Budapest, Hungary

On a whim, I opted to go to Budapest, Hungary. It was the first spontaneous change of plans, and it worked out wicked well. Budapest is an incredible city with a pretty intense recent history. It was the sight of both communist and Nazi occupation. Both groups used the same sight to detain and torture the people who didn’t cheer loud enough at parades, harbored wrong beliefs, or just happened to look at an officer the wrong way. This sight has been turned into the “Terror Museum” and it documents the atrocities and murders and histories of these events. It also has recreated cells down stairs, and they were pretty intense.

However, Budapest’s true relics are the thermal baths throughout the city. They were originally constructed during Turkish and Roman occupations and are absolutely incredible. The main bath can easily hold hundreds of people, and is garnished with marble statues and fountains, and naturally heated to a pleasant 38 degrees Celsius. There are also cooler pools for swimming as well as saunas, whirlpools and steam rooms. All of the waters used are natural and supposedly have medicinal properties to them – in fact, if you have a doctors note you get a serious discount. Even without a doctor’s note, unlimited access to all the facilities for half a day costs about $10USD. The baths are one of the true spectacles of the world.

Next Stop: Prague, Czech Republic