Train to Munich

Riding in the train from Vienna to Munich, I reflect on the experiences of the last 10 days. As I madly try to capture the perfect image from the dirty window of a train travelling up to 200 km/h I see it as metaphor of my time spent in these cities. Just as I get…

Resistance, art and war

A day exploring mass movements of civil disobedience, Hundertwasser and inspirational art and architecture and war…what is it good for? At the Kunst Haus Weiner, Museum Hundertwasser there was an extra exhibition in the garage, How to Occupy a Shipwreck. Four short films by Oliver Ressler, Viennese artist and filmmaker, from a project called Everything’s…

High culture in Vienna

Guided tour of Staatsoper. Vienna State Opera. Prior to the 1900’s, opera was performanced in full lighting, with the audience chatting, drinking and eating, and coming and going as they pleased. Then a certain producer, whose name I didn’t quite catch, decided to turn off the house lights, shut the doors and have intermission. This…

Blue in Budapest

Just Blue…nothing more…for memories sake. Blue stays in Budapest…

A crooked cross, trains and Vienna!

Easter Friday and much of Budapest is shut so we head out of town on a short train trip to a small tourist village, Sventendre. A pleasant place to stroll with interesting buildings, artist galleries and good coffee. Back to Budapest for another soak in the Gellet Baths. And a final night in our favourite…

Memento Park

On April 4, 1945 Hungary was liberated from the Germans by the Soviet Red Army. Rather than being a step toward freedom this was simply a shift from one dictatorship to another and oppression became a part of everyday life. Hungarians had to ‘celebrate’ Liberation Day as a national holiday until 1989. The conquering Soviets…

Another eclectic day in Budapest

We have visitors in our apartment. Tim and Jane, Jeremy’s schoolmate and his wife from the UK. After a late night we set off to explore the Buda Castle area. We catch the fernicular railway up the hill and after a few false starts have an enjoyable day exploring this area. The castle and Matthias…

Train trip to Vac

We set out to conquer the Budapest rail system and really it was an easy battle. The public transport system in this moderately sized city is user friendly, fast, punctual and mostly uncrowded. Buying a ticket, working out where you needed to be and getting on the right train were all hassle free. The only…

My hidden treasure chest and other bits of Budapest

We spent Monday exploring parts of Budapest starting at the Central Market Hall just around from our apartment. A massive hall filled with predominantly paprika goods, honey, hams and tokay wine. Then we caught a tram to Margaret Island, possibly a good place to visit in summer but today it was isolated and closed down….

A contested history

After the Jewish history tour I wondered what the official stance on Hungary’s involvement in the deportation of Jews in WW2 was. In our wandering around Budapest we came across a living protest in Liberty Square. This square was the scene of brutal oppression in Budapest in the late 1800’s. On one side of the…

My House in Budapest

Well, to be truthful it’s Patricia’s house…and it’s not really a house it’s an apartment… Patricia’s Apartment. Airbnb. And it doesn’t even have a normal grand piano let alone a golden one and, although there may not be a hidden treasure chest, there are plenty of treasures in full view. Apparently George Ezra had never…