Szent Istvan Bazilika

We were supposed to go back to the Szechenyi to properly explore the area but we decided against it as we don't wanna rush ourselves before our 6PM flight.  I'm glad we did.  It is one of the most impressive Basilicas I've been in and I have been to loads.  It was donation only as well.  I'm sorry to say that the photos don't do justice of the inside.  

 I love the symmetry on this.

 The Basilica housed the relic hand of Szent Istvan who was the First King of Hungary.

From the top, you can see the Buda Castle and Parliament.  

Szechenyi Thermal Bath

I'd like to think that I planned this trip perfectly but I didn't.  It just happened that I wanted to visit the spots on the first day and thermal bath on the second day.  We arrived on a Friday and we did the tourists spots on a Saturday.  I did this as Sunday is usually a shorter trading day in Europe and Mondays in Budapest seems to be a non-business day.  Such a dream to work in if you are in the retail industry.  :P

Things that you need to bring to a Thermal Bath:

1.  Towel and or Robe.
2.  Slippers especially during winter.
3.  Swimming costume or swimsuit as we call it in Asia.
4.  Change of clothes.
5.  Toiletries.

Basically, just pack things that you bring when you go to a swimming pool or gym.  Otherwise, you can always rent.  Yes, even swimsuits can be rented here but that will add up to the cost.  Just to get in cost us 5200 Hungarian Forint per person for a cabin which is less than 20 GBP each.  We read somewhere that it is worth getting a cabin than a locker as you have bigger space.  A cabin will fit two people but in this Thermal Bath, if you pay two, you get two.  You need your bracelet to get in so you can't cheat.  :P

Szechenyi Thermal Bath offers different services but you have to check the website as I don't work there.  Hehe.  I was supposed to get a massage but since I don't speak Hungarian, staffs kept offering the most expensive package there is.  Also when I told the staff that I have changed my mind of the massage service, she turned snobby.  She must have worked for commission for that drastic change.  Not having a massage was a better option for me as I was able to spend 2 hours with my husband in the bath and also we were able to explore the place together going to different pools with different temperatures and different sauna and steam rooms.  If you don't have any skin disease then skip the medicated water as it was kinda gross. 

If you finish early with the Thermal Bath, you can go to a zoo, circus or ice skate.  They have museums in the area as well but we didn't go as we have nicer museums in the UK that are free on my opinion.  I bet now you get the theme here, when we travel, we chose what we want to do with little expense as possible.  We stay on nice hotels in the city centre and splurge on food.  It is only wise.  :)

Tourist for a Day: Budapest

I'll let you in a secret.  This is how I plan our trip:

1.  Google interesting place to visit in ____ (insert city)

2.  Write down the place.   I judge by the photo.  If it's good enough in the photo then it's good enough to be visited at least for me.

a.  Write metro or street name.

b.  Opening times and fees.

3.  Use google earth to locate the places.  Then divide which tourist spots are near each other.

In my opinion, it will take 2 days to explore the tourist spots in Budapest providing that you travel off-peak.  Walking around took us 5 hours from the Jewish Ghetto where we stayed.  Armed with map, Luke and I walked around the city. We were lucky enough that the Hotel Continental Zara is 30 minutes away from major spots.  

Walking around Budapest, I was in awe with the amazing architecture.  Just like Prague, Art Nouveau and Baroque is prevalent.  Yeah, I like to throw that from time to time so people will find me interesting.  Hahaha.  The city is not congested and it is feels very spacious.  So without further ado, let the day begin:

 The Budapest Parliament

 Shoes on the Danube Bank.

This is in memory of the people who are shot in the Danube river by Arrow Cross Militiamen.

 You can see the Buda Castle from the Chain Bridge.

 Okay, we walked in the grounds of the Buda Castle, which is massive by the way but we didn't go in.  Just can't be bothered paying to be honest and we've been to castles before as well living in England.

 Matthias Church

 You have to pay to get in to the Matthias Church.

