bit outside of the historic core), complete with maps and color photos. I picked up a copy and later in the week, I followed the Historic core walk. If you are a fan of Jugendstil (Vienna art nouveau), I highly highly recommend this book.
http://www.falter.at/web/shop/detail.php?id=993&show=prtext&SESSID=b4b695dd5ca2e877c7ad4536a44d14ba

After Wien Museum Karlsplatz, I visited the Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Pavilions designed by Otto Wagner. One of the 2 identical pavilions is now a small museum, dedicated to the architecture by Otto Wagner. Since it belongs to the Wien Museum organization, entrance is free on Sunday. The other pavilion is a cafe today.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3306.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3308.jpg

Wall and ceiling decoration inside:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3309.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3310.jpg

From there, I walked through Burggarten to the Palmenhaus, originally built as an imperial greenhouse but now a restaurant. Next door is the Schmetterlinghaus (Butterfly House). http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3314.jpg
I decided the Palmenhaus restaurant is too pricey, so I kept on walking...

Since the Kaisergruft (Royal Crypt) is nearby, I decided to pay a visit (€5). It was an interesting place, though I wish there were some English descriptions. Many of the caskets are extremely elaborate.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3319.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3318.jpg

Almost famished by then, I randomly picked a place to eat. It is called Le Bol, at Neuer Markt 14.
http://www.lebol.at/

It reminds me of Le Pain Quotidien, with a similar menu and layout. I ordered the Provenciale salad and a drink. The salad wasn't that great: the Prosciutto was called "crispy" which to me, was very very dry and tough. The salad greens was drenched in too much dressing. My salad plus a drink was €11.

To be continued...

hi yk,

how lucky I am to have you as my guide for Vienna!

so far, you have told me which transport card to buy [the 72 hour one is great for us as we arrive late pm on sat and leave early on the wednesday, so have really not much more than 72 hours!] NOT to buy the Vienna card [thanks for doing the maths for me] and steered me in the direction of the Wienmuseum which on a first visit, we might have missed.

I have the Schoebrunn pencilled in for the monday, [I'll look at booking the grand tour ticket] as quite a few other places are shut on mondays, and we have opera tickets, so a day at the palace followed by a night at the opera looks like a good plan. if we get round the palace and gardens earlier than we expct, we can always go over to the Belevedere, or back into town.

as I quite often get to hear a very good boys' choir in our home town, and am not a great one for listening to mass, I think that we will probably not try to get tickets for the VBC this time. also, for DH, Aida is probably enough classical music for one trip!

thanks again for all the great info,

regards, ann

Day 3 Vienna Part II

Haydn House, Manon at Staatsoper

After my lunch, I headed to the Haydn House. 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of his death, so there are a bunch of events and festivities organized this year.
http://www.wienmuseum.at/en/locations/location-detail/standort/haydnhaus-1.html

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3321.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3323.jpg

Haydn House also falls under the Wien Museum umbrella, so the entrance is free on Sundays. (there are also 3 Beethoven houses, 2 Schubert houses, 1 Mozart and 1 J Strauss house belonging to the Wien Museum organization.)

This house is where Haydn spent his last years of his life and where he died. Prior to that, he lived closer in town. The museum has about 6 rooms scattered on 2 floors. On view are some manuscripts, correspondences, 2 pianofortes. There are plenty of English displays.

One interesting exhibit is a display of 3 guestbooks. The first guestbook is from the time of Haydn when his guests signed it. The second guestbook is from 100 years ago, when the house was already a tourist spot. It was opened up to a page from May 1909 when visitors came during the 100th anniversary of Haydn's death. The third guestbook is for this year. Normally, I don't sign guestbooks, but I did on this occasion. Who knows? Perhaps 500 years from now, a visitor to the Haydn House will be looking at my comment and signature from April 2009?

From Haydn House, I headed back to the apartment for a nap before the opera.

[ C, M, and her parents went to many more places today than I did. After they left Wien Museum Karlsplatz, they visited Beethoven Pasqualatihaus, Uhrenmuseum (clock museum), and Haydn House. ]

If you have no interest in operas, you can go ahead and skip to the end of this post, as the following is quite lengthy.

Opera tonight at 7:30pm is Massenet's Manon. I have never seen it before, so a few days before the trip, I borrowed a Manon DVD from the library and watched it. Incidentally, the production is by Wiener Staatsoper from the 1980s. I found it a total YAWN, so I didn't have high expectation for the live performance.

I arrived a bit early to take some photos of the interior:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3327.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3324.jpg

The current Staatsoper production of Manon is new from the 2006-2007 season. It is an updated, modern production and the premiere performances in 07 featured Netrebko and Alagna. For this season's performances, Norah Amsellem sings the title role, and Jonas Kaufmann is Le Chevalier des Grieux.

This view is what a €38 ticket gets you at the Staatsoper:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3329.jpg

My seat is the last row (out of 3 rows) in the Balcony Halbmitte section. It may look kind of awful, but I actually get a full view of the stage as long as I lean forward in my seat.

I normally am not a fan of modern takes on operas, but I absolutely LOVE this production. It is set in early 1900s, and they have cut out 2 short scenes from Act I. The singing by Kaufmann is superb, though I'm not that crazy about Amsellem's voice. Both are easy on the eyes, and with their acting, they certainly make the storyline much more believable than the 1980s DVD version I watched (with overweight and old singers).

Of note, the Staatsoper offers individual LED screens for surtitles, with an option for English surtitles.

The bottom line, I enjoyed the opera much more than I had anticipated, and I actually love the music this time around.

After the opera is over, I decided to check out the stage door and see if I could get some autographs. I found the stage door without any trouble, but was wondering why there weren't anybody else waiting. After several minutes, I saw a security guard at the door and asked him. It turns out that there are 2 stage doors at the Staatsoper and apparently, I was waiting at the wrong one! I hurried to the opposite side for the correct one and of course there was a crowd there of about 50 people.

I chatted with one of the woman waiting, who has a notebook full of autographs. She lives 300km away and tries to come as often as she can. Obviously she knows the deal so I decided to follow her move. After about 30 minutes, I noticed she started making her way inside the stage door. It turns out that the Staatsoper sets up a table with chairs inside for the soprano and tenor to sign autographs! I finally managed to elbow my way in and got their autographs and 2 not very good shots:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3331.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3332.jpg

Jonas Kaufmann's website (pretty funny):
http://www.jonas-kaufmann.com/

Norah Amsellem's website:
http://web.mac.com/norahamsellem/Site/Home_page_.html

great yk, i too had no idea that getting autographs was so organised! I'm glad you had a view of most of the stage from your seat - we sprung for quite expensive seats [in Madrid] once and I vowed that I would rather not go than ever sit in a seat again which did not allow me a full view. Hence the outrageous cost of the seats we've got this time.

i love the photos of the inside - sometimes U think I enjoy the surroundings as much as the music. they certainly add to the whole experience, IMHO.

looking forward to more,

regards, ann

Did I lose some of you already?

Day 4
Day trip to Wachau Valley - Melk and Krems

Initially, the weather forecast for today was cloudy with rain. However, we totally lucked out with unbelievably great weather for our day trip! We purchased the all-in-one ticket combo (Ship-Train-Culture) from the ticket office at Westbahnhof in the morning for €45 per person. The ticket includes: train to Melk, ship from Melk-Krems, train from Krems to Vienna, plus admission to Melk Abbey (one can reverse the order).
http://www.ddsg-blue-danube.at/english/html/e_lwac_kombi.asp

We took the 8:44am train from Westbahnhof, a change at St Polten, and arrived at Melk around 10am. Our first view of the Melk Abbey from the rail station was just incredible:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3335.jpg

The walk from the train station uphill to the entrance takes about 15 minutes, longer if you stop for photos.
http://www.stiftmelk.at/englisch/index.html

Melk Abbey and the Wachau Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Abbey offers English guided tours, but their times didn't work with us, so we toured it on our own (with Rick Steves' self-guided print-out; which really wasn't necessary). The route begins in a series of rooms/galleries that has been made into a mini-museum, with English displays. Next is the Marble Hall with a beautiful ceiling fresco
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3344.jpg

The route then takes you outside to the terrace for a great view of the Danube and Wachau Valley; as well as the front facade of the church.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3349.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3348.jpg

The next stop is the even more-impressive library.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3351.jpg

Even the stairwell is decorated with frescoes
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3357.jpg

Last stop on the tour is the Abbey Church. My goodness, I don't think I have never seen a church with so much gold and rococo!
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3359.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3360.jpg

Dome
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3363.jpg

I thought the Melk Abbey is truly amazing. I have heard my parents raved about it after their visit a few years ago, but this still exceeded my expectation. The Abbey Gardens next door, unfortunately, doesn't open until May 1st. We missed it by just a few days.

It took us 90 minutes to leisurely visit the Abbey, so by now it is 12noon. Our cruise down the Danube departs at 1:50pm, so we went back to the town for lunch. If the Abbey Gardens were open, we would actually be short on time. So, if you are visiting Melk when the gardens is open, you may want to allocate more time in Melk by taking an earlier train.

We randomly picked a pizzeria (on the main drag) for lunch. The 5 of us split 3 large pizzas. Then we headed towards the cruise ship dock. The dock is about a 10-15 minute walk from center of town. We thought we got there early (1:30pm for 1:50pm departure), but the ship was already quite full. 99% of the passengers were sitting on the top deck with no shade. Fortunately, we found a few empty seats on the lower deck at the back of the ship. It is open to air yet shaded.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3374.jpg

The cruise from Melk to Krems took 100 minutes. It made multiple stops along the way, including Durnstein (with its characteristic blue abbey). The hills are lush green at this time of year, and we also passed by some castle (both intact and in ruins).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3372.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3378.jpg

While the scenery is pretty, I think the Mosel Valley is better.

After we disembarked at Krems (the cruise ship stop is actually almost 2km from the town center), we first headed west to visit Stein. One of the DE on tripadvisor suggested Stein, but we found the town rather boring (just a little old town). So we walked east to Krems. We finally arrived at the Stein Gate that leads into the pedestrian-only, touristy shopping street. While touristy, I thought it was rather pretty, with some elaborate store signs.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3384.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3385.jpg

Train departs Krems for Vienna once an hour. We took the 4:49pm train back. The train from Krems normally stops at Franz-Josef Station in Vienna, but currently due track closures, the train arrives at Florisdorf, which is conveniently linked to U6 which we took directly back to Westbahnhof. It was a long day trip but so worth it.

[If you are planning to doing this day trip, make sure you print out the train schedules and cruise schedules ahead of time. Our visit was still during the semi-low season, so there was only 1 afternoon cruise per day from Melk to Krems.]

One more comment about the all-in-one combo ticket to Wachau Valley. Be sure you specify which one you want, as there are multiple combo tickets available. The one we bought (train/cruise/Abbey) is called "Bahn - Schiff - Kultur" in German.

When you buy the combo, you get 3 vouchers:
1) Voucher for train rides
2) Voucher for Melk Abbey admission
3) Voucher for cruise

For the latter two, you must go to the ticket office at the respective places to exchange the vouchers for actual tickets.

--------------------------------
Day 5 in Vienna
MAK, coffee, Standing room at Musikverein

C decided to join me this morning to MAK (Museum of Applied Arts). M and her parents went walking around the old center.

I have wanted to visit MAK even on my last trip (2006) but we didn't have time, so MAK is a must-see for me on this trip. I love the works by the Wiener Werkstätte, and MAK did not disappoint. MAK is free on Saturdays - we would have gone on Sat if we hadn't changed our plans and visited Schonbrunn instead (due to the fine weather). Admission is €7,90 but you can get admission + MAK guidebook for €9,90. We opted for the latter.
http://www.mak.at/e/service/f_service_information.htm

I find that each section/gallery of MAK is very well designed. They actually asked artists (like Donald Judd and others) to design the layout and display of each section. I definitely got my share of Wiener Werkstätte, esp designs by Josef Hoffman - everything from glassware to tea sets to furniture to jewelry to book covers.

Even the older sections were well-done, such as the Baroque Rococo gallery (and I hate Rococo!) which includes an entire porcelain room from the Dubsky Palace.
http://www.mak.at/e/sammlung/schausammlung/raum01_09.htm

Initially, I thought we could cover the museum in 2 hours, but 2 hours later, we were far from done, so we stopped for lunch at the famous MAK cafe. It was pretty empty when we arrived (around noon), but the waiter had to check their reservation book before letting us have a table. Prices aren't cheap there, but it really is a nice setting for lunch. I decided to have one of their specials today - spargel with Hollandaise sauce with boiled potatoes (one of my favorite dishes). C chose their beef goulash. Both dishes were delicious. Lunch plus a drink was €19pp.
http://www.oesterreicherimmak.at/ueber_e.html

After lunch, we spent another hour in the museum before we left. Altogether, we were there for 4 hours.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3389.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3387.jpg

One HUGE disappointment: The famed drawings of the Stoclet Palace frieze by Gustav Klimt were not on view, due to a re-design of the display. The guy at the info desk said it's been gone for 3 months now, and he has no idea when they will be back on display.
http://www.mak.at/e/sammlung/schausammlung/raum05_00.htm

From MAK, we walked a few blocks over to Postsparkasse - Post Office Savings Bank designed by Otto Wagner. This is Wagner's most famous design, with its distinctive facade and the interior glass-iron-aluminum cash hall. Even the furniture and fixtures inside were all designed by him. It still operates as a bank today, and in the back of the cash hall is a museum (admission fee; we didn't go).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3391.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3394.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3395.jpg

C & I decided it was time for coffee break, so we walked back towards MAK and visited Café Prückel across the street. Unlike the traditional Viennese cafes, Pruckel's interior dates from the 1950s. We each had a Wiener melange (my favorite coffee drink in Vienna), and split a Topfenstrudel (cheese strudel). It was okay, though perhaps would have tasted better if it were served warm (we were offered warm vs cold but I chose cold). This coffee break was affordable at €5 pp.
http://www.prueckel.at/

It was time to head home, so we took the Ringstrasse tram. For those of you familiar with Trams 1 & 2 in Vienna, let me tell you that they no longer go around the entire Ring. Since Trams 1 & 2 are known as the sightseeing tram, the Wiener Linien decided that they can make much more money by converting that into a "tourist tram" and can charge a lot more for it (opened in April 2009).
http://www.wienerlinien.at/wl/ep/programView.do?channelId=-28163&programId=19580&pageTypeId=19568

The original Tram Lines 1 & 2 now only go three-quarters of the ring. It is still possible to ride the entire ring, but will require one change of tram; or one can take the tourist tram. Here's the PDF file for the new Line 1& 2 routes with maps.
http://www.wienerlinien.at/media/files/2008/die_neuen_ringlinien_8864.pdf

All you ever want to know about Standing Room at Musikverein

I needed a nap before our long evening/night of standing room ticket (€6) at Musikverein. The concert tonight is not by the Vienna Philharmonic, but the Berlin Staatskapelle led by Daniel Barenboim playing Mahler. I have been to a concert at Musikverein once before (with a seat), so I know that unless we get there early to "reserve" a spot on the front row, we might as well not go. The standing room section at Musikverein is at the back of the stalls and is level. Only the people in the first row can get a good view of the stage, plus a banister to lean on. If you're not in the front row, not only you'll be staring at the backs of the heads of the people in front of you, you have nothing to lean against either.

We knew that doors open at 6:30pm for our 7:30pm concert, so we arrived around 5:35pm. There were already 4 or 5 people waiting, and we sat next to them on the stairs. Here's the deal:

Two doors open at 6:30pm - the 2 side doors and not the center door. So you want to be waiting near one of the 2 side doors. By around 6pm, the folks who arrived first started standing up next to the entrance door and we formed "sort of" a line. At 6:30pm, the 2 doors open simultaneously. Each door leads to the bottom of their respective staircases (one on each side). At the bottom of the stairs, we have to wait in line again. At 6:55pm, we were allowed to walk up the stairs single-file. At the top of the staircase, we stop right outside the entrance into the standing room area. Our line waits at the R entrance of the hall, while the other line waits at the L entrance.

[The woman in #2 spot in front of us, told us that they used to open the front doors and let people rush up the stairs for the best spot. Many people got hurt on the stairs over the years, so the policy changed. She has been going to concerts there for 18 years.]

After a few minutes waiting at the entrance to the hall, without any warning, the guards let us in. We were still chatting and suddenly heard a voice behind us saying, "HURRY!". At that point, it was first-come, first-serve as people rushed in from both entrances.

Since we were #3, 4 & 5 in our line, all 3 of us got front row, center spots. The Japanese man who was #1 in our line had warned us in advance that there are pillars in the hall, so we don't want a spot right behind a pillar.

Even though we each brought a scarf to tie/mark our spot, the standing room got so crowded that it was pretty much impossible to leave our spot to wander. Plus, by then it was getting close to starting time anyway.

View of facade and view from my standing room spot:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3398.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3402.jpg

The first half of the concert was Mahler's Songs of a Wayfarer. The soloist was German baritone Roman Trekel. I thought he did a wonderful job, even though I've never heard this piece before. We thought many people would leave at intermission, but we were wrong. It was just as crowded when the second half began. BTW, it was very warm inside, esp in the standing room section, and I was only wearing a short-sleeve shirt, so dress accordingly.

The second half was Mahler's Symphony No.7. Overall, the acoustics was excellent, but I know so little about the music that I can't tell if it was truly incredible, or just great.

Will I do standing room at Musikverein again? No, unless there is a concert/performance that I am dying to see and it's either sold-out or the tickets are way too expensive for me.

