We Love Budapest: Where are you from?
Lina:
From Lund, Sweden. It is near to Malmö.
WLB:
How did you end up in Budapest?
Lina:
My boyfriend was born in Sweden, but his grandparents are Hungarian emigrants from ’56. His father married a Hungarian girl, so despite he never lived here, my boyfriend speaks Hungarian. We have been together for six years with Tomi, and we first visited the country in 2009, and in 2011 we came to the Hungarian capital again. This year the Budapest-love got me totally. We have to go back tomorrow, but I’m planning to move back for a while in September.
WLB: Will you be able to work here as well?
Lina:
I am a singer, I sing house – and pop song, besides I work for a nonprofit organization as well. I will probably leave this job at home, but I would like to continue singing, so I met with some producers here. However, it won’t be easy to start things again here.
WLB: Could you please describe Budapest in five words?
Lina: Energetic, big, cozy, beautiful, and quite warm right now!
WLB: Which other European city do you think Budapest is familiar with?
Lina: It is often said to be Paris, but I would rather say London. No! Berlin is the most similar to Budapest!
WLB: What is the face of Budapest like?
Lina: Budapest is like a cheerful dancer. I think it is a smiley girl in her thirties. In fact, I just imagined myself right now.
WLB: What is the first thing that pops into your mind in connection with Budapest?
Lina:
The Chain Bridge.
WLB: What is the most typical characteristic of the city?
Lina: For me, the buildings from the 19th century. These houses are a lot more different than the lower ones in Swede.
WLB: Where did you put up by the way?
Lina: First at the National Hotel (Nemzeti Hotel), than at Gerlóczy, which was wonderful. During our previous visit, we stayed at a hotel in the the Castle, but I’m glad that we decided on Pest this time, as this way I can feel myself much closer to the real Budapestian life here! It is more realistic; in the Castle you have this typical tourist feeling.
WLB: What are your favorite places here?
Lina: I love the streets around the Great Market Hall (Vásárcsarnok), there are wonderful cafés there! I really like the area around Astoria and Square of Franciscans (Ferenciek tere) as well, despite the renovation mess what is going on there.
WLB: Do you like Hungarian cuisine? What is your favorite Hungarian food?
Lina: Stew. Tomi can also make potato dumplings, for which I am really proud of him, because I heard it is quite a hard job to make it properly even for professional chefs!
Tomi: I have to add that it doesn’t always look good, but is usually tasteful…
WLB: Which part of the city do you like the least?
Lina: The subways, because it is shocking for me to see the homeless people there. Traffic is also a critical point for; however, I am satisfied with BKV, and the taxi service is great in Budapest. I also feel bad about the distances in the city, you have to take some kind of vehicle almost every time.
WLB: Do you speak Hungarian?
Lina: Igen, beszelek magyarul, koszonom (Yes, I speak Hungarian, thank you). No, this is not true, but I got a book at home, from which I can learn. Sadly, I only have the book, because no one else signs up for the course! Tomi helps me as well, and I start a language course here in Budapest from September on. Anyway, it is a really difficult language, sure, this is not news for you, I totally freak out from the grammar and the suffixes. But I love that I can learn a language so special like this.
WLB: If you could change anything in Budapest, what would it be?
Lina: Maybe the “masterpieces” of the socialist architecture. We saw wonderful houses on the countryside, if I could really change something, I would replace these buildings with those houses. On the other hand, it is good that the city reflects ts own history.
WLB: What do you like the most here?
Lina: The cafés! I like the bars in general, and how life is going on the streets. I hope that not just warm moths are so exciting here!
