Desperate to get a more traditional feel to Christmas (yet unwilling to pony up for the flight to the US), we decided we would hit up Central Europe for a taste of cold weather and Christmas cheer.
Our visit to Budapest was amazing. Let’s skip past the drive where we waited for 45 min to get into the city then drove past our place and had to do a 30 min over and back across the Danube River to find it. Another 45 min to park the car and the good times could start. We rented an apartment perfectly located – city (Pest) center and just 50 feet from a tram line, meaning we never were outside too long for transport. We stayed at the Green Dream Apartment at a rate about ½ of the going cost of a smaller place. We could see the Buda Palace, Parliament, and the Danube River from the entrance, meaning running was amazing along the river and on the island. It also didn’t hurt to have a bakery in front and a Belgian beer place in the back.
Our first stop was the Terror House which shows video, audio, photographs, and artifacts from Nazi and post-war communist activity. Three stories of museum, complete with jails and execution stands in the basement, remind us all of the horrible actions committed by man this century. We were appalled, not only by the history but also our ignorance that these atrocities happened in the past 60 years and we had no idea they occurred.
Perhaps the key thing we wanted to do in Budapest was go ice skating in the park. Of course it mean crappy skates and terrible ice, but a chance to cruise the largest outdoor rink in Europe. The rink is situated in front of Vajdahunyad Castle, a building crafted in a combination of historical Hungary architecture into a single eclectic palace featuring styles from the Middle Ages to the 18th century: Romanesque, Gothic Renaissance, Baroque buildings. The crisp air of a European winter with the a castle as a backdrop while Christmas song play throughout the park, does it get any more festive than that? Amazing. For dinner, the four of us braved the cold and walked 2km to the Iguana Mexican restaurant. Why would someone go into a Mexican place in Hungary? Because all the people inside were Hungarians and they have amazing food! We sipped on beers and cocktails (the girls had hot chocolate) and we munched burritos, enchiladas, fried ice cream, and sopapillas.
The other main purpose of the venture to Budapest was to hit the Christmas market in Vörösmarty Square. Sparking lights and stalls of vendors provide ample views while munching on töki pompos (oven-baked dough), delicious kürtöskalács (a cone-shaped sweet hollow pastry), sipping hot mulled wine, and guzzling sour cherry beer. Holiday music was piped in overhead and it was everything we hoped for in a market.
Prague takes the cake as an amazing city. Unbelievable architecture, cobble-stone streets, art, music, parks. From the walk across the Charles Bridge to looking at the Astronomical Clock, Prague offers sights around every corner worth a photo. Our first day was spent at the Prague Castle, which was only a 5 min train ride away yet took 45 minutes (the castle is between two metro stops and we couldn’t figure out which was shorter for the kids so spent a lot of time going back and forth). Situated high on the hill, it overlooks all of Prague and is spectacularly huge. We did the “short tour” and saw many amazing rooms, churches, and chapels. The girls grabbed hot dogs from a street vender while we opted for a traditional lunch.
The night market, post-Christmas, did not disappoint! Live music in the square and sparkling lights on the gigantic tree set the mood. People wander shops, munching on kielbasa, potato dishes, cinnamon rolls, and sip grog, mulled wine, cider, and beer. Horse-drawn carriages transport people to and from the square and the smell of cinnamon mixes with pine for a truly Christmas feel.
We decided to skip on the absinthe as it is taboo and a tourist trap. Luckily, there was plenty of delicious beer. The Czechs have the market cornered on solid beer. I am a fan of Belgian and German brews, but these Czech brewskies are climbing quickly in my book. Lights, darks, wheat; they all rock. The highlight was the Prague Beer Museum.
Much of our time was spent in little visited Bratislava, Slovakia. Not much to look at, this quaint little city acts as a launching pad to many of the other destination. Less than a couple of house to Prague and Budapest and just 45 minutes to Vienna, this was an ideal location. Plus, just one mile from the house we stayed in was a gigantic park with hundreds of kilometers of trail. With a fireplace and a backyard, it was all we could have hoped for. Our days were spent running on the trails, playing at the playground, and popping over the boarder to Hungary to a beautiful local restaurant along the river. We sampled traditional goulash, wandered the grounds, and checked out the farm animals on site. Our evenings were spent at the local Christmas markets, or sitting in front of the fire and watching holiday movies.
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