Not only we stood for about 4 hours total, it also took away some valuable sightseeing time. But I really can't complain for €6.

We're here!! And enjoying !!!

Day 6 Vienna Part I
Leopold Museum, City Hall Tour

M and her parents went to the Imperial Furniture Collection this morning. C decided to go with me to the Leopold Museum, located within the MuseumsQuartier complex.
http://www.leopoldmuseum.org/visitors_information/

Leopold is known for its Egon Schiele collection, as well as some paintings by Klimt. Admission is €10, but I didn't find out until the next day that one can buy a combo ticket (valid for 7 days) for Leopold + KHM for €17, a savings of 3 euros. (I didn't see the combo ticket advertised at Leopold though I probably missed it).

There are 5 floors of galleries at the Leopold. The top floor (4th) chronologically displays artwork from the first 2 decades of 20th century. It begins with the formation of Secession, then each room by theme (Klimt, Richard Gerstl, Wiener Werkstätte etc), and ends at 1918 - which happened to be the end of the Art Nouveau/Secession era due to the deaths of Klimt, Otto Wagner, and Schiele that year. 1918 also marked the end of WWI. The most famous Klimt painting there is his Death and Life. There are also reproductions of the ceiling frescoes he designed for the University of Vienna (caused a huge controversy, and subsequently destroyed by fire).

3rd floor displays works by Austrian painters between the 2 wars. I have not heard of any of them. Ground floor is entirely dedicated to Egon Schiele, with 3-4 large galleries. Leopold Museum holds the largest collection of Schiele's work in the world. I don't think I liked his paintings the first time I saw them years ago, but I do now. The last Schiele gallery displays 2 moving drawings: one of Klimt on his death bed in Feb 1918, and one of Schiele's wife dying of the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic (Schiele himself died 3 days later of the same illness).

Before we knew, we were there for 2 hours already. -1 level is a special exhibit, and -2 level has more drawings (not paintings) by Schiele. We decided to skip both and eat lunch at the Cafe Leopold instead. We both ordered the daily special - cream of celery soup plus chicken with mushroom cream sauce over rice. Both courses were very good and at a very reasonable price of €7,80!
http://www.cafe-leopold.at/

After lunch, we hopped on the subway and zipped over to Rathaus (City Hall). We met up with M and her parents for the free guided tour at 1pm. The tour is only offered 3x a week in Germany only, but I had printed out the English description (via the link) beforehand. In fact, we were handed an English brochure, though it is not as thorough as the print-out I brought.
http://www.wien.gv.at/english/cityhall/tours.htm
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3425.jpg

The tour begins in the inner courtyard, where we could see the Rathausmann on the top of the Gothic tower. Next, we stopped at one of the 2 grand staircases.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3413.jpg

We were able to tour the Festival Hall http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3415.jpg and the Senate Chamber (with a majolica fireplace, and beautiful wood inlay ceiling).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3417.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3418.jpg

We didn't see some of the other rooms (I guess closed for visit) such as the Coat of Arms Hall nor the Council Chamber. The tour only lasted for 30 minutes. But I guess we can't complain since it's free. Overall, I think it's a nice tour but not a must-see.

To be continued...

Day 6 Vienna Part II
Art Nouveau Walk

After the Rathaus tour, the 4 of them went to visit the Imperial Treasury. Since I have been there on my last trip, I decided to do an Art Nouveau walk following the route in my new Viennese Jugendstil guidebook.

Across the street from Rathaus is Burgtheatre. Inside is some wall and ceiling frescoes by Klimt early in his career. I wanted to take a tour (daily at 3pm) but decided that I didn't have time for it on this trip.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3426.jpg

My walk began at the Landerbank Building by Otto Wagner (1884) at Hohenstaufengasse 3, just a few blocks from the Burgtheatre. It is now a private office building. The interior semi-circular cash-hall is still preserved.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3429.jpg

Next on the route is Next is the Hohe Brucke (High Bridge) by Hackhofer, 1904. I made a detour to Judenplatz, where the middle of the square is dominated by Rachel Whiteread's Holocaust Memorial (a nameless library).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3433.jpg

Down the street is Hoher Markt with its famous Anker-Uhr (Anker Clock). Unfortunately, I missed the 12noon spectacular during which 12 figures come parading one after another.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3435.jpg

The next building is Zacherl-Haus at Bauernmarkt 5 (Plecnik, 1905), built for insect repellent producer Zacherl http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3437.jpg ; then I made my way to Stephensplazt and St Stephen's Cathedral.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3440.jpg

Across the square stands Palais Equitable with beautiful wrought iron interior and a courtyard with Zsolnay tiles.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3442.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3443.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3445.jpg

Around the corner is Adolf Loo's famous American Bar. It is really tiny inside, with a huge sign on the outside prohibiting tourists from stopping/taking photos. I walked down Kartner Strasse, stopping in at J & L Lobmeyr to gawk at their crystals, chandeliers, and place settings.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3447.jpg

The building at Kartner Strasse 16 has a nice facade
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3448.jpg

After the short detour down Kartner Strasse, I headed back to Graben, which currently is half dug-up for construction work. Along Graben is Anker House (Otto Wagner, 1895), and the (IMO) ugly pestsaule. Further along Graben is the famous Loos' loos (toilets designed by Adolf Loos). The interior is beautiful, so it's definitely worthwhile to descend the stairs to check it out. (Free if you don't use the facilities; 50p euro if you do).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3452.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3454.jpg

At the western end of Graben, I turned onto Bognergasse to find the Zum Weissen Engel Apotheke (White Angel), designed by a student of Otto Wagner.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3456.jpg

I backtracked to Graben and down towards Kohlmarkt. It was time for afternoon coffee break. How convenient is it that Demel is right there (of course, I planned this route)? The takeout counter and shop downstairs is very busy, but the upstairs tearooms aren't too bad. I love the interior there. I ordered a Wiener Melange and a truffletorte. The cake is delicious. Overall, a very pleasant experience.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3459.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3458.jpg

On my way down, I noticed that they have a huge pastry kitchen separated by glass partition, so one can see the pastry chefs at work (it smells incredible).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3461.jpg

Next door to Demel is the Manz Bookstore (portal designed by Adolf Loos), while across the street is Artaria house by one of Otto Wagner's student.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3466.jpg

My last stop on the walk is Loos House, across from the entrance to Hofburg. Franz Josef hated it, complained that the facade is too smooth and lack ornamentation. The ground floor interior has been reconstructed back to the original design.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3467.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3468.jpg

It was time to head back to the apt for some rest before ballet tonight!

To be continued...

I'm still reading as well (except for the opera/classical music bits). I'm another Art Nouveau fan, will definitely have to get hold of the Viennese Jugendstil guidebook before my next visit - thanks for the info!

Totally agree about the gilding in the Melk church - did you notice that even the grooves on the columns are gilded!

Hi thursdaysd - Yes, I remember reading your "sore foot tour" and your interests in art nouveau. I don't usually buy guidebooks, but made an exception for this one. The Art Nouveau walk I described above actually only covered about half of the entire route outlined in the book. Then there are 3 more walks - all in the suburbs. That's why I bought it, already planning to go on those suburb walks on my next trip to Vienna.

And apart from the building descriptions, there are also some listings of restaurants, coffee houses, and shops along the routes.

Day 6 Vienna Part III
Romeo and Juliet (ballet) at Staatsoper

I was actually ambivalent about going to a ballet, but when I mentioned it to C and M, they were really enthusiastic about going, so I decided to go as well.

When I mentioned about the ballet production here (Cranko choreographer, Polina Semionova as principal ballerina), I was told I definitely should attend.

Grand Staircase of Opera House
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3473.jpg

Our €21 seats weren't half-bad. We were in the front row on the side of the top level. As long as we lean forward against the banister, we can get a full view of the stage.

View of the auditorium and stage from our seats:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3474.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3476.jpg

OMG, the ballet was incredible. I never thought I would enjoy a ballet so much, but I really did. First of all, the music (Prokofiev) is beautiful. Second, the costumes and the choreography are top-notch. Third, Polina is so beautiful and elegant and weightless. C is the ballet expert among the 3 of us, and she said the other Romeo & Juliet productions she'd seen before bored her to death, but she loves this one. All I can say is I am so glad I went.

Polina's curtain call:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3478.jpg

This is a little off the topic but if anyone are a real fan of Art Nouveau I would recommend a
visit to Riga, Latvia. I have never seen such amazing architecture in my life- just spectacular.
Art Nouveau artistry that is just too rich, delicate, bold, complex for words. Really much better than Barcelona for instance. Tuns out there was a lot of money in Riga at that time. And with the money there now, so many of them are being cleaned up and renovated. I would say it is worth the trip just for that if you are an architecture fan.

Hi PAPAJAS- Thank you for the information. This is not off-topic at all! I didn't know Riga is known for art nouveau. All I know is that I need to make a trip to Nancy, France sometime. I also recall someone (perhaps flygirl?) mentioned some town/city in NZ that has lots of art nouveau as well.

I was quite blown away by the Modernisme in Barcelona, and also love the Art Nouveau buildings in Brussels. I certainly am interested to hear more listings of Art Nouveau towns/cities!

yk - I was just in Nancy (TR coming soon). I was a little disappointed with the AN on view, although the central square (not AN) was stunning. Totally unedited photos at kwilhelm.smugmug.com/Travel/752708, password nancy. Not sure which city in NZ has AN, although I visited one that was all Art Deco.

Ah, thursdaysd - you must be right and I'm getting confused about the NZ place. Thanks for sharing the photos on Nancy, looks like you had great weather! Which museum was that? I recall reading MlleFifi's trip report to Paris with sidetrip to Nancy, and was blown away by the photos she posted. In any case, it's a short-enough side trip from Paris, which is easier to get to than Riga in Latvia. I look forward to your TR!

yk - that was the Daum glass collection in the basement of the otherwise eminently skippable Beaux Arts Museum - www.nancy.fr/culturelle/musee/html/beaux_arts.php The other place you should see is the Ecole de Nancy - www.nancy.fr/culturelle/musee/html/ecole_de_nancy.php, but you can't take photos inside, and there's no secure place to leave a bag.

Definitely you can do Nancy as a day trip, or an overnight - I moved from the disappointing two star Les Portes d'Or to the recommendable three star Hotel des Prelats (www.hoteldesprelats.com/index-en.html ) next to the cathedral and across from a tram stop.

Hi yk; An incredible trip report. Here are a few cities in the US that you may be interested in visiting. IRIS/DICK P.S. A little information. www.nga.gov/feature/nouveau/exhibit_city.shtm

Hi, iris1745/dick, thanks for the link. How was your trip???

Finishing up the Vienna portion...

Day 7: Morning in Vienna
Kunsthistorisches Museum
http://www.khm.at/

Today is our last day in Vienna, and we only have half a day for sightseeing, as our train to Budapest departs at 3:50pm. The only place we visited today is KHM, one of my most favorite museums. In fact, KHM is the only museum/attraction that I am revisiting on this second trip to Vienna.

Admission is €10, but C & M got the Imperial Treasury-KHM combo ticket for €18. And as I have mentioned previously, I could have bought the Leopold-KHM combo ticket for €17. Oh well.

As I climbed the grand staircase in the main hall, I remember to look at the wall decorations. Some of which were done by Gustav Klimt early in his career. The 2 female figures next to the arch were done by him.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3485.jpg

My first stop is the Bruegel room. There is nothing more magical than be surrounded by over a dozen of Bruegel paintings: just me and the paintings. On our last trip, we actually bought Bruegel painting placemats from KHM, so for the last 2.5 years, I have been looking at them every night during dinner!

The rest of the museum displays haven't changed since my last visit. I prefer Netherlandish/Flemish/Dutch Old Masters over Italian Renaissance, so I spent more time in those galleries. I also had a good look at Holbein's portrait of Jane Seymour, esp after reading Alison Weir's Wives of Henry VIII.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Vienna%20Apr%202009/IMG_3486.jpg

A small exhibition called "Room in Pictures" is on view, with Vermeer's The Art of Painting at centerstage. Since I went through the museum much quicker this time around than in 2006, I actually had time to visit the Greek/Roman antiquities section. English displays are few and far between in that section, compared to the painting galleries.

Another HUGE disappointment - The Kuntskammer (Sculpture and Decorative Arts) section remains closed. It was already closed on my 2006 visit, and still is, and not expected to reopen until 2011. This I already know about, but I was hoping that the famous Cellini Saliera would be on view. Well, it isn't. When I asked the lady at the info desk about it, she told me that it was on view last year for about 6 months as part of a special exhibition, but it won't be back on display until end of this year.

We were at KHM for 3 hours and left at 1pm. We went back to the apartment, ate lunch, packed, returned our keys to the owner, then walked over to Westbahnhof for our train to Budapest.

Impressions of Vienna
I enjoyed Vienna just as much as my first visit. What I like about Vienna is that it is: sophisticated, cultured, clean, grand, safe, orderly. An added bonus is the beautiful Spring weather and spring blooms.

There is so much to see and do in Vienna that I can easily spend a whole week here and not get bored. In 2006, we visited Belvedere, Albertina, Mozart House, Secession, Hofburg Palace/Treasury, and KHM; none of which I got around to revisit this time except KHM. I really would love to see the Klimts at Belvedere again, or the Rembrandt and Gerhard Richter show at Albertina on this trip!

Yes, Vienna is expensive, but staying in an apartment worked out to be a great way to curb the budget. Our 1000+ sq ft apartment for the 5 of us only cost €120/night! You can probably get just a double room in a pension for this price. Since the kitchen is fully-equipped, we (or should I say, the rest of them who are much better cooks than I) stayed in and cooked dinner every night. While I miss eating out, I do get my chance to do so for lunch.

In any case, I hope I can take DH back to Vienna some time soon, ie, not decades from now. I can see ourselves renting an apartment and staying there for a whole week.

The Kuntskammer isn't reopening until 2011? I was upset to miss it in 2007, can't believe it's taking so long!

Hi thursdaysd - Yes, I can't believe that either. Not sure what exactly they're doing that can take so long! I expect it to be some spectacular galleries when it reopens.

The reopening date is not mentioned on the English website, but is posted on the German version:
http://www.khm.at/de/kunsthistorisches-museum/sammlungen/kunstkammer/

Die Kunstkammer ist wegen Vorbereitungen für die Neueinrichtung voraussichtlich bis Ende 2011 geschlossen.

hi yk,

why would I need a guide book with you here to guide me? great, great job.

I have already downloaded the new map for trams 1 & 2, which includes Line D too, which should be useful for the trip I'm planning out to Nussdorf to visit the Heuriger. have you ever done that? the publicity blurb is interesting too - i dont quite get how stopping the lines going all the way round increases the access to the sights of Vienna, but perhaps I've missed something!

your information re the trip to Melk is useful too, though I think that we'll be visiting it by car on the way to teh Sazlkammergut; as we only have 3 full day, I don't really want to spend one of them outside Vienna.

you mention that the Musikverein was very hot - was that your experience of the opera?

finally, a bit cheeky this, could you review my outline plan for our three and 1/2 days:

Sat - arrive mid afternoon. staying at the hotel Austria in the Fleischmarkt. spend the rest of the day exploring the immediate area - Stephansdom, Graben, possibly the KHM.

Sun - am - hofburg, pm Nussdorf [walk] and the Heuriger.

Mon - am/pm - Schoenbrun, rest, opera in evening.

Tues - am - KHM/wiener historischemuseum/Belvedere [depends a bit on weather] plus shopping.

anything obvious that I've missed out?

regards, ann

Hi ann- Tram D also goes to Belvedere. I think it's the 2nd or 3rd stop after it leaves the Ring. I have never been to the Heuriger in Vienna, because I don't drink. But it sounds like a nice way to spend an afternoon/evening.

you mention that the Musikverein was very hot - was that your experience of the opera?

It was comfortably warm. My first night there (for the opera), I was hot but that was after climbing up several flights of stairs and I was wearing a light cashmere sweater. I cooled off after the first Act. The second night (for ballet), I also had a light cashmere sweater on but I was cooler. If you wear a coat, it is mandatory to check it. I assume it should be cooler down in the orchestral stalls.

Sat - arrive mid afternoon. staying at the hotel Austria in the Fleischmarkt. spend the rest of the day exploring the immediate area - Stephansdom, Graben, possibly the KHM.

Sun - am - hofburg, pm Nussdorf [walk] and the Heuriger.

Mon - am/pm - Schoenbrun, rest, opera in evening.

Tues - am - KHM/wiener historischemuseum/Belvedere [depends a bit on weather] plus shopping.

anything obvious that I've missed out?

For your itinerary, I may switch things around a bit.

Saturday - if you are arriving in mid-afternoon, I would just hop over to MAK, which is just a few blocks from your hotel. Since MAK is free on Saturday, it will be a great place to check out for even an hour or 2. When you've had enough, you can then wander over to Stephensplatz, Graben etc (St Stephen's Cathedral is open until 10pm).

Sunday - When you mention Hofburg, do you mean touring the Imperial Apartments or just walking around on the outside? Since you are going to Schonbrunn, I would not visit the Hofburg Imperial Apts, as the rooms at Schonbrunn are much more impressive. However, if you want to see the Silver Collection and SiSi Museum, then you have to visit Hofburg. If that's the case, you should buy the SiSi ticket which includes Hofburg, Silver Collection, Sisi Museum, and Grand Tour of Schonbrunn.
http://www.hofburg-wien.at/en/plan-your-visit/tickets-tours/sisi-ticket.html

However, if you don't plan to tour the inside of Hofburg palace, you probably can fit in another activity on Sunday morning, eg, the Wien Museum Karlsplatz, which is free.

