Photoreport on Budapest Critical Mass, 2009

Critical Mass Budapest is a mass demonstration aimed at bringing the public’s attention to the crisis caused by motor vehicles, e.g. traffic jams and environmental pollution. It promotes the bicycle as a healthy, fast, cheap and environmentally friendly alternative mode of transport. The organisers of this event would like to encourage the local population to use their bicycles for transportation whenever possible, and not just for recreation or sports. www.criticalmass.hu

Budapest Beyond Sightseeing

We longed for a sightseeing tour that is unique in Budapest. If you had been traveling around the different european cities, you know enough by now what is considered 'touristy'. Everyone knows that a sightseeing tour is possible by walking and setting up routes based on your own personal preferences. However, there are those who wants a truly unique sightseeing experience that is beyond your expectations, beyond places that are touristic which usually a city has to offer. This one that we went on was indeed very exquisite I must say. We started it all with our meeting with an ingenious guide, Gyuri Baglyas from Budapest Beyond Sightseeing at the steps of National Museum.

One can tell Gyuri has taken a lot of effort in the details, starting with an original introductory story about P. Negro, an Italian candy investor. With little gadgets to spark off the sights highlighted, Gyuri tells the historical facts of the hidden gems til how it is as of today. Fellow Hungarians who lives in Budapest, gets to compare with laminated images brought along and you are led into a little exploration game on the go. These little touches and gestures make you feel that it is a tour with a difference that gave us a real experience. With his map that was ''drawn'' on the gravel parks' ground, it sets you into anticipation of that next three hours.

A focal point of the Hungarian history and culture, it was where both the 1848 Freedom Fight and the 1956 Revolution started - the District VIII. It was the center of culture and art in the 18th to 19th centuries. Through the hidden gates to the beauty within was a correction to the belief that this district is a slum, a place largely populated by the gypsy or roma residents and seemed a totally dangerous district to roam into. Much of a surprise, this district has attracted a significant number of Chinese and other foreign minorities' immigrants.

The highlights of this guided tour, was the visit to the home of a Roma musician and his wife. We could freely explore any curious questions we might have about the Roma culture. Gyuri was so kind to have made a real-time translation of Kis Kalmanne' speech as she was speaking. This part of the tour did really touched us, certainly it has taught us and left us a feeling of genuine closeness which we can establish if only we are more open to the other cultures out there.

   
About Budapest Beyond Sightseeing

Budapest Beyond has been around for the past four years. The team extends a cultural and social exchange, a service where you can experience and get a deeper understanding about the 8th District called Józsefváros. The prejudice received by this district has been a negative one. And basically, Gyuri Baglyas and Manó Domján provide the adequate knowledge to erode these prejudices with a guaranteed accuracy using their personal research and their knowledge of the facts about its history. For these, the local government has awarded them a Local Prize in 2010 while in 2009, they were awarded with 'Good Practice' - European Year of Creativity and Innovation.




http://www.beyondbudapest.hu
Email: beyondbudapest@gmail.com
Phone: +36-20-332-5489

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Wedding gifts
funny pictures

Easter in Hungary

Easter in Hungary is observed in accordance with the rituals of the Eastern Orthodox Church. On Holy Saturday, worshippers congregate in the church for midnight resurrection ceremonies. After the church service people carry a statue of Christ and religious banners in a procession through the parish, singing appropriate hymns.

The Hungarians call Lent the Great Fast (nagyböjt). Since meat is forbidden during Lent, the day before Ash Wednesday is called húshagyó kedd, meaning meat abandoning Tuesday. On Holy Saturday or Nagyszombat, people take food baskets filled with kalács, red eggs and salt to the church to be blessed by the clergy. The blessed food is eaten after the resurrection ceremonies.


3137 - handmade Easter eggs, originally uploaded by CsabX.

On Easter Monday, also known as Water Plunge Monday, boys sprinkle girls with perfume or perfumed water. While once young men used to pour buckets of water over young women's heads, today they spray perfume or cologne or just plain water, and then ask for a kiss and a red egg.


(photo: gdraskoy)

unique destination favors

Public transportation in Budapest

Though local people in Budapest always complain about public transportation we think that in the downtown the network is quite good. During the hot summer of 2007 became clear that we need air-condition on the vehicles (usually there is no air-condition) and the suburb's network is critical but as a tourist you can rely on public transportation in the downtown of Budapest.

I have found this remark on the website of the U.S. Embassy of Hungary:

Local Public Transportation

Public transportation in Budapest is excellent. Budapest and its environs are well serviced by a network of buses, trams, trolleys, and subway lines. Ticketing is on the honor system; however, Metro police make routine ticket checks and will issue on-the-spot cash violations for failure to present a correctly punched, valid ticket or metro pass. Monthly and yearly passes are available at major metro stations and can be used for all forms of public transportation.

