Budapest: Nine-Tenths Perfect
As someone born in the 1990s, I first heard the name 'Budapest' because of a famous comedian from the 1990s, Mr. Chen Peisi. The elders told me it was a beautiful city, composed of Buda and Pest. I had long wanted to visit Budapest, mainly because a friend once said, 'Budapest has a kind of melancholy beauty.' As a former literary youth, I also had a habit of 'forcing myself to write new words about sorrow,' so Budapest became the top choice on my travel list.
Finally, on the eve of Christmas 2019, I set off from Ireland to Hungary. Since I am a die-hard independent traveler who refuses to join tours, and I don't like to set too many rules for myself when planning, this sharing is more like random thoughts as they come to mind. I'll mainly talk about what I saw, heard, and felt in Budapest, mixed with my impressions of its history, culture, and customs.
Regarding Hungary, there has always been a legend that Hungarians are descendants of the Xiongnu, the ancient northern invaders of China. Some 'Han chauvinists' proudly claim that the Han Dynasty defeated the Xiongnu, and the Western Xiongnu, having nowhere to go, migrated to Hungary, crossed the Danube, and their leader Attila rampaged through Eastern Europe, which indirectly shows how powerful the Han Dynasty was! As a true history buff, I treat this unverified claim more as a joke. Of course, I also planned to observe Hungarians up close to see if they had any traces of Easterners.
Wandering freely through Budapest for five days, I will share from ten perspectives:
1. Beautiful Women and Handsome Men: Objectively speaking, Hungary's young people, especially girls, are very beautiful. Their eyes have a hint of deep green, and in appearance, Hungarians still somewhat resemble Asians, more like a mixed-race look. As descendants of the Magyars, it's normal for Hungarians to look somewhat Asian, because like Spain, this place was once under the long rule of the Ottoman Turks. Generations of intermarriage and cohabitation have created a blend of Eastern and Western beauty in places like Hungary and Spain. Of course, in my opinion, the Spanish on the Iberian Peninsula are more in line with Eastern aesthetics, with softer features. Compared to them, Hungarian girls are not very delicate and petite, and Hungarian guys are relatively handsome.
2. Architecture: When you find yourself in the center of Budapest, standing on Andrássy Avenue, the first thing you feel is 'grandeur'! You can be absolutely sure that this country was once wealthy—very much like a former rich landlord who later went bankrupt! After all, this was once the pearl of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Habsburg dynasty, and also the European face of the Ottoman Empire. Golden tones dominate the architecture, and everything reminds you of words like 'nobility,' 'power,' and 'prosperity.' If you don't believe me, go see the McDonald's located in the old train station in the city center. If no one told you it was a McDonald's, you would think it was the ancient mansion of some prince.
3. Transportation: What I miss most about Budapest is its trams. I bought a 72-hour public transport pass, which allowed me unlimited rides on trams, buses, and subways within 72 hours. It was very convenient and fairly priced—about 100 RMB. I must emphasize that the Budapest Metro is the second oldest in Europe (after London). The length of the escalators was truly eye-opening!
Budapest is a city where 'every step brings a new view.' The best way to explore it is to slow down, wander, and not miss any details hidden in the corners of the streets. I recommend a good way to travel: relax, hop on a tram, and drift aimlessly through every corner of the city. With its slow pace and the cheerful sound of the tram arriving at stops, you can delve into every neighborhood without needing a detailed travel guide. Travel is about immersing yourself in the daily lives of ordinary locals, experiencing different lifestyles—lifestyle is culture. Understanding others also helps you understand yourself better.
4. Neighborhoods: Due to my unusual travel habits, I left the bustling city center, stayed away from the crowded Instagram-worthy spots, and entered the neighborhoods and markets of ordinary and even poor locals. First, the neighborhoods—they moved me a little because they were so similar to China's northeast region, specifically the northeast of the last century. As a native of the northeast, Budapest's neighborhoods felt like stepping back into the streets of Liaoning in the 1990s: Soviet-style planned economy buildings, community layouts, buses, railways, and streetlights—everything felt like a different era. But you can't help but marvel at how fast China has developed, while in Budapest, it seems nothing has changed since the collapse of the Soviet colossus. I strongly recommend friends born in the 1990s or earlier who grew up in the northeast to visit the old neighborhoods far from Budapest's city center.
As for the markets, I could still see wet markets in Budapest that are increasingly rare in China's big cities. Here, there were sausages, fruits, dried goods, etc., and occasionally street vendors with Chinese faces. Prices were not high. For those who like to understand the daily lives of locals, the wet market is a great window—you can learn about the cost of living, local food and specialties, and see the vivid faces of market vendors. If you're short on time and want convenience, I recommend the 'Great Market Hall' in the city center.