Monday - I think you can fit in a short visit somewhere after Schonbrunn. As I said earlier, you should be able to see Schonbrunn + Gardens in 3-4 hours. One site I see you're missing is the Imperial Treasury (in Hofbury Complex, but managed by KHM, hence a Treasury-KHM combo ticket available).

Tuesday - KHM + Belvedere. I would not miss Belvedere Palace for the Klimts.

Hope this helps.

Hey, just skimming this and glad you enjoyed your trip. Sorry that you missed the Saliera -- I haven't seen it either (but at least we know it's back and no longer stolen).

I think that standing room at Musikverein is very much worth going to. The hall is wonderful. I've only been once, but it's the Vienna Philharmonic.

Plus it was Mahler 7 for you. I definitely would have gone. It's not one of the most popular or accessible Mahler symphonies, but it seems increasingly popular, and I'm sure that you had a fine introduction. And most likely the concert was sold out anyway.

Barenboim and Boulez are conducting the Dresden Staaskpaelle in the complete Mahler cycle in NYC. I guess Barenboim is sticking to his usual busy schedule. I'm not, however, planning to attend any of the Barenboim performances. I've heard Mahler 2 a few nights ago, and I'm planning on Mahler 8 next week. I've also heard two Bruckner 8s in the past few days (one in NYC and one in Philly).

Actually, the Berlin Staatskapelle concert wasn't sold out, but the remaining tickets were too expensive for me. There was another Berlin Staatskapelle concert on during our stay, with Pierre Boulez conducting. I think it was still an all-Mahler program but different pieces. Not sure if we should have gone to the other one instead.

Ah, I didn't realize that it was also Dresden. I found the playing in Mahler 2 a little uneven, actually, but there were some great parts. But if I were in Vienna, I'm sure I'd have opted for standing room myself.

I checked the Musikverein's schedule:

http://www.musikverein.at/downloads/concerts_apr2009.pdf

I think the night before your concert Boulez conducted Mahler 6.

Well I hope it's ok to tell you now, but that was probably the one you should have picked. There was an NYT article last week on the Mahler cycle and the review raved about a Mahler 6 by Boulez in 1972. His recent recording with DG is a little controversial (well Boulez and Mahler or Boulez and Bruckner = controversial, not surprisingly) but is generally widely praised.

After reading the article, I'm thinking of going to Mahler 6 too since it's the only one I haven't heard live, but I'm still think about it. Another consideration is Boulez is close to 85 so there will be fewer opportunities to hear him in the future.

I had done a web search a few days ago and someone had posted a bootleg recording of Mahler 8 from that concert at Musikverein a few days later. I haven't listened to it. It's better to be surprised in a few nights.

And if it's Mahler 8 you opted out of, I don't think I could forgive you. Mahler 8 is nicknamed "Symphony of a Thousand" because it requires a massive orchestra and chorus. It's one of Mahler's crowning achievements, but it appears in concerts more rarely. Of the last couple of concert seasons in NYC, I can only remember that it came up once with James Levine and BSO (apart from the latest with Boulez and Dresden).

It looks like they did a partial cycle with Dresden in Mahler 6-8. I guess it'd have been a feat to do a complete cycle in Vienna *and* NYC. As the NYT article mentioned, performing a complete cycle is like doing the Wagner Ring (in terms of duration), but obviously it's more spread out.

Day 7 Onward to Budapest!

Our first experience with anything Hungary began at the Vienna Westbahnhof. Instead of the clean, modern, Red Austrian Rail trains, we boarded an old, Blue Hungarian train. We had a private compartment to ourselves. The train ... hmm ... has seen better days, to put it lightly. The entire hallway floor plus the floor in our compartment was extremely sticky, as if it hadn't cleaned for months. (Remember going to those old, dinosaur movie theatres in the US and your shoes stick to the floor? That's exactly how it was on our train.)

About an hour after the train departed, we arrived at the Austro-Hungarian border. The train stopped for several minutes for the crew change.

There isn't much scenery to speak of along the way. The train slowed to a crawl about 2-3 miles outside of Budapest. All we saw were old, crumbling buildings and lots and lots of graffiti. Can you tell that my first impression of Budapest is quite negative? We finally arrived about 15 minutes late (around 7:10pm).

I have pre-arranged a van service to pick us up at the Keleti station, since we need to go to the rental agency first (near Deak Ter) for our keys, then to our apt (near Oktogon). I was told that our driver would be holding a sign waiting for us at the station.

Well, we got off the train, looked around (very crowded station), and didn't spot anyone! I started to panic... oh no, I've been scammed and now our party of 5 has no place to stay for the next 5 nights!

I asked the rest of the group to stay put, while I circled the entire station. Finally, at the most obvious spot, I found our driver holding a sign with my name. Whew! What a relief.

Our driver, Maria, first took us to the agency office. Traffic was bad so we crept along. All I can say, was that I was less than impressed by the appearances of the buildings. Most were blackened with soot and in poor repair. I just have a hard time believing my eyes, since I've read so many +ve reviews about how beautiful Budapest is.

We got to the agency office, paid our balance (more about that later), and Maria drove us to our apartment in the VII district.

The apartment building, OMG, literally looks like it's falling apart. The common areas were dirty, paint was either peeling or had already fallen off, and lots of ceiling material (? concrete) have fallen off too, exposing the steel beams. I shuddered to think what condition our apartment is!

When the door to the apartment opened, whew! Another sigh of relief. While the common areas were in terrible shape, the apartment looks exactly like the photos - nicely done, clean and modern. After asking Maria the basics (Thanks to Fodorites who contributed to this thread: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/arriving-at-rental-apt-what-qs-to-ask.cfm ), we settled in.

M & I then ventured out to get some basic supplies from a supermarket. Another adventure ensues......

Great report, yk. I hope your impression of Budapest improves.

hi yk,

thanks so much for taking the trouble to critique my itinerary.

MAK - Museum fuer angewandte Kunst - I've looked and found it over on the Stubenring. great idea as it's free; and it'll give us a chnce to look at the stadtpark which would be a nice place for a walk and a cup of tea!
your other suggestions look very good too.

regards, ann

Day 7
First Impression of Budapest

Just to recap, we took an afternoon train from Vienna to Budapest, found our driver (after an initial scare), got our keys and arrived at our apartment, located within a crumbling building.

Before I continue, let me make one quick point. We arrived the evening of April 30, which is a Thursday. I know that most supermarkets will probably be closed by the time we arrive, and all supermarkets will be closed on the following day, being May 1. Therefore, before we went on our trip, I did some research and found out that there is a "supermarket" called Rothschild at Oktogon which is open 24/7.

By the time M & I headed out for the supermarket, it was around 9pm. We stepped out on the sidewalk. Hmm... which way is Oktogon??? Fortunately, a young couple (just leaving a party in our building) noticed how lost we look, and offered to help. They were very friendly and pointed us to the right direction.

First impression: why is it so dark? The street lights all seem to have just a 40W light bulb. When we got the the inner Ring road and followed it up to Oktogon, why is everything so dark? These are supposed to be the busiest roads/area of town. With the exception of the neon signs of Burger King and McD, all the rest of the storefronts are pitch black.

We finally arrived at Rothschild. Calling it a supermarket is a gross overstatement. It is smaller than your neighborhood convenient store, and probably has about 10% of what you normally would find in stock at a 7-Eleven.

Have I mentioned that the Hungarian language is impossible to decipher? It really is unique... since it uses alphabets, you *think* you can read it, but I can't even take a guess with Hungarian (by contrast, I can usually make some educated guesses when it comes to French or German or Spanish or Italian).

Fortunately, some friendly locals helped us (so that I didn't buy sour cream for our morning coffee)! We almost left empty-handed because there was so little stocked.

Overall, I was less than impressed. The pitch-dark streets was a stark contrast to Vienna, where we had just left a few hours ago. In Vienna, every street is brightly-lit, stores leave their lights on so one can window-shop at night, streets are clean and bustling. At this point, Budapest reminds me of 2 places I've been to:

1) The somewhat seedy area around Rome's Termini
2) 1970s Macau (where I used to visit frequently as a kid)

Apartment Review
As I mentioned way back, I found this apartment here:
http://www.travel-library.com/apartments/europe/hungary/budapest/cca_vorosmarty.html

It is actually managed by an apt agency called Central Capital Apartments and they rent out I think about a dozen properties. They have their own website but I always have a hard time loading it:
http://www.rentbudapestapartment.com/

Layout
Again, this is a 3BR/2BA apartment. It is 109 sq meters, which is almost 1200 sq ft. 2 of the bedrooms have Queen, and the 3rd bedroom has a Queen plus a daybed. So theoretically, 7 people can stay here. One bathroom has a shower, sink and toilet. The other bathroom has tub and sink, with a separate toilet.

The living/dining area is large and comfortable. Kitchen is modern, has a microwave too. However, it is not nearly as well-equipped as our Vienna apartment. It also does NOT have a toaster or toaster oven, but has a full size oven. So every morning we have to make toast using the full oven. It even has a dishwasher, but of course, no dish-washer detergent.

There is a washing machine but no dryer, but a drying rack is provided. Amenities provided is at a minimum, compared to the Vienna apt (we were really spoiled there!). There is barely enough dish-washing liquid for our 5 days. No paper towel, no laundry detergent, no basic cooking ingredients (such as salt, sugar etc). There are tiny bottles of shampoo and shower gel that probably can last for 2 days for 1 person, but not for 5 people for 5 days.

The apartment is clean, but some furnishings (such as carpet, couch) have old stains on them. Only the living room and one bedroom faces the main street, so the other 2 bedrooms are very quiet.

Location
It is located on Vorosmarty Utca, a residential street. It is 3 blocks south and 3 blocks east of Oktogon Sq. The closest Metro is Vorosmarty Utca on Line 1, which is a 7-min walk. Oktogon is a 10-min walk. Trams # 4 & 6 that run along the Ring is 3 blocks west (5-min walk). Trams #70 & 78 run along Kiraly Utca towards Parliament Sq, and the stop is a 3-min walk.

While it isn't really in the center of things, it is convenient enough to get around via public transport. Public transport is very efficient in Budapest, just like Vienna. The metro and the trams run every few minutes, and they are FAST! The apt is also fairly close to the 2 music venues we were going at night.

Price
The rates I quoted were in Euros, however, I think the amount was the converted rate based on Hungarian Forint. The rate was supposed to be €110 per night, and I had paid the first night's rate by CC in advance. When we arrived at the agency office, the invoice in Euros I got was much lower than what I had expected. I repeatedly asked the agents if that was the correct invoice (I was worried that they were giving me the wrong apartment) but they kept insisting it was right. So I thought perhaps the Forint/Euro exchange rate has changed a lot in recent weeks to our favor.

After I got home in the US and checked my CC statement against the invoice, I'm sure that they have made some kind of mistake. Our rate came out to only €87/night, which is really, really cheap for a 1200 sq ft, 3BR/2BA apt for 5 people! (We were charged €37 for the van pick-up/transfer, but normally it is €25 for a car if fewer people.)

Would I stay there again? I think the neighborhood is fine, but I probably won't use this agency again. Everything is okay, and they are quick to reply via email. However, the inconvenience of going to their office for key pickup and drop-off is a major hassle. There is no wifi in the apartment, and just the fact that it is a rental agency, the people who work there just don't *care* about the tenants as much as private owners, like the Vienna apt owner we had.

Photos of the apartment:
Bedrooms 1 & 2 (each with a double bed)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3496.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3487.jpg

Bedroom 3 (double bed + day bed)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3497.jpg

Bathrooms
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3488.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3492.jpg

Kitchen
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3490.jpg

Living/Dining room
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3493.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3494.jpg

Thank you, thank you. I love Art Mouveau. I love Vienna. I love your report. I've got to get that guidebook.

ann - I agree with yk that you should try to see the MAK (and eat in the restaurant, lol). Also, I thought the best part of the Hofburg was the crown jewels, the rest is definitely skippable if you're gong to Shonbrunn.

yk - yes, the trains really do tend to get worse as you move east. I, too, hope that you liked Budapest more as you got to know it! Nice apts with horrible common areas is not at all unusual in former Communist countries (you should see Russian homestays!). I think it's because people look on the common areas as everyone else's business, not theirs.

Hi, yk. Thanks for your wonderful report. We're going to Vienna and Budapest soon, too, so all your information is really helpful to us. By the way, was the "dirty" train you were on from Vienna to Budapest 1st or 2nd class? I'm wondering whether or not it is worth it to pay more for 1st class.

I can sympathize with your experience on entering Budapest. We took a Serbian train that was scheduled to go on Belgrade and this was during the American intervention in the Serb conflict. The train may have been a tad better than the Hungarian train you describe, and thank good ness we experienced no problems with the Serb conductors, etc. but the mess we encountered on the outskirts of Budapest was just as disheartening as what you describe. Not a good way to enter the city.

JulieVikmanis - I've read your Vienna trip report before I left (I think I topped it too). I wish I could go to Steinhof Church but couldn't fit it in. You provided excellent directions to get there, so that will be handy for my next trip!

thursdaysd - Budapest is as far East as I have been to in Europe, except Moscow. What I found out later (from our driver Maria) about these buildings, is that in order to restore the common areas, all the tenants in the building have to pitch in. Since many of the tenants are old people with limited savings, there's no money for renovations. However, the Hungarian Govt does provide money for renovations of private residential buildings - but just a handful each year.

jrjcolllins - We were in 2nd class, and apart from the sticky floor (which wasn't visibly dirty), everything was fine. The seats were clean, and the compartment didn't smell. We were joking if the floor is made of a special material that sticks to your shoes so that you won't slip when the train is moving (maybe that's true!). I don't know what 1st class looks like and if it's worth the extra expense. Personally, I was totally fine with 2nd class, though I have a fairly high tolerance to dirt (trained by many trips to China in 70s & 80s with squat toilets and no running water!).

Day 8
May Day in Budapest
Museum of Applied Arts, Heroes Sq, Museum of Fine Arts, Szechenyi Baths

1 USD = 215 HUF

Today is May Day. Most shops and businesses are closed, but museums and the baths are open. We first went to Oktogon Metro station to buy our Budapest transport passes.

Budapest Transport Pass options
http://www.bkv.hu/english/jegyinfo2009/fares.html

Just like Vienna, there are several pass options in Budapest. Since we have 4 full days there (plus departure day), we decided to each get a 72-hour transport pass to start, at 3700HUF per person. The ticket itself says "3 day ticket" on it, but according to the transport website, the ticket is valid for 72 hours from the time you purchase. When you purchase it, the attendant handwrites the date and time on your ticket.

Single tickets are the most expensive. A cheaper option is the 10-ticket coupon book (2600HUF). In the past, one is not supposed to tear out the tickets, but the rules have changed and you now CAN tear them out. Therefore, more than 1 person may share it. However, if you use single tickets, you need to use a new ticket each time you transfer, with the exception of metro-metro transfer. For example, if you are taking a tram and transferring to the metro, you need to use 2 tickets. But if you want to transfer from Metro Line 1 to Line 3, one ticket is good enough (valid for 60 minutes).

There are no tunrstiles at metro stations. However, at busy stations, there are transport workers posted at the entrances who check your ticket or pass. If you are using single ticket, you need to validate it. Apart from the workers at the metro entrances, I have never seen anyone checking tickets/passes on trams or buses.

The Budapest Card, promoted by every single tourist brochure and guidebook, is a bad deal, IMO. The 72-hr Card is 7500 HUF, more than twice the cost of the regular 72-hr transport pass (3700 HUF). It only gives 10 or 20% discount for museum admissions (ie, 100-200 HUF off), therefore I can't see how one can really get his/her money's worth within 72 hours.
http://www.budapestinfo.hu/en/budapest_card

From Oktogon, we hopped on Tram 4 which goes along the Ring road and got off at Ferenc Körút to visit the Museum of Applied Arts (Iparművészeti Múzeum). The building itself is an art form: it is designed by Ödön Lechner, Hungary's equivalent to Gaudi in Barcelona or Otto Wagner in Vienna. The dome is covered with Zsolnay tiles.

[BTW, I have never heard of Zsolnay until March 2009 when I saw a Zsolnay pottery show at the Forbes Gallery in NYC. I wrote about it here: http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/yks-nyc-trip-report-4-days-2-fodorites-3-operas-4-tours-4-museums.cfm#comment-5526247

The pieces are so beautiful that I was completely blown away. You can watch a video excerpt here:
http://video.forbes.com/fvn/forbescollector/zsolnay-at-the-forbes-gallery
Or a photo gallery here:
http://extremelyhungary.org/photo_gallery.php?gallery_id=26

I hope to visit Pécs in the future. ]

When we got off the tram, we initially can't see the building. But once we turned the street corner, we saw this amazing view:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3501.jpg

Close-up of the Zsolnay tile roof:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3504.jpg

The entrance ceiling is covered with tiles as well:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3507.jpg

The interior central courtyard is of Moorish design:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3513.jpg

This museum is the third one in Europe dedicated to Applied Arts. The first was London's South Kensington Museum (later became V&A), and the second was Vienna's MAK (mentioned earlier in this TR).

It does not have a permanent collection section. Rather, it hosts multiple exhibitions at one time. Fortunately on our visit, one of the exhibition is Collectors and Treasures of the Museum, which displays the best 400 pieces of artwork in the museum's collection. Admission fee varies: depending on how many of these exhibitions you want to visit. Each exhibition section ranges from 600 to 800 HUF, or you can see it all for 2000HUF. The Collectors and Treasures was 800 HUF. (There were many "visitors" who simply go in the building for a look and then leave.)

