Budapest in 2 days

Mission: Bonding with the new flatmates.
Decision: Take a mini trip together.
City: Budapest.
It was one of the few 'touristy' cities I hadn't yet visited so it ticked a few boxes. Cheap, fun, undiscovered, beautiful European city. Yes. We would stick our first little star in our map in the living room of our Queens Park flat. The first of many, we hoped.

The vibe: Budapest recently became a democracy after many years of a repressive communist government, or probably should call it a dictatorship. It's been twenty years now, since the fall of the communist regime in europe, but it's still fairly recent. And many cities in eastern Europe are seeing the renaissance of freedom, of expression, of speech, of creativity, all the things that they had been deprived of during those terrible years. So, there is a artistic trendiness, a cool explorative vibe, that floats, hangs in the air, and as a tourist you can sense in every corner. A rebirth. Especially in some districts. The Jewish district mainly has it all, and the experience is stronger: the refurbishment of many buildings, loads of design shops, cool bars with weird shaped lightening, low lightening, cosiness, comfortableness (the type of deco I like). All very arty styled. Mucha 'onda', as I say. The real Budapest, the 'not for tourists' city, but the one that travellers seek more, is reflected here. So by far the Jewish area is the place to be, if you are planning to visit the city.

The city: Outside from the jewish district you find the touristy, grand, city, surrounded by the Danube and amazing historical buildings that still remain breathtaking. Feels like Paris (some buildings and the wide streets), feels like London (the Parliament), but still has the greyishness of a city that lived in poverty and terror at some point. I don't know why... I just felt the eariness, and dense air. People who don't yet completely trust.

Tip: Don't visit the Terror House. A very bad translated experience made it very hard to follow the horrendous story, and I felt trapped in a very long journey with disturbing music, understanding only half of what was being told (maybe a good thing). Boring and negative.

Tip 2: If you are up for big communal pools that smell like sulfur (shit), but up for thermal water bath nonetheless, go to the Spas. The biggest one, Szechenyi, scary. Felt like "Parque Norte" in Buenos Aires. I am a firm believer that communal baths are the worst, and I'm willing to experience them only in extreme circumstances: 40C degree weather conditions, or an aching body.   I just don't understand why I convince myself that if it's thermal, it will be good for my body.  For me, it's disgusting, and I end up not relaxing at all, surrounded by fifty half naked strangers, and in this instance, not the most beautiful creatures, I have to say. But still, we had quite a laugh. We were frightened by the sight of the massive pools in Szechenyi, but as most people had dictated it was imperative to experience a bath, we ended up going to a smaller Rudas, which was a bit more private (bullshit), and a much better choice in that sense.

Bars: Go go go to Kolor, Szimpla kert - the third best bar in the world - and Spiler. I read also A38 Hajo in Buda is the number one in the world but was staying in Pest so didnt go there, and can't recommend.