Tag: Europe

  • How to spend the weekend in Budapest (when you’ve already done the sightseeing)

    How to spend the weekend in Budapest (when you’ve already done the sightseeing)

    You’re in Budapest and you’ve already seen the main tourist attractions or you’re not really in the mood to do so. It happens sometimes… and that’s ok! Especially in Budapest where there are plenty of ways to usefully spend your time in ways that will not leave you feeling like a lousy traveller. So how do you still soak in some culture and history?

     

    Walk by the ‘shoes on the Danube promenade’

    In Pest, on the banks of the Danube,  there is an interesting memorial in honour of the Jewish people who were killed in Budapest during WWII. They were ordered to remove their shoes and were shot at the edge of the water so that their bodies would fall into the river and were carried away. I found this a moving piece of art, well worth a detour.

    shoes monument danube
    shoes on the danube promenade

     

    Cure yourself at the Thermal Baths

    Treat yourself to a soothing and possibly therapeutic afternoon at one of the 15 public thermal baths of Budapest. The city’s has been famous for its medicinal thermal springs since the Roman Empire (more on that here). Till this day, the inhabitants of the Budapest use these bath-complexes to heal, relax and spend some quality time with friends, family and fellow chess players.

     playing chess, budapest
    locals playing chess

    Some of the bath complexes date back to the 16th– 17th century. Pick your favourite for some R&R in the hot water pools, cold water pools, saunas… Most complexes even offer massages. I spent a snowy afternoon in the Széchenyi bath, one of the largest spa complexes in Europe. Switching from one 39C° bath to the next was quite challenging, with an outside temperature of -5°C. The contrast of the natural hot water and the freezing air made the experience truly memorable. I mean, how often does one get to bathe in the snow?! It’s good for the blood circulation, they say. Of course you can choose to bathe indoors too! 

    budapest
    warming up on a grey day

     

    Have afternoon tea at a historical Café

    There are several renowned cafés which have been around for decades. The most famous and popular ones being “Gerbaud’s” and “Ruszwurm”. Be warned, the prices are quite steep, but in return you get a slice of pastry that has been perfected over the course of 80 years or more. Order a coffee or hot chocolate if you don’t have the means to indulge in afternoon tea! Sit back, enjoy whatever you can afford and let yourself get transported to the late 19th century. 

    €8 hot chocolate
    €8 hot chocolate

     

    Sunset at the Parliament

    “More beautiful from the outside than from the inside”; normally a phrase that evokes negative feelings. Not in this case though. The Hungarian Parliament may well be the most photographed building of Budapest. Its architectural beauty is best admired from across the river. Bring drinks/snacks and marvel at this architectural beauty as it changes hues with the setting of the sun. Be warned, you’ll be sitting near a busy motorway, so don’t expect peace and quiet.

    budapest parilament
    sunset on the parilament
    dusk on the parliament budapest
    dusk on the parliament

     

    Shop for paprikas and souvenirs at the Central Market Hall

    As a huge fan of markets, I had a wonderful time snooping around the central market of Budapest. There is nothing like getting lost in the numerous aisles of produce, cured meats, cheeses, spices, pastry, and endless supplies of paprika. It’s a great way to taste and learn about traditional Hungarian cuisine at its freshest. On the second level, you can browse through hundreds of crafts and tacky souvenirs.

    central market hall, budapest
    central market hall
    budapest
    table deco
    meats market budpest
    meats

     

    Have a couple of drinks at one of the many ruin bars

    A ruin bar or a kert is a temporary bar set up in a deserted building or factory. Sort of an underground pop-up bar, if you will. Some last only through the summer while others stay in business for several years. They are equipped with an eclectic mix of rejected and recycled furniture, works of local artists, graffiti… They have a certain edginess which makes them so popular with locals and tourists alike. Some of the bars serve cheap pizza during a couple of hours a night, others offer carrots with your drinks… “Why not eat a healthy snack with your beer”, the waitress said. TOUCHÉ!

