Travel Secrets ஒரு சுற்றுலா பயண இதழ். எல்லா விமானங்களிலும், ஹோட்டல்களிலும் இருக்கும். பெரிய புத்தக கடைகளிலும் கிடைக்கும்.
JG எழுதிய ஒரு கட்டுரை இதில் வெளியாகியிருக்கிறது. தொழில் வாழ்க்கையில் நேரத்தோடு போரடிக்கொண்டிருக்கும் JG எழுத முயற்சித்து முதல் கட்டுரையே அச்சாகியிருப்பதும் சந்தோஷமாகயிருக்கிறது. (எழுதுபவர்களுக்கு புரியும்) நீங்களும் அதை படித்து ஒரு வரி எழுதுங்களேன்
பத்திரிகையை இந்த தளத்தில் படிக்கலாம்
அல்லது இங்கேயேயும் படிக்கலாம்
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Guhan Ramanan got
kissed, got quizzed about the Kama Sutra, and watched people bathe together...in
the wondrous city of Budapest.
The terse email read, “Please reach Budapest.
ASAP”.Hungary—Budapest.The connection in my mind was automatic, from my
childhood game of Countries and Capitals. My first triangular stamp was Magyar
Posta. And I was actually going to go there. Iwondered if they still had post
offices. Prepping for the trip, I learnt that though widely debated, Hungary
has not yet adopted the Euro. Most forex dealers outside Europe do not stock Forint
(Hungarian currency) either. So,if Budpaest beckons, wait till you landto
exchange your money. On converting$ for Ft, I saw 10,000 on a single note(about
$50, then) and fleeting desi
notions of feeling rich evaporated
as I wondered what inflation in the country
felt like. Budapest is actually two cities: Buda(old city
Obuda) and Pest (new city) held together by the beautiful Danube river.
Invaded by the Romans, the Huns, the Turks, and more
recently the Soviets,this beautiful city is called the Paris of the East and is
strikingly different from usual Europe tour suspects. I landed into an office
bustling with twenty-somethings. Their advice was unanimous: pálinka (Hungarian
version of tequila made from fruits) should be consumed in large quantities. And
I should join them Saturday night at a bar,when they would teach me Hungarian.I
liked Budapest already. Rather than build a touristy checklist of items to tick
off, I decided to soak in the atmosphere and
see where the city took me. Saturday morning found me riding of Europe) to Heroes Square (Hosok Tere), the
center of many local festivals and celebrations. Seven magnificent statues of
tribal horseback chieftains stand here. The leader among them is
Arpad, who created Hungary in 9th century. A local guide
explained that the man with the snake as a whip represents War, while the
female figure in a chariot holding a palm frond represents Peace. Taking pictures, I found myself pondering the poignant
symbolisation. If you’re going there, do wander into the beautiful City
Park behind Hosok Tere, to see the VajdahunyadCastle complex.
Walking into the castle over the moat, and admiring the intricate columns on its
exterior, you will see an interesting hooded statue conversation with the seller,
I headed toward the Szechenyi Medicinal BathHouse. Built
in 1913, it is a communal(yup, they bathe together!) thermal bath with pools of
heated water and has several medicinal treatments available.I saw old and young
soaking in thesteaming waters, deep in conversation.Some even playing chess,
making it look more like a park than a bath. A dip will run you about 4200 Ft and
you can rent swimsuits there too!Deciding to come back later for a‘bath,’ I took
the metro back into the city to see the St. tephens Basilica.
A Budapest trip is considered incomplete unless you’ve admired the elaborate entrance and intricate sculptures and gone inside to be awed by the beautiful stained glass and the
sheer majesty of this structure. Don’t miss.It was coffee time, so I ambled into
a local cafe and ordered ‘rétes,’a delicious thinly layered Hungarian specialty
pastry filled with cream and apple pie (strudel), and a HungarianKava (dark,
strong espresso-like coffee). Now I was all perked up to go and seethe great Danube. To
do this, I had to walk down Budapest’s most famous street, Vaci Utca (pronounced
utsa,for street). The beautiful facades and columns on either side of the
narrow streets, jostling for space with block style housing from the Soviet era make this an enchanting
promenade.
As I walked through what seemedto be the 100th park in
udapest, Isuddenly saw her, the Danube. Dottedwith boats that are actually
restaurants that double up as museums, she flows majestically below the bridges
and unites the cities. Crossing over to Buda from Pest, on the Lanchid bridge,
I took in the concrete jungles in Pest that I had left behind and the castles that named Anonymous,
which people were taking pictures with. Wikipedia tells me that the interestingly named chap was apparently notary and chronicler to a Hungarian king in the 12th century,and signed himself ‘P.
