The Unplanned Budapest

Hey guys ! As I promised you on my last text post , I’ll tell you my experience to explore the gypsy Budapest (LOL!).

As I stated as the title of this post, actually this trip was totally unplanned (I mean i didnt have such a plan when I was planning my winter trip at home). It started when I just arrived in Vienna, Austria. I was thinking to go to Wien Westbahnhof (the main train station at Vienna) to grab some lunch and eat some cucumbers , and I saw the Tickets Machine , felt so curious of the prices , i checked it . I was checking some tickets to my dream destinations such as Salzburg , Muenchen (Munich) and so on , then i checked some EU regional destinations such as Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest. And okay the return ticket price from Vienna to Bratislava (Slovakia) was just €14, and I saw the return ticket to Budapest was just €33 (just continue reading, and youll know the ugly truth).

So I was thinking thinkin and thinkin , if there’s still money left , I’ll go to Budapest. So finally as much as possible I saved my money, and on the third day of my trip I was going to Budapest :D . I checked out from the hotel in early morning, and I went directly to the station, gonna catch the earliest train up. To make sure , I checked the machine again, and…. I read something strange, the ticket that i checked last time was not the ticket from Vienna , to make it sure I went to the station’s ticket centre . I asked the officer, and he said that the ticket from Vienna to Budapest was actually €72 return -______-” , friggin disappointed -,- . Finally i took it without thinkin before (regret it anyway, why didnt i ask for under 18 or students price -.- ?? ).

The train was ÖBB railjet. A very comfortable Hi-Speed train that owned by Austrian Railway Federation, and it usually serves trips to not only far Austrian cities from Vienna such as Salzburg and Tyrol, but also EU regional cities such as Ljubljana, Bratislava and Budapest, and also international destinations in neighboring countries, such as Zurich and Munich.

 The Train.. :)

Destination : Budapest-Keleti Palyaudvar

Getting inside

the 72 Euros ticket -,-

After arrived at Budapest , I felt a bit disappointed , the station was not really clean , and yeah the situation was not as good as in Vienna. First time I got off the train , some strangers followed me and offered me Taxicab service, -____-” . Since Hungary was not the part of Eurozone , I had to exchange my money from Euro to Hungarian Forint. After that I went to the Travel Agencies in the station, quite kind travel agencies , at least they gave me free city map (FYI : I had to purchase the map for 20 Eurocents when i was in Cologne [Germany]). 

I got only 5 hours to discover this Hungarian Capital, so i had to quick. I started my trip to visit the second largest synagogue in the world , wow, never imagined before that I was really gonna do that. Without any special religion purpose (because I’m a moslim) , I entered this jewish house of prayer because I just wanted to know what it is , and also adding my knowledge about world religions. Before I enter the synagogue I have to pass the security control, damn they’re really worried about their security, I mean , jewish people have a lot of enemies, there are many people who don’t like Israel and their people right ? Maybe that’s why the security was overprotective. I entered the synagogue, first feeling was creepy, I didn’t know why , but it feels so freaky being there. Mystic and yeaaah made me scared, I saw a majestic interior , quite high , and but yeaaah still creepy.

After the synagogue , I went to see the Hungarian Parliament from the Buda Hill. Budapest is separated into 2 parts , one is Buda , and one is Pest , It’s separated by the danube river or duna in Hungarian, a second longest river in Europe. I went to the Buda castle, many people said Buda castle is the best place to see the Hungarian Parliament from the opposite side (FYI : Hungarian Parliament is located at the Pest side). Once I reached the Buda castle , I was really disappointed because there was a fog , so I couldn’t see the Hungarian parliament -_________-” .

Damn Fog , it shud be clear !!!

After friggin frustrating, I went to the place where I could see the Hungarian Parliament closely. Yaaaayy , I could see it closely , but again it was disappointing, I couldn’t see the whole building , but it’s alright because I like the way it hurts. It was so majestic, the style was gothic. It’s just amazing , it’s still used by the country’s parliament till now , OMG. Magnificent it was the best Houses of Parliament building I’ve ever seen (before I went to London :) ).

Not the whole building , but it’s okay

After seeing the Hungarian Parliament real closely. I went shopping till drop. I went to the city centre and looked for some goods and souvenir. But wait, there was a winter market. It was so unique and typical Eastern European tradition on winter. Stands sold traditional goods, food and so on.

