Phone pics in Budapest

[Murray Leshner]

Most contain architectural elements. Maybe writing that will help me stay on topic.

A bus trip to The Citadella, one of the many mixed-message monuments in Budapest. Formerly a fortress that seemed to have been used to give an upper hand to occupiers and not Hungarians. Didn't go inside, just looked at the sculptures and views of the city.

Visited the NY Palace Cafe, a puzzlingly opulent building leaving me wonder why a 'palace' was so open, compared to those in Wien and Prague. Initially, I felt badly peasants paid for. The truth was actually possibly more disturbing and interesting at the same time. That follows the photos, because that was the sequence of my understanding.

There are some images of Erszebet Ter (Elizabeth Square, named for the 'Sisi', Empress of Austria & Queen of Hungary) because we found ourselves passing thru or by it frequently. The architecture there is largely framing and accent for people who were in our group. Maybe not great compositions, but both are intentionally accidental.

...and some images from the Ruin Bars/Ruin Pubs we visited. Mostly Szimpla Kert, but there are many others. I think the same company/investors have a similar venture in Berlin. Basically bombed buildings from WWII that were not refinanced after the war as Western cities benefited. Some deemed structurally sound enough, or rigged with supplemental bracing, became dedicated or pop-up locations for drinking, markets, art and workshop space, and performance art venues. Some have no roofing.

I didn't realize the silhouettes on a balcony were cutouts until daylight. I wondered why people were so motionless for so long watching us.

 

[Murray Leshner]

The NY Palace and NY Palace Cafe were not paid for on the backs of peasants.

They were paid for with life insurance premiums. The New York Life Insurance Company built a Budapest HQ and presented an architectural competition. I have forgotten the details of the value of the prize and what the building cost. The Palace was the offices and residence space for employees and what is now called the NY Palace Cafe was...a cafe. There was allegations that the competition wasn't fair, with many sub-complaints, so a report was generated to show how many designs were submitted and other details to show it was equitable. The project took years, from acquisition of a suitable location with high visibility, the evaluation of entries and the construction of the selected design. The winning submittal was Hungarian.

I think NYLIC bailed, as WW I encroached & it later became a State owned building. The Cafe was a popular spot for many famous writers. Eventually an Italian firm renovated it (ca. 2000?) and it's a cafe open to the public (with deep pockets). The Palace itself is a hotel. Expensive, but so shocking in comparison with other large cities.

I couldn't see the 'No Photos Please' sign where we were, until we left thru the hotel lobby after the cafe door was locked. Oops.

 

[Murray Leshner]

I never learned what the 'Unidentified Building' was. There are many nice buildings, so it doesn't matter if served an uninteresting purpose.

I have run into the 'file is too large' problem. My first guess at resizing was wrong, so trial & error, or someone might tell me :O).

I'll guess the motorbike belongs to one of the cats with pants, not the one with the hoop skirt.

There were a lot of projection images in or on some of the buildings in the 'night life' districts.

 

[Brian Moore]

Interesting set of photos, Murray, and so too is the brief history of the NYLIC in Budapest. I like what you've done with the black and white images of the statues. Very cool.

 

[Pete Askew]

What a brilliant set, Murray and a fascinating insight into their history etc. I especially like the cut out figures and the shaft of light on the last-but-one. The Cat Club rounds it of in a nicely surreal kind of way.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Most contain architectural elements. Maybe writing that will help me stay on topic.

A bus trip to The Citadella, one of the many mixed-message monuments in Budapest. Formerly a fortress that seemed to have been used to give an upper hand to occupiers and not Hungarians. Didn't go inside, just looked at the sculptures and views of the city.

Visited the NY Palace Cafe, a puzzlingly opulent building leaving me wonder why a 'palace' was so open, compared to those in Wien and Prague. Initially, I felt badly peasants paid for. The truth was actually possibly more disturbing and interesting at the same time. That follows the photos, because that was the sequence of my understanding.

There are some images of Erszebet Ter (Elizabeth Square, named for the 'Sisi', Empress of Austria & Queen of Hungary) because we found ourselves passing thru or by it frequently. The architecture there is largely framing and accent for people who were in our group. Maybe not great compositions, but both are intentionally accidental.

...and some images from the Ruin Bars/Ruin Pubs we visited. Mostly Szimpla Kert, but there are many others. I think the same company/investors have a similar venture in Berlin. Basically bombed buildings from WWII that were not refinanced after the war as Western cities benefited. Some deemed structurally sound enough, or rigged with supplemental bracing, became dedicated or pop-up locations for drinking, markets, art and workshop space, and performance art venues. Some have no roofing.

I didn't realize the silhouettes on a balcony were cutouts until daylight. I wondered why people were so motionless for so long watching us.

An interesting tour which tempts me to travel.

 

[Murray Leshner]

Thank you for the remarks.

The young people (daughter & son-in-law) chose the countries for our 'millennial-style' trip. Air Bnb and Apartments.com, no hotels. My request was that someone have either prior travel knowledge or facility in the local language with each country choice.

This trip was Chicago to Zagreb, then Budapest, then Wien. Plus unexpected layovers in London/Heathrow & a German airport I have to look up because I wasn't supposed to be awake 36 hours, or be in that airport. Mechanical problems with the first plane in Chicago, 2 or 3 medical emergencies on the trans-Atlantic flight.

