The opening lines of Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) convey author Jonathan Harker's sense of entering truly unknown territory when he reached Budapest on his journey to Transylvania. In his day, Budapest was considered the limits of the civilised world - exotic, but rather frightening. Many things have changed since then and Hungary is now very much part of Europe - and officially so since it became a member of the European Union (EU) in May 2004. Its capital, Budapest, is a busy, increasingly cosmopolitan city with a growing tourist trade. New routes opened up by budget airlines ensure that Budapest is more accessible than ever before, yet, for the moment at least, it still retains much of its old-world charm.
Budapest is a city of two distinct parts, divided by the Danube, which, despite the waltz written in its honour, is murky and definitely not blue. The river separates the medieval streets and Roman remains of Buda and ?buda (meaning Old Buda) from the late 19th century boulevards of Pest. On the west bank, in Buda, the hills rise above the river. Over a period of 800 years, Castle Hill has suffered 31 sieges and been reduced to rubble on numerous occasions, yet enough has survived for it to remain one of Europe's most appealing medieval enclaves.
On the flat ground of the opposite bank lies Pcst, a busy city with broad, leafy boulevards and handsome baroque, neoclassical and art nouveau buildings. Only in 1873 were these distinct areas merged to form one city.
Contemporary Budapest and its People
There's a lot more to the city than the historic sites and thermal baths for which it is famous. Since the end of the Soviet period Budapest has become very much a consumer city, with more than 20 modern shopping centres, numerous hypermarkets and fast-food outlets. Many Budapestis wear fashionable clothes, drive decent cars - there's a feeling that the few old 'Trabis' are maintained from a sense of irony, not poverty - and have mobile phones. Hungarians are renowned for their friendliness. If they speak English (many of them, particularly the younger generation, are fluent in English or German) and they see you looking at a map, they will often volunteer help. If they don't speak English, they'll try their best to help - confronted with a foreigner who has got lost, missed a bus stop or can't understand the transport ticket machine, they will often take it upon themselves to help sort out the situation.
Eminent Hungarians
Hungary has produced some great musicians, such as Franz Liszt (1811-86), who became president of the Budapest Academy of Music. His disciple, B'la Bart'k (1881-1945) later became a professor at the academy and collaborated with Zolt'n Kod'ly (1882-1967) in collecting and publishing Hungarian folk songs. Writers include poet S'ndor Pet'fi (1823^-9), who became a hero of the European revolutions of 1848, and Arthur Koestler (1905-83). George Soros, businessman and philanthropist, was born in Budapest, as was conductor Sir Georg Solti, who is also buried here. Seventeen Hungarians have won Nobel Prizes: holography was developed by prize winning physicist Dennis Gabor, and Zsig-mondy crater on the moon is named after Nobel laureate Richard Zsigmondy, who won the prize for chemistry in 1925.
Welcome To The Wind Bazaar
As I took a cab towards downtown Vancouver I struck up a conversation with the cabby: 'YOU'VE BROUGHT THE WEATHER with you, I see,' he joked as we sped through the rain. I'd heard that Vancouver was a city famous for its rainy weather and so far the place wholeheartedly deserved the nickname Brollywood.
Vancouver looked obsessively clean. Unlike London, the streets weren't pebble-dashed with gum. And the air was so fresh that the first deep breaths made my head swim. None of this is surprising considering Vancouver is cradled between the sparkling Pacific Ocean and the gentle tranquillity of the Rocky Mountains. ?Your hotel, sir.Not as impressive as the mountains, but still a welcome break, the Fairmont Vancouver provided much needed shelter from the rain. My palatial corner room on the 14th floor was so large that I could hear my voice echo. From the window I looked out over Burrard Inlet, where seaplanes skim along before soaring up in to the wrinkled grey sky. It appeared a very exciting way to find my bearings so the following day I found myself strappiing in to a 1958 six seater Beaver. The cockpit looked alarmingly basic, but before I could protest, we were up and away on our 25- minute flight.
As we bounced through the air, I concentrated on the views of downtown, West Vancouver's million-dollar mansions, and the ferocious snow-capped wilderness beyond. Who needs peanuts and an in-flight movie? After the Beaver had landed, I took the rather more sedate Seabus to the north shore in search of the Capilano Suspension Bridge, the longest and highest suspended footbridge in the world, stretching a precarious 450ft across a 230ft deep gorge. One of the most well known outdoor attractions in Vancouver, it has had a number of celebrity visitors including amongst them the Rolling Stones, Marilyn Monroe and Baronness Thatcher who was so impressed that she did it twice. The Iron lady might not have been one for turning, but as I gazed into the nebulous mist that swirled in the canyon and the raging waters 230ft below me, my stomach was.
Having satisfied the Indiana Jones in me, I collected my ?I made it across!' certificate of bragging rights, and caught the No 8 bus to the Grouse Mountain gondola, where 3,700ft up on the top of Grouse, I found an impressive complex that included shops, a gourmet restaurant, a skating rink, ski runs, and breathtaking panoramic views. Close by was a bear sanctuary which housed and looked after four orphaned bears. After being told that the bears would be hibernating, it was a great shock when Grinder the grizlly leapt up and perched a few metres away. It was thrilling to see a grizzly so close up, but it was also heartstoppingly scary. Appearing to be made from a combination of chicken wire and garden canes, the fence was also however, electric. I doubted it would have held Flopsie the bunny, let alone Grinder the grizzly. Back at the Fairmont, I struck up a better relationship with Mavis, the hotel's lovable lobby dog, and together we set about exploring Vancouver on foot. It was delightful strolling through downtown with its superb architecture, open spaces and inviting coffee shops. Many of the towering blocks are residential, so Vancouver feels more lived in than most other Canadian cities. In contrast, Gastown, the oldest area of the city, is a bustling place. Another must see attraction is the replica steam clock on Water Street which sounds every fifteen minutes. There are a huge amount of foodstuffs, souvenirs and other products for sale at Granville Market.
Both Olindo & Evan Moss are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Olindo has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure. Author: Olindo Taravelli official site: Appartamenti Budapest. Olindo's top article generates over 1300 views. Bookmark Olindo to your Favourites.
Evan Moss has sinced written about articles on various topics from Insurance Scams, Travel and Leisure and Personal Desktop. Dialaflight offer great deals on worldwide flights including flights to Canada, flying to multiple destinations including Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Edmo. Evan Moss's top article generates over 33100 views. Bookmark Evan Moss to your Favourites.
