31 May - 1 June, 2009
We only had 3 days in Budapest, which isn’t quite enough, but while there, we squeezed in some great activities. Our first day, there was cold and rain, perfect, according to the hostel receptionist, for a day at the bath house.
We spent hours lounging about in the pools. We hopped from 34°C to 38°C to 36°C back to 38°C. As soon as I had warmed up enough, I wrapped up in my towel and we walked outside to sample the outdoor pools. While chilling (literally, I was cold) in the 34°C outdoor pool, the rain began. A number of people were scared off by the water, but we weren’t. We were already wet, so what’s a little more moisture? After reaching our full cleanliness potential, we checked out the Namzeti Vagta. 
We had no idea what a Namzeti Vagta was, but wanted to find out. We asked a kiosk worker and got little information. We tried again with a woman who appeared to be working an information booth of some kind. The only information we got was that activities would start at 10am the following day.
There was a wide variety of activities. There were amusement rides in a couple of locations and booths selling everything from handmade goods to street food (which here consists of plates of meat and fries, cylindrical cinnamon fried dough things, and strudel). There were live music stages, posters children had drawn for the event, and so many more activities it boggles the mind. We walked around the area a couple different times, but I don’t feel like we saw everything.
The National Gallop is a new thing, only 2 or 3 years old, but it’s obvious that the Gallop is a tradition in the making.
The National Gallop celebrates Hungarian Hussar tradition. Hussars (hoo-ssare) are light cavalry. The celebration involved pomp and ceremony (parades in uniform),
races and jumping contests, an hussars in historical dress performing tricks (hanging off the side of their horses or shooting arrows at a hand-held target (by this I mean some poor guy had the job of holding the target an hoping he wouldn’t be pierced). Due to time limitations and an insane train ticket buying venture, we were unable to see the actual races (except for a chariot race), but we were there for the pomp of the opening ceremony and caught parts of two historical hussar practices. 
I love this picture. A kid drew this depicting the hussars of ye olde days. Notice the blood pouring out of everyone and the decapited head. One of the pathways was lined with children's artwork depicting the hussars. Some of it was good, some interesting, some funny, but this one was definitely my fave.
Unfortunately, we had to leave by 4.40 pm the day of the main events to catch our train to Slovenia.
Since the weather was so awful during most of our stay in Budapest (rainy and cold), we didn’t spend as much time outside as we would have otherwise. We popped around to the main sites: the Parliament, St. Steven’s Cathedral, the castle, etc, but didn’t spend much time at any of those places. We did manage to make it to the labyrinth underneath the castle. Since we arrived in the evening, shortly before closing, the lights ha been turned off and we were given a lantern to see by (every day at 6 the lights are turned off for this spooky version of the caves. We wandered along the corridors viewing the odd exhibits (like a wine fountain and a large king’s head) until we were kicked out by the gruff staff. We weren’t the only ones left at closing time and there were others trying to get in which tells me that the hours should be longer. But alas, we had our labyrinthine cave experience.
From what we can find out, these are real cave paintings transplanted to this cave. Why? I don't know. Is that true? I don't know.
We only had 3 days in Budapest, which isn’t quite enough, but while there, we squeezed in some great activities. Our first day, there was cold and rain, perfect, according to the hostel receptionist, for a day at the bath house.
We spent hours lounging about in the pools. We hopped from 34°C to 38°C to 36°C back to 38°C. As soon as I had warmed up enough, I wrapped up in my towel and we walked outside to sample the outdoor pools. While chilling (literally, I was cold) in the 34°C outdoor pool, the rain began. A number of people were scared off by the water, but we weren’t. We were already wet, so what’s a little more moisture? After reaching our full cleanliness potential, we checked out the Namzeti Vagta. We had no idea what a Namzeti Vagta was, but wanted to find out. We asked a kiosk worker and got little information. We tried again with a woman who appeared to be working an information booth of some kind. The only information we got was that activities would start at 10am the following day.There was a wide variety of activities. There were amusement rides in a couple of locations and booths selling everything from handmade goods to street food (which here consists of plates of meat and fries, cylindrical cinnamon fried dough things, and strudel). There were live music stages, posters children had drawn for the event, and so many more activities it boggles the mind. We walked around the area a couple different times, but I don’t feel like we saw everything.
The National Gallop is a new thing, only 2 or 3 years old, but it’s obvious that the Gallop is a tradition in the making.
The National Gallop celebrates Hungarian Hussar tradition. Hussars (hoo-ssare) are light cavalry. The celebration involved pomp and ceremony (parades in uniform),
races and jumping contests, an hussars in historical dress performing tricks (hanging off the side of their horses or shooting arrows at a hand-held target (by this I mean some poor guy had the job of holding the target an hoping he wouldn’t be pierced). Due to time limitations and an insane train ticket buying venture, we were unable to see the actual races (except for a chariot race), but we were there for the pomp of the opening ceremony and caught parts of two historical hussar practices. 
I love this picture. A kid drew this depicting the hussars of ye olde days. Notice the blood pouring out of everyone and the decapited head. One of the pathways was lined with children's artwork depicting the hussars. Some of it was good, some interesting, some funny, but this one was definitely my fave.
Unfortunately, we had to leave by 4.40 pm the day of the main events to catch our train to Slovenia.Since the weather was so awful during most of our stay in Budapest (rainy and cold), we didn’t spend as much time outside as we would have otherwise. We popped around to the main sites: the Parliament, St. Steven’s Cathedral, the castle, etc, but didn’t spend much time at any of those places. We did manage to make it to the labyrinth underneath the castle. Since we arrived in the evening, shortly before closing, the lights ha been turned off and we were given a lantern to see by (every day at 6 the lights are turned off for this spooky version of the caves. We wandered along the corridors viewing the odd exhibits (like a wine fountain and a large king’s head) until we were kicked out by the gruff staff. We weren’t the only ones left at closing time and there were others trying to get in which tells me that the hours should be longer. But alas, we had our labyrinthine cave experience.
From what we can find out, these are real cave paintings transplanted to this cave. Why? I don't know. Is that true? I don't know.
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