Dictus magister’.In any case, he is now anything but anonymous, posing happily
outside a castle in a green and beautiful park in the center of the city!Hunger
struck after all my musings and wanderings. After eating a sourbreadpretzel
(stuffed with cheese, delicious!)and enjoying a broken English
Photo
tip: Pictures from bridge look better
early in the day and
late at night, when the city lights come on. Take a tripod
- Midday shots are the touristy ones!A funicular train up to the Buda Castle, I
was awestruck by the beautiful views that it accorded at 530m above the Danube.
Walking on old cobbled pathways, I went back a few hundred years to kings and
horses that must have visited.‘You must see the Citadela –the views there
are majestic – take a
bus, it’s a long walk otherwise,’ a fellow tourist said,
as he watched me gaze. Hewas right – the sweeping views of the cities and the
Danube, more magnificent statues and old artillery, and pretty
Hungarian dolls (not what you think) made it well worth
the ride.
As the shadows lengthened, I headed back to Pest to catch
a cruise
Heady with the champagne servedon the boat, I began to
wonder if Iwould ever cruise down an Indian river like this. A voice from a tinny
speaker alerted me to the breathtaking Hungarian parliament, in which every window
seemed to overlook the Danube - oliticians sure have strategic viewshere, I thought. A pretty couple from Canada read out this interesting snippet from a
guidebook: ‘The Hungarian Parliament’s spire and the St. Stephens Basiclica’s
spire are exactly the same height, symbolising that church and rulers were
equal.’Circling back from the Margaret Island, in
the middle of the Danube between Buda and Pest, we were told that it has an automated year long running track that
tracks lap timings if you wear a chip.As I walked back on the promenade,I saw shoes of all sizes laid haphazardly,all pointing to
the Danube- almost as if its owners jumped into the river – only there were no
people. It was from this point that members of the fascist Arrow Cross Party in 1944 shot dead and threw into the Danube
several Jews. Quietly reflecting, I looked up to see the Chainbridge, and
in an aha moment, realized this was where Salman Khan professed
his undying love for Aishwarya, in HumDil De Chuke Sanam. Extreme love and extreme hate, juxtaposed on a
single spot. Magical Budapest. At the crowded Szimpla Kert bar, which is the fellows quietly pointed out that they do not clink beer glasses
in Hungary –This is an important Hungarian tradition left over from the 1848
Revolution against the Austrians. Because the Austrians celebrated the defeat of
the Hungarians by toasting and clinking mugs
of beer, the Hungarians avoid this particular behavior and actually banned it.
Clinking with any other drink is acceptable, I learnt as the night progressed,
downing plum pálinka (donot miss)
No clinky stuff with beer! As we spilled from one bar to another,
and I had been kissed on both cheeks, more often than when I was
a
baby, causing me to wonder if I was getting better looking, I learnt that it is
local custom, to cheek-kiss. Watch out,men do it too. As the night progressed,
a bearded gentleman asked me ‘Where are you from?’ My tepid ‘India’ made him
look at me for a full second longer - ‘Saying you are from India is like me
saying I’m from Europe. Where in India are youfrom?”
‘Chennai,’ I blurted, surprised.“Ah, South India - the land of beautiful temples
and coastlines. You know India is actually many countries and cultures in one.
It’s what Europe would be, if it was a single country”. Dumbfounded I listened
to him describe India as a country with majestic Himalayas in north, That on
the west, beautiful hills and rivers on the East and the fertile peninsular
triangle leading to Kanyakumari on the South. Thousands of miles from home, a
Hungarian knew India as a country of countries. And all I knew was that his country’s stamp was triangular Humbling. But the night was still young. Used to the
usual questions about India--crowds, cuisines, culture, I was stunned when a pretty girl asked me, ‘Do they
teach the Kamasutra, for everyone in India?’ Maybe the shock on my face didn’t
register - she said she’d read the whole book when she was 12 (without parental approval, thankfully), and she opined it went much deeper than the obvious.
Deeper? Obvious? I gulped. “ Isn't it brilliant how ancient Indians thought
about finding God through loving?” Hemming and hawing, I groped for an answer
and learnt what “open culture” meant. As we walked through the narrow city
streets, with yellow lights and I explained what vegetarian meant, I was directed
to a small Turkish shop, with the most amazing falafel sandwich, at 2 am,
followed by a delightful baklava (think slightly sticky son papdi).
There are many of them all over Budapest and open all night, for the hungry and
palincated(!) traveler. As I walked back into my hotel, almost 24 hours after I
left it, I wondered; poignant symbols, magical views, green parks, excellent
local transport, amazing food and most of all, warm-hearted, friendly and knowledgeable
people. What more can one ask of a city?
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