I think it's worth seeing.  The fee, just like the Sagrada Familia in Spain goes to finishing the structure and in this case, for restoration.  The whole church is hand painted with Gothic details.  Uhuh, I threw that again.  :P

Fisherman's Bastion

To do this tour, would be cheap.  You only have to be ready and able to walk up the side of the mountain.  We only pay for the entrance of the Matthias Church. We usually scrimp on everything else apart from the food which I will make a separate blog post of.  :)

Hungary's Guide to My Tummy

I am not a foodie, I simply enjoy food.  I may regret the calorie content of my meal but that's what I have to pay for experiencing the "authentic".  Luckily, I don't have any dietary requirements.  I have little known allergic reaction usually from beer back home and recently kiwi but it is not alarming that I have to be concerned about.  

Like I said, my husband is in charge of food.  On this trip, I only have one thing in mind, Mangalica/Mangalitsa.  If it's anything exotic, count me in.  I have tasted balut, century egg and bugs from Thailand.  So eating Mangalica is not something that I would shy away from.

I am gonna write an account now of every restaurant we have been in.  Don't worry, it wasn't much.  We usually just splurge on dinner as most of the hotels we choose offers free buffet breakfast and we tend to leave late.  It is holiday after all.  :)

1.  PIG 37  

Nothing fancy about this place.  It is a straight up cheap burger joint.  You don't have to dress up or impress anyone.  :P  But it would have been one of the best burgers we had.  Every burger is served fresh and by the grams.  No ventilation on the place though so if you are thinking of re-using your jeans or jumper, you can't.  It will definitely smell of oil.  

TIP:  Try tasting their local beers.  

2.  SZIMPLA  

Our hotel is the perfect location if you enjoy the night life.  We have bars everywhere street we go in the 5 minutes walking radius.  Szimpla is a bar not for the faint hearted.  What I mean is, it looks rough from the outside and the inside.  I loved it.  I wouldn't change a thing about it and I wish we have something like this in Reading but I don't barhop anymore. :P  It has installation everywhere and the best thing is, the art installation is interactive.  It was visually stimulating.

PRO:  If you like socialising, then this is for you.  The chairs are arranged for people to share.

CON:  I won't deny it, the toilets are mingy.  

3.  PIKNIK PAVILION

This is one of the restaurants that we didn't plan on going.  It just happened that I was a little bit hungry from all the walking and I needed to use the loo.  It was a deadly combination for me on a holiday as it is a guaranteed bitch mode.  I have to say, this served one of the best hot chocolates that I had.  Thinking about it, I think they serve real good hot chocolates in Budapest no matter what the price is.  Piknik Pavilion is a very cozy restaurant with little shabby chic details.  It is situated just across the Matthias Church. You can sample different meat and sausages and the price is not so expensive. 

4.  PESTI DISZNO BISZTRO

I have written down a place which served Mangalica but what I didn't realise was that, the restaurant has been permanently closed.  So much for my research.  We chanced upon this restaurant when we explored an affluent looking area near Szent Istvan.  To describe it, it was like a small version of Regent Street in London.  Because of our curiosity, we passed by the Opera and the place similar to walk of fame in the US.  Too bad though, we didn't know any Hungarian Stars but never mind.  I think this is why it's good to explore sometimes, provided that the place looks and feels safe and deviate from the plan as long as you have a map of course.  

How do I describe Mangalica?  I can't tell the difference to be honest.  It just looked like the meat is whiter than normal pork.  It feels softer as well.  But it did satisfy my curiosity.  This was the night that I had Palinka as well.  It didn't turn out well.  I put my husband's video on my instagram but I saved mine here.  

5.  NEW YORK CAFE

I must have read somewhere that Budapest have impressive looking cafes otherwise, it wouldn't be on the list.  It must have been my love of architecture that led us to this place.  One word comes to mind when I saw the interior, grand.  There is something romantic about the mixture of high ceilings, murals and art nouveau details.  I know, this is me going on about it  again but that's what attracted me to the place.  The food is nothing amazing.  I mean for what we paid for, I could have expected more but I think you pay for the experience.  

CON:  A tea for two will cost you more than 30 GBP.  It is a lot in comparison to most places in Budapest.  But like I said, you pay for the experience.

6.  KOLEVES

Luke has always been fascinated with Jewish food and since we stayed in the Jewish area, it is only right to taste their cuisine.  My experience with this restaurant was amazing.  The staffs are nice and friendly and the food is good value for money.  I ordered Jewish Matza Soup and rabbit as we don't usually eat rabbit in the UK and Luke had goose leg.  For the first time since forever, I didn't have food envy and was very pleased with my selection.  