5. Culture and Art: Budapest was once called the 'Paris of the East,' and its artistic atmosphere is rich, with many museums, art galleries, and theaters of all sizes, as well as annual film festivals, music and art festivals. Those interested can look them up themselves. I do not recommend the Hungarian National Museum; if you have the chance, go to the British Museum or the Louvre instead. The collections here are rather ordinary. That's not surprising—the Austro-Hungarian Empire was a declining old wealthy landlord that was ravaged by the British and French powers in the end, so it couldn't have kept many treasures. The old hooligans like the British and French, the world's top bandits, are the best places to explore rare treasures.
6. Coffee and Cuisine: Budapest was once the city with the most cafes in Europe, but then Soviet communism ruined it for half a century, causing many traditional coffee cultures to wither. However, gathering morning flowers in the evening, wandering through the streets of Budapest, you can still find many unique cafes that make you want to stop and linger. They are perfect for ordering a cup of coffee and savoring a moment. Just open Google, type 'cafe,' and you'll find many excellent cafes. Check the ratings—anything above 4.5 is good. Each cafe has its own unique character, with excellent coffee quality and such low prices that it almost makes me, who usually lives in Western European countries like Ireland and the UK, cry with emotion. If you like collecting cafes or learning how to run a coffee shop, you must visit Budapest.
As for food, Budapest's cuisine is rather mediocre. Beef goulash and the like—I won't say much; let you experience it yourself. On the other hand, I had a few good Thai massages, with authentic techniques and real Thai masseuses, which was quite unexpected.
7. History: Although my travel style is quite laid-back, I still visited some classic Instagram-worthy spots. Budapest's historical sites, even in a place like Europe with well-preserved cultural heritage, are among the finest. Fisherman's Bastion, St. Stephen's Basilica, Buda Castle, the Parliament Building, the Chain Bridge, Heroes' Square—each is worth a photo. This is where Empress Sisi once felt lost, with a kind of melancholy beauty.
8. Socialism: Aside from the neighborhoods resembling China's northeast in the 1990s, traces of Soviet Communist rule can be found everywhere in Budapest, such as the chain bridges spanning the Danube. Although some bridges have a longer history, some traces feel familiar. Friends from Tianjin surely know the chain bridge at Tianjin Station—these are witnesses to the love-hate relationships between China and Hungary with the Soviet Union and Russia. One thing that deeply moved me was at 'Freedom Square.' As a pioneer in the fall of Eastern Europe, Hungary was a stronghold against Soviet communism. The slogan 'Liberty' on Budapest's Freedom Square truly touched me, because right next to it is a monument to Soviet revolutionary heroes, topped with a building bearing the five-pointed red star of the Soviet revolution. The people's call for freedom stood right beside this symbol of totalitarian terror.
9. Echoes of History: I highly recommend visiting 'Shoes on the Danube Bank' in the evening to watch the Danube nightscape. The sunset is fleeting; be sure to bring your loved one, hold hands, and witness the Danube sunset together. It was indescribably beautiful, truly reminding me of Stephen Chow's 'A Chinese Odyssey' and the scene of the colorful clouds. The shoes on the Danube, set against a blood-red sunset—a row of shoes commemorating the victims of World War II—evoke heartache for that painful memory. So many families were broken by war.
10. Local Chinese: Among European capital cities, Budapest has a relatively large Chinese population. It was once called a transit point and bridgehead for Chinese immigrants before moving into Western Europe. I had heard that Hungarians were hostile to Chinese people, but that turned out to be completely false. Hungarians are very friendly to Chinese, so rest assured. Chatting with a local Chinese restaurant owner, I learned there are at least 40,000 Chinese living in Budapest, the highest number among Eastern European countries. The immigrants are mainly from the northeast and Jiangsu-Zhejiang areas. However, I didn't find any good Chinese food in Budapest—I tried four restaurants, and none had quality dishes. Maybe I was unlucky in my choices.
Reflection: Budapest is a city standing on heavy history. It has Roman walls guarding it, Byzantine ruins, Catholic faith, the clatter of Mongol iron hooves, a former Muslim showcase, the barely visible aristocratic pride brought by the Habsburg dynasty's arrogant Austro-Hungarian Empire, the horror of fascism, and the lingering ghost of Soviet communism. 'I watched his tower rise, I watched his banquet guests.' Budapest is like a fallen aristocrat, on the brink of death, telling you about its past glory and its hopes for the next generation. Talking with a few young locals and a Chinese restaurant owner, I could feel widespread dissatisfaction with the current economy and pessimism about the future. Ironically, this was once a representative of European civilization, like China's northeast region—after its glory, all that remains is a desolate and bleak scene. Whose fault is that?
Budapest is a city worth savoring slowly. I hope you will share the same feeling! (For visual impressions, refer to the photos.)
