A spontaneous detour to Budapest

So after I spontaneously changed all my plans, I finally arrived in Budapest at six in the morning after a 17-hour journey.

Completely exhausted, I had hoped that my bed in the hostel would be free and that I could sleep for another three or four hours, but unfortunately, I was out of luck.

So, I sat down completely worn out for breakfast and then met up with a friend of my sister, who also happened to be in the city.

A first exploratory tour through the streets of Budapest allowed us to get a better overview of the area around our hostel, with many options showcasing different structures and elements in the architecture.

Then our paths separated for a while, and I went to one of my favorite tours, a street art tour.

Many different works, some with historical and/or political backgrounds. The majority of larger wall paintings, also called murals, are found in the district still referred to as the 'ghetto' today.

After a long break and enough time to finally check into my hostel, we went back out into the streets. In search of nice postcards, we also passed a few lovely shops.

In the evening, my cousin joined us. After a shared dinner, we made our way to the Fisherman's Bastion.

From there, you had a beautiful view of the city, especially of the Hungarian Parliament.

The next day, I had to take some time to sleep in and check out leisurely, and then join an old town tour with Konrad, who was already out and about.

After quite a bit of walking, we first got a very delicious ice cream, not in a cone, but with a chimney cake.

After a well-deserved break, we moved on to St. Stephen's Cathedral. I haven't visited such a beautiful cathedral in a long time.

Fun fact: alongside some highly religious personalities, the most famous footballer of Hungary is also buried here. Ferenc Puskás.

And since I hadn't climbed stairs in a long time, I went up several steps to the tower of the cathedral, enjoying a beautiful view of Budapest.

Before I headed off to Romania, we took another food break and enjoyed the Hungarian national dish, Langos.

And then it was time for me to embark on another premiere of this trip, and in general. It was my first time traveling on a sleeper train. That was super exciting. I ended up in a compartment for six, surrounded by other Interrail travelers.

It was nice to exchange ideas, discuss travel routes together, and give tips on what else to see. Unfortunately, my stop in Romania was so early that I had to set my alarm for five in the morning. But traveling while lying down is much more comfortable for sleep!