Ah, the allure of the thermal baths was just too strong, so today we dropped by for round two. The most refreshing part has to be the sauna with a large basin outside containing fresh crushed ice. There's something about sitting in 90 degree heat and running a snowball over your skin that gives you quite a rush. And the plunge into a 20 degree bath afterward doesn't hurt either! Later we visited one of Budapest's renowned coffeehouses, Central Cafe. Coffeehouses...

First off, we have to give honourable mention to a local canteen where we have now had lunch on three occasions. It is a big meal hall with homemade Hungarian specialties, and for around 3 euros you can have an amazing hot meal. The kicker: not a tourist in sight! Well, maybe just two. This afternoon we checked out the Hospital in the Rock, which was built during WWII in the limestone caves of the Buda hills. The hospital was first used by the Nazis, and later b...

We set out on our second free walking tour here in Budapest, this time with a tour focused on the city's communist past. It is interesting that while Hungary was under the control of the Soviets, the regime doesn't seem to be have been as rigid as it was in other communist countries. People in Hungary enjoyed privileges such as passports for travel, which included a red one for use within the bloc and a blue one for use in countries outside of the bloc. A rather ...

Today we hit the markets to see what Hungarian food culture is all about. The Central Market is a massive indoor affair that takes place on three separate floors. Variety and quality are the words that come to mind as there was quite an impressive spread on display. Baking, pickling, charcuterie: you name it, the Hungarians do it well. Back in the streets, we picked our way around the Christmas markets that appear to be about half set-up. You can smell the marke...

Two of the most important words that you will hear in Budapest: thermal baths! Located in a park on the northeast side of the city, the Szechenyi Baths are an indulgent yet affordable slice of the essential Budapest experience. Because of unique geological conditions, there are over 120 thermal springs that provide mineral waters to the bath houses throughout the city. The great thing about Szechenyi is that the main baths are outdoors, so you can sit in 38 degre...