     “Szimpla kert” is one of the most famous and well renowned kerts. Up to date information on all the kerts in Budapest can be found here

    healthy beer snack
     szimpla kerts
    one of the rooms at szimpla
     Szimpla kertz, budapest
    drinks in a bathtub

     

    Pizza at Marxim

    Ever wonder what it was like to be a part of ‘the resistance’ during communist times? Ever wanted to feel that underground vibe? Well, you can! Marxim is a pizza restaurant/bar on the Buda side of town where you can -more or less- relive those days. How about a “pizza à la Stalingradsokje” or a “Red October pizza”? Why not even try a “Papa Marx’ favourite”? The décor is entirely communist themed and with a little bit of imagination; you’d think you were tele-transported back in time. Although, I doubt they had pizza back then.

    booths separated by chicken gauze
    booths separated by chicken gauze and barbed wire
    making revolution plans
    making revolution plans

     

    Hang out at Fisherman’s Bastion

    Yes, this is part of the classic attractions in Budapest, but it’s such a beautiful and fun place, it deserves a hangout visit! Ideal for a romantic rendez-vous, playing hide and seek, a photo shoot or a walk around the oh-so-quaint neighbourhood. Bring a scarf, hat and gloves on cold days, the wind up there is brutal. 

    view from my hiding spot
    view from my hiding spot
    romance, fisherman's bastion, Budapest
    romance at fisherman’s bastion

     

    Spa-rty at one of the oldest thermal baths

    If you’re into the party scene, this will probably be a highlight for you. Cinetrip organises audio-visual parties in unique locations i.e the thermal baths. Party in a 200year-old turkish bath surrounded by lasers, smoke and international dj’s… It’s no surprise these parties are rapidly gaining popularity. Not my cup of tea (anymore?), but not to be missed for those of you who want to give aqua-twerking a go!

    sparty time
    sparty time

     

    Discover the Hungarian cuisine and wines

    While it’s not an internationally renowned cuisine, hungarian staples are quite tasty. I was surprised at their ability to turn something as simple as fried mushrooms with rice into a scrumptious dish. The food is very flavourful and hearty; weight loss is not a probability here. Spend some time looking for restaurants serving authentic dishes or take on of the widely available cooking class. Try goulash soup, chicken paprika and stuffed savoury crêpes. The sweet pastries are divine and much cheaper than in France. I found the cherry strudel to be particularly tasty.

    caviar tartines, goulash soup, pastry galore, mushrooms and rice
    caviar tartines, goulash soup, pastry galore, mushrooms and rice
    cherry strudel
    cherry strudel

    Have you been to Budapest? Have you done any of these activities while there?

    The post “How to spend the weekend in Budapest (when you’ve already done the sightseeing)” first appeared on Travel Cake.

  • How to spend a €50 weekend in Copenhagen

    How to spend a €50 weekend in Copenhagen

    I had been dreaming of going to Copehagen for such a long time, it was almost becoming an obsession. However, as we all know, Scandinavia can get quite pricey for us, outsiders. I had some time to spare but no cash to spend. Yet it had become an urge I just couldn’t resist any longer.  So I talked to one of my most adventurous and spontaneous friends, K. We put our creative minds together and came up with an idea: Let’s have a fab long weekend in Copenhagen spending only €50.  

    Challenge accepted!  

    We managed to do a 4 day getaway from Belgium to Denmark spending no more than €50 each, all costs included. The good time was an added bonus. Here’s our methode…  

    How to spend a fabulous weekend in Copenhagen armed with only  €50 and a smile

    # 1 Hitchhike

    Neither of us had done it before so we were a little nervous at first. Would we manage to get rides? – I mean after all, we are two little brown girls… What if a creepy looking person stops to pick you up… How do you refuse the ride? “sorry, you look like a rapist, I respectfully refuse your help”… Luckily, we’ve never had to deal with either situation and we quickly realised that when two girls hitchhike, they always catch a ride. The waiting time was so ridiculously short with an average wait of  1-3 minutes!

    HITCHHIKE
    hitch hike

    # 2 Bring along leftovers from your pantry

    To reduce costs we brought along some leftovers found in our pantries: a pack of waffles, a couple of dried sausages, 1bag of pasta, 1 bottle of wine, 1 can of Frankfurters, 1 bag of soft sandwiches and couple of tea bags. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or snacks.

    BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS
    breakfast of champions

    # 3 Get a ride from Suriname students that offers you a free McDonalds lunch

    Some of the people that picked us up were so generous. Going out of their way for us, sharing their food, giving us useful things they had lying in their cars like bottles of booze and an umbrella… Others had interesting stories to tell, like the CEO who traveled around the globe and was bored of the classy 5-star hotels or the polish millionaire that had a semi-dodgy car businesses. The 65 year old truck driver who was madly in love with his wife of 40-something years or the three Suriname students who thought we were insane for hitchhiking and ended up buying us a meal at McDonalds. Each and every one of the drivers asked us the same question: “Isn’t this dangerous?”  to which we would reply: “that will depend on you…”

    PEOPLE ON THE WAY
    people on the way

    # 4 Use cardboard from in the trash to make your signs

    MAKING SIGNS AS WE GO
    making signs as we go

    # 5 Use your puppy eyes to catch that ride

    PLEASE
    PLEASE

    #6 To avoid rides from scary, dangerous men, always put on your “street face”.

    'SUP...
    ‘SUP…

    # 7 Pyjama party at a local friend’s place

    Once in Copenhagen  we were welcomed into the home of a friend I had met two summers earlier. At that time she spent a week at my place so she was happy to return the favour and let us crash on her floor for a couple of nights. She was so kind to spoil us with a nice dinner when we arrived and a delicious breakfast in the morning. If you don’t have a local friend I suggest looking for a host/friend on Couchsurfing, hospitality club or BeWelcome.

    BREAKFAST WITH SOFIE
    breakfast with Sofie

    # 8 Get your hands on a free city bike to cruise around the city

    The free city bicycles of Copenhagen are so popular that they are not very easy to find, but if you look carefully enough you’ll be able to pick one up and leave it behind at one of the many bicycle stations around the city. No complicated ‘credit card registration-type’ arrangements here, you just slip a 20Kr coin into the slot and it unlocks your bicycle. Your coin is returned to you as soon as you park your bike in the foreseen slot. EASY!

    FREE BICYCLE
    free bicycle

    # 9 explore the city by foot

    Walking around town is always free. There are so much interesting architecture around the city that you don’t necessarily need to go inside any museums and palaces to soak in some of the culture and architectural beauty.

    AROUND TOWN
    around town

    # 10 Ignore the morning flea markets

    We started browsing saying “we’re not going to buy anything!!”. Guess how that ended… But if you really can’t help yourself… You can really get a good deal at these markets. Bangkok prices! Alternatively do some window shopping.

    FLEA MARKET
    flea market

    # 11 Visit free art expositions

    ART EXPO
    art expo

    # 12 Stumble upon a free (coffee) festival

    There is so much going on in the city during the summer time, that you are bound to find some kind of (free) gathering. This mini festival had great artists performing and free coffee samples. We spent a couple of hours listening to Danish-Zanzibari hip hop drinking as many caffeine sample shots we could stomach. A perfect afternoon activity if you ask me.

    COFFEE FESTIVAL
    coffee festival

    # 13 Have dinner at ‘Morgenstedet’

    It’s an amazing vegetarian restaurant in Christiana where you can share the huge portions with your buddy. The food they serve is made from fresh and organically grown vegetables. Check out this half portion…

    HALF BURRITO
    half burrito

     

    # 14 People watch in Nyhavn

    Or anywhere else by the water. Get yourself a bottle of cheap wine from the supermarket and perhaps a bag of mixed nuts. Sit back, relax and enjoy the view and the company.

     

    NYHAVN
    NYHAVN
    CHILLAXING BY THE WATER
    chillaxing by the water

     

    And so we concluded our trip with a long hitchhiking day back to Belgium which we managed to do in one day. Although I don’t advise doing this many kilometres at once. It’s extremely exhausting; smiling to catch rides, chatting with the driver during hours, explaining who you are and what your trip is about every time you get in a car…

    LAST LEG OF THE TRIP IN A TRUCK. YES THAT'S A BED.
    last leg of the trip in a truck. Yes, that’s a bed.

    To remember: getting stuck on the road is part of the trip! Enjoy it! 

     BEING STUCK AND PLAYING AROUND
    being stuck and playing around

     

    Have you ever hitchhiked? Would you consider it?

    The post “How to spend a €50 weekend in Copenhagen” first appeared on Travel Cake. 

  • 10 Things I loved about Istanbul

    10 Things I loved about Istanbul

    There were more than 10 things I loved about Istanbul, but I’ve made a list of the most obvious and memorable reasons.

