Byrd

Hi--Thanks in great part to the suggestions and information on Fodors, we had a wonderful trip.. <BR> We flew to Budapest on Malev Airlines (Delta codeshare). We stayed in the Gellert and the baths were great- a real experience! <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Bob Brown

I for one would like to read more about your experiences in Budapest and with Malev Airlines. If you wish, email me at the above address. I have been to the other places, but not Budapest. Specifically I am curious to know how well you were able to find your way about and what in Budapest is a "must see", and which hotel(s) did you use. <BR>Were English skills sufficient to get around the city or did you have a multi lingual person in the party?

Byrd

Hi Bob- We were charmed by Budapest, and managed to get around with absolute no Hungarian. Even though we had all tried to learn the usual list of useful phrases, the language and spellings are so strange to American eyes and ears that we didn't really make use of them. <BR>

Rex

Bob, <BR> <BR>Like you, I really want to add to my "repertoire" of Central and East-central Europe - - especially Hungary and Poland. I made a feeble attempt earlier this year to assemble a small group, with inadequate success. Any chance you know a few people who might like to throw in together for such a trip? I am still a believer that this forum can and should be a way for small group trips to "self-assemble". Any other Fodorites interested? <BR> <BR>Like you, I am intrigued and curious about learning a little Hungarian (or other languages of the area, including Czech or Polish). I realize that Hungarian has essentially nothing in common with the other languages (Romance, Germanic, Slavic) I speak, and I harbor no illusions about how much I can learn in a short time. But I'd like to "push the envelope" - - and maybe experience a little more of Hungary besides the most English-friendly parts of Budapest proper (ditto for Prague and Krakow). <BR> <BR>Anyone interested, please feel free to write me - - though I have been experiencing some difficulty with my my e-mail account. Use [email protected], perhaps as a cc: in the next week or so. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex Bickers <BR>Westerville, Ohio

ofelia

<BR>I love to hear your detailed experiences. We are thinking of going there next year along with Prague. Did you use the train or did you drive between cities? How was the travel? How many days did you allot for each city? <BR> <BR>thanks, <BR>ofelia

Byrd

I think this computer has turned against me..but I'll keep trying. <BR> <BR>Malev Airlines: Well, I was startled (horrified?) when I realized that the Delta flight to Budapest was really Malev. I went straight to Fodors, did a search for "Malev" and came up with several postings that all had good things to say about Malev. My husband John did some checking, and assured us all that the plane would be a 767 and not some,well, piece of junk. I'll skip over our long travel day (two hour drive to Birmingham airport, to Cincinnati to JFK). The Malev personnel were very helpful and friendly, lots of smiles, and the plane was the usual 767 configuration, with many empty seats (more sleep)! The flight was smooth, the food was the usual, but no worse, and we arrived a little ahead of time in Budapest. I think we would all fly Malev again. Our flight home was Delta from Munich. <BR> <BR>soon as at the hotel Back to getting around in Budapest: As we arrived <BR> <BR>

Art

Bob and Rex, I went to Hungary and the Czech Republick last year and had a great time. I also speak not a word of Hungarian (although I did pick up a few basics while there). A large number of older people speak German so I was able to use that, but overall I had no problems. I stayed with a retired chemist by the name of Dr Fleps. I had a room and bath and a balcony. The balcony afforded me a great view of the city and was an easy bus ride to the Metro. Public trans was great as it is in most European cities. I was able to find my way around with ease. I was there 7 1/2 days and did not even come close to running out of things to see. They have the largest Parliment building on the Continant, a lot of history, great food for about $10.00 a night including a glass of wine. I also took a day trip to Lake Balaton south of Budapest and there are many more such trips available. I bought a 7 day pass on the Metro for about $7.50 which is also good for Trollys and busses. The Opra house is beautiful (simular to the one in Vienna but not quite as large) and going to the Opra very inexpensive. Budapest is a beautiful city and I fell in love with it. <BR>Any other questions feel free to e-mail me. <BR>Byrd - are you going to publish your trip reprot (your assignment for this week.)

Byrd

My keyboard is performing very strangely, so I'm not giving a very organized answer. If this ends abruptly, that's why. <BR> <BR>Our first impression of Budapest came from the shuttle ride from the airport, which did not take the scenic route through Pest. But when we finally crossed the Chain Bridge to Buda, everything was beautiful, including the view of Pest. The temperature was in the low 70s, flowers were blooming everywhere. We asked the hotel staff for instructions and immediately took the tram along the Danube to the funicxular, then up to Castle Hill. With guidebooks in hand, we had no trouble exploring the area, and had a great lunch (Sissy's). There were some tourists, of course, but nothing like the crowds we have seen in other parts of Europe in October. <BR>We had an early dinner at a "local" restaurant in the neighborhood of the Gellert, really good and so inexpensive we couldn't believe it. It was a small place called Kisrablo, and we really had to persuade them to take all 10 of us. <BR>Hotel Gellert was great--we had five rooms with balconies overlooking the Danube. The famous pools and mineral baths more than lived up to their billing, and were included in the room rate. <BR> <BR>The next day we had a half-day tour in a van which held the 10 of us, the driver and guide. In the afternoon we checked out the big market area and a nice pedestrian shopping street on the Pest side. After hitting the pools once again, we had a great dinner at Gundel (we had had the hotel make reservations earlier). <BR>

