Welcome to the A-Z Guidebook Link Up. If you would like to join, read the A-Z Guidebook tab at the top of the blog and write a travel post relating to the letter of the month.
*We’re settling in nicely to the A-Z rhythm now and amazingly, are up to our 8th letter. Thanks for your continued participation and make sure you tell your friends. Are you following @AZGuidebook on Instagram? Please do. This month:
H or Holiday
Sometimes when I’m thinking about an A-Z post, I can immediately think of a photo, event or place relating to the letter. There other instances where I find it almost impossible to select an image as I have so many to choose from. At times, I start flicking through photos to decide upon my theme and after completely losing track of time, still come up empty handed. There are times when an image is instantly recognisable as representing a location but at other times, a more detailed explanation is required. This photo was taken outside Központi Vásárcsarnok, the Central Market Hall in Budapest. It’s not necessarily reflective of the city or country but it does reflect the importance of tourism to the economy.
Sometimes people visit Hungary for the history. Other times to re-trace their family roots. There are those who want to take in the culture of the Magyar people and then there are those who are simply looking for a trinket to remind them of their embarkation point on the Danube. I’ll leave it to you to judge which category this photo falls into.
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this is one country we have never been to and so far it is not on our list! Thanks for sharing 🙂
We really enjoyed our visit and actually stayed a week in an apartment in Budapest so had plenty of time to visit local haunts. We were staying out of the main tourist area. I would definitely go back as there was so much to see (and eat) but given the Communist era, it is amazing how quick they have fast forwarded into the world of consumerism.
Christmas is perfect time to visit Budapest. Don’t miss the Christmas market in city center and try Hungarian spicy food and Chimney cake (Kurtos kalacs). Everything is cheap from accommodation to food and drink. This is my Christmas experience in short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ax2_ev4ybY
I love chimney cake! Thanks for sharing your video, it very good. cheers
🙂
And my ‘H” would probably be Hungary too. I loved that market and still have my little paprika pot (unfortunately with a chipped end on the pepper). Happy memories of a wonderful time in Budapest with you. Your very spacious apartment in that somewhat neglected building; our search for the Australian embassy/consul so you and Anthony could vote; lunch with the locals and then the quest for the ‘disgraced’ statues
Yes, I was thinking about the voting only the other day.
Hi Fiona, Happy New Year! The first thing that caught my eye was the strung Hungarian Dried Hot Peppers in that photo, thanks for sharing and I’d love to hear and see more. 🙂
We had a fantastic time in Budapest. A week was not enough. There is so much to see and as we did have a week, we got to visit places such as the huge thermal baths that all the locals rather than tourists visit.
Our list is long of places we want to see and I just added Budapest to it the other day. Maybe we’ll get there! It is sad when we go to places and the little souvenir shops have taken over but they do produce additional income for an area. Lately my favorite reminder of a place we visit is to buy a postcard. Takes up no room at all in the suitcase! Thanks for sharing. Love the photo!
I thoroughly recommend Budapest. Lots of memories of lots of interest activities and sites. The Terror Museum is another must visit – harrowing but a reminder for all that we must all be advocates for peace and understanding. Lots of great food too!
oh i love your photo fiona. we had a wonderful time in Hungary! such a beautiful and interesting country. and things were really cheap when we went. i loved the strings of drying peppers hanging from the balconies of the flats. one odd day we had a young boy come up to us and offer us some weird animal (we think). Lord knows what we were supposed to do with it!
Ha ha! I wonder what it was Sherry. We crammed so much in our week and just reading your comment reminds me about buying a communist era small metal box covered with serious looking soldiers, painted a drab green. I got it in a 2nd hand shop. They no doubt thought I was odd but I love it and it sits proudly on our coffee table storing small bits and pieces.
I only spent a day in Budapest back in the spring of 94. Would definitely love to get back there again and explore more.
Wow Gretchen – things would be different then. Only 5 years after the wall came down. We were in Berlin in 1994 and revisited in 2010 – what a difference! I imagine you would see the same if you re-visited Budapest.
Great photo. It’s part of the pleasures of travel to see the souvenirs and trinkets on sale. For me, the more kitsch the better. Here, taste is added to the memory. Paprika?
Yes, I’m a lover of kitsch too. I don’t really buy souvenirs anymore but do have a rule that if I’m in an op shop and see a really tacky souvenir of a place I’ve visited, I will allow myself to buy it if I want. I know that most of the paprika in those stalls has been sitting there for years and years and must taste like dust!
One of my favourite cities, Fiona… so very beautiful, and, of course, with links back to my family history. We’re in the throes of planning our next visit. A month this time. Lovely photo xxx
I thought of you when I wrote this post. I loved it. So many wonderful museums and sights. We stayed in an old apartment on the edge of the ring, for a week and loved living amongst the local community. I bet you can’t wait for your next trip!
Hi Fiona, I love Budapest and your A-Z idea! Think I’ll try and join in even if the new year has already started. 🙂
I found your site through the Aussie Bloggers FB group. I haven’t been very active since I’ve only been living in Oz since June. You’ve got a new follower in Melbourne. Cheers!
Hello Joy – I hope you received my email. We so look forward to welcoming a new member to the group.