This "best of the best" show was well worth the 800 HUF admission. Each piece elicits a "wow" from us. From old furniture to Russian place settings to Zsolnay vases to a rare gold seashell/seahorse. Photography of the objects are not allowed, unless you purchase a photo pass from the museum. We spent close to 2 hours there.
http://www.imm.hu/angol/muz.html
http://www.imm.hu/angol/collectors.html

Search for lunch
We took Metro Line 3 to Deak Ter, thinking that there are more restaurant choices. We stopped by the tourist office, who suggested us walk down Andrassy Ut towards Opera.

Andrassy Ut, along with the Metro Line 1 running underneath, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. I've read guidebooks comparing Andrassy Ut to Paris' Champs-Élysées . All I could think of was, "Are you KIDDING me?" The only thing remotely similar is that it is a straight road and there are trees lining both sides. But the shops along Andrassy are pretty pathetic, and even the nice buildings are covered with graffiti at their street entrances.

Since it is May Day, all the streets were very quiet, almost eerie given that this is supposed to be the main drag/thoroughfare of the city. Eventually, we found a restaurant behind the Opera House at the corner of O utca and Hajos utca. I think it is called Magic Restaurant though I'm not sure.

All of us ordered off their "Hungarian Specialties" section. I can't quite recall what others got, but I had goulash soup and a Mediterranean Salad. The restaurant was not busy at all, but somehow it took them over 45 minutes to bring the food out. And some of the dishes weren't even hot (more like lukewarm)! I liked my soup though I have nothing to compare with, and the salad ingredients were very fresh. However, we were so famished by then at we would have considered an old leather shoe to be tasty! Lunch was 12000HUF for the 5 of us.

After lunch, we headed back to Opera http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3517.jpg and took the historic Metro Line 1. This metro line is one of the oldest metro in the world. All the stations are kept in its original appearance, and the train cars are historic as well.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3515.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3521.jpg

I have heard that lots of festivities take place at Heroes Sq and City Park on May Day, so that's where we were headed next. The metro line 1 runs very fast, and it actually feels more like a children's train than a real metro.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3523.jpg

Flanking the 2 sides of Heroes Square is the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Mucsarnok (venue for contemporary art exhibition).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3530.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3526.jpg

We headed towards City Park behind the Square. Oh my! So that's where everyone is! The park is literally a sea of people, no wonder Andrassy Ut is empty. A carnival has set up in one section, and a huge flea market in another. We could see the Vajdahunyad Castle in the distance.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3532.jpg

We wandered through lots and lots of stalls, and I was tempted by every single food stall. Many of them sell some sort of German pretzel, and a pastry thing that looks like a big cylinder (or as I joked, a huge cannoli shell). Does anyone know what it is, or how you eat it?
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3533.jpg

Many more stalls sell Lángos, a local favorite. At first, it thought it was just like a funnel cake. But then I found out it is savory, with toppings like cheese, sour cream, garlic, even ham etc. Throughout my visit in Budapest, I really wanted to try one. However, it is so huge in size that there's no way I could eat it all, or even half of it (C offered to share one, but I decided a half piece of deep-fried dough is just too much.)

Then we passed by a marzipan stall, and I tried one (around 250HUF each). I thought it tasted better than the marzipans in Toledo.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3535.jpg

As we wandered through the park, we unexpectedly arrived at Szecheyni Baths. Our plan was to go there later in the evening, so we decided to go check out the cost/procedure and double check the closing times. There was some discussion here before about the various entrances as one is much nicer than the other (http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/budapest---worth-visiting-the-bathsspa.cfm#comment-4984046 ).

I don't know which entrance is the main one, as it has at least 3 if not more, but the first one we stumbled into (from the Park side), is the more ornate entrance, with a painted dome and mosaic fountain.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3540.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3539.jpg

However, the sign at this entrance indicates it closes at 19:00, while my notes says the baths stay open until 22:00. After asking a few people, we were pointed towards the direction to the opposite entrance. We walked around the building, and this "main entrance" (faces the zoo and main road) is not nearly as nice, but does open until 22:00.

Basically, all entrances lead to the same pools but each has its own cabins and lockers. Only the main entrance's cabins/lockers stay open until 22:00. Satisfied with this info, we returned to Heroes Square to visit the Museum of Fine Arts (Szépmuvészeti Múzeum).
http://www2.szepmuveszeti.hu/

I wasn't in my best form for a museum at this point (I prefer going first thing in the morning so my energy/attention level is the highest), but if we don't go now we won't have time to come back. Admission is 1400HUF. The collection obviously pales in comparison to KHM where we were the day before. However, it does have a handful of El Grecos and Spanish paintings. But my main goal was to see Bruegel's Sermon of John the Baptist. Everything else was gravy to me.

The main galleries are located on the 1st floor (US 2nd), and for some reason, uncomfortably warm (this seems to be a recurring theme in Budapest, as we later find out.) Even the guards are fanning themselves. The 2nd floor has climate-controlled galleries for Dutch paintings, so it was considerably cooler there. However, IMO, they allow way too much sunlight (via skylights) into these galleries, and the glare is so strong that it's very hard to actually see the paintings. With these combination, we gave up after about an hour or so at the museum.

We headed back to the apartment for a brief rest, before M, C and I ventured back to Szechenyi Baths.
http://www.szechenyibath.com/

To be honest, I wasn't excited about it at all. I must have read at least dozens of threads here, and the "baths" section on every Budapest guidebook. The only reason I decided to go, was because I told M, "If you go, I'll go," and she replied, "If you go, I'll go." And since so many people said it was their best Budapest experience, we decided to give it a try.

We found our way easily to the "main" entrance given that we have checked it out earlier. I was a bit anxious, as all guidebooks plus trip reports said no one speaks English. I have read and memorized the "bath procedure" listed in guidebooks of visiting the baths.

In the end, all my concerns were unfounded. The woman at the ticket window understood and spoke enough English to sell us exactly what we needed - 3 of us wanted to share a cabin (can be shared up to 4 people). 1 was charged the cabin rate (3200 HUF) and the other 2 the locker rate (2800 HUF). We were given a paper receipt, plus a plastic card each which activates the turnstile to get inside.

Once inside, we were directed to the cabins section, and the attendant unlocked one for us. Then we headed out into the outdoor pools. By now, it was close to 7pm and cooling off. The water temperature of the outdoor pools is 30C. Though the water felt warm initially, soon we were starting to feel pretty cold. We stayed outside for perhaps 15-20 minutes, then M took off to check out the indoor pools. She came back out and gestured us to follow her. The indoor pools were much smaller but warmer. We saw 4 pools, with the cold one at 20C, and warm ones at 30C, 36C and 38C. We pretty much spent the rest of our time in either the 36 or 38C pools. Next to the indoor pools were sauna rooms at around 50C. We tried it for about a minute before I had to bail out.

I had my watch with me because we wanted to leave within 2 hours (you get 300HUF back). When you leave via the turnstile, it spits out another paper receipt. With that receipt, you go back to the ticket window for the 300 HUF refund (per person).

Overall, I'd say the baths was a fun experience though I won't say it's the *best*. I'm not sure if I felt any better after the soak. All I can say is that I'm glad I did it so that I can cross it off my list. Would I go back if I visit Budapest again? Probably not.

My overall impression of Budapest has improved a little after today. First, I had a great time at the Museum of Applied Arts. Second, I got into a festive mood at City Park. Third, seeing the locals, both young and old, at Szechenyi Baths was not half-bad.

Gotta get my two cents in.
My first impression of Budapest, driving in from Vienna, was quite the opposite. We had been urged to see it by my wife's nephew, who had played there with a visiting orchestra. We were expecting, well, not much; I think my 60+ mind was tinted by 1950 TV shows about "Iron Curtain countries", so my mental picture was in black and white, with the occasional dull shade of gray. So, as we crested a hill leading into the Donau valley, Budapest appeared, in various shades of pastel. Somewhat the same feeling as seeing central San Francisco for the first time.
Since we stayed in a non-touristy hotel in Pest about 6 km from the Parliament Building, we saw a fair bit of the city. Someone told me that in the 1890's there were 10,000 multi-story buildings erected in Budapest. Having been raised in Detroit, urban architecture was familiar to me. What wasn't familiar was the variety of architecture, and what was obviously a successful attempt to make their buildings both interesting and nice to look at, when built. The buildings looked at least 80 years old, no newer, but they weren't decayed as the 1920-era buildings in Detroit were. Yes, Budapest isn't Paris, but then, what is? We totally enjoyed it, and would return in a heartbeat. We're just waiting for the right STIMULUS; hopefully someone in government will see how unfair it is that we have to watch our money, and will give us a grant.

hi again, yk,

I suspect that you might have enjoyed Budapest if

a) you hadn't just been in Vienna, and

b) you had gone in Winter.

having never been to Vienna, Budapest did not come as a disappointment to us. and the heating of the museums is great - you can take your big coats off, leave them in the ubiquitous cloakrooms, and wander round the exhibits in comfort.

regards, ann

Your trip report literally takes me back to Vienna. Wonderful photos--particularly of the Wagner buildings. Very interesting report overall. Am glad Budapest is growing on you. Don't know the area where your apartment is located but for the price, you got the deal of the century!!

Day 9 Budapest, Part I

Parliament Tour, Museum of Hungarian Art Nouveau

From our apartment, we walked 3 minutes to the tram stop and hopped on tram # 70/78 (can't recall which but both runs the same route). We were at the Parliament Sq in no time.

Everything you need to know about Parliament Tour
I have read multiple reports on TA's Budapest forum that visitors tried for days lining up to get tickets for the Parliament Tour without success. I was resolved to have our group arrive super early to get in line. I have checked the Parliament's website multiple times, and all it says is that individuals do not need advance bookings.
http://www.parlament.hu/angol/eng/tajekoztato.htm

Fortunately, while browsing through some old Budapest threads here on Fodors, I came across a post where the person emailed the Parliament tourist office and was able to secure a reservation (normally reserved for groups only). I followed the same instructions. The email address I used was : idegenv@parlament.hu. In my email, I asked to reserve for a morning English tour on May 2 for 5 people. The next day I got an email reply with a confirmation for a 10am English tour for May 2nd (this was booked 3 weeks in advance).

The confirmation requested that I arrive 10 minutes early and go to Gate X to buy my tickets. Sounds simple, right? In reality, it was nothing but.

We arrived 25 minutes early. When we got near the Parliament building, we noticed that a 50-yard radius area from the Parliament building is chained off. Along the chain near Gate X, there are 2 signs each with a line. One sign says "For ticket holders only" while the other says "For ticket buyers only". It wasn't clear to me which line I should be in, so I walked up to the guard (in military uniform) at the "ticket buyers line" and asked. He took a 1/100th second look at my confirmation, and gestured to the end of the "ticket buyers line". Hmmm... so what's the point of making a reservation if we have to line up just like everyone else???

We stood in line for several minutes (during which it barely moved), when I saw someone else with a print-out who was allowed to cross the chain to enter Gate X. Now, apart from the military guard, I spotted a man in a suit at the "ticket holders line". I went up to him desperately with my confirmation. He looked at it and told me to go directly to the front of the "ticket buyers line". The military guy started to protest, but the suit guy said something to him in Hungarian. I was ready to jump over the chain to get to Gate X, but the military guy stopped me. It turns out that his job was to let 1 person at a time from the "ticket buyers line" to enter the sacred zone to buy his/her ticket. So, I had to wait until the person came out of Gate X before I could enter.

I was going to have M come with me to buy tickets, but the military guard said,
"No, it's not possible! 1 person!"

I crossed into the sacred zone, entered Gate X (which is just a door to the ticket office). I showed the agent my confirmation. While tickets are free for EU passport holders, they are expensive for non-EU visitors at 2820HUF per person (total 14100HUF for 5 of us). I handed her 15000HUF. She asked if I had 100HUF. I didn't. She said,
"No, it's not possible! Pay with credit card please" because she has no change.

Okay then, the window has VISA/MC/AMEX sticker on it, so I handed her my AMEX.

"No, it's not possible! VISA or Mastercard." Okay then, I gave her my MC.

I exited Gate X with a victorious smile on my face. Yes!!! I got our tickets and we didn't have to stand in line for hours like those pour souls there! Now with tickets, we were allowed in the "ticket holders line". Seconds turned into minutes... Before long, it's 10am and no sign of an English tour. Another 5 minutes past and we started to get anxious. Did we miss the English tour? Well, we found out everyone in line is waiting for the 10am English tour. Finally, at around 10:07am, a guide showed up and we were let inside the sacred zone to the entrance door.

The poor couple in front of us was not let in. Their tickets are for the German tour, which doesn't take place until 11am! They have another hour to wait.

Well, our English tour is huge - at least 50 people. First task was for every person to go through metal detector/security check. That took another 8 minutes, so now it's 10:15am and the tour finally begins. Our guide, a middle-aged female, has a very heavy accent. With such a big group (plus a couple of screaming toddlers), it was difficult just to hear her, and more difficult to decipher with her accent. I had to pay 100% attention to her or I'd be completely lost. Even taking a photo was enough to divert my attention and lose track of what she was saying. I guess the positive thing is photos are allowed inside the Parliament.

She started with a brief history (if that's even possible) of Hungary while we were in the foyer. Everything gold inside the Parliament is real gold, and there's LOTS of it. We arrived at the Grand Staircase. The stained glass on the side walls is quite amazing, with this one looking like real curtains.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3547.jpg

Next stop is the Parliament Dome where the famous Crown of St Stephen is kept. Around the dome are statues of past emperors.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3549.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3558.jpg

Next stop is a room/lounge with a valuable carpet (I think 10,000 knots per ??). This is followed by the Council Chamber. There are 2 identical chambers in the Parliament, as there used to be an upper and a lower house during the Austro-Hungarian empire. Nowadays, only 1 is used since Hungary is only 1/3 of its size compared to prior to WWI.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3565.jpg

Here we come to the end of our tour. The end? Already? It was only 10:45am, which means that the actual tour only lasted for 30 minutes.

So, what's my verdict? Okay, I agree it's pretty impressive inside. But, when you add up: the hassle of booking/getting tickets, the cost, the huge size of the group, the short duration of the tour... I'm not sure if it's "worth" it. I certainly would not waste hours standing in line for a ticket. So, if you want to take the tour, make sure you get a reservation beforehand. FYI, there are only 3 English tours daily: at 10, 12 and 2.

The "No, it's not possible!" guard/ticket agent experience strongly reminded me of my visits to China in the 70s and 80s. I guess communism is the same no matter where, East or West.

M and her parents decided to split off sightseeing on their own. C & I next visited the Museum of Hungarian Art Nouveau (aka, Bedo Haz), just a few blocks away from the Parliament on Honved utca 3. It opened in 2007.
http://www.magyarszecessziohaza.hu/

Their website is only in Hungarian, but you can read about it in English here. http://www.budapestinfo.hu/en/things_to_see/museums/house_of_hungarian_art_nouveau

Facade & Close-up:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3593.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3574.jpg

Art Nouveau entrance
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3575.jpg

Admission is 1000HUF, with 3 floors of display: basement, ground floor, and 1st floor. The lady who works there is extremely nice (her desk lamp is an antique Tiffany-style lamp from Nancy). She escorted us down to the basement, showed us where the bathroom is, then explained that we can take as many photos as our hearts contend, and... you won't believe this ... we are welcome to sit on any chairs in the collection!

While there is no display at all for any objects, and the entire place almost seems almost like a warehouse with tons of furniture and objects, we had a fun time there trying out various chairs. A few I tried on creaked a bit and I jumped up right away, as I didn't want to be responsible for breaking a 100+ year-old antique chair!

I don't think the pieces there are collectors' items or very valuable, though I am no expert at all. Overall, I thought it is a neat place to visit if you're into Art Nouveau. The ground floor/entrance level also has a cafe, with antique furniture. Unfortunately it wasn't open during our visit. Even if you don't want to visit the museum, I think it'll still be pretty cool to have coffee/tea at their Art Nouveau cafe!
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3584.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3590.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3583.jpg

To be continued...

hi yk,

are you going to be entering this piece as your applicaiton to the Hungarian tourist board?

clearly they were doing you a favour alowing you into their valuable building! we came across this many years ago when we went to what was then Yugoslavia, but on our more recent visits to Prague and Budapest we were pleasantly surprised. but then we didn't try to see the Parliaments of either country. All credit to you for making the effort.

keep it coming,

regards, ann

yk-
I had similar feelings about Budapest. I am still conflicted. My mom and I kept wondering if we'd like it better in summer because we were there in early (cold) spring. We also had the same "it is not possible!" experiences as well as being screamed at by a House of Terror museum guard for taking a picture, even though there were no signs posted saying this was not allowed. In the end, we decided to cut our time in Budapest and go to Vienna a day early.
In Vienna, exiting the metro up onto St Stephanplatz was like going from the darkness into the light.
BTW, the Hungarian train from Budapest to Vienna was absolutely clean and fine in 2nd class.

Day 9 Budapest, Part II

Szabadsag Ter, Central Market Hall, Cafe Gerbeaud

Quick recap: We toured Parliament in the morning, then C & I visited the Museum of Hungarian Art Nouveau. We spent no more than an hour there.

