Our series introducing aliens in Budapest has reached its third part, and this time around we got to know Daniel Gray. As it happens so often, it was love that brought Daniel to Budapest, and he’s never been so grateful for being able to do his job regardless of his whereabouts. He works as the co-director of Holbrooks, an animation studio producing animated shorts and ads which are seen and known from New York through Wales to Budapest.
WLB: When and how did you get here?
Daniel: It’s been ten months in February. My girlfriend and I met in Wales, and I moved to Budapest because of her. She leads animation workshops, and I can do my job anywhere in the world.
WLB: Does the city inspire you?
Daniel: Sure, it’s a completely different atmosphere than in Great Britain. Back at home, people make a bigger fuss out of new ideas, while Hungarians are open-minded, making my job a lot more enjoyable - although this attitude might not surface in other professional fields. We’ve recently been to a pig-butchering in the countryside, where I’ve experienced that Hungarians are at ease, and they just let good things happen to them. No stress at all.
WLB: What do you love the most about Budapest?
Daniel:I’ve been here a couple of times – before smoking was banned -, and I really dug the city’s dynamics. Now that I live here I love how diverse Budapestis despite its size. I love Buda’s serenity, where I often take long walks.
Trams 4 and 6 connect Buda and Pest in a way that I can get a taste of the city’s extremities within twenty minutes. As I said, Buda’s my favourite, but I’m fine with the tourist-attracting Pest.
WLB: What about the language? Do you speak any Hungarian?
Daniel: Only a little bit, a few words:
kutya (dog), fekszik (lie down), vörösbor (red wine), fehérbor (white wine), stuff like that. The language’s logic is absolutely foreign to me, though I’m starting to get the hang of the context. Facial expressions and accentuation help a lot, so I can’t be fooled anymore!
WLB: What bothers you the most about Budapest, and what do you miss from Wales?
Daniel: Scooters on the sidewalk! It’s crazy, especially if you’re walking around with a dog like I usually do. There’s no good cider here, which is baffling, because apple grows everywhere. I love having cider at home, but the ones sold in Hungary are the least popular in Wales, and those who drink them don’t really care what they’re gulping down. Plus I would bring my car over, it’s a Caterham 7. I miss it.
WLB: What’s your opinion about Hungarians? What’s their best and worst attribute?
Daniel: I can only say something about the people around me. They surely know how to drink. I mean, I know some Brits who are just as good at drinking, and a few Scots who would drink Hungarians under the table, but I got to tell you that Budapestians can stomach a lot of alcohol! People in Budapest are easy-going and open-minded, and, unlike me, can party all night long.
WLB: What are your favourite spots?
Daniel: On weekdays, I prefer smaller bars on the Buda side such as Átrium, and my personal favourite, Fondue. On weekends, I usually go to Castro and less crowded ruin pubs, I don’t like that big one (Szimpla Kert). I also like Caledonia, where rugby is always broadcasted, and I can basically have a chat with anyone.
WLB: A message for Budapestians?
Daniel: Just enjoy living here. When it comes to a metropolis like Budapest, it’s a rarity that the heart of downtown is mostly filled with locals, tourists and pub-crawlers have not yet overtaken the area. It seems like you can easily live together with the noise of pubs and bars, which is obviously romantic even for an outsider.