TIP:  Make sure you come early or take a reservation as we passed by this place on a weekend and it was packed.

Come hungry as well as they have massive servings.

There you go.  My restaurant picks from our trip.  Imagine the calories and this doesn't include the daily buffet yet.  :P

But First, Vatican Museum

Luke is the only one among us who haven't been inside the Vatican Museum.  It wasn't pricey but if you leave it to last minute, it will take you ages to get inside as the queues are very long.  I remember, queueing up for the first time and then booking a tour as we can't be bothered with the wait.  It did cost us as we didn't do our research and it was summer but it was the best decision we've done at the time.  

There are Pros and Cons on doing the DIY Tour VS the Tour Guide:

Tour Groups will have a special pass that enables you to by-pass the long queue.  Assuming that you have a very good tour guide, you will learn more as you can interact with your guide.  The Con, you do as you are told.  You may end up skipping some areas in the Vatican that your guide deems insignificant.  This happened to us on this tour.  It felt shorter than usual. In fact, it only took us an hour and a half.  I was disappointed but what you don't know won't hurt you.  :P

DIY tours on the other hand takes so much of your time queueing up unless you are the first one in the line.  The Vatican Museum opens at 9AM but when we get there at 8AM, it was a block long queue already.  You can stop and take photos, you can rest in between and you'll be able to enjoy everything the museum has to offer.  You can have breakfast inside the Vatican if you wanted too as well.  In short, DIY tours enables you to go about on your own phase without waiting for anyone.  It's always the question of time when you are on holiday isn't it?  Time has to be spent wisely.

We paid 41EU per person for this tour but that was after bargaining.  If you are on a bigger tour, maybe try haggling.  It wouldn't hurt to ask.  :)

One of the few painted ceilings in the Museum.

From the Vatican Museum, you can access the St. Peter's without having to queue up.  This is probably the best group photo we have inside as my husband is opposed to having too much "selfies" inside the sacred place.  If you happen to go inside the St. Peter's, you can also go see the tombs of the previous Popes.  No photos allowed but people always try to sneak in.  BTW, St. John Paul II is open for viewing.  

Had a very tiring morning.  Later that day, we flew back home to England and I went back to work the next day.  I wonder where and when the next trip is?  With so much unexpected bills monthly - e.i boiler and car breakdown, I don't think it's wise to spend money no?  Stay tuned. 

Roman Historical Tour - Colosseo Roma and The Forum

I wasn't born well-off.  Both my parents were employed when I was growing up so I guess we are what you call middle class.  I didn't even travel abroad until I was 20 years old.  Not by choice but we don't have the means to do it.  The farthest I've been before my 20th was maybe an overnight trip to my grandma's in Marinduque or a two hour plane ride to one of the islands in the Philippines so I consider myself extremely lucky when I get to see one country twice in my life.  I had a slight obsession on going to a country that I haven't been before once a year provided that we are not overdoing it.  I may be, but my dear husband puts a stop on my craziness.  :P

Like I said, it wasn't my first rodeo in Rome.  This is why I am taking everything easy.  My first time was very hectic trip with my mum and my sister and I lost a lot of weight walking from that trip.  We didn't dive in to any culinary experience as we were on a budget.  I am very stingy and strict when I need to.  

On our third day in Rome, we left late and headed to the Colosseo Roma.  I went crazy with Luke with the train tickets as the attendant gave him a single journey ticket(1.50EU) when I wanted him to purchase a day ticket(6EU).  I was annoyed but he was able to disperse it.  Thank God my husband knows how to handle my craziness.  Noone like him.  :)  

So much has changed since I first visited Rome.  Even so when Luke first visited.  Apparently, the Colosseo was free then and you can just go anywhere the ruins and walk anywhere.  I went in the summer so we definitely queued up but it was never as full as when we visited.  Everywhere you go, people are carrying monopods or selfie sticks in the European world.  :P  The only good change at the moment was the diverted traffic around the Forum and Colosseo.  