Bob Brown

Hi and thanks to all who responded to my questions. I can use a little <BR>German to get around, but I am dependent on English when my German is inadequate. <BR> <BR>The date of my trip to Budapest is not known at this time. <BR>A friend of mine who lives in Romania is getting married, but the date has not been set. So my plans are still sort of iffy.

kathy

Hi Byrd, we want to take a day trip from Vienna to Budapest. We will arrive early and leave late. What all can we "cram" into a full day. My thought is a little time in a place is better than no time there at all. Glad you had such a great time. Look forward to reading the details. Welcome home!

Byrd

Hi Kathy--I agree with you--getting a short look at a city is better than no look at all! We had just two days in Budapest, so we knew we could not do it justice, but Vienna is so close we just had to go there. One of our group had Hungarian grandparents, so that was another reason for us to go. The trains between Vienna and Budapest are frequent, so you can easily "come early and stay late." I would suggest a short (ours was about three hours) tour first. In the afternoon you could spend time in the area that interests you, probably Castle Hill. There is so much to see and do there-the castle, Matthias Church, the Fishermmen's Bastion, and wonderful streets to wander, both residnetial and shopping areas. The views of the Danube and Pest are great from there. Bring plenty of film. We wish we had had time to explore the area around Heroes Square (we particularly liked the huge bronze figures of the seven Magyar chieftans), with several museums, a pretty park and the zoo. We did enjoy the restoreed Central Market just on the Pest side of the Liberty Bridge and a nearby pedestrian shopping area. The Central Market is all food stalls on the ground level, but upstairs every kind of souvenir. We picked up wooden painted eggs, hats made of mushrooms (really!), some pretty wooden boxes, etc. very inexpensively. (OK, downright cheap)If you possibly have time, please go to the Gellert Hotel (on the Buda side just across the Liberty (or green) bridge. Ask at the desk about seeing the pools and baths. They are really something--lots of marble and luxury, something from the gilded age. <BR>I think you will have a wonderful day in Budapest, and like our crowd, leave determined to come back. <BR>Byrd

Bob

We just returned from a cruise on the Danube where we got a "taste" of Budapest when our ship stopped there. Great city, lots of things to do. I would recommend it to anyone as I would our cruise ship the MV Mozart. Outstanding way to see the area without having to pack and unpack.

kathy

Thanks, Byrd. That's exactly the info I hoped you'd give. I'm buying wooden eggs already!! It sounds like we can pack many sites into a full day too. Great. Thanks again.

Rex

I have now received one e-mail indicating possible interest in a small group trip to Hungary (and/or other geographically appropriate destinations) for next year, so I am pushing this back up to the top. <BR> <BR>No dates or itinerary in mind yet, though I might be interested in Finland in the same trip (on Finnair - - I can explain more later, if it happens). <BR> <BR>Bob Brown, I would be delighted to explore further the possibility that this might work with your possibler plans to Romania. At this point, the dates could revolve around your plans if necessary or desirable. <BR> <BR>And until further notice, regrettably, I have to list a secondary e-mail address for myself. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex Bickers <BR>Westerville, Ohio <BR>[email protected] <BR>[email protected]

Byrd

Ofelia- Sorry it has taken me a day or two to answer your questions--busy weekend! <BR>We took the train between the cities. The schedules are great-there are so many trains that you can pretty well pick your time. We had bought first-class fares between each town, but had not reserved seats or particular trains until we got there. When we decided which trains we wanted, we had the concierge in the hotel make the reservations for us. There were small supplements to pay for each reservation, which we paid through the hotels. <BR>As for our schedule: we had two days in Budapest, three in Vienna, two in Salzburg, and three in Munich, and flew home from there. If we had it to do again, we all agree that we would have three days in Budapest, two in Vienna, three in Salzburg, and two in Munich. <BR>Salzburg was absolutely the favorite city on the trip. We were enchanted from the time we stepped into the Bristol Hotel, and were welcomed by the friendly staff. Our rooms were perfect, all on the same floor with little balconies overlooking the Makartplatz. Just a stroll across the little river and we were in the old town. We took the funicular up to the fortress, with its beautiful views. On our second morning, we took the Sound of Music tour, which everybody (almost) on this forum reocmmended. It was great--we saw so much of the pretty surrounding countryside. Even the recorded music on the bus was fun, since we had some college girls on the bus who knew all the songs and sang along. It was a very light-hearted good-time crowd, with lots of laughing.. Our two dinners were at the Sacher (there's one in Salzburg, too) and at Bei Bruno in the Hotel Bristol. We had a great time in all the little shops in the old town, and we all went a little crazy in the egg shop. I can't remember what it's name really is, but I think there's only one. There are thousands of painted eggs--real blown eggs, painted for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, everything. I don't know what we're going to do with all those eggs!

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from quite a ways back in time...<BR>

Rex

More examples of the indexing "hole" - - NOT currently retrievable by searching "Malev".