Short funny animation about the Liberty Statue

The animation was made by Ferenc Török.

200 Forints Update

This 200 Forint banknote with King Charles Robert from the House of Anjou on the front and Diósgyör Castle at the back will be phased out by 15 November 2009. This note with the watermark of the Head of King Charles Robert will officially be removed from circulation. 

The National Bank of Hungary has introduced the 200 Forint coin in June 2009.

So if you still possess one of the 200 forint banknotes (after 15th Nov), you will only be able to exchange them in post offices (Posta) or financial institutions.

Budapest sexguide

This post is not about helping you to discover the sex-life of Budapest. But rather about to prevent you being robbed, cheated, blackmailed and overbilled in the Budapest nightlife.

There is a website called Budapest sexguide that created a blacklist of the most dangerous bars in Budapest. They are regularly updating this list.

Actually, as a Hungarian, I know exactly which are the places you have to avoid. I do not need any blacklist because its very simple. All (I mean ALL) the strip-bars, sex-bars are about cheating and fooling tourists.

Anyway, here are some examples from the recent blacklist:

Jolly Roger's Bar

Éden Nigh Club

Broadway Café

White House Night Club

Beside avoiding these nightclubs, you might be aware of some misleading strategies in Budapest.

- the walking hunting girls on the Váci street

- the duplicated price list in bars

- taxi drivers that offers the worse places for you

- misleading escort services

To read more about these strategies visit www.budapest-sexguide.com/cheats

The embassy of the United States also published a detailed list of risky places in Budapest:

American citizens are strongly urged to avoid these clubs and restaurants due to multiple reports of victimization received by the Embassy:

This list is not all-encompassing, so please use common sense and take note when/where one or more local women approach U.S. citizens in the guise of friendship. Please note that most of these places are located in Budapest's fifth district, on/near the main tourist street, the Váci utca.

• Diamond Club
  Budapest II district, Bimbó út 3.
• Eden Night Club
  Budapest VI district, Andrássy út. 54.
• Galaxia étterem, bár
  Budapest V district, Bécsi utca 3.
• La Dolce Vita
  Budapest V district, Október 6. utca 8.
• Mercy Club and Lounge
  Budapest VII district, Dohány utca 88.
• Pigalle Night Club
  Budapest VIII district, Kiss József utca 1-3.
• Városközpont (accessible by outside elevator)
  Budapest V district, Váci utca 16.

Statue of Avianoi Márk

Marco d'Aviano (1631-1699) was a Capuchin friar. Born Carlo Domenico Cristofori in Aviano, Republic of Venice. Deeply inspired by his encounter with the Capuchins, he felt that God was calling him to enter the order. In 1648, he entered the novitiate of the Capuchins. A year later, he professed his vows and was given the name "Friar Mark of Aviano". Marco d'Aviano's life changed unexpectedly on 1676 when he gave his blessing to a nun who had been bedridden for some 13 years. Upon receiving Friar Mark's blessing, she was healed.

From 1680 until his death, Marco d'Aviano assisted Leopold I, offering him spiritual guidance and advice for every sort of problem: political, economic, military and religious. Marco d'Aviano was also appointed by Pope Innocent XI as Apostolic Nuncio and Papal Legate. An impassioned preacher, Marco d'Aviano played an important role in maintaining unity among the 'Holy League' armies of Austria, Poland, Venice, and the Papal States under the leadership of the Polish king Jan III Sobieski. In the decisive Battle of Vienna (1683), the 'Holy League' armies succeeded in repulsing the invading Ottoman Turks.

His statue is in the Fő street made by Győrfi Sándor.