Taxis are readily available 24 hours a day and, despite some documented taxi scams, are reasonably priced. Fares vary depending on the company and the time of day. A highly dependable Minibus service operates to and from Budapest’s Ferihegy Airport; its set fare is considerably less than a taxi.

Ticketing

Single ticket

The basic ticket for using public transportation in Budapest is the single ticket:

This image of the ticket shows an older price. The recent (as of 2011) is 320 HUF (Hungarian Forint). You may click on the link to BKV where you can see the actual fares:






Tickets are valid on the entire length of bus, tram, trolley bus lines, metro lines, the Millennium Underground, the cogwheel railway for one trip, but are only valid on suburban railway (HÉV) lines within the administrative boundary of Budapest.

This single ticket is universal but you can find several other tickets and cards which may be interesting for you if you wanna make your trips within the city cheaper:
['MINTA' means Sample]


Single ticket


Seven-day travel-card




Weekend tickets for family



One-day travel card




Vehicles:

Metro (subway)

There are three metro lines in Budapest. The 4th is under construction (the estimated time of opening this 4th line is 2010).

The Map of the Metro lines.

As you can see, the three lines have one meeting point only at the Deák tér (Deák square) which is right in the downtown. When it comes to public transportation you can say that the Deák Square is a central point.

M1

The M1 line was the second underground in Europe (the 1st was in London) which has started its operation in 1896. The more than 110 years old line was in 1995 totally reconstructed and looks very pretty. It is worth to visit it, even as an attraction not only as transport purposes.

Millenniumi Földalatti: Vörösmarty utca, originally uploaded by Hans & Lisette.

When you approach the M1 line, search for this sign and the stairs that leads you underground:

Metro Station Entrance, originally uploaded by L e n o r a.

For the longest time I thought "Földalatti" was the name of a station, but it actually denotes the Millenium Line subway. The name of the station is in small letters above the word "Földalatti." This one is at Vörösmarty Square, just outside the famed Cafe Gerbeaud. (remark by Lenora)

M2 and M3

The plans for the two further metro lines were made as early as in 1895, defining the main directions of north-south and east-west. The first plans for the present-day two lines were made in 1942, and the Council of Ministers' decree enacted its building in 1950. Metro 2 was originally planned to connect two major railway stations, Keleti (Eastern) and Déli (Southern) pályaudvar. They wanted to complete it by 1955, but construction was ceased for financial and political reasons from 1954 till 1963. It was finally opened with seven stations on April 4 in 1970. (wikipedia)

Oh yes, things are moving fast in Budapest:) We are waiting for the opening of the M4 line in 2010. I hope they wont mix up the numbers to 2100:)

Budapest train, originally uploaded by argenteea.

Tramway

There are several tramways in Budapest. The most interesting for a traveller is the Tramway No 2, since it goes along the Danube providing a great view to the Budapest panorama. When it comes to public transportation, the tramway provides a bigger advantage than buses. Since it has a separated rail tramway, it is not affected by traffic jams which belongs to the everyday of Budapest.

A tramway on a Budapest bridge, originally uploaded by jerome.bailly.

Other important tramways are the No 4-6. These are actually two separated lines No 4. and No 6, but since their route is almost the same (at least in the downtown it is) everyone call them Tramway No 4-6. Since 2006, the newest Siemens Combino trams move on this line.

Race, originally uploaded by zsoolt.

Bus, trolley

The original Hungarian bus is the Ikarus.

Long IKARUS 435 Bus in Budapest / Hungary, originally uploaded by temp13rec..

Mostly you can find this brand in Budapest or lately they have bought some Volvo buses for public transportation. The bus in Budapest is always BLUE and the trolley is RED. To find the stop always search for this board (the photo shows a trolley stop. For buses and trams, the symbol is different in the same frame)

Trolley bus stop table in Budapest Zugló (End of line 80), originally uploaded by temp13rec..

Interesting story about the trolleys in Budapest that all of them have the number 70+. 70, 72, 78, 76, 73...these are the lines I suddenly remember. They got these numbers because when they were introduced in Budapest Stalin was 70 years old :)

Zách utca trolleybus parking in Budapest, originally uploaded by temp13rec..

Zách utca trolleybus parking in Budapest

HÉV

HÉV (Helyi Érdekű Vasút) is the suburban railway. On some photos which visitors posted, I often see that they call it subway or metro but its actually not. Its actually easy to recognize: The HÉV is always green. Not a modern vehicle, actually I do not like to use it, but can be practical between Budapest and the surrounding towns.