We missed the Forum Tour as I had a 30 minute wait at the toilet.  The next one was 3PM so we had coffee and pizza at the restaurant across the Colosseo.  I wouldn't recommend but I was desperate to eat, sit and to waste 1.5 hours of my time until the next Forum tour.  It was bloody freezing that day as well and I wasn't winter ready.  I didn't factor in wind to the trip.  

 Another one for the books.  

 I'm inlove with Rome's "umbrella" trees.  

This is why Luke is desperate to do the Forum tour.  He loves history and Rome has so much history to offer.  This is just half of the Forum.  Unfortunately for us, when our tour concluded, the Forum closed as well.  So I suggest do your tour early.  The place closes at 4:30PM.

Hello Rome, We Meet Again

Oh My God!  I haven't blogged in ages.  So long that I have forgotten my email address.  I went to a full on panic mode when I entered my old email address and I was told that the email has been deleted.  Yes, I have used several email addresses in the past and created more than one blog. I belong to the era where everyone wanted to write and over exposed themselves.  :P  I had a personal blog once, a fashion blog and a blog to sell my clothes but I only maintained this one as my personal life has began stagnant, my fashion went nowhere and I have sold all my unwanted clothes.  

From July until November, I was focused on work.  Honestly, the only social life I had was my workmate's leaving do.  I was basically married to my job.  Travelling 20 hours each week, working full time and working for my dream job.  Only now I realised that I shouldn't waste too much time on work but on things that matters.  Anyway, this is a travel blog so let me tell you about my trip to Rome.

This isn't my first time to Rome.  Let's get that out of the way.  Rome holds a special place to my heart as it was one of the first European countries that I've been in.  It was also the starting point of my 2009 European trip.  2009 was my most challenging year.  It was the year that I lost my first high paying job, I experienced a proper broken heart, my family got separated to work in different countries and it was also the year that I started dating my husband.  Just telling you about it makes me feel exhausted.  Rome is a city full of history.  It is exciting if you are into it, but not so if you hate walking.  This trip was planned but I had nothing on our agenda as it was my MIL's 60th.

I had to work boxing day and my husband booked a late flight so when we arrived in Rome, it was almost time for dinner.  The first night was spent eating seafood, pasta and cheese and drinking Proseco.  :)  The following day, we woke up early for the mass in Vatican.

Shot of the Vatican City at 7:30am on a Sunday.

As a Catholic, there is nothing more exciting than attending a mass in Vatican or seeing the Pope.  Luckily, I was able to experience both in the same day.  On our first trip to the Vatican, we were able to see the old Pope, Pope Benedict and attend his mass as well. This time, we attended a mass in Italian by a Vatican priest where I had to respond in either English or Tagalog.  I know how mass sequence goes but I also had to focus on trying to understand what the Priest is saying as I don't know how to speak Italian.  Some words I did understood so I just had to piece together what the Priest was saying.  If you want to go to the Vatican City or attend the mass, I suggest you go super early so you don't have to queue.  It's nice to see the square deserted as well and you don't have to queue up to get inside the St. Peter's.  On Sundays, Pope Francis gives his speech as well.  I was on the verge of crying just experiencing his Holiness.  

From the Vatican, we walked to the Pantheon.  It was a 20-30 minutes walk.  Apparently, it was a Pagan site until it was converted into a Church.  Forgive my photos as everything was taken from my iPhone. 

My photo don't do justice to the place.  It was a magnificent structure that survived the test of time.

From Pantheon, you can walk to the Roman Forum and the Colosseo Roma.  At this point, I was knackered and my feet was hurting so we had to go back to the hotel and rest before my MIL's birthday dinner.

My MIL's birthday was a success.  It was very intimate, immediate family only and partners.  I am lucky as my MIL is incredibly generous and kind woman.  She thinks about her family first and is extremely over protective of the people that she loves.  She raised her children well and I thank my lucky stars everyday that I met my husband.  

 My husband and I overjoyed.  Not even a drop of Proseco at this point.

That parcel was filled with cheese.  Cheese with pancetta and asparagus is amazing together. 

The chocolate panna cotta that is a normal panna cotta drizzled with chocolate.  You had me fooled then.  Nothing still beats the panna cotta in Morocco.