On the 22nd of June, our last international trip took place. We couldn't have chosen any other destination, the city was amaizing as well as the time spent over there. The chosen ones were the same guys that in the trip to Krakow, Jose, Pau, Dastis, Marcos and a server. We flew in the afternoon, something that we weren't used to, but we didn't have many problems, just a delay of one hour with our aircraft. Once we get to the capital of Hungary, we withdrawn florines from the ATM, if I told you that we took out around 25000 florines you could think that we are rich, but if you have a look at the exchange you will understand me and my team for sure ;). On our way to the hostel we had to take a metro, a bus and a tram but we were lucky to meet a britain guy who help us a lot. If you ever see this blog I want to say you thanks ;).
As we were walking about, we realized that the city was completely different to the cities we were used to visit (the most of them from the Baltic or from Scandinavia). It looked like a spanish city, full of people walking around, gipsys trying to read your hand, people selling cds, and, unfortunatelly, like in Spain, poorness.
The recepcionist of the hostel gave us a warm welcome. We filled out some papers and we got our room. As we arrived quite late to the hostel, we didn't have too much time to walk around and visit monuments and places, so, we asked the girl for filling the map with the most characteristic places to visit and we procrastinate our tour for tomorrow.
What we didn't miss was the acquisition of alcohol for our first "botellón". I know it seemed a dream, but some dreams can come true, as it did. We were allowed to drink on the public, in a centric square around 20 minutes far away walk from our place.
Before hanging out, we went to get dinner. We went to a bar that one of my friend from Granada (from my degree) recommended me (thanks J. Antonio Enríquez García). The bar in question was called "Fricci Papa", and, just as example, I ate chicken fillet with potatoes, plus a pint of beer, plus bread and plus a shot and I paid something like 5.50 euros. It was the paradaise, but unfortunatelly for us, we would get never inside again (because it was closed the next days).
Once we were full we went back to the hostel and we took the bottles with us. It was friday night and the square was completely crowded. We met some people and went to what was one of the best clubs that I've been during my Erasmus. It was huge, with several rooms and 2 or 3 floors. You could buy a glass filled with coke, inside this glass there was a smaller glass filled with gigamaister, and everytime you tried to drink coke, inevitably, you had to drink gigamaister, what a torture...
For being the first night, we came back in a separate order and at different hours, trying to measure who was the best party guy. The first to come back was Dastis, after that it was my turn, after my turn was Jose and Pau turn and finally, Marcos delighted us coming back around 10 a.m.
The next morning was hard, especially if you have a guy in your crew who is trying to wake you up in order to go in a sightseeing...
Next morning, when we got to wake up, we split up the group because we didn't want to miss the entrance to the parlament (the 3rd biggest in the world and one of the more astonishing that you can see in Budapest). So, Pau, Marcos and I left the hotel around 12 a.m. We had a long way until the parlament, so we took the metro. Once we got there, it was a long queue, and when we asked for the entrance they just had German and French lenguage left. We chose French language and the tour started at 3.15 p.m.
In the meantime we walked about until we arrived to the Chain's bridge. It was huge and imposing, and the best of all was the walk that we had from the parlament to the Chain's bridge, where we bordered the Danubio.
From the Chain's bridge we took the tram until we reached the Central Market. It was a huge place and as you can imagine, it was full of different products, the most of them for eating. They also had a lot of jewelry and gifts. We got the lunch there. They had a wide variety of food and all of the menus were really tasted, even though they were expensive as well. I have to mention that we got the lunch with our buddies Dastis and Jose, the ones that we left in the hostel ;).
As we were in a hurry, we left the place quickly in order to arrive on time to the guided tour through the parlament. It was really beautiful inside, the shame was that we didn't understand very well the explanations from the guide...
Once we were done with the tour, we arrived to the hostel as zombies (we were completely exhausted). We had a really comforting nap and we got everything ready to go out this night again and, the most important thing, we got ready to watch the game Spain v.s France. We felt really patriotic supporting our team out of our country ;).
In order to watch the game, we went to a big square, where a big screen was set. We arrived about one hour in advance to take some seats even though in the end it was almost impossible, because it was really crowded. In the end we managed to find some free seats and we watched the game without any problem. We enjoyed a lot watching the game together and seeing how our team was closer to make history.
With Spain in semi finals, we came back to the hostel and we grabbed some bottles to celebrate the victory of our team and the fact that this night was saturday ;). As we were drinking in the park, we met some spanish guys and we joined them to go to the Drinking Island, Clubs Island or whatever you want to call it. It was impressive. An island full of amazing clubs. We got into one which had a pool and a jacuzzi, it was incredible, and we got some fresh baths over there ;). In order to get back to our place, we took a taxi. The driver was a funny american guy, who told us some stories and even allowed me to lift my head out of the car, like in a movie of American Pie. I have to say that in our way back, we were Dastis, Jose and I, we lost Pau and Marcos on the way. When we got off of the car, incredibly we found Pau and Marcos just in front of us in the street. That night we came back to sleep together ;).
Next morning was a little harder to wake up, due to mainly, the accumulated tiredness. But as it was our last day in Budapest, we had to make an effort. We left the hostel for lunch around 2 p.m and we were walking about until we found a new cuisine place...I have to say that the food tasted good, but the size was not as we expected (especially after coming from Fricci Papa). Once we recharged our energies, we bought the drinks for this night, we left it at the hostel and we got ready to go.
This evening we were going to visit the Buda Palace and the Fishermen's Bastion which were in Buda. I take advantage of this moment to explain to those who don't know anything about Budapest that its name comes because it is separated into two different places. Buda and Pest are independents of each other, and they are separated by the river Danubio.