A block away is Szabadsag Ter (Freedom Square). In the center of the Square is the Soviet War Memorial, the only remaining Soviet-era memorial that has not been pulled down and carted off to Statue Sq. It commemorates the "liberation" of Hungary from Nazis by the Soviet Red Army at the end of WWII.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3597.jpg

Surrounding Szabadsag Ter are several notable buildings, one being the US Embassy. This is where Cardinal József Mindszenty stayed for 15 years right after the 1956 uprising. He never left the building until 1971. Behind the Embassy, is another masterpiece by Ödön Lechner (who designed the Museum of Applied Arts), the Former Postal Savings Bank. The best feature is its beautiful tiled roof; however, one cannot see it from surrounding streets due to the angle.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3598.jpg

From there, we headed towards the Danube and got on the famous Tram #2. It runs N-S along the Pest side of the Danube, thereby giving a great view of Buda Hill plus numerous beautiful buildings on the river bank on the Pest side. We had a great view of Matyas Church on Buda Hill, and the Pest Concert Hall, before we arrived at the southern terminus.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3619.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3601.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3602.jpg

From the terminus, it is a short walk to Central Market Hall (Nagy Vasarcsarnok), designed by Samu Pecz. Like many other buildings in Budapest, the roof is decorated with Zsolnay tiles.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3603.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3604.jpg

The street level is lined with stalls selling produce (fruits, meats, veggies) as well as souvenir food products such as paprika and foie gras.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3609.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3617.jpg

The upper level mainly consists of non-edible souvenir stalls, plus a small ready-to-eat food section. C & I headed there first, and oh my, we were tempted by every single one. After scanning all of them, we decided to share several dishes from different stalls. We tried a tripe stew (Pacalpörkölt) and the famous fish soup (halászlé). The stew unfortunately was too salty for our taste, but the soup was unbelievably good. It tasted very fresh and has a great flavor. We moved on to another stall and got a plate of sausage with sauerkraut. There must be a special Hungarian recipe for sauerkraut, because it tastes way better than German sauerkraut! C & I both commented on how good it is. The sausage was good too - crispy skin on the outside. I don't recall the cost of the stew, but fish soup was 650HUF, and the sausage-sauerkraut combo was 800 HUF, all very affordable.

Fish Soup:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3612.jpg

Sausage and sauerkraut:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3613.jpg

The food stall with the longest line is the Langos stall (remember, the savory fried dough?). I was sooooooooo tempted. There are stalls selling beer and wine. I don't drink but C is quite a wine connoisseur. She spotted a stall that serves Tokaji Aszu. She ordered a glass of the 3 puttonyos (ranges from 3 to 6, with 6 being the sweetest), and insisted I try a few sips. Wow, it is so good. It is very smooth, and after I swallow it, I can still taste the sweetness in my mouth.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3615.jpg

With our stomachs happy, we went down to the ground level to browse the souvenir stalls. We plan to return to Central Market Hall in a few days, but we wanted to check out the goods and prices first, so that we can sleep on it and decide what we will really buy. Just a quick walk-around made us realize how much the prices change (for the same goods), depending on the stall location.

We returned to Tram #2 and rode it northward to Vorosmarty Ter. Even though we just had lunch, we decided it was time for coffee and cake at the famous Cafe Gerbeaud.
http://www.gerbeaud.hu/

It is a beautiful Saturday afternoon, so Gerbeaud was very busy. After a few minutes, we were able to snatch a table in the corner of the Green Salon.

C had a latte and I ordered a cappuccino. We both liked our coffees. We split the famous Dobostorta. It has alternating layers of vanilla sponge cake and chocolate cream, and topped with a layer of hardened caramel. C liked it a lot more than I. I thought the flavors were great, but the sponge cake layers were very, very dry.

The service was understandably slow due to how busy the cafe was, but our waitress was nice and courteous, smiling every time she came to our table, even though I could see that she was super busy. There are lots of naysayers here about Gerbeaud, saying it's a tourist trap and it's expensive. Perhaps, but C & I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance and our experience there. 2 coffees plus 1 cake was 2600HUF (15% tip added already to the bill), which is like 12 bucks - not much more expensive than what we can get at Starbucks with coffees served in paper cups and some super sweet pastry wrapped in a paper bag!

Gerbeaud building facade:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3626.jpg

Green salon:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3622.jpg

Dobostorta:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3625.jpg

To be continued...

Day 9 Budapest, Part III

House of Terror, Sunset Danube Cruise

After our coffee and cake break at Gerbeaud, we hopped on Metro Line 1 to House of Terror (from Vorosmarty Ter station to Vorosmarty Utca station).
http://www.terrorhaza.hu/index2.html

Many people raved about this "museum". It is located at 60 Andrassy Ut, which is the exact same building where the Nazi's Arrow Cross operated during WWII. After Hungary's "liberation" the Soviet secret police moved into the building and carried out plenty of atrocities there.

C & I visited it together, while M went on her own earlier in the day. When we compared notes at the end of the day, we all expressed disappointment. I think the museum has got great potential to be a lot better. Why didn't we like it?

1) The layout is confusing and there are no signs to direct visitors the correct route (as a result, C&I started on the wrong floor and the wrong end)
2) Most displays are in Hungarian only, including videos without English subtitles
3) At the entrance of each room, there is an English leaflet; but:
a) many of the leaflets are too wordy. I tried my best to read it but lost my patience many times
b) even when I read the entire leaflet, there were still a lot of displays I didn't understand what they were
4) While I emerged with a much better understanding of the recent history of Hungary and what the people had to endure during the last many decades, I didn't find the displays that moving or touching. (In contrast, the Holocaust exhibit at the Imperial War Museum in London really had a strong impact on me.)
5) Like the Museum of Fine Arts, the House of Terror was uncomfortably warm.

As I said, I think the museum has the right intentions, but it has the potential to be so much better, esp for non-Hungarian visitors, if they could tweak things a bit.

A Happy Accident
In the early evening, C & I headed back to the Danube for an evening Danube cruise. The only company I've heard of and read about is Legenda, which is listed in every guidebook and brochure. I looked up their schedule and was planning to catch the 8:15pm sunset cruise (8pm sunset in Budapest during our stay).
http://www.legenda.hu/legenda/legenda_angol.news_flags.page?nodeid=92

We arrived at the dock at least 30 minutes early, only to be told the 8:15 cruise was sold out! In a mild panic, we walked along the riverfront in search of other cruise companies. At the next dock is a company called EUrama. Normally, they only have cruises at 7pm and 10pm, but I saw an employee "hard-selling" to 2 tourists, so I stopped to eavesdrop. It turns out that today they have a privately-chartered cruise at 8pm for a tour group, but since there are a few extra seats, the company is selling those to casual tourists. At 3000HUF, it is a significant discount compared to Legenda, which charges 4900HUF for their evening cruise. As it was getting close to 8pm, we opted to go with EUrama.

It turned out to be pretty decent, but then, I don't have any other Danube evening cruise experience to compare this with. EUrama uses a very small boat with NO windows. Although we had to let the group tour board first, we still managed to grab an empty row. A female guide did live commentary along the way in English. She was really great. I'm used to taking cruises where the guides simply recite the descriptions without an ounce of emotion, but this guide really seemed to care about her city and the sights. During the last 10 minutes of the cruise, she went over the history of Hungary, and I could sense a tinge of sadness in her voice. Overall, I thought this was a good substitute at a significant discount.

Again, since I've never taken Legenda (their price includes free drinks and headsets for commentary in 30 different languages), I don't know how this EUrama cruise measures up. But I was perfectly happy to pay 3000 instead of 4900HUF for a 1-hr cruise. [BTW, I thought it's pretty expensive, even at 3000HUF, since I can take a Seine cruise for as little at 7 euros!]

Here are some pictures from the cruise.

Sunset over Buda Hill before take off:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3627.jpg

Buda Castle lit up at the start of the cruise:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3631.jpg

Chain Bridge and Gresham Palace in the back:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3637.jpg

Looking towards Parliament:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3642.jpg

Front view of Parliament:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3651.jpg

On the way back, Chain Bridge and Buda Hill in the back:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3656.jpg

Buda Castle complex:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3658.jpg

It was completely dark when the cruise ended. Here's a night view of Buda Castle complex:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3662.jpg

C & I got back to our apt street around 9:30pm. Funny, we didn't even notice the street lights being dim anymore.

Impression of Budapest at the end of today
Although our morning started with lots of snafu at the Parliament, the day got much better. We had a great time at Bedo Haz, LOVED the food at Central Market Hall, enjoyed our break at Gerbeaud, saved money on our evening cruise, and learned a lot about the story of the Hungarian people at House of Terror. I am starting to "understand" them and their city... And, instead of looking at Budapest as being "grimy and dirty", I'm starting to view it as "faded glory" and "rough around the edges."

Did you see the small Leonardo equestrian statue at Szépmuvészeti Múzeum?

Hi yk, Still enjoying your trip. I had no desire to see the Terror Museum when I was in Budapest so was interested in your comments.

You mention you're going back to the Central Market--you may already be planning to walk from the Central Market up Vaci Utca in direction of the Cafe Gerbeaud. There are some good examples of art nouveau along Vaci Ut--I particularly remember a florist (be sure to look inside).

Just behind the cafe is the main shop of Herend porcelain-I looked but didn't purchase.

We took a regular passenger boat back from Szentendre at nightfall and had views similar to yours. I remember the fare was quite cheap. However, my photos aren't as good!

Hi Cathinjoetown - yes, that part (Vaci Utca), will be coming up.

111op - No, I totally missed that! BTW, I didn't forget your Q about the Berlin Staatskapelle concert. It was the Mahler No.6 that I passed up, not the No.8. I wonder if No.6 is more "accessible" than No.7? But going to No.6 would not have worked out as well with our itinerary, since we went to Wachau Valley that day and wouldn't have come back early enough for the standing room (plus, we would have been exhausted!).

Mahler #7 is indeed the least popular of his symphonies. #6 is another massive work that's even longer in length than #7.

bookmarking for later.

Hi, that Leonardo statue is easy to miss (it wasn't in a gallery but by a staircase). I had to ask where it was.

#7 seems a little less popular, but I've actually heard it live a few times. People point out that #6 doesn't really end triumphantly (unlike #2 or #8), but it sounds pretty good to me. The nickname of this symphony, by the way, is "Tragic."

I think that you might have found #6 a little more accessible, but the "easiest" Mahler symphonies to start with are #1, #2, #4 and #5.

Anyway, you could come to NYC on Tuesday for Mahler 6 with the same guys (assuming tickets are still available).

I don't really have a good collection of Mahler symphonies, but for what it's worth, I checked the timings I have on my CDs:

#6 with Mitropoulos and Cologne (rec. 1959): 74:42

#7 with Scherchen and Vienna (rec. 1960): 73:45 [in case you're curious, the label is Legend, so could be a bootleg]

#8 with Haitink and Concertgebouw (rec. 1966 or 1971): 75:51

What I find surprising is how close the timings are (within 2 minutes of one another). I purposely chose a recording of the 8th symphony that fitted onto 1 CD, however. If I remember right, Scherchen is generally known as a "fast" conductor.

I don't necessarily recommend any of these recordings (they were chosen without much thought), but the Mitropoulos recording is supposed to be well regarded (but there's supposed to an even better Mitropoulos with NYPO).

Off topic, but on the question of Mahler symphony popularity, someone has compiled a discography:

http://gustavmahler.net.free.fr/us.html

Over 200 recordings of #1, followed by #5, #4, #2. Least recorded is #8 (fewer than 60 recordings).

No timings, unfortunately.

The Scherchen I mentioned looks to be the same as 1950 on Orfeo with VSO (not VPO).

It's just amazing what people provide on the internet.

really enjoying your report YK! Keep it coming

I have heard Mahler Nos. 1, 3, 5 ,6, and 10's Adagio live, and now No.7, so I guess I'm slowly getting there...

MomDD - glad you're enjoying this.

Just in case it matters, let me correct myself. It's the Staatskapelle Berlin that's the orchestra.

You had it right in your report. I wrote Dresden. I guess when I see "Staatskapelle" I automatically think Dresden, but it's Berlin that's doing the cycle in both Vienna and NYC.

Anyway, try to go for #2 or #4 next, and keep an eye out for #9. I checked the discography page and #9 is the one that has the fifth most number of recordings. It doesn't come up often either -- not sure why, perhaps because it's really quite bleak. But the earliest recording is a really famous one by Bruno Walter (made right around the Anschluss in 1938).

I've actually never heard #10. I normally don't think about it since I don't really know the whole story -- not sure how much is orchestrated by Mahler and how much by Deryck Cooke (but according to Wiki, the Adagio was indeed mostly complete by Mahler's death).

By the way, if you're aiming for "complete" Mahler, you should count Das Lied von der Erde. I forget the story -- but I think it'd have been the ninth symphony. Mahler was superstitious so he decided not to call this the ninth symphony since people seem to die after writing nine symphones (Brucker 9 is incomplete (however, there are symphonies 0 and 00...), Schubert's 9 is complete but 8 is incomplete -- in fact, nicknamed "Unfinished").

Hang in there folks... only 2 more days left to report.

BTW, I am sorry about mixing Hungarian and English when it comes to names of places.

Day 10 Budapest, Part I
Hungarian National Museum, Cafe Central, Chain Bridge

In the morning, we visited the Hungarian National Museum (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum) near Kalvin Ter.
http://www.hnm.hu/en/fooldal/mainPage.php

Entrance facade and interior hall
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3664.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3663.jpg

The museum (1000HUF) is about the history of Hungary, starting from pre-historic times until 1989. The ground floor galleries cover pre-historic era until around 800 A.D. The upper level galleries hold the crux of the museum. The organization is superb. Each gallery starts with a brief overview of the time period the gallery covers, in both English and Hungarian, and there are a good number of English placards among the displays. Even though by now I'm pretty well-versed in Hungary's history, I still enjoyed the museum's good and detailed overview.

In a small room located off to the side of the main entrance, is where the 1000 year-old coronation mantle kept. There are no obvious signs directing visitors to see it. If it hadn't been mentioned in my guidebook, I would have definitely missed it. There is a guard outside of the room. When we went in, she followed us one step behind, just like a secret police.
http://www.hnm.hu/en/kiall/MonthlyArchive.php?id=21478

We spent almost 3 hours there, and all of us thought it was an excellent museum. Well worth the admission.

For lunch, we went to the famous Central Cafe. It is another historic coffee house, over 100 years old. However, C & I didn't think the interior decoration and ambiance measure up to Gerbeaud. Our lunch was really good though. I had duck confit with "cabbage pasta". What that really was, was sauerkraut wrapped inside a pasta sheet. Just like the sauerkraut we had at Central Market Hall, this was very tasty. This was the most expensive meal I had in Budapest - came out to 3400HUF per person - still very affordable when you convert back to USD. Since folks here have complained about Gerbeaud being expensive, I checked out the prices of cakes at Central. Each piece is around 1000HUF, compared to 7-800HUF at Gerbeaud. Therefore, I don't understand the argument of Gerbeaud being the more expensive one.
http://www.centralkavehaz.hu/index.php?mid=1&LangID=2

Entrance to Central Cafe: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3673.jpg

Interior: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3666.jpg

Duck confit with "cabbage pasta"
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3668.jpg

We caught a city bus to Roosevelt Ter. BTW, deciphering bus and tram maps at stops is relatively straight forward, as long as you know the names of the streets or squares you want to reach. We popped inside Gresham Palace - now a Four Seasons Hotel. It is a beautifully restored Art Nouveau building (1906). The staff there obviously is used to tourists going in and snapping photos. Definitely don't miss this if you are in Budapest!
http://www.fourseasons.com/budapest/

Hotel Facade:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3687.jpg
Lobby:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3678.jpg
Art Nouveau interior:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3674.jpg

Details (glass, windows, light fixture, flower pot, floor mosaic)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3679.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3681.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3682.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3684.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3683.jpg

On the North side of Roosevelt Ter is the Academy of Sciences, housed in a Neo-Renaissance building (1865).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3686.jpg

Directly facing Gresham Palace, is Chain Bridge - THE symbol of Budapest.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3695.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3697.jpg

Views from the Bridge:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3693.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3692.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3690.jpg

We walked across Chain Bridge and arrived at the lower terminus of the historic siklo (1870), the funicular that goes up Buda Hill. Fares are 800HUF one-way, slight discount for r/t.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3700.jpg

Part II coming up next...

yk - I was one of the people complaining that Gerbeaud was overpriced, but that was for coffee, I didn't eat anything there. Did you get a proper printed bill at the Central? One time the waiter there cheated by giving me a handwritten bill instead.

Hi thursdaysd - the coffees at Gerbeaud were between 750-790 HUF (latte and cappuccino). I don't know how much they cost at other coffee houses. However, for coffees with spirits, or an Iced coffee (which I was contemplating), they were in the range of 1500HUF, which I do agree is pretty pricey.

Yes, we got a real bill at Central. In fact, there was an old lady by herself in the next table, and I wonder if she's part of the Central family. She was having a long lunch, reading a newspaper, and helping herself with drinks and dishes from the kitchen. Not sure if her presence made a difference or not, but our waiter was very friendly - probably in his best behavior!

yk - I don't remember the exact amounts, but I do remember thinking that cappuccino seemed to be about twice the price at Gerbeauds.

Yk - I am curious as to what your over all feeling now that it is over was of Budapest? I seem to have the same impressions of places based on your previous reporting so am very curious... thanks

Day 10 Budapest, Part II
Buda Hill, Concert at Franz Liszt Academy (Zeneakadémia)

We rode the siklo (funicular) up Buda Hill, and the upper terminus has a nice viewing platform where one can get a great view of the Danube, Chain Bridge, Gresham Palace, and St Stephen's Basilica:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3707.jpg

We walked towards Matthias Church (Mátyás Templom). Parts of the church and the tower are covered with scaffolding (and according to Clifton, the scaffolding has been around since 2004!) The tiled roof is really quite breathtaking.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3716.jpg

They charge admission to enter the church (700HUF). Every inch of the interior is covered by frescoes. While some frescoes depict figures, most are geometric patterns which has an Eastern flavor. I feel like I was inside a Byzantine church rather than a gothic one.