HÉV 940 M. X/A (from the former GDR) on the Csömör line/ Budapest - Hungary, originally uploaded by temp13rec..

The most important to know about HÉV is that the tickets or cards you use for the Budapest public transportation are valid only until the border of Budapest. When you use HÉV to go out of Budapest (for example to Szentendre) you have to buy additional tickets at the station. If there is no ticket kiosk in vicinity, you can buy the additional tickets from the controller on the train.

Our advices about public transportation:
We really recommend the usage of the public transportation in Budapest. In the downtown, its more comfortable than fighting with the traffic jams or parking places by a car. Public transportation helps you to connect with local people, while sitting in a taxi is always almost like watching the whole city from a TV :). The network in the downtown is quite good, and some lines provides transport services at night.

Ok it has disadvantages, too:
- usually no air-condition,
- the staff of the public transportation company hardly speaks English,
- old vehicles (i am not sure if its a disadvantage, for example I love the old tramways 47 or 19)
- controllers can be troublesome

HÉV in Budapest | Lágymányosi Bridge station

[[zannnielim]]

In this photo is the Lágymányosi Bridge station on the Csepel HÉV line. The HÉV connects Csepel (south), Ráckeve (far south), Gödöllő (northeast), and Szentendre (north) with various points of central Budapest. The four HÉV lines are not connected directly, each originating from a different terminus, but their railway are still connected to the MÁV lines. The HÉV is a hybrid between a commuter rail and a rapid transit. Although most of its stations are above ground and outdoor, some are underground (for example the city centre terminus at Batthyány tér).


The HÉV Rail in Budapest brings you out of Budapest and its beyond such as Szentendre.

Budapest HÉV (HÉV means Helyiérdekű Vasút, lit. "Railway of Local Interest") is a system of four commuter rail (Szentendre HÉV, Gödöllő HÉV, Csömör HÉV and Ráckeve HÉV) and rapid transit (Csepel HÉV and Békásmegyer HÉV (part of the Szentendre HÉV)) lines in and around Budapest, Hungary.

The HÉV lines were constructed as branch lines of the Hungarian State Railways. The four HÉV lines are operated by the public transport company BKV, yet are not part of the Budapest Metro. Inside Budapest, standard BKV tickets and passes are valid on the HÉV. Outside Budapest, a separate ticket must be validated.

HÉV terminus under Batthyány Square (direct transfer to M2)

The HÉV operates on standard gauge (1435 mm), and is electrified at 1000 V DC. The HÉV lines are planned to become integrated into the metro network. The Szentendre, Ráckeve and Csepel lines are slated to be merged into what is called the metro line 5 (North-South Regional rapid railway). The connection will be made by an underground line between the Kaszásdűlő and Lágymányosi bridge stations, and extended in order to reach the center of Pesterzsébet. The Urban and Suburban Transit Association (Városi és Elővárosi Közlekedési Egyesület) has presented a plan to merge line 2 with the HÉV from Gödöllő.

The city government did not totally accept the plan, but it still may be built after 2015.

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Natural Testosterone

Soho London Pub and Restaurant

Soho London is quite fancy restaurant and dancing club in the Nagymező street named after the. A real night place, the kitchen is open until 1 am.




To me its rather a restaurant and bar where you can stand up to dance any time.

Budapest VI. ker., Nagymező u. 31.

Tel.: +36 1 354-1096
+36 20 364-6940
Fax: +36 1 354-1097

Opening hours:
Pub (restaurant): m-sa 11⁰⁰ - 23⁰⁰
Dancing club: thur- sa 22⁰⁰ - 05⁰⁰

Fun Fair (Vidámpark) Budapest

The Budapest fun fair is like 150 years old but it has got its recent name and structure in 1950.



Its not a huge modern carnival, I would rather say, it still has the athmosphere of the ancient times with the reconstucted "vurstli" and most of the attractions refers to the mood of the 50's, 60's, 70's to me.

The rollercoster with its old wooden structure is already unique I guess all over the world.



However you can find some new thrilling rides also, the Budapest fun fair is not a high-tech fun but a cute place for an afternoon in the middle of the city not far from the Heroes' Square, Budapest Zoo and Széchenyi Bath.

Address and contacts:

Address: 1146 Budapest, Állatkerti krt. 14-16.
Photo: (1) 363-8310
E-mail: vidampark@vidampark.hu

KOGART The home of art and gastronomy

About the founder

Gábor Kovács spent his childhood in Kakasszék, then after finishing grammar school in Orosháza he studied in the Moscow State Institute for International Relations. His first workplace was in the Department of Currency Management in the Hungarian State Bank, but he soon continued his work at a Budapest subsidiary of Citibank as a Managing Director and then became the deputy chairman of the London Citibank. He currently holds the position of Chief Executive at Bankár Holding, he is the founder, owner, trustee and board member of numerous large companies.

