Photo of the Day: Szechenyi Baths in Budapest

DSC02410, originally uploaded by aibek_dunaev.

One thing you should not miss, but yet many people skip in Budapest is the Szechenyi Furdo Thermal Baths. These several pools are filled with hot and very hot water and located outdoors (photo above). There are also indoor thermal pools inside these buildings (below photo). Besides that the surrounding view is also unique; old architecture buildings surrounding the pools, and statues are located all around.

DSC02420, originally uploaded by aibek_dunaev.

Do not miss it in Budapest!

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Photo of the Day: Buda Castle (Budapest)

DSC02323, originally uploaded by aibek_dunaev.

Buda Castle is the historical castle of the Hungarian kings in Budapest, Hungary. It was built on the southern tip of Castle Hill, next to the old Castle District, which is famous about its medieval, Baroque and 19th century houses and public buildings. It is linked to Adam Clark Square and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge by the Castle Hill Funicular.
Buda Castle is part of the Budapest World Heritage Site, declared in 1987.

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Vienna + Budapest

Off for next whole week. To explore the other 2 vertices of Golden Triangle of Central Europe; Prague - Vienna - Budapest. It will add 2 more countries and 2 more cities into the list of the countries I visited. This time my travel mate is Miki (Japan).

Even preparing for the trip is part of the trip for me; you get to read a lot and see many pictures while making a list of things to do and places to see, and it already puts you into the mood. Today it was unusually nice weather outside, but I stayed at home preparing for the upcoming 1 week trip and enjoying the warmth of one of the last warm days in Prague from my kitchen window.
So we got cheap bus tickets from Student Agency bus company (indeed they offer low-priced tickets for the international trips, and the service is good as well (considering how public customer service in Czech Republic sucks up to extreme levels!). Just to compare, I bought Prague-Vienna ticket for 300 CZK (~15 USD)! Train would cost around 1000 CZK (at least that's what Begimai told me). Budapest-Prague should also be less than 500 CZK. Thus, here I recommend - www.studentagency.cz!

Here's the plan;

Some podcasts I downloaded into my iPod to listen on the way there;

• From Rick Steve's podcasts
• TravelCast from Lonely Planet offers interesting postcasts as well (search in iTunes)
• Amateur Traveller Podcast collection also offers quite a lot

Keywords for Vienna tour - Hundertwasser Haus, Schoennbrunn Palace, Gloriette , Hofburg Imperial Palace, Riesenrad ferris wheel, Naschmarkt, Karlzplatz, Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera), Albertina, Stephansdom, Hofburg, Museums Quartier, tram D city tour, Heuriger, United Nations headquarters, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Sachertorte cake

Keywords for Budapest tour - Buda Castle, stle, Fisherman's Bastion, Matthias Church, Heroes' Square, Danube Promenade, Gellert Hill, Cave Church, Great Market Hall, Liberty Bridge, Margaret Island, Hungarian Parliament Building, Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Tomb of Gül Baba

We'll be staying at the Hostel Husseldorf, according to the ratings it should be good place to spend the night.

Weather forecast is not the best one, but optimistic.

View from my kitchen window

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