Budapest has just become one of my favourite cities in Europe. It is beautiful. The two most recent occupations by foreign powers have obviously had the most profound effect on the physical cityscape as it exists today. The people on the other hand have done their utmost to retain their own sense of identity. For me, the best thing we could have done (this includes a massive party in the turkish baths) and did do for that matter, was to visit the museum known as the "House of Terror". When i first heard of it the name itself conjoured an image of a wax museum or something of that nature. It is in fact a museum that demonstrates and explains how the nation has been shaped by events from the early 1900's. We often bemoan the fact that Australia is so far from other countries, cultures etc. Well this museum made me appreciate the isolation that protects Australia from the acute influences of the regimes of other nations.

Since the region was first settled back in 896 A.D it has been settled and conquered numerous times by various invading people. At the end of WWI the peace that was determined by the victorious powers saw Hungarian territory reduced by two thirds to what it is today. From the mid 1930's Hungary found itself caught between the two most territorially and culturally ambitious nations in Europe. These were Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The Hungarians managed to maintain their independence until March 19 1944 in the fifth year of the war. Nazi Germany occupied Hungary in order to take complete control of the countries material and human resources as well as to enact and enable what they termed their "final solution" to the Jewish question. Under the control of the Nazi instated "Arrow Cross Party" the deportation trains to the labour/death camps began to roll out of Hungary.

On August 27 1944 the Soviet troops crossed the border turning Hungary into a theatre of war between the two super powers. As the Soviets reached Budapest large numbers of residential and commercial buildings were destroyed including all bridges across the Danube (the river that separates the two sides known as 'Buda' and 'Pest') as the retreating Nazis tried to protect themselves as they fled. Hungary's next occupation by a foreign power was to last 47 years longer than that of the Nazis. The last Soviet soldier only left Hungary on June 19 1991. The Soviet regime in Hungary was not dissimilar to that of the Nazis. It was one of fear, spying, forced labour, deportation, imprisonment and death sentences for far too many people.

To avoid an extremely long winded history lesson i will point out that which is more noticeable today. Once the Soviets took control of the country and installed their own puppet communist government they were able to begin reconstruction of the city. For that was the efficiency of a communist government. Consequently most of the buildings around the centre of Budapest have been re built in the styles that were evident before the war including many stunning examples of neoclassical, art nouveau, baroque, gothic and neogothic architecture. The beauty of this for myself is that no significant appreciation for architecture is needed as these buildings are all in such a well maintained state that their beauty is obvious for all to see. You can even take a trip to the other side of the river to view a heap of classic examples of communist bloc chic (sarcasm). Unless you have a couple of weeks up your sleeve i probably wouldn't waste that couple of hours.

For those more interested in the aforementioned party in the turkish baths there is an event organised every saturday night run throughout the year called the "Sparty". Which baths are used changes throughout the year according to weather etc. Basically a couple of thousand people pack themselves, their mates and their drinks into the thermal baths that by day are theraputic and by night become debaucherous for a laser show and some of the best DJ's in Europe. A couple of photos from this are already up. Look for the pics with all the pink and blue lights. This also comes with a highly recommended.