It helps to know people in cities one visits, and its good to spend time with friends locally. That's how we figure out grocery shopping and how to get around. There was no language familiarity in Hungary but prior visits by two people. The signs were frustrating due to the 'language barrier'. Hungarian wasn't much like anything else in our collective language experiences. The friends part can take up unexpected time and cause changes in plans. Good and bad.

I was somehow already ill by the time we arrived a day late in Zagreb. Our Air Bnb hostess was annoyed she apparently didn't get our messages we were delayed. Or my son-in-law forgot to press 'Send'. Doesn't matter. He did a lot of the planning, we got there, and back.

A 2nd person took ill in Budapest, trying to compete with 'professional' Palinka drinkers. 'Not the first time, won't be the last', but the hosts were appreciative of the friendly attempt to keep pace. It was evident problems were on the way when the afflicted one attempted arguing in Polish, which wasn't the native language of anyone at the table (or on the floor, or on the lawn next to the Danube River).

By Vienna, three were ill. The one who never got ill did trip on a curb. It was part adventure, part ordeal.

It was fall of 2019. We hadn't heard of COVID-19 yet, but discovered it months later at home.

Carrying one's own luggage by train & bus? Maybe if I wasn't trying to survive from the 2nd city onward and wasn't the oldest in the group.

There was a store we passed at night with a window full of old cameras, and larger equipment visible inside (photocopiers & graphic arts ). The window cameras I had never seen or heard of. I looked up the names I remembered (then, not now). Most were E. German and only 1 or 2 were actually Hungarian. Never made it back during open hours (actually never found it again). I didn't NEED more old cameras, but it would have been nice to explore.

 

[Brian Moore]

There was a store we passed at night with a window full of old cameras,

There's a shop like that in Prague I passed by but was fortunate to have the time to find it again a few days later. It was wonderful.

 

[Julian Tanase]

Murray, great pics of some of the Budapest's landmarks, really great. Budapest is one of the cities which I do enjoy every time I have the opportunity, either business or pleasure trips. I also did enjoyed your brief story of the visit, and the "palinka" thing was fully understood by one who tried to do the same thing, with dire consequences .

Funny thing is that while visiting Budapest recently (first days of July), I happened to meet an elderly couple from the US, they arrived by boat on some Danube cruises. They were resting on a bench near the Parliament, and I got into conversation briefly. They were expecting the daughter and son-in-law (or the son and daughter-in-law) to arrive from Rome and they were together going to Dubrovnik afterwards. I know that couple could not be you and your missus, but the fact is that I found this funny, when I read your story.

Again, thank you for posting these, great shots!

 

[Chris Bennett]

Some great images and a wonderful story, Murray. The last but one is great.

 

[Murray Leshner]

Last bit of Palinka info for anyone unfamiliar.

It's a distilled alcohol spirit made from fruit, in the same style as brandy, schnapps, etc., but usually left at 80 or 100 proof (homemade has fewer rules...or fewer concerns about compliance?).

Romanians and Hungarians both consider Palinka to have originated in their own countries, with different spelling (Romanian might be Palinke, I'm told).

 

[Murray Leshner]

...and thank you for the positive remarks!

 

[Julian Tanase]

Last bit of Palinka info for anyone unfamiliar.

It's a distilled alcohol spirit made from fruit, in the same style as brandy, schnapps, etc., but usually left at 80 or 100 proof (homemade has fewer rules...or fewer concerns about compliance?).

Romanians and Hungarians both consider Palinka to have originated in their own countries, with different spelling (Romanian might be Palinke, I'm told).

This is because until 1918, Transylvania belonged to the Austro Hungarians. Obviously they everybody made the Palinka, no matter what their ethnicity was. However, come 1918 and the Austro- Hungary disappears, and the province goes under the Romanian Kingdom ruling.

Guess what? The Hungarians claim the Palinka is their thing, the Romanians left in Transylvania claim is theirs. Who's right? Nobody and everyone . Mind, the same strong poison is made everywhere in Romania, and in the Balkans too. Only they do not call it Palinka, which is a Hungarian word for it (and appropriated by the Romanian ethnics as "palinca"). Romanians elsewhere in the country call it differently, tsuika. Essentially, is the same poison, perhaps differently made, but still very strong, between 60 and 80, made from various fruits, or plums (the best).

 

[Murray Leshner]

Thank you, Julian!

Our host in Budapest made 20 or 40 L of pear Palinka on request by a fellow former foreign exchange student in France for his wedding. I'll say he was a friend since the last sentence has so much scattered alliteration.

They obviously couldn't bring it to the wedding by airplane, so they drove. They must have had a scheme to not have a problem hauling that quantity. (Schengen border crossing freedom?).

I am originally from Pennsylvania. As a young child, my daughter thought I said TRANsylvania. At a summer work picnic, some Romanian coworkers said hello. I told my daughter where they were from, and she did one of those embarrassing things kids do...put her hands up with fingers curled like she thought seemed right, and bared her teeth in a not very friendly non-smile. They acted like they didn't notice.

But my father's family lived in Bucharest for an unknown duration in a multi-path emigration from Ukraine to NY. It's believed my father was born there, with an estimated birth date (no birth certificate we know of). That's closer to Transylvania than Pennsylvania.

How did the kid know?