The run from Vienna to Budapest was a short one and the weather deteriorated further with each
kilometre. With the rain pelting against the window as we entered Budapest just after lunch, my sandals and shorts seemed somewhat inappropriate. The hostel here was less well equipped than the previous ones we had enjoyed (no wifi or bar!) but we were only 4 to a room and the showers were hot and powerful. I grabbed a bed under a window for fresh air, changed my clothes and dug out my bikini and a towel. A group of us were off to a spa recommended by my friend Agi, a local.
Buying a metro ticket proved a real challenge. As we gathered round the machine, pressing buttons, reading Hungarian, pressing more buttons, feeding notes into it, catching them as it spat them back at us, pressing more buttons, feeding notes a different way, catching them as it spat them back out, pressing more buttons , etc.(well, you get the picture!), a ticket inspector and his colleague looked on, amused, and at least 10 trains pulled up and went on without us. Finally we pressed the button that said 'English', the ticket inspector exchanged some of our notes for ones that worked and we were on our way. The stations and the trains were vintage and reminded me of the old Glasgow underground I used to take as a child.
Now, whatever the word 'spa' might have conjured up in my mind, I was totally unprepared for what greeted us as we exited the metro station and climbed the steps of what appeared to be a Victorian style building. Despite the grey overcast day (it had almost stopped raining by then), we looked through a small window onto an expansive courtyard filled with 3 enormous pools. Hordes of people of all shapes and sizes were in the pools. It felt like we were in Buckingham Palace and they'd taken out the furniture and put swimming pools in all the rooms and the courtyard too!
Joining the queue to get in, we tried to work out what we needed to buy from the extensive price list placed above the kiosk window, which was, strangely, at crotch level. Down on our knees, and, after much discussion with the clerk, it finally be came clear we only had to pay the entry and everything else was payable inside. Even more challenging, were the logistics of changing rooms, lockers, towel hire and massage booking. As we wandered round trying to work it all out, we exchanged potential solutions with other foreigners, equally bemused as us. Finally we were in! OMG. It was AMAZING.
We went from pool to pool to pool to pool, etc, and each one was different, warmer, cooler, hotter.
About, 20 pools later, we finally discovered the 'fun' pool outside at the far end. In the centrefuge , old and young mixed as the water propelled you round and spat you out. Suddenly the pressure dipped in the centrefuge and the battle was on to get a water jet to stand over. As locals in the know hogged them, Janet was finally successful in gaining one. As she enjoyed the water sensation she called over to Amanda, who was a bit further away 'I'll just stand here until you come'. There was nothing more to say as the locals looked on, confused.
At last, the time had come for our prebooked 20 min massage. I was looking forward to a gentle rub down with aromatic oils. As my lovely , but dainty, masseuse, Maria, asked me to undress, she told me ' You need sport massage. I have strong arms. Iron fist.' My giggles turned to cries of pain for the remaining 30 mins (yes, I got 30mins for the price of 20!). I still bear the trauma of being pummelled to oblivion but would thoroughly recommend it.
That evening, everyone had signed up for Agi's dinner recommendation for 'cheap and typical' at Dunacorso, overlooking the Danube. The food was fantastic and atmosphere great as the music played and we all enjoyed it, with many threatening to return the following day, it was so good.
kilometre. With the rain pelting against the window as we entered Budapest just after lunch, my sandals and shorts seemed somewhat inappropriate. The hostel here was less well equipped than the previous ones we had enjoyed (no wifi or bar!) but we were only 4 to a room and the showers were hot and powerful. I grabbed a bed under a window for fresh air, changed my clothes and dug out my bikini and a towel. A group of us were off to a spa recommended by my friend Agi, a local.
Buying a metro ticket proved a real challenge. As we gathered round the machine, pressing buttons, reading Hungarian, pressing more buttons, feeding notes into it, catching them as it spat them back at us, pressing more buttons, feeding notes a different way, catching them as it spat them back out, pressing more buttons , etc.(well, you get the picture!), a ticket inspector and his colleague looked on, amused, and at least 10 trains pulled up and went on without us. Finally we pressed the button that said 'English', the ticket inspector exchanged some of our notes for ones that worked and we were on our way. The stations and the trains were vintage and reminded me of the old Glasgow underground I used to take as a child.
Now, whatever the word 'spa' might have conjured up in my mind, I was totally unprepared for what greeted us as we exited the metro station and climbed the steps of what appeared to be a Victorian style building. Despite the grey overcast day (it had almost stopped raining by then), we looked through a small window onto an expansive courtyard filled with 3 enormous pools. Hordes of people of all shapes and sizes were in the pools. It felt like we were in Buckingham Palace and they'd taken out the furniture and put swimming pools in all the rooms and the courtyard too!
Joining the queue to get in, we tried to work out what we needed to buy from the extensive price list placed above the kiosk window, which was, strangely, at crotch level. Down on our knees, and, after much discussion with the clerk, it finally be came clear we only had to pay the entry and everything else was payable inside. Even more challenging, were the logistics of changing rooms, lockers, towel hire and massage booking. As we wandered round trying to work it all out, we exchanged potential solutions with other foreigners, equally bemused as us. Finally we were in! OMG. It was AMAZING.
We went from pool to pool to pool to pool, etc, and each one was different, warmer, cooler, hotter.
About, 20 pools later, we finally discovered the 'fun' pool outside at the far end. In the centrefuge , old and young mixed as the water propelled you round and spat you out. Suddenly the pressure dipped in the centrefuge and the battle was on to get a water jet to stand over. As locals in the know hogged them, Janet was finally successful in gaining one. As she enjoyed the water sensation she called over to Amanda, who was a bit further away 'I'll just stand here until you come'. There was nothing more to say as the locals looked on, confused.
At last, the time had come for our prebooked 20 min massage. I was looking forward to a gentle rub down with aromatic oils. As my lovely , but dainty, masseuse, Maria, asked me to undress, she told me ' You need sport massage. I have strong arms. Iron fist.' My giggles turned to cries of pain for the remaining 30 mins (yes, I got 30mins for the price of 20!). I still bear the trauma of being pummelled to oblivion but would thoroughly recommend it.
That evening, everyone had signed up for Agi's dinner recommendation for 'cheap and typical' at Dunacorso, overlooking the Danube. The food was fantastic and atmosphere great as the music played and we all enjoyed it, with many threatening to return the following day, it was so good.
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