Round the World in 150 days!: Day 22, 23, & 24

We finished our Prague adventure with a relaxing spa experience at one of Prague’s Beer Spa’s, where we were both escorted to a private brick wine cellar looking room with two large wooden barrel-like tubs with jets, a fireplace, and two beer taps each alongside three glass mugs, varying in size from small to ENORMOUS. Our attendant then very kindly and speaking very little English proceeded to mix a concoction of Czech yeast and hops, adding it to the tubs filled with hot steamy water. We then proceeded to relax in the barrels filled with beer ingredients, jets on full blast, Ines with her small mug filled with a dark brew and Korey with his ENORMOUS mug filled with a light brew, as we brewed ourselves through a very relaxing evening! For the record, this was Ines’ idea!

Within a few short hours we said goodbye to Prague, Czech Republic and hello to Budapest, Hungary! Korey says it was more like seven travel hours but Ines was only awake for two of them so it seemed shorter to her. We shared a train cabin with two other traveling passengers so someone had to stay awake to watch our belongings and make sure we were ready to jump off the train when we reached our destination (the train waits for no one!).

We arrived late into the evening into Budapest’s train station, and after a few minutes orienting, set off on our walk to the hotel, a little over a mile away. Ines wants to particularly note this walk as she climbed through what she considered a pretty harrowing walk through the not-so-nice part of Budapest, covered with the homeless taking cover in alleyways, metro stations, and abandoned storefront windows. Ines was beginning to question Korey’s choice in travel arrangements when our hotel opened up into the heart of Budapest’s downtown, filled with lights, restaurants, cafe’s, and nightlife. And who could forget the fantastic Christmas Market being set up along the cobblestone streets, reminding us that the holidays are right around the corner!

Buda and Pest are lovely cities connected by Budapest’s famous Chain Bridge hovering over the Danube River. We stayed in Pest and visited Buda during the day as we hiked up to the Buda Castle and up the windy and treacherous mountainside to view the Citadella and all of Budapest from its highest point. Ines would like to stress the word treacherous and Korey would like to mention that Hungarian grandmothers were at the top of the mountain with us.

Hungarian goulash soup is the specialty and is a delicious version of a hearty beef stew, and along with some hot red wine make up most Hungarian dinners. We ventured into the Central Market Hall to peruse and admire the rows and rows of delicious and traditional Hungarian market ingredients, marveling over how Hungarian paprika was a part of every dish. We shared some unknown Hungarian food made up of rice, peppers, onions, and Hungarian sausage followed by happily walking to the hotel to nap. Well, Ines napped and Korey expended more energy by running a few miles at the hotel gym.

We then ended our Budapest adventure with what else? An american steakhouse dinner! Don’t judge. You know you can only go about 4 weeks before you crave some american cuisine. It was one of our favorite meals, however, because we had the pleasure of meeting the Hungarian-born owner and restaurant namesake and talking for hours about his favorite places in the United States, the menu, and sharing some apricot and plum distilled brandy, made especially for the restaurant. What a treat!

Things we learned, 1) Beer ingredients are a great substitute for bubble bath (although be prepared to smell like a hoppy beer afterward), 2) Don’t judge a city on the looks of its train station or the walk to the city center (instead, Ines says to take a taxi and avoid the judgement altogether) and 3) Hungarian-made brandy is delicious!