Frescoes and altar:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3718.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3717.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3721.jpg

Right next to the church is Fisherman's Bastion. The equestrian statue is of King Stephen. Views of Pest are great from that viewpoint.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3726.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3713.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3731.jpg

By now, I was getting tired and we have a classical concert to attend tonight. C & I decided to skip the Buda Castle section and head home to rest. We picked up Bus 16 from Buda Hill, which terminates at Deak Ter where we caught the Metro Line 1 home.

We had a quick dinner at Liszt Ferenc tér (Franz Liszt Square), right next to the concert venue. The Square is quite a lively area, lined with at least a dozen of restaurants with indoor/outdoor seating. We picked Cafe Vian, simply because it was the busiest.

I was still full from lunch, so I ordered the "Hungarian Country Plate" appetizer. It was so-so, with a bit of sausage, cheese, ham, and lots of small pieces of fried lard. Yes, that's exactly what I needed - fried lard - after the heavy duck confit earlier today. C had seared duck breast with potato pancakes, which was far better.
http://www.cafevian.com/en%20menuoldal.html
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3736.jpg

Concert tonight is at the famed Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Zeneakadémia). I wasn't so much interested in the music, but rather, wanted to see the beautiful art nouveau interior of the concert hall. When I first heard about the hall, I looked online and found out there was only one concert held there during our stay in Budapest. The actual Academy website is in Hungarian only, while the online ticket website only lists the concert as Mendelssohn without any further information. I guess one can't go wrong with Mendelssohn, right?

Ticket prices are very affordable. For our concert, there were 4 price categories (1 being the most expensive). We bought category 2 at 3200HUF each and have very good seats. I stopped by the box office before dinner to pick up our tickets, and got the
"No, it's not possible!" reply. "Please come back 1 hour before the concert begins."

While the interior of the hall is really quite beautiful, I was more taken by the foyer frescoes (upper level) and the foyer mosaic (street level).

Building facade:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3734.jpg
Interior: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3740.jpg
Upper level fresco: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3741.jpg
Street level mosaic: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3737.jpg

[If you want to check out the lobby/foyer decorations but don't want to attend a concert, I suggest you try going on an evening when there is a performance scheduled (preferably 30mins before concert begins). You are allowed to wander in the lobby without a ticket. I would NOT bother going during the day time, as the area is not lit and you won't see anything in the dark.]

So, what was the concert??? The programme was in Hungarian, and it took me the entire first half to decipher the basics. I figured out the first half was:
String Symphony No.10
Violin Concerto (violinist: Barnabas Keleman)
The orchestra was the Hungarian Telecom Symphony Orchestra, conductor was Andras Keller.

However, for the life of me, I could not tell what is in the second half. It is a piece with vocalists??? Szentivánéji álom is the Hungarian name of the piece. I can't even begin to make an educated guess! Finally, I asked the young Hungarian couple sitting next to me to translate. Ah-ha! A Midsummer Night's Dream!

We all thought the music was great, especially the violin concerto and the violinist. He got (I assume) the Hungarian version of standing ovation. What I mean is, the audience doesn't do standing ovation. Instead, everyone claps in unison - on the same beat from slow to fast - as the sign of appreciation. Kelemen came out and played 2 short pieces as encore. I have never experienced this before (applause in unison) in any concert halls all over the world, so I wonder if this is a communist thing? Being a tourist, I clapped out of sync!

A word about Hungarian fashion: Overall, a far cry compared to the Viennese concert-goers. To me, their clothes seem very dated, like from the 80s. We noticed many middle-aged and elderly women dye their hair red to dark red. For the younger generation, anything goes. At the concert tonight, we even spotted a man in his 30s wearing a pair of metallic silvery-gold sneakers! Yikes!

That's an interesting report of your Hungarian concert experience. I didn't know that there are vocal parts to Midsummer Night's Dream (just looked it up). Is there a suite or an abbreviated version?

But you most likely would have figured out what that piece was when you got to the Wedding March.

The Mendelssohn Concerto is really lovely!

Did you really need the entire first half to figure out the Mendelssohn VC? I could have told you within five seconds. That piece is (deservedly) popular.

2 things I forgot to mention about Zeneakadémia:

1) the seats are very hard - barely padded. I found out the seats were the same the next night at the Opera House. Is this a communist thing too? Hard, uncomfortable seats to keep the audience from falling asleep?

2) As soon as we started snapping photos of the interior before the concert, we got reprimanded by one of the lady ushers.
"You MUST!!! NO pictures!!!"

While we put our cameras away, we witnessed at least a dozen of others gleefully snapping pictures away (even with flash!) and no ushers went up to them!

[Photos ARE allowed in the foyers.]

----------------------
Regarding my impressions of Budapest at this point:

I have really warmed up to Budapest by now. The views today (Chain Bridge, up on Buda Hill) are really amazing. The worn and old buildings don't bother me anymore, and really, the main touristy areas are kept fairly clean and those buildings are mostly restored. The street where our apt building is remains dirty and littered with dog poo, but even that I've gotten used to by then.

While I am still a little bothered by the "treatments" we get from some older Hungarians, I now understand that's the way they are, as that's the culture in which they were brought up. We just shrug our shoulders and laugh about it. I tell myself this is no different than the China I know in the 1970s and 80s (my parents took us on trips to China a lot during those years).

It was quite obvious when the soloist came out with a violin. But of course, I couldn't have guess what the piece was - hegedűverseny - until the violinist came out!

I don't think the Opus 61 was played in its entirety. They played at least 6 or more pieces, and only 2 has vocals in it. There is a description of the piece in the programme in Hungarian, but there's just no way I can tell which segments were performed in the concert.

yk,

when we were in Budapest we didn't manage to take in a classical concert [though we did go to the opera which was very good] but with a degree of trepidation we did go to a "folklore evening", recommended by our hotel.

the first job was to find it - the building was quite anonymous and we walked past several times before we realised what it was. then we were plunged into hungarian society, as teh building doubled as a restaurant cum entertainment centre as well as a theatre. so whilst we were watching and enjoying fabulously good gypsy violin playing, upstairs some rather elderly and stout hungarians were dancing the hungarian equivalent of the Hokey Cokey!

who knows what went on in communist times behind closed doors?

regards, ann

We were in Budapest 2 years ago and loved it.

We were there first week of April. We loved that the city wasn't "perfect". There is such a feelling of what they've gone through. Beautiful architecture that hasn't always been taken care of. But you can see through the grime. I don't need polished buildings to enjoy a city. It's all interesting. And, truly, there are beautiful well-kept or restored buildings as well. I really felt that I was in a diferent place - yes, culture and attitude-wise. Had some great meals for next to nothing. Went to cafes that aren't on the tourist trail. Stayed in the Buda area and was glad we did. Lots of walking up and down hills, yes, but felt were were in a real neighborhood.

Went to see their ballet company at the Opera Hose. They did a ballet version of "Gone with the Wind"!!! Very interesting, (and funny sometimes) to say the least.

Went to Eger overnight (town about 2 hours away.) Wonderful.

Ready to go back.

I need to finish this up before I run out of steam...

Day 11 Budapest, Part I
St Stephens, Synagogue, Central Market Hall, Vaci Utca, and an encore

Can you believe this is the last full day of our trip? It seemed to go by so quickly!

We began our morning back at Roosevelt Ter for more photos of Chain Bridge, then we headed towards St Stephen's Basilica, the largest church in Budapest and dedicated to King Stephen (we saw his crown inside Parliament).
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3757.jpg

The dome measures 96m high, the same height as the dome of the Parliament. The numbers 96, 896, and 1896 have huge significance in Hungary. 896 was the year the country of Hungary was founded, when the Magyar tribes settled in the Carpathian Basin. King Stephen was the first Christian king of Hungary, crowned in 1000AD. For the 1896 millennium celebration, many buildings were erected including: the Parliament, Central Market Hall, Metro Line 1, Heroes Square, just to name a few. Important structures have staircases with 96 steps, and domes are 96 meters high.

Back to St Stephen's. The interior is vast and quite impressive. It also houses one of the holiest relic in Hungary - the mummified right hand of St Stephen. It is housed inside a reliquary, which in turn is inside a glass case. To illuminate the case, one has to put in 200HUF for a 2-min "light show". The rest of my group happened to see it when it was lit up, but I didn't' have the luck. One can climb the tower (for a fee) which provides a great view, but we passed.

Dome: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3761.jpg

Altar: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3759.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3764.jpg

Next on our agenda is the Great Synagogue. We decided to walk there. As luck would have it, we passed by an open-faced sandwich shop (across from Deak Ter), so of course we had to go in for a snack. Most are under 200HUF a piece, but I opted for the caviar one for 270HUF. It tasted pretty good, certainly a nice snack for just $1.25 USD.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3765.jpg

To enter the Synagogue, we had to go through the metal detector and security check. Somehow, I thought entrance into the Synagogue was free, but it wasn't. The only ticket option was combined Synagogue and Museum (1600HUF), but we really didn't have time for both. So we just peeked inside the Synagogue through the glass doors and left.

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3771.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3768.jpg
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3770.jpg

We caught tram #47 from nearby which dropped us off directly outside Central Market Hall. Yes, we wanted to come back here for more fish soup, and more importantly, souvenir shopping.

C & I again split a couple of dishes: fish soup (just as good), another plate of sausage and sauerkraut. We also got 2 pieces of stuffed cabbage (Töltött Káposzta), a popular dish in Hungary. The stuffed cabbage has rice, ground meat, onion, and of course, paprika. It was delicious. The total of all these dishes was 2150HUF - a really great deal for 2. C was still thinking about the delicious sweet Tokaji she had the other day, so she ordered a glass again.

Souvenir-Shopping at Central Market Hall
After lunch, our group split up to go shopping. We allocated over 1 hour for it, which I initially thought was plenty of time. Well, I was wrong! C & I teamed up together, and as we had noted the other day, prices for the same items vary a lot, depending on the location of the stalls.

The stalls in the center aisle closest to the main entrance are the most expensive, while the stalls half-way down on the right aisle (your right when you enter the Hall) have the best prices. We must have spent at least 45 minutes checking out the goods and prices of each stall.

In the end, we picked stall D-15, which has one of the lowest prices and a decent selection. The shopkeeper is a young woman who speaks good English and helpful. Since we bought quite a bit, we got her to give us an additional 10% discount. I bought paprika, saffron, and dried porcini from her.

Just as an example of how much the prices vary, one popular item for sale is a twin-pack of paprika (sweet and hot). At D-15, the 50g/50g pack sells for 500 HUF. The stalls in the central aisle sell them for 700HUF. Those stalls seem to have prices at least 20-40% higher for everything.

2 stalls down at D-13 is a stall selling dried porcini mushrooms. The owner has very good quality products. Some packages are caps-only and they are big, unlike some other stalls that sell broken up caps-and-stems. Of course, prices are higher and C bought one of the caps-only package for 2500HUF (70gms).

For foie gras (tinned), we found the cheapest prices at the meat counters in the back along the central aisle. Pretty much all the stalls carry the Rex Ciborum brand. There are various sizes and types, including blocks, with truffles, naturel, and parfait (least expensive). I was interested in buying the 100gm naturel, which I understand is a pure pate not mixed with "other stuff". The lowest price for the 100gm we found was 2650HUF, while you can pay an extra 1000HUF for it at the expensive stalls near the entrance.

Moral of the story is: go towards the back of the market, as well as the R aisle for best prices. If you want to save money, it pays to do your homework. I wholeheartedly recommend stall D-15.

After our shopping spree, it was time to stroll along the famous Vaci Utca, a touristy, pedestrian-only street. I don't think it is a must-see, as all we've noticed was being accosted by waitstaff from the restaurants that line the street. There are a few buildings worth noting as we got very close to Vorosmarty ter:

Vaci Utca 15, a restaurant with wood gothic facade:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3774.jpg

Vaci Utca 11, art nouveau facade designed by Ödön Lechner (1888)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3776.jpg

Vaci Utca 9, Philanthia flower shop with Art Nouveau design (and the oldest flower shop in Budapest, 1905)
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3778.jpg

Back at Vorosmarty Ter, we had an encore of coffee and cakes at Cafe Gerbeaud. Yes, we enjoyed our experience there so much that we went back a second time! The 5 of us split 3 cakes: the Dobostorta, Sachertorte, and a truffletorte. The dobostorta is still too dry for my taste. The sachertorte tastes like a brownie cake. I like the truffletorte the best: rich and moist. The rest of my group seem to like the dobostorta the best.

C & I left for the Opera House, while M and her parents did some more walking around. I already have a ticket for tonight's La Traviata, but C was interested in going last minute.

There were 3 agents at the box office, and we were 2nd in line. We waited for over 15 minutes for our turn! People there just seemed to take their time... and an older woman who came later actually pushed her way through and blatantly jumped the line! Finally, it was our turn and C was able to get a ticket.

To be continued...

Still enjoying this! I'm pretty sure I know that sandwich place - yummy! I've eaten the caviar there, and the smoked salmon... I think it's www.duran.hu.

Yes! that's exactly it!

I had thought the open-faced sandwiches are more popular and would be available everywhere, but that Duran shop was the one and only one we saw during our entire day. I wish there were more around as I would have happily gone there daily for a snack!

hi again, yk,

while you were near the Franz Liszt Academy, did you go to his house? we came across it on our trip and as it was so cheap [can't remember exactly how mcuh but no banks went bust paying for it] we went in. although we weren't that impressed with thelay-out or information, we WERE impressed by one of the exhibits - Beethoven's piano, which was given to Listz after Beethoven died. what was so extraordinary about it was it's size - it was tiny compared to the concert grands that Liszt played on. I had a image of poor Ludwig hammering out his music on it, increasingly unable to hear what he was playing.

another tip - useless to you now - the sports bar [owned by an ex olympic boxer to judge by the photos on the wall] on the main street opposite the cathedral sells excellent fish soup!

please don't run out of steam before you finish,

regards, ann

ann, I was afraid you would ask me that , because I saw that you visited it on your trip (from your TR). No, we didn't go, even though the museum is right on OUR street - I mean, the street where our apt is, and we walked by it daily! We already had so much on our list, so frankly, it didn't make the cut this time.

If it makes you feel better, I did visit the Franz Liszt Museum in Bayreuth. The sandals he had worn are on diplay.

Day 11 Budapest, Part II

The perfect way to end a vacation - La Traviata at the Hungarian State Opera House

[thursdaysd, it's okay if you skip this part. ]

First of all, a minor blunder on my part. I was previously cautioned by someone who told me not to buy the cheapest nosebleed seats, because the nosebleed section has a separate entrance from the side of the opera house; hence, one cannot see the grand staircase and foyer of the main house.

There are a total of 8 price categories, so I felt pretty safe buying Cat 5, for a whopping 8000HUF. (I kept wondering why everyone says opera tickets are cheap in Budapest! Cat 1 tickets go for 18,500HUF... but more about that later.)

Unfortunately, I wasn't using my brain when I bought my ticket. There were Cat 5 seats in various sections of the opera house, some were in the back rows in loges on the lower levels, but that means your view will be blocked by folks in the front row. In the end, I picked 2nd row in the Balcony, which to me seemed like the best choice for Cat 5 seats.
http://www.jegymester.hu/images/nezoter_nagy_33.gif

Perhaps people go to bed early in Hungary, because the opera starts at 7pm! When we got to the opera house, I was horrified to find out that the entire Balcony is accessed by the side entrance, the very thing I was warned about! I should have noticed that when I chose my seat... so it was entirely my fault. As a result, I only saw the main lobby and was then shooed off to the side entrance.
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3783.jpg

While my seat was the 2nd row of Balcony, it was the last row of Cat 5, so the people behind me had Cat 6 tickets. C also got Cat 6 for *just* 4500HUF. Even though her seat was in the last row of the house, it still has a fairly decent view. I just don't think my seat is worth almost twice of hers. View of the stage from my 8000 HUF seat:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3788.jpg

The interior of the auditorium is really beautiful:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3790.jpg

Close-up of Loges: http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3794.jpg

Ceiling painting and chandelier:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3793.jpg

La Traviata was brilliant. I knew the opera house only has projected surtitles in Hungarian, so I had brushed up on it by watching it on DVD right before the trip (coincidentally, starring Norah Amsellem who sang Manon in Vienna).

While the staging and costumes were both a bit outdated, the singing was great. Violetta was sung by Elena Mosuc, a Romanian soprano who sings regularly at all the major opera houses in Europe. She's not well-known in the US because she's never performed here (probably visa problems).
http://www.mosuc.com/

Alfredo was sung by American tenor, Charles Castronovo. He sung beautifully, but his voice isn't strong enough for the opera house, and the Hungarian Opera House isn't that big compared to others.
http://charlescastronovo.com/

The star of this performance, however, is the famous Italian baritone, Renato Bruson, who sang the role of Germont. He was just incredible, still with such a beautiful voice in his 70s. After his aria in Act II, he got the "Hungarian standing ovation" again, ie, applause in unison. The applause went on for at least several minutes.

