Arrival and First Impressions of Budapest
Arrival in Budapest: A Hectic Start
Our Budapest adventure began with a whirlwind of travel chaos. My mom arrived from Finland, while I touched down from the Netherlands, both of us utterly exhausted from flight delays. The airport was a madhouse; navigating the crowds was an adventure in itself. We were famished after the long journeys, and to be honest, the only open restaurant we found at that late hour was McDonald's. Not exactly the gourmet Hungarian welcome we'd envisioned, but it filled the void!
My flight was delayed by almost an hour and a half – adding insult to injury, my mom’s flight landed *before* mine even took off. The sheer relief of finally seeing her after all that waiting! We grabbed a shuttle bus to our hotel, the BO8 Hotel, which thankfully looked very promising after the day's shenanigans.
We finally checked in, only to discover our first Budapest mistake. After a quick breakfast, we hopped on a tram, impulsively deciding to forgo buying tickets. It seemed harmless enough – a short ride. Not so much. Before we knew it, a ticket inspector caught us. A hefty €20 fine later, we learned a valuable lesson in Hungarian public transport etiquette. Needless to say, we were a lot more diligent about obtaining tickets after that.
Hotel Check-in and Initial Exploration
The BO8 Hotel, our chosen base for the Budapest adventure, initially impressed. After the airport chaos, the prospect of a comfortable room was incredibly appealing. The shuttle bus ride gave us a fleeting glimpse of the city, its lights twinkling in the late evening darkness. Checking in was smooth and efficient; the staff were friendly and helpful, a welcome contrast to the day's earlier frustrations.
Breakfast the next morning was a pleasant affair. The hotel's breakfast area offered a good selection, fueling us for our first real exploration of Pest. We’d chosen to explore the Jewish Quarter, but that involved a short tram ride – where we promptly made our first classic tourist blunder. Our impulsive decision to forgo tickets resulted in a €20 fine, a surprisingly expensive lesson in following local rules. However, I must admit, the city’s colorful trams and the sheer energy of the streets were captivating. Even a hefty fine couldn’t entirely dampen our enthusiasm.