    1. The Markets and Bazaars

    Visiting markets are by default my favorite thing to do while I’m travelling. It’s where you can get a feel of what local life is all about. It’s the place you are most likely to be overwhelmed with curious smells, a mix of colours,foreign sounds, unfamiliar tastes, big smiles, sharp selling techniques… I hardly ever head to the market to shop, but to more to experience a new city. The markets and bazaars in Istanbul were no different. Although I did end up buying some local delights after sampling some tea’s, sweets, honey, cheeses and herbs.

     

    FISH MARKET
    fish market
    LAMPS AT THE BAZAR
    lamps at the bazar
    SPICE BAZAR
    the Grand Bazar
    SPICE BAZAR
    Spice Bazar

     

     

    2. The Street food + vendors

    The street food I found in Istanbul was nothing I’d never seen before (except the stuffed mussels, yummy!), yet there is something very appealing about getting your food off the streets. It’s always very affordable and the vendors in Istanbul seemed to have a great time selling a show along with their product. Whether it’s your grilled sardine being thrown onto your sandwich bun from 5 meters away, or it’s the sweet nothings the vendor whispers into your ear as you reach for your döner, there is nothing ordinary about ordering a portion of street food in Istanbul. Try getting a “dondurma” (chewy Turkish ice cream), you’ll certainly get a complementary show.

    KEBAB
    kebab
    GETTING A DONDURMA
    getting a dondurma

     

     

    3. The views from and around the Bosporus

    The river flowing through the city forms the backdrop for a romantic scene. Lovers, fishermen, kids playing, families on their outing, teenagers killing time… There is life around the Bosporus, that’s certain.

    ROMANCE  bosporus
    romance
    SUNSET BY THE RIVER
    sunset by the river
    VIEW FROM THE BOSPORUS
    view from the Bosporus

     

    4. The hip boutiques in Karaköy, Beyoğlu

    Even though these shops where not within my budget range, I had such a good time window shopping and browsing the “sales-racks”  hoping to find a steal. I often said to myself: “I’ll come back when I have more money!” The best shops, offering unique pieces by young designers, are off the main roads and near the Galata tower. Prices here are similar to those in western Europe.

    BOUTIQUES
    boutiques

     

     

    5. Fresh juice any time of the day

    Apple, carrot, pomegranate, raisin, orange, lemon, strawberry, melon, pineapple, peach… All the fruity flavours you can imagine, whenever you want, for a very sharp price. Hello vitamins!

     

    FRESH JUICE
    fresh juice

     

    6. The old town

    You could spend a whole week (or more) discovering this area, in fact, many tourist never make it to the other parts of town. I didn’t visit all the mosques and museums, nor did I walk all over the old town with a tour guide, so I missed out on the thousands of  historical tales and explanations on the city. However, I managed to arrive at the sites before all the other tourist did which allowed me to get a real feel of that part of town… There is such serenity and spirituality in the air. At the crack of dawn, that is…

    INSIDE THE MOSQUE
    inside the mosque
    BY THE MOSQUE
    by the mosque
    BLUE MOSQUE AT DAWN
    blue mosque at dawn

    7. The street art

    ..

    MURAL
    comic mural
    MURAL
    mural

     

    8. Shops selling the most random things

    It makes the city all the more interesting. How often do you see a shop entirely dedicated to growing and selling medicinal leeches? (you place them on your body when you’re ill and they suck out the infested blood…)

    BB GUNS
    BB guns
    OLD PERSONAL PHOTOS FOR SALE
    old personal photos for sale

     

    9. Tea time break

    I think I probably had a tea break every hour, two hours max. Just sitting along the road side or a terrace in the shade with a glass of hot tea and a book, watching people get on with their lives. Just wonderful!

    TEA ON A TERRACE
    tea on a terrace
    TEA AND CIGARETTES
    tea and cigarettes

    10. The surprises

    I was often surprised in Istanbul. Small surprises and bigger ones. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but these are just some of  the unexpected elements . Visit Istanbul to discover which surprises the city has in store for you.

    STREET PERFORMANCE
    heart warming street performance
    MOVIE SCENE
    movie scene
    CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN
    catholic church in the middle of town

     

    Have you ever been to Istanbul? What was your favourite thing?

     The post “10 Things I loved about Istanbul” first appeared on Travel Cake.