During the intermission, I went up to one of the usher ladies (3 were chatting at the coat check) to ask where the stage door is. At first, they didn't know what I was asking about. I gestured, saying "sign" and "autograph", and the 3 of them conversed in Hungarian. They all looked at me rather severely, and probably thought it was the strangest request they have ever heard. One of them kept shaking her head and said, "No, it's not possible!". More Hungarian conversation took place. Why would anyone want autographs of the singers? Finally, the red-haired middle-aged usher whom I asked said to me,
"Wait here for me after the opera. I'll take you."

As the curtain fell at the end of the opera, everyone clapped in unison again. I was so into the mood that I clapped along with them... what a feeling that is - like we are all unified as ONE. Perhaps this is what communism is about.

When the applause finally died down, C & I made our way to the coat check area, and saw the usher finishing up her duties. After everyone had left, she locked up the doors to the auditorium, then took us through the backstage route (via a hallway with changing rooms for the ballerinas), then down the elevator to the lobby of the stage door section. She said something to the security guard and bid goodnight to us.

I have been to the stage doors of a few opera houses, and they are usually mobbed with fans. Here? There was only 1 other Italian couple there. After about 30 minutes, the maestro came out. The Italian couple chatted with him, and we found out that he and Bruson had planned on doing an encore of his aria in Act II, but I guess Bruson decided against it while on the stage and signalled maestro to move on to the next bit.

Finally, Bruson came out (wearing blue-tinged sunglasses, no less), and he kindly signed an autograph for me. Next was Castronovo with his soprano wife. He was a bit surprised to see Americans waiting for him there... he will be singing the role of Alfredo at the SF Opera in June, in case you want to know. Ms Mosuc came out last, and she was very happy to see fans wanting her autograph too! In fact, she even gave each of us a photo of her (as Violetta in Tokyo) so we had her sign those too. All-in-all, what a fantastic ending to my trip. Of course, I was very thankful to the kindness shown to us by the usher, who went out of her way and duties to take us to the stage door.

[About those prices for the opera... When I got home, I finally realized that we went during the Mayfest at the Opera. That means, they have better casts for the operas, and thus, higher prices. Normally, Cat 5 goes for 4700HUF and Cat 6 goes for 1200HUF.]

If you're interested, I bought both the Franz Liszt Academy and the Opera House tickets through Jegymester. It is THE online ticket website for arts and culture events in Budapest. It has an English version, very user-friendly, and it doesn't charge any fees.
http://www.jegymester.hu/index.jsp?lang=ENG

Now, where did you get the idea that I go to Opera Houses for ballet, not music? [lol] Comes of being almost tone deaf. It's a pity, because I like to sing, but it's unkind to the people next to me!

Dear yk, You have been so helpful in helping us plan our trip to Vienna and Budapest in June. I love your detail, whether it is the information about the Hungarian State Opera, where to buy items for a good price in the Central Market of Budapest, or information on the Melk-Danube Cruise trip out of Vienna........it's all wonderful. Last week, we bought tickets for Aida at the Hungarian State Opera in the Category 5 and were charged 3,800 HUF. Don't know why it was cheaper that night, and it was a Saturday night. I'll try to reciprocate and do a trip report when we get back. Your report was fabulous!

Wow, yk, what a splendid conclusion to your visit to Budapest. I saw Tosca at the Hungarian State Opera House when I was there a year ago and it was terrific. I was seated in one of the loge seats (so if you'd turned to your right to take that photo instead of the left you have seen them), and also bought my ticket at jegymester (incredibly convenient). Price much lower than the range you were looking at, as it wasn't Mayfest.

The other people in my box left at intermission, and the usher smuggled (I assume) a little girl (maybe 10 years old) into one of the vacated seats. Fine with me---she was clearly much more interested in the show than the previous occupants.

For those of you who are reading this thread I'll point out that the Opera House features a really lovely bar (at the same level as the loges) where you can get a drink and snack at intermission and then head out onto a large balcony. Lovely if it's nice weather.

Now, now Therese... you're really making me jealous about the bar and balcony at the Opera House! I guess that's a reason for a return trip to Budapest so that I can sit at the lower levels!

jrjcolllins - I'm glad you found this helpful, and I hope you have a great time on your trip. I stopped asking "why" when I was in Budapest, cuz the answer is always, "That's the way it is! Take it or Leave it!"

It may have been mentioned, but the tours of the opera house in Budapest are very informative. We opted for this instead of a performance; I can't remember whether it was because nothing of interest was on (we like opera) or it was off season for opera performances. On the tour, you of course go up the main staircase, with several pauses for quite good commentary.

hi yk,

frankly you didn't miss much at the liszt museum apart from that piano - the explanations really didn't seem to match the exhibits, and you had to wear silly felt slippers.

it was shame about your not knowing that your opera tickets didn't give acces to the main auditorium. I do wish that the opera houses could all get their heads together to sort out the info they give us. for example, i just had a look at the website for the Volksopera in Vienna - the page showing the seating plan is appalling and there's no way of telling what seat you are buying. so it's not much use, and I don't feel inclined to shell out over €50 a ticket if I don't know what seat I'm getting.

although the performance of "la Boheme" we saw was very good, we never got the co-ordinated clapping you experienced. it sounds fun.

regards, ann

Cathinjoetown - very good point. At the Hungarian Opera House, there is a huge sign outside, advertising "Daily Tours at 3pm and 4pm".

ann- it was really my fault, as I just "assumed" and not used my head to analyze it. As one can see from the seating plan:
http://www.jegymester.hu/images/nezoter_nagy_33.gif

Pretty much all the Cat 6 Cat 7 seats are in the Balcony section. So if they had to enter via a side entrance, I don't know why I still picked a Cat 5 seat in the Balcony! In retrospect, I probably would have been fine with a second row seat in one of the loges... Oh well, hind sight 20/20.

If you do go again, yk, stay at one of the apartments described here: http://budapestvacationrentals.com

And get ready, because your envy headache is about to get much, much worse.

I stayed at Apartment Max, and the contrast with your experience could not have been more glaring: lovely location (overlooking a park) in a well-maintained building, ridiculously well-equipped (including a computer and one of those pod thingies that makes fancy coffees) and supplied (never mind sugar and salt and honey and jam and oil, etc.---this place came with milk, eggs, butter, cheese, and sausage in the fridge, all supplied for you), very central (around the corner from Central Cafe), met in person by local manager (despite a delayed flight) who left a bottle of wine and a plate of pastries (she'd thought there were two of us, so I was hard-pressed to finish them over the course of the week).

I did most of my grocery shopping at Central Market.

I will say that your apartment looked quite nice once you were in it, and for your size party was a good option.

HI Therese, I know BVR gets rave reviews here and elsewhere. They were the first people we fired off queries, but it was all booked up (only Jeff's Place could have accommodated our party size).

We had originally decided to go with a different apartment, but after I sent the owner the "yes, we'll book your apt" email, he disappeared for a whole week without replying. When he finally replied, we decided that we didn't feel comfortable with him. So, we "lost" a whole week's time and had to settle for whatever was still available.

Oh, and I think I remember your asking about the owner's slow response to your query. Very unlike him, as most of my queries were answered with somewhat unsettling speed, so there must have been a computer problem or travel in there somewhere. Do give him a second chance if you should return. Jeff's place isn't nearly so central as the original three (Max, Sarah, and Belle). The owner's got interesting historical ties to Budapest, and clearly wants others to love it as much as he does.

One of his suggestions led me on a two subway + tram voyage to the suburbs in search of the world's best strudel (retes). And I wasn't even officially there on holiday.

Oh, and the strudel was amazing.

What a fantastic thread. A classic. Thanks yk and all who continue to contribute. This is so good.

Day 12 Departure Day from Budapest
but not without a last little adventure

M's parents and C had an early flight to catch (all 3 of them live in Houston). By early, I mean a 7am flight! So, C called the day before for a 5am taxi pick-up. They used Budapest Taxi, recommended by our Budapest van driver, Maria. The phone agents speak English, and said the cost is a fixed price at 4300HUF (+ tip).

We have gotten used to everything and everyone running late in Budapest, so it was a surprise when the taxi showed up early! I don't know how long the ride took, but they definitely arrived at the airport with time for check-in and checking luggage.

M & I both were heading back to Boston Logan, but we were flying different airlines. I was able to coordinate my flights with her, so we were both leaving around 1pm.

In the morning, apart from packing, I went out to do two errands:
1) Took recyclable items we have accumulated to a nearby park where there are recycling bins. [No recycling available at the building.]
2) Took my last postcard to mail at the post office near Oktogon.

While walking around this residential neighborhood one last time, I noticed lots of elderly people out : going grocery shopping, walking in the park... After my 5 days in Budapest, I finally feel like I've started to understand the city and its people. Looking at these older people, I couldn't help but wonder what his/her story was? It must surely be fascinating to hear their stories.

As I arrived back at our "old and crumbling" building, I finally looked up and was stunned to see how beautiful (despite dirty) the facade is:
http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp146/y2000k/Budapest%20May%202009/IMG_3797.jpg

It only took me 5 days to notice this.

Although we were supposed to return our keys at the apt agency office (which is a reason why I don't recommend this company), our driver Maria was kind enough to offer to meet us at the apt to take the keys. I guess she's the driver/inspection person for the company. I think she was supposed to arrive at 10am, but when there were no signs of her by 10:10am, I panicked and called the office. I was informed Maria was just by the office and on her way.

She finally got here around 10:20am and did a quick inspection. I figured she must be heading out, so I asked if she could give us a ride to the metro station to save us a 10-min walk. She stayed silent for a minute, then offered to drive us all the way to Deak Ter, where we can directly pick up Metro Line 3 to the airport. That was really kind of her, as she could have just dropped us off at the closest Vorosmarty utca stop and let us take Line 1 to Deak Ter and then change for Line 3. Or, she could have just said NO.

I have done some research about getting to the airport prior to our trip, but all I knew was that at the last stop of Metro Line 3, we have to change for a bus to the airport. No websites nor guidebooks I've read mention anything about duration or which bus, but I assumed it would have been pretty obvious.

All I can say is, thank goodness M had stopped by the tourist office the day before to inquire about taking public transport to the airport.

We took Metro Line 3 from Deak Ter to Köbánya-Kispest, which took 20 minutes. When we got off, there are signs pointing to various buses, but NO indication of which bus goes to the airport. Fortunately, per the TI, we knew we needed to catch Bus 200E, so we followed signs for that.

The bus stop (which is a stop for a total of 10 different buses) is about a 600 yard walk, and we had to take a pedestrian-bridge to get there. There are escalators UP, stairs DOWN. According to the bus schedule posted at the stop, 200E runs every 10-12 minutes, depending on time of day. We waited for 10 minutes.

The bus is fairly modern, with luggage racks. Seriously, I think we were the only non-locals doing this route! The ride is fairly long with multiple stops on the way. Terminal ONE comes first - make sure you know which terminal you need - as T1 is over a mile away from T2!!! You do not want to get off at the wrong terminal! There are at least 2 more stops between T1 and T2, with T2 being the last and final stop of the route. Terminals 1 and 2 stops are announced in English, but not the other stops on the route. While there is 2A and 2B for T2, there are connected and there is only one stop for both.

The bus ride to T2 took 25 minutes. Therefore, the entire trip from Deak Ter to T2 took 55 minutes total. If using single-ride tickets, the trip uses TWO tickets: 1 for metro, 1 for Bus 200E; for a total of 580HUF.

Would I recommend this? Yes, but only if you travel light.

M was flying Star Alliance (LH all the way) so she headed for 2A. I was flying OneWorld which departs from 2B.

Check-in at the BA counter was fairly quick, and security/immigration took no time. The airside of 2B is small, with just one duty-free shop. All prices are marked in EUROS, but when I asked, I was told they do accept HUF. So I bought a L'Occitane cream (travel size) with my last remaining HUFs, small enough to fit the 3-1-1 requirement when I get to Heathrow and go through security again..

With OneWorld Sapphire status, I could enter the only OneWorld lounge there - the Malev lounge. It is tiny and has very little food to offer. I had 2 tiny pieces of pastry (1"x1") and some orange juice. Later, I saw that among the free alcohol is a bottle of Tokaji, so I helped myself to a small glass of that. This is inferior stuff, compared to the 3 Puttonyos one I had tried before.

My BA flight to LHR was okay. I am convinced that BA changed my seat assignment behind my back!!! I was able to choose my seat weeks ahead of time, and I can't imagine myself picking a row with NO RECLINE (just in front of exit row)! Oh well, it was only a short flight.

The inflight BA Magazine has far more interesting articles than the AA American Way magazine. I read about self-drive barging in UK, ultra-luxurious barge cruise in France, about Hyderabad in India, low-cost ideas for Paris...

My flight arrived at Heathrow's T5, my first time there. It was a very short stay, as I was quickly sent off on a transfer bus to T3. The entire T5->T3 transfer (from the moment my plane touched down, to the moment I emerged into the shopping mall in T3) only took 40 minutes. I had 3 hours total. Perhaps the 40 minutes is not the norm, considering I traveled on a Tuesday, the slowest travel day in the week.

Since I knew I probably would have time for shopping at T3, I did some homework beforehand checking prices of various cosmetic products at home. With the favorable exchange rate, pretty much everything was at least 20% or more cheaper at the dutyfree shop. Apart from creams and such, I also stocked up on teabags and Harrods biscuits (DH's favorite).

The swine-flu scare was still very much going on, and I'd say between 5-10% pax at Heathrow were wearing face masks.

The Admirals Club at T3 is undergoing a much-need renovation. Right now the place is a mess. While sitting at the couch, it was literally raining dust on me. I guess I could have gone to a different club, but I do LOVE the cornichons there. (I think I cleaned their plate!)

My flight home was empty. Completely empty. I overheard one FA said, there were only 38 passengers in coach. This is a plane that seats about 200 economy pax, so of course there was plenty of room to stretch out. I happily gave up my exit row seat in exchange for a row of 3 to myself. Boarding took less than 10 minutes and we pushed off early.

While having 3 seats to myself is nice, the seat contours make it fairly uncomfortable if one tries to lie down. I kept waking up every 30 minutes or so with either a sore back, or a numb arm. But it still was 100x better than a full flight! The first meal served was even edible, but I always pass on the disgusting pizza snack that they serve later in the flight.

I have checked YES in the customs form for food, and listed all the food items I have bought. So, it was no surprise that I was sent for secondary screening. Logan was completely dead this Tuesday evening, so the extra screening took up perhaps an extra 2 minutes or so. On the flight home, I had rearranged my luggage so that all the food items were placed in a tote bag, making it easy for inspection. All the officer was interested in was my tin of foie gras, which made it through without any problem. I was on the sidewalk of the terminal 20 minutes after touchdown.

Oh, no no no, Therese, you misunderstood me. The BVR owner was very quick to respond ("Sorry we're fully booked"), and he even checked with his landlord friends to see if any of them had apts available for our stay (none of them did)! I have to say, that was above and beyond what I would expect.

We had wanted to go with an apt we found on ownersdirect, and that was the one who didn't reply for a week, NOT the BVR owner.

yk - I didn't think BA let you request seat assignments until 24 hours before the flight.

Doing the airport to town run I used the Airport Shuttle, although I had to wait quite a while, it was an easy trip into town.

Hi thursdaysd, I have OneWorld Sapphire status, which allows me to reserve seats on BA in advance.
http://www.fodors.com/community/air-travel/questions-about-ba-and-packing-plan.cfm#comment-5544949

I know many people use Airport Shuttle for Budapest, but since we had the time (and I had a 24-hr pass from the day before which was still valid), we didn't mind the small adventure.

It's just that it seems to us, the public transport route is not catered to tourists. They assume you know ahead of time which bus to catch, and where to get off. I forgot to say, there is no airline listing on the bus (ie, which terminal for which airline), nor is there airline announcement on the bus. So YOU are expected to know which terminal you need... BEFORE you get on the bus.

Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification. This is what comes from reading too quickly.

I also took public transit to the airport in Budapest, and also was surprised to find that it wasn't so much an express to the airport for passengers as a commuter shuttle for locals. Still, an easy trip and cheap as dirt.

yk - ah, I'm just a peon when it comes to airline status! Once upon a time I was Gold with AA, but not these days.

Absolutely LOVED your report. With all this good info, I'm ready to go back to both Vienna and Budapest.

Thank you to all of you who took the time to read this, and all the comments. It's nice to know that someone did read this!

Just a few more things to add:

Final Impression of Budapest
Hopefully you can read between the lines and get the sense that I enjoyed Budapest more and more as the trip went on. I was glad that we were there for 4 full days, as I think I would have HATED it if we were only there for a day or two.

I find it crucial to know Hungary's history in order to understand or appreciate the city and its people. By that, I don't mean reading the 3 pages of history outline in a guidebook (which I did, more than once), but by going to House of Terror as well as the Hungarian National Museum. I know I said I was disappointed with House of Terror, but I would not recommend skipping it. Without these 2 museums, I wouldn't have understood what the city and country and people had endured throughout the centuries.

There are many majestic buildings in Budapest. Unfortunately, majority of them are in poor shape; due to years of pollution and neglect. The few that have been restored (like Gresham Palace), are truly spectacular. One needs to see through the dirt and the grime to appreciate its beauty.

I think it's going to take a long time for Budapest to get up to par with other western EU cities. The lack of money and the hit by poor global economy now means it'll take even longer for it to restore the old buildings. I know Budapest has the potential to become a really beautiful city, but my guess is that it's gonna take another 15-20 years...

The main reason for my initial negative impression, is that we had just arrived from Vienna - a city that's super clean and orderly, bright and beautiful. Somehow, I had assumed that Budapest isn't that different from Vienna (oooh, how WRONG was that!!!).

