A Winter Trip to Central Europe Because Why Not

Budapest statuary at night

I just completed an extremely busy stretch at work.  And that means I'm stressed out and exhausted.  So what better way to recuperate than to take a trip that's been on my list for years: heading to Germany to see the Christmas markets.  I'm not big on ethnic generalizations, but one that I am very comfortable making is this:  Nobody decorates for Christmas like the Germans.

So why am I now in Hungary?  Because.

Actually, the "because" is because I love Budapest.  It might be my favorite city I've ever visited,  And since I was in the general neighborhood, I thought I would drop in.  I'm staying at the Opera Garden.

The room is "European hotel room" small.  The bathroom and shower are so small that they are downright Parisian.

Remind me some day to again tell the story of the hotel I stayed at in Paris where the shower was so tight that I had to step outside it to soap myself down.  The neighborhood is residential, right near a main commercial arterial.

Lots of construction going on.  It's probably going to change the character of the place a bit, but those things are not for me to decide or to cast a veto.

It was a two-stop trip over here.  Las Vegas to Montreal on Air Canada Rouge, or, as I like to call it, "Spirit of Canada."  I was forced into a window seat and had to put my overstuffed backpack under my seat.  Quarters were so tight I nearly had a couple of panic attacks.  Fer realz.  The over-the-Atlantic leg to Brussels on grown-up Air Canada was much better.  (So Belgium, now officially stamped into my passport, counts as my 26th country visited.)  Then it was on to Budapest.  And a nap.

I went searching for Franz Liszt Square and a restaurant I enjoyed my trip to Budapest.

Plenty of statuary in the neighborhood.  Some of whom were of people I recognized.  From other Hungarian statuary, such as Jozsef Attila, the poet laureate of Hungary.

Like so many great poets, he died young and by his own hand.

Then I found the restaurant I was looking for.  Menza.

"Modern" Hungarian cuisine.  I had the pumpkin soup for an appetizer.

It's winter so the soup was hot.  No.  I'm not being facetious.  Hungarian cuisine is known for its cold fruit soups served in spring and summer.  My entree was a veal stew, in a paprika sauce with the obligatory dollop sour cream.  Spaetzle type noodles on the side.

A glass of Hungarian red -- Hungary is known for its awesome wines -- to wash it down.  Dessert?  Hungrian tokaji, a sweet dessert wine,

Perfect.  Here's the exterior in case you find yourself wandering Franz Liszt Ter and want to know which restaurant is Menza.

Hopefully the Hungarian wine will let me sleep well tonight and wake up at a normal time to start a day.  One thing is for sure, just being in Budapest is relaxing me already.  And I haven't even been to thermal baths yet for my soapy massage.  Tomorrow.

I don't want to end up all stiff like that guy.