Openings in Contemporary GalleriesSmaller galleries are not flooded with eiter patrons or visitors, and usually offer wine and scones (“pogácsa” in Hungarian) on opening nights. If we scrutinize the exhibited artwork, then the hosts will think that we are the correspondents of a newly-launched art portal from Transylvania, not “scone-eaters” (a common sobriquet for those who are not there exhibited art). If you don’t want to miss any openings, register yourself at ikon.hu.The New Main Street in Pest, from Kálvin tér to Szabadság tér
Inaugurated in 2010, the restored row of streets and squares changed beyond recognition. Besides allowing much fewer cars in the area, new lamps, benches, and large iron rings were installed, the latter to lock your bike to. Apart from the latter, most of the objects are slanting. The lampposts at squares are different, they sort of resemble trees. And there are some great contemporary statues in Egyetem tér – that is the public space that feels the most different these days. At the other end, in Szabadság tér, you will most probably love the interactive fountain, favoured by tourists and locals alike.Strolling Underground in the Pinter Universe
This is one of the lesser known secrets of the Antique Row in Falk Miksa utca. A very small entrance, plus a miniature window on the street front, but inside, in the basement, there is a veritable universe of 1800 square meters. Pictures, statues, furniture, all kinds of artefacts, from cheap to very expensive. In the middle, there is a large open space with a fake street sign that says: “Pin tér”. The shop also boasts a contemporary corner with various exhibitions, and there is a little courtyard with a large chimney which played a part in heating up the Parliament. Unlike in some other shops, you are not frowned upon if you just take a look around.A Trip on Tram No. 2*
One of the most scenic tram routes of the world. Though these days - on account of Kossuth Square's renovation - it does not go as far as the Margaret bridge, but the remaining stops offer enough sights: all the bridges from all angles, Buda Castle, Gellert hill, the Whale, and the Millennium Quarter. The other windows overlooking Pest also offer some sights, especially statue-packed Vigadó tér: the easily understood LittlePrincess, The Girl With a Dog, BowingShakespeare, plus the BoysTeasing a Frog, in the middle of the fountain.Jogging on Margaret Island, Complete with a Short Illegal Dip in the River
Margaret Island is a bit like Budapest's Central Park, and the jogging path circling the island is always busy. Lazier folks usually just sunbath on the slanting stone riverbanks, hoping to get a quicker tan from the Sun's rays reflected by the river. Until WW2, there were about a dozen floating baths on the river, people were swimming in pools with wooden frames on the Danube. This was possible again during the Sziget Festival of 2013. It turned out that the authorities did not regularly check water quality, because “no one officially requested it”.A Thorough Look at the ParliamentThe Parliament is a large, 268 meter long edifice completed in 17 years in an era when the country was almost three times its current size. It is so big that you have to go far away to understand its scale and form – to Buda'sWaterTown (Víziváros, located at the foot of Buda Castle, just off of Batthyány Square), for instance. There are several ornaments and statues on the façade, not only that of kings and other historical celebrities. On the four highest points, there are four “copper guards”, the defenders of peace. I bet you haven’t noticed them… If you're really looking to appreciate the Parliament, try these two interesting angles: adjacent to Szabadságtér, and a street corner in Buda (that of Szilágyi Erzsébet fasor and Retek utca).
An Afternoon in the Silver Parlour of the Wenckheim BaronsAs common knowledge has it, BudapestPublicLibrary moved to the Wenckheim Palace (1887) in 1931. Those of you who have only dropped by to pick up a book (perhaps crowning your quick visit with one of the cheapest and worst coffees in town) mustn't have enjoyed the upstairs splendour of the complex. The recently-built wing - completed at the turn of the century - houses the center of book-lending and catalogues. The Silver Parlour is just beyond the Reading Room (former ballroom), overlooking Kálvin Square (VIII. Szabó Ervin Square 1.)Visiting the Most Elegant Restroom in TownIf you need to visit a toilet after a long stroll in town, and you don’t feel like going to a café, and the nearby old school overground pavilion (nicknamed “green tram”) is closed for some reason, and you dislike fast food eateries, there is only one solution: an elegant hotel. The ….. for instance. (Insert your favourite A-plus, posh accommodation here, which is definitely the most elegant hotel between Vienna and San Francisco). The key to accomplishing your mission is to approach the place with gusto – unrepented by the condescending look of the staff.Budapest Free CycleThis is a YahooGroup you'll easily find. It recommends itself the following way: “Most people throw away valuable things all the time without thinking twice. This group allows you to notify others before you throw something away. If you do not need something, let us know. Maybe someone needs exactly what you want to get rid of.” You would not believe what kind of things you can have for free… Users offer now, among other items, a wooden wine rack, sets of cutlery, armchairs, and a cosmetic machine that did not fit a particular skin type…