After shopping till drop , seemed that I had no more time (FYI : I got only 5 hours visit to Budapest), I got back to the Budapest Keleti Palyaudvar station , gonna catch my train back to Vienna, cus i had to catch my Bus for a long back trip to Rotterdam. Yeah , best winter vacation ever :D.

Cameron, tho we were friends !

‎”I am a Zionist,” Conservative Party leader David Cameron told an audience of party supporters of Israel in London on Tuesday. “If what you mean by Zionist, is someone who believes that the Jews have a right to a homeland in Israel and a right to their country then, yes, I am a Zionist and I’m proud of the fact that Conservative politicians down the ages have played a huge role in helping to bring this about,”

I left my (heart) in Vienna

AUSTRIA = My Dreamland

Austria, kinda strange in my ears when i heard it for the first time. The place of world composers, world artists, etc. Thoughts in my head said, well i think it’s kinda dreamland such as disneyland or so called “fantasy land” at jakarta. Ooohh , don’t forget the most related thingy , THE SOUND OF MUSIC. It’s kinda increase my curiosity in my head. so I browsed the internet, and hoeala, austria is in my mind till now.

After my father brought me here , to Europe, travelling has just became my soul. Travel so many cities, in several countries is freakinly amazing. I’ve said to my father since i was here , “Dad, seroiusly, I really wanna go to Austria !”

And finally i made it , and you know what ? I travelled totally alone this time. I went from Rotterdam (The Netherlands) on 01012011 to Vienna (Austria). I went by bus, and it takes 18hours -____-” (totally pain of sorrow). The bus was crossing 4 countries, The Netherlands-Germany-Austria-Hungary ,  and it stopped in some cities , and we had a 10-15minutes break in every stop. After Rotterdam the bus stopped , at Den Haag (The Hague) - Amsterdam - Eindhoven - Dusseldorf - Koln (Cologne) -Frankfurt - Nurnberg - Linz - Wien (Vienna) - Gyor - Budapest. I stopped in Vienna (tho the end station was Budapest). In the bus I met so many people with so many nationalities, i was sitting beside the young lady from slovakia , and she went to Bratislava, so she has to stop-over at vienna and change the bus. 

I arrived at Vienna, went to the U Bahn (underground metro) station Erdberg, bought the 72hours journey ticket, and went to my hotel. My hotel was Hotel Mozart, a 3 stars hotel located nearby the U bahn station Friedens Brucke. I checked in there, put all my baggage , and out of the hotel. With the 72hours tickets, i can travel across vienna with all public transports in 3 days, it costs Eur 13,60. I get off at U Bahn Station Schwedenzplatz, from there i walked along the viennese city centre , and the beautiful danube river. “SPEECHLESS” i just could only say “Wooooowww” along my journey, classical old building, old statues, they are so charming, so luxurious, and nothing to compare i guess.

Even more beautiful than Paris

I’ve been to Paris before Vienna, I didn’t really enjoy it, but you know, there’s quote said you’ve never been to Europe before you climb the Eiffel Tower -____-” , If Paris had the glamour and classic buildings, Vienna offered Classic , Imperial, and Magnificent buildings. 

On the second day at Vienna I take the Vienna Sightseeing bus, just pay Eur 20 , and it’s gonna get you around vienna. Like common day tour bus in Europe, it stops at every famous landmarks. Firstly I stopped at the Heroes Square , the square with a few building around it, the National Library, The Presidential House, The Arch of Triumph , The Natural History Museum , and The Fine Art museum. Also the Statue of Maria Theresa the Archduchess of Austria. And you know what, the national library was the place when Hitler addressed his speech to the Nazi soldier at the Heroes Square. My second stop was the Schloss Schonbrunn or Schonbrunn Palace, the palace where the Austrian Empire were running, the tickets to go inside palace costs Eur6,50 (reduced student price included free electronic guide). Inside the palace was amazing , from the Emperor Franz Joseph’s bed, till the Archduchess Maria Theresa’s ballroom, it was totally classic. My last stop was the Kunsthaus or Arthouse where you can find the cheap souvenirs (still expensive tho) :p

Besides Vienna, I have a really unplanned trip to the neighboring coutry’s capital, it’s Budapest in Hungary, don’t miss my second post :)