His successes in the business world have granted him the possibility to collect works of art which largely contributed to his emotional growth. His love of harmony and beauty gave birth to the thought that he should create something of exemplary value: in 2003 he founded the Kovács Gábor Art Foundation.

Gábor Kovács inherited his susceptibility towards beauty from his mother. His childhood period lingers on, his love for people and nature, a sense of space and the sensual world of the horizon have remained with him. The intellectual goals and eternal spiritual values hidden in exterior beauty have directed his conscience towards ’the person’. The importance of a healthy body and mind inspired the founding of the Telki Hospital. He created a health centre, which within the world of medicine aims to provide the best and the most - including professional attendance and nursing. With accentuating the harmony of the interior design he aimed at creating a balance and with that the creation of a more humane health care system.

KOGART, originally uploaded by zsoolt.

The basic aim of our Art Foundation is to acquaint the audience interested in fine arts with Hungarian contemporary art. Bringing the arts and the audience closer to one another, the shaping the perception of art in people’s mind, that this should form part of one’s everyday existence is what drives us. KOGART’s goal is to form a connection between the participants of culture and economy, contemporary arts and of the business world and to create a stratum of patrons emerged from private individuals and institutions.

As they say: ”The goal sanctifies the means”. They serve the cause of transmitting cultural values: the Event House, the Restaurant and the Friends of KOGART. Just like in the field of fine arts, we would like to be that rare source of joy which our guests can appreciate in the spheres of event-organising and gastronomy, and within our circle of friends give space to those who uphold the same spiritual values as we do. (source)

Address

112. Andrássy út, Budapest 1062, Hungary


Approachable:


• On foot: 5 minutes from Hősök tere (Heroes Square), 15 minutes from Oktogon
• By the Millenium underground (yellow line): get off at ’Bajza utca’ station and walk towards Hősök tere (Heroes Square) on the left side of the avenue until the corner of Andrássy út - Munkácsy utca
• By car: you may come from the direction of Podmaniczky utca – Munkácsy utca or from Hősök tere (Heroes Square) on the service road of the Andrássy út. (Unless you find a place for your car on the service road, parking in the neighbouring streets costs 120 HUF/hour during the weekdays)

Chain Bridge

Széchenyi lánchíd or Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest, and was opened in 1849.

Its two ends are:

* Roosevelt Square (with the Gresham Palace and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), and
* Adam Clark Square (the Zero Kilometer Stone and the lower end of the Castle Hill Funicular, leading to Buda Castle).

The bridge is named after István Széchenyi, a major supporter of its construction. At the time of its construction, it counted as a wonder of the world. It had an enormous significance in the country's economics and life. Its decorations made of cast iron, and its construction, radiating calm dignity and balance, raised it among the most beautiful industrial monuments in Europe. It became a symbol of advancement, national awakening, and the linkage between East and West.

The bridge was designed by the English engineer William Tierney Clark in 1839, after Count István Széchenyi's initiative in the same year, with construction supervised locally by Scottish engineer Adam Clark (no relation). It is a larger scale version of William Tierney Clark's earlier Marlow Bridge, across the River Thames in Marlow, England.

The bridge was opened in 1849, and thus became the first permanent bridge in the Hungarian capital. At the time, its center span of 202 m was one of the largest in the world. The pairs of lions at each of the abutments were added in 1852. The bridge was given its current name in 1898.

The bridge's cast iron structure was totally updated and strengthened in 1914. In World War II, the bridge was damaged and needed to be rebuilt. The rebuilding was completed in 1949.

Among the mythical anecdotes relating to the bridge, the most popular is that the lions were sculpted without tongues and the sculptor was mocked so much that he jumped into the Danube in shame. The lions do have tongues (although they are not visible from below, which is the usual point of view, as the lions are lying on a stone block some three meters high). The sculptor lived into the 1890s, and the only message he sent to mocking people was "Your wife should have a tongue just as my lions have, and woe will be unto you!" He jumped into the Danube when a little boy asked him about it.[citation needed]

In 2001, Hungarian stunt pilot Péter Besenyei flew upside down under the bridge, a maneuver that became a standard in Red Bull air races today.

The bridge is featured in the 2002 movie I Spy.

In 2008, British crime writer Mark Van Spall (author of Heirless Descent and Prisoners of Hate) proposed to his girlfriend at the centre of the bridge on the stroke of midnight.

(photos: Zsoolt info: wikipedia)
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Budapest guide, Budapest bridges, Széchenyi chain bridge, chain bridge, lánchíd


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