We reached Buda Palace through a bus, because it was far away from our place. As we were approaching to our destination, we started to see really amazing views (Buda Palace was on a hill). Buda Palace was the name of the zone, but there were more buildings over there. As we were kinda in a rush, we couldn't cover the whole place, but we went to the better places that we could. Once we finished with the Buda Palace, we moved to the Fishermen's Bastion, which for me and for the rest of my team, was more beautiful and impressive. Over there you could enjoy magnificient views from almost the whole Pest part. We were facing the parlament and the river Danubio. I think it is a waste of time to keep describing what could you see from there, or how did you feel over there, so, I am going to attach some pictures to allow you solve all these doubts ;).
As I said before we were in a rush, and it was because we had a booking in Széchenyi, or, if you prefer, in the best spa of Budapest. It was marvelous to enjoy of a couple of hours of relax, after 3 days partying and tourism. We paid around 12 euros and we stayed there 2 hours, but you can pay the same and stay there the whole day. We didn't do that because we didn't have enough time. The spa is supossed to be better in winter, when you are under 15 degrees outside but around 35 inside, even though it was a really relaxing experience. The spa was huge. They had two big pools and some saunas in the underground close to the showers. One of the pool was interesting because it made like an eddy, and once you got into the pool, the current was carrying you. I am going to attach some pictures (as usual) and two videos as well, in order to let you guys enjoy kinda as we did ;).
Next morning, when we got to wake up, we split up the group because we didn't want to miss the entrance to the parlament (the 3rd biggest in the world and one of the more astonishing that you can see in Budapest). So, Pau, Marcos and I left the hotel around 12 a.m. We had a long way until the parlament, so we took the metro. Once we got there, it was a long queue, and when we asked for the entrance they just had German and French lenguage left. We chose French language and the tour started at 3.15 p.m.
In the meantime we walked about until we arrived to the Chain's bridge. It was huge and imposing, and the best of all was the walk that we had from the parlament to the Chain's bridge, where we bordered the Danubio.
From the Chain's bridge we took the tram until we reached the Central Market. It was a huge place and as you can imagine, it was full of different products, the most of them for eating. They also had a lot of jewelry and gifts. We got the lunch there. They had a wide variety of food and all of the menus were really tasted, even though they were expensive as well. I have to mention that we got the lunch with our buddies Dastis and Jose, the ones that we left in the hostel ;).
Once we were done with the tour, we arrived to the hostel as zombies (we were completely exhausted). We had a really comforting nap and we got everything ready to go out this night again and, the most important thing, we got ready to watch the game Spain v.s France. We felt really patriotic supporting our team out of our country ;).
In order to watch the game, we went to a big square, where a big screen was set. We arrived about one hour in advance to take some seats even though in the end it was almost impossible, because it was really crowded. In the end we managed to find some free seats and we watched the game without any problem. We enjoyed a lot watching the game together and seeing how our team was closer to make history.
With Spain in semi finals, we came back to the hostel and we grabbed some bottles to celebrate the victory of our team and the fact that this night was saturday ;). As we were drinking in the park, we met some spanish guys and we joined them to go to the Drinking Island, Clubs Island or whatever you want to call it. It was impressive. An island full of amazing clubs. We got into one which had a pool and a jacuzzi, it was incredible, and we got some fresh baths over there ;). In order to get back to our place, we took a taxi. The driver was a funny american guy, who told us some stories and even allowed me to lift my head out of the car, like in a movie of American Pie. I have to say that in our way back, we were Dastis, Jose and I, we lost Pau and Marcos on the way. When we got off of the car, incredibly we found Pau and Marcos just in front of us in the street. That night we came back to sleep together ;).
Next morning was a little harder to wake up, due to mainly, the accumulated tiredness. But as it was our last day in Budapest, we had to make an effort. We left the hostel for lunch around 2 p.m and we were walking about until we found a new cuisine place...I have to say that the food tasted good, but the size was not as we expected (especially after coming from Fricci Papa). Once we recharged our energies, we bought the drinks for this night, we left it at the hostel and we got ready to go.
This evening we were going to visit the Buda Palace and the Fishermen's Bastion which were in Buda. I take advantage of this moment to explain to those who don't know anything about Budapest that its name comes because it is separated into two different places. Buda and Pest are independents of each other, and they are separated by the river Danubio.
We reached Buda Palace through a bus, because it was far away from our place. As we were approaching to our destination, we started to see really amazing views (Buda Palace was on a hill). Buda Palace was the name of the zone, but there were more buildings over there. As we were kinda in a rush, we couldn't cover the whole place, but we went to the better places that we could. Once we finished with the Buda Palace, we moved to the Fishermen's Bastion, which for me and for the rest of my team, was more beautiful and impressive. Over there you could enjoy magnificient views from almost the whole Pest part. We were facing the parlament and the river Danubio. I think it is a waste of time to keep describing what could you see from there, or how did you feel over there, so, I am going to attach some pictures to allow you solve all these doubts ;).
After the relaxing bath, we came back to the hostel to get ready for our last night. It was another incredible night, as the two that we lived before. We finished in the same club (it couldn't be otherwise) and we enjoyed the night a lot.
I would like to post a video which summarizes and reflects about our last trip and about our Erasmus Experience. I take advantage of this post to say, that a year ago today, the best trip of my life started. I will never forget anyone that I met during my whole year, I will never forget any trip that I took, I will never forget any experience that I lived...
I will never forget ERASMUS IN LINKÖPING!!
Cabrón! como que no me introduces en la manada!!! llevo to el año aguantandote y no me has metio!!!
ResponderEliminarSabes que he sido tu mentor durante el erasmus!