I would like to return to Budapest and other parts of Hungary in the future, but I don't have the urge to do that anytime soon. I think it will be fascinating to return in a decade or two, to see how things have changed.

Language
I was a bit worried about getting by with English in Budapest. Well, that was totally unnecessary. All the young generation speak excellent English. The older generation doesn't, however the ones who you'll encounter in the tourist industry most likely will speak some. And if they really don't, there're always young people around who can help out.

I tried my best practising a few basic phrases... but Hungarian really challenged me. Throughout my stay, the only word I could utter intelligibly, is Köszönöm, which is Thank you.

People
I find the young people (20s-30s) very outgoing, friendly, and always smiling. They are like any young people I meet in Western Europe.

The older generation, OTOH, have no expression on their faces (I know I'm making a big generalization here). They don't smile, and if you ask them a question, you'll get a very abrupt, one-word answer. I guess this is what happens to a person when one is being oppressed and constantly living in fear of secret police.

Prices
While Budapest is still quite affordable compared to most Western European cities, prices have been rising steadily. We've noticed that admission prices listed in our 2007 & 2008 guidebooks are routinely 30% lower.

At hip and upscale restaurants, one can pay the same price range as Paris or London. However, the local places are much more affordable. There is a small local Hungarian restaurant a few blocks down from our apt, and they have daily 2-course set dinner for just 800HUF!

what a great trip report and even better helped me reflect on my great love Art Nouveau.The Stoclet frieze was being renovated in September 2008 when I was there so it goes on -longer that 3 months so far.
More Art Nouveau in Glasgow if you haven't been there, also St Petersberg.
Hunderwasser the Viennese moderniste archtectit buried in New Zealand-love his work in Vienna and also on the Austrian /Hungarian border -a fab hotel /resort complex

PS Ljubljana has fab examples of Art Nouveau buildings as it was rebuilt after an earthquake and local and Viennese architects were employed. The most buildings I have seen in walking distance around a city.

Finally...

What's the Damage?

I don't have a budget for my trips, but I like to figure out how much I ended up spending. My previous trips have ranged from $150-230 per day, NOT including airfare.
.
This will be a shock, I think. I saved a lot of money because we stayed at apartments and ate in a lot (thanks to M, C and my cousins who are excellent cooks!). And to make me feel even worse, my cousins would not let me pay for my share of groceries!

Using € 1 = $1.33; and $1 = 215 HUF

Transport
Airfare: $129
Train Vienna -> Budapest: € 19
Vienna transport: € 31,10
Budapest transport: 6000 HUF + € 7,40 (van pick-up at train station)
Subtotal $233.5

Sightseeing
Vienna: € 94,80 (including Melk/Krems day trip)
Budapest: 14,820 HUF
Subtotal $195

Food (eating out)
Vienna: € 62
Budapest: 14,400 HUF
Subtotal $149.50

Entertainment (concerts, ballets, operas)
Vienna: € 68
Budapest: 11,200 HUF
Subtotal $142.50

Misc (postcards, stamps, guidebooks, opera programmes etc)
Vienna: € 30
Budapest: 2000 HUF
Subtotal $49

Lodging
Vienna: € 153
Budapest: € 87
Subtotal $320

Grand Total (not including shopping)
$1090

If I take out airfare, and divide it by 11 days, I get $87.4/day. This is less than half of what I usually spend on my solo trips.

While this trip is very economical, I don't feel like I have compromised on anything on this trip. We have very comfortable lodgings, and we ate very well (with fresh produce from markets). I got to see and do everything that I have wanted to: museums, operas, palaces. I am definitely an apartment convert from now on!

I loved, loved, loved your report and sorry your trip is over. I hung on every word . . . we are going to Budapest in July for 3 days and have copied out your report to take with us. It is better than a guidebook.

Do you remember the name/address of the small restaurant near your apt that had the 2-crs lunches for 800? Sounds like my kind of place!

Thanks again for the wonderful read,
Sandy (in Denton)

Hi sandy, thank you for your comment!

The 2-course meals are actully DINNER, but only available M-F only. Or one can order a la carte, which is still very, very affordable.

The owner speaks English, and can translate the 2-course menu for you (a la carte menu has English). During our stay, I think one of the 2-course menu was: pea soup and pork goulash. They offer take-out too, but charge a (very small) fee for that.

I don't recall the name or the exact street # of the restaurant, but it is located on Vörösmarty utca in the VII district, just 2 blocks south of the Vörösmarty utca metro station (very close to House of Terror).

From Andrassy Ut, if you head south on Vörösmarty utca, you'll see a small park on your R hand side. I think the restaurant is right across from the park on your L hand side. If you arrive at Kiraly utca, you have gone too far south.

This is an amazing report that will become a classic.. do not miss..if one is going to either of these cities! Thank you!

I'm just starting making plans for these two cities and this was wonderful (not to mention entertaining). Thanks for taking the time.

Thank you for the directions (to the restaurant) . . . I know we will be going that way and will hunt it up . . . sounds perfect!

Thanks again,
Sandy (in Denton)

Hi yk,

I'm coming to this a little late, but I just read your trip report in one sitting and enjoyed every word. I love the way you organize your reports and I really enjoyed your photos.

About the clapping in unison- when I was a dancer, we called it Russian or Russian-style clapping. It's maybe a little more common in the ballet world. When I was at the ballet in Paris last year, the audience ended up clapping Russian-style. It's actually brilliant, because it's much easier on your hands!

Hi Apres_Londee- Good to hear from you! I'm glad you enjoyed this. When/Where are you going next?

YK - I hear you just got back from SF? I am looking for insight on the Westin St. Francis. Can stay there with my stepdaughter to celebrate her 16th birthday for a weekend in August - the room is 60.00 a night plus starwood points. Feedback?

MomDDTravel- I'll try to post a trip report and hotel review over on the US forum tomorrow.

MomDD-

P.S. I suppose you had already seen the review posted by 111op recently on the Westin St Francis?
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/111op-visits-san-francisco.cfm#comment-5572518

thanks YK - I love your TR and will look for it
I have not seen 111op and will check it out!

Hi yk!

You've sure been busy travelling!

I might be visiting my sister in the UK at xmas and definitely will be next spring. I also really, really want to get to Madrid to see the Prado and the Reina Sofia sometime in this winter. So nothing for the next while.

btw, I've decided to try this new catchphrase whenever anyone at work asks me to do something- "No, it's not possible!"

I meant to ask...how about you? When and where is your next trip?

Postscript - Almost 4 weeks after I returned from my trip, I finally received all three postcards I mailed in Budapest (all to my house, addressed to DH). By contrast, all 5 postcards I mailed from Austria arrived within 5 days of posting.

Apres, sorry for not replying sooner. No trips on the horizon (GASP!), but hope to head north to Canada in August or September. If I find an incredible deal to London, I might hop over this summer, but the lowest price I'm seeing on American Airlines right now is $700.

Hi yk,

I had skimmed over this while on vacation but finally had a chance now to reread more thoroughly and look at the photos. Thanks for the detailed tips! This TR will definitely be more helpful than any guide book when I finally get to go (hopefully this year). I'm going to plot all your Secession places on my Google map. Is Butterfly House open for visits?

Were the museums very crowded on free Sundays? If so, were there any that you would choose to go on another day to avoid crowds?

Re Jonas Kaufmann photo: wow, "easy on the eyes" was an understatement!

Fantastic blue sky in that Stein Gate photo.

Did you see Stoclet Palace when you were in Brussels?

You must read the diaries of Alma Mahler-- they cover 1898 to 1902 (from her flirtations with Klimt to just before her marriage to Mahler) and describe the day to day lives of the Secession artists.

Hi MlleFifi-

This TR will definitely be more helpful than any guide book when I finally get to go (hopefully this year). I'm going to plot all your Secession places on my Google map. Is Butterfly House open for visits?

Oh good! I bet you'll really love Vienna (no chaos there for sure). It's a city that I can go back again and again and never run out of things to see/do. However, I think I'll wait until 2011 before going back, when the Kuntskammer at the KHM reopens. I didn't go to all the Secession spots this time, but if you pick up that guidebook, it has a handy map in it with the walking route. Yes, one can visit the Butterfly House, though I don't know how much you can see there. From the outside, it's just like a glass greenhouse. The Butterfly House and the PalmenHaus share the same building, BTW.

Were the museums very crowded on free Sundays? If so, were there any that you would choose to go on another day to avoid crowds?

No, not at all. I'd say WienMuseum Karlsplatz has the most visitors, but still fairly empty. When I was on the top floor (Vienna 1900 galleries), there were no more than 10 visitors on the entire floor. I was able to look at everything close-up, in peace, in detail, at my own pace.

Hadyn House had perhaps 2 visitors in each gallery. I was the only visitor at the Otto Wagner Stadtbahn Pavilion Karlsplatz (it's a small place). My relatives told me that the other museums them went (one of the Beethoven House, and the clockmuseum) were not crowded either.

Did you see Stoclet Palace when you were in Brussels?

!!!!! I don't think it's open for visit; nor it was ever open for visit? If you know otherwise, please please please let me know. I'm dying to see the interior. In fact, I think it is under petition to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Or, did you mean if I've seen the exterior of Stoclet Palace? No, I haven't.

Thanks for the tip of Alma Mahler's diaries. Will look for it.

I meant the exterior. I didn't get to it because it was so far out of the way from the other art nouveau walks.

I have no idea where it's located. If it's really far out, I don't think I'd bother, at least not until I can tour the inside. If their petition for UNESCO World Heritage goes through, I think the clause should be that it has to open to the public.

Wow, what a thorough trip report with so many picts! Never seen anything like it! I don't think I can ever comploetely digest it...even picts of your rooms. A few years ago we had some time in Vienna at the end of a tour including Warsaw, Krakow, Prague and Budapest. But you certainly have an appreciation for the fine arts. Our last night we did go to the Vienna Opera...and sacer tortes at the hotel across the street. Yes, Budapest was a treat, including side trips to Szentendre, Visegrad and Holloko (a UNESCO site).

One interesting aspect of our trip was that Agnes our
very knowledgeable guide as a young woman (parents did well as travel agent and auto dealer) lived well under Communist rule in Poland and gave us a thorough evaluation of economic and political life now as compared with then. Your comment about the older folks not smiling: fact is older people ARE having a harder time even while younger enterprizing folks are making it...in fact Agnes' parents once well off are in dire straits on low pensions. Yes, now a thriving economy and freedom, but more crime and drugs, e.g.

Ozarksbill (our son lives in Cambridge, MA BTW)

Thanks for reading this, Ozarksbill. I hope your son is enjoying the nice warm weather here!

Great trip report. Will reread it again before we head off for Budapest. Thank you for sharing!!

Hi YK,
I will visit Vienna in September, and very interested to attend the mass with Vienna boys choir. Do you have any idea if there is any way we can sit at the rows in front of the altar?
I also heard there is standing room for this mass.. you saw it? Would be interested to hear your opinions if you saw it.
Thanks!

Hi bernie123, yes, you can purchase tickets for seats that face the altar. You need to email them for tickets. Email address is: whmk@chello.at
When they reply, the email will give you a list of ticket prices as well as description of where the seats and views are.

I'm not sure where the standing room area is; nor whether you get a view of the altar at all. I think you can purchase standing room tickets in advance, but if you email your request to the address I gave above, you should be able to find out.

hi yk

just dropping in the say "vielen dank" for all the help you gave me with planning our trip to Vienna and beyond.

of course, once we arrived, most of your invaluable advice popped straight out of my head, and we ended up buying Vienna cards from three days [when i had definitely planned not to, but our hotel didn't stock the cheaper transport only passes and I couldn't be bothered to get the others] we didn't make it to MAK, we went to the Hofburg AND the Schoenbrunn, and we STILL had a good time.

Trip report on its way, i hope.

thanks again,

regards, ann

Hi bernie; You can also order tickets for other events, besides the church 'mass', direct from the Boy's Choir web site. Just go to 'english' and then dates. Dick http://www.wsk.at/

yk - off-topic question, but I don't know whether you follow the US board. I'll be spending a few nights in New York in Sept and Nov - very first time not just flying in and out - and I wondered if you knew of any good links for Art Nouveau there?

Hi thursdaysd, I do post on the US board. I'm afraid I don't know much about AN in NYC... it has lots of Art Deco though!

I was really lucky when I visited NYC back in March - I caught an exquisite exhibition of Zsolnay porcelain pieces at the Forbes Gallery.

In any case, I think it's worthwhile to visit the Met since the American Wing has recently reopened. It has quite a bit of Louis Comfort Tiffany's works there. Also, you can consider visiting the Chagall Peace Windows at the UN:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/chagall-peace-window-at-the-un.cfm

You may be interested in my March NYC trip report; during which I took a couple of (free) tours:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/yks-nyc-trip-report-4-days-2-fodorites-3-operas-4-tours-4-museums.cfm

thursdaysd,

I have searched and don't think there is any art nouveau architecture here at all (if you find some, please post about it), but the Met has a gorgeous cabinet by Gustave Serrurier-Bovy, next to an AN chair (don't remember by whom), Guimard textile and vases, and some Galle jewelry.

More on topic-- have you been to Neue Galerie? Furniture by Kolo Moser, silverware by Josef Hoffmann, and of course its crown jewel, the Adele Bloch-Bauer portrait! The cafe has Otto Wagner upholstery.

There's also a store on Madison Ave that sells vintage art nouveau jewelry, lamps, and furniture-- someone said the furniture section is as beautiful as a museum, but I haven't been in there yet (too intimidated to just walk in and browse).

Thanks to both of you! I'll read yk's TR as soon as So You Think You Can Dance finishes! Glad to hear about the Tiffany at the Met, and I'll add that Galerie to my list.

I have read about Tiffany windows at Plymouth Church of the Pilgrim (Brooklyn, I think) and the Little Singer Bldg 561-3 Broadway is listed as AN. I wasn't sure whether the cast iron buildings around Greene St were AN.

I love the Neue Galerie and would visit it more often if its admission weren't so steep! Do try to stop by its Cafe Sabarsky. It has a lovely Viennese cafe ambiance, and I do like their cafe melange.

Hi yk - Can you tell me what hotel you stayed in at Budapest? I can't find it in the thread.

Thank you! Great trip report!

Never mind! I see that you rented an apartment

Hi Magellan_5, we rented an apartment in Budapest. It is a 3BR/2BA apt. Here's my post about it:
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/yks-trip-report-11-days-of-art-nouveau-in-vienna-budapest-spring-2009.cfm#comment-5650289

Thanks so much, yk - I'm headed to Budapest in November so I'm looking at various alternatives. Appreciate it!

hi magellan,

we stayed in the hotel Pest, near the opera. it was very pleasant, newly restored I think, with lovely big rooms, near a metro station, and a decent breakfast. not too expensive either - or we wouldn't have been there.

regards, ann

Hi annhig - thanks so much for the tip. I was looking at Hotel Pest, but had read some reviews about it that said there were no deadbolts on the doors and that they let people smoke in the stairwells (is that true?)

yk - sorry to piggy back on your thread!

hi magellan,

well, i don't remember these being problems for us but perhaps we're less aware of such matters. it's never occurred to me to look for deadbolts - I never assume that the lock to a hotel room is going to keep anyone out! why don't you e-mail the hotel and ask if they have room safes? i find them to be pretty good.

the internal stairwells I remember being smoke free, but there are external courtyards, which people might smoke in, I suppose. the main problem was that it was snowing and we got snowed on on the way to our room when we dodged through the courtyard! when we went [? 3 years ago] Hungary was not smoke-free in restaurants etc. so that was noticeable, but not in the hotel - which suggests to me that it wasn't a problem.

enjoy your trip,

regards, ann

Bookmarking...I'll be back in Budapest at the beginning of March

bookmarking as well, I'll be there (Budapest) for annual kid-free jaunt for the beginning of March, too! Nice job, yk - I've printed this out and promise a report upon return...!

Kyliebaby & Ahuageto, have a great trip!

envy..envy

Thanks so much YK! If you're interested, here's the blog I'll be keeping: www.culinaryhopscotch.blogspot.com. You've been everywhere already, it seems, but perhaps I can shed light on something for you in one of the many places I'm going. Again, thanks so much for this trip report!

Bookmarking - just starting to research Budapest. It looks very thorough - can't wait to start researching!

Ellen

yk, I hear there is no snow on the ground in Boston area. For three weeks there at Christmas we missed some bad weather elsewhere in the country. Ever seen the ice sculptures on the Commons?

Regarding art nouveau. Next time you are in nancy , make sure to get a local art nouveu walking tour map.there are neighborhoods that are laden with art neuveau buildings, including many residential blocs onthe wes side.
Also add to you AN destination, darmstadt Germany. The Matildenhohe artists quater is completely restored and an art neuveau masterpiece. In the early twetneith century the Grand Duke of Darmstadt Hesse invited architects and artists of the art neuveau era to move to the matildenhohe. The centerpeiece of this beautiful ensemble is the Hochzeitturm or the Wedding Tower. W visted Darmstadt and nacy on the same trip -two very different interpretations of art neuveau.

Also dont forget ot do some exploring if you visit Pittsburgh.There are several excellent art neuveau residential complexes to the East of the University area. The old Hiedelberg apartments would fit right on the Matildenhohe. The Highland Terrace apartments would fit right into Vienna.

ttt

Reading through this fantastic report... Parts of it will be going with me this weekend!

The town in New Zealand which is Art Deco is Napier - North Island. I visited there in 2005.

Bookmarking

Bookmarking