European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Hungary Budapest Chain Bridge crosses you can get there from Here photos and Story by Linda White travel editor travel to Budapest presents few in my plane seemed Hal filled with from three mathematicians on their Way to a convention to an elderly gentleman clutching his fishing the tourist office reports a surge of popularity of the country spas among its a nostalgia a spokesman Many hungarian immigrants remember the Glamour of the and now they can afford to come to Hungary is a although not As cheap As some other East bloc hungarian Money forints cannot be brought in or taken out of the the Exchange rate is generally Standard in hotels and change offices it was about 50 to the Dollar in there is said to be a Black Market in hard but i was never approached with offers of High rates in the East meals with wine rarely Cost More than per often much souvenir items run the Gamut of but Are generally of Good hotels usually request payment in hard currencies and Many Price their rooms in High season rates subject to Exchange rate fluctuation go from about for a single and for a double at the luxury Hyatt to around per person in Lowe category of season prices in acceptable hotels can drop to around per Budapest has a shortage of hotels though it is building the elegant old hotel Beke on the grand Boulevard is being restored and is set to reopen in so Reserve before you you May be interested in staying in a private Home rates for a double run from 80 to 700 forints about to per campgrounds charge 20 to 70 forints about 40 cents to per space with a 10to 45forint 20to 90cent accommodation i stayed at the part of the French which charges for a single and for a double in High season and single and double off americans will like the big breakfast Buffet spread it is convenient for located just of the main highways to Vienna and Lake it is also near a City bus Stop a bus ride costs 3 forints about 6 cents and the service is in addition to a Good bus Budapest has a metro in it had the first electrified underground train in when taking the put a 1forint 2cent Coin in the for take the the cog railway 3 forints which leaves every 10 minutes from Szilagyi Erzsebet Frasor near the Budapest co to Szechenyi Hegy Hill and walk Over to the Pioneer a train run by children Ages 10 to 14 take the Pioneer train to Janos Hegy station its in the Middle of the Woods and climb the path up the Hill to the or chair lift which will take you Back to if you need ask for if you say you May be directed to the Orange Ardglass elevator in the taxis Are reasonable you can Cross town for a few Budapest has Public Fotani and private cabs Vola taxi and City taxi which can be hired by the i used Bud taxi and found the Driver always prompt and in Courtesy and helpfulness Are trademarks of the Many of them speak English and Are willing to answer or give no sullen shop clerks Here service in the stores and restaurants is so dont forget to using about the same percentage guidelines that you would use in you can Fly to Budapest the Only Airport in the country from major cities throughout Airport buses run to town every half hour from 5 to 11 express trains also link Hungary and the rest of by you can Cross into Hungary from Austria at any of five Border stations Scha Hendorf and bring along proof of gasoline stations Are not As frequent As in the but the Price of Gas is comparable to the rest of diesel is readily available but can be bought Only with available at Border Budapest railway stations and the Busz office at Petofi Ter the motorways Are Good and Speed is radar front seat belts Are boats ply the and a number of River cruises feature stops in from april 1 to a hydrofoil operates Between Vienna and Budapest the trip is about Short pleasure cruises Are also available during the tourist from Early May to Early a 1v2hour City sightseeing trip departs daily at 11 and 3 from the end of May to the first of there is also an 8 fare is 30 forints about 60 children half pick up the monthly programme Magazine for listings of it includes both the City and the its in an English language Telephone service can answer your tourism questions dial 179800 weekdays 7 to 9 saturdays to 8 and sundays 8 to 1 the daily news is a Hal German daily most hotels and a few Newsstands carry Western newspapers and americans need passports valid at least six months after the Date of entry and must get a visa from the nearest consulate or embassy or at the Border crossing or the fee is a couple of dollars More at the members of the military should get clearance to travel in communist countries from their Branch of your Punco or co office can give you the forms to fill out they should be turned in at least 45 Days before your to allow time for persons in sensitive positions May not be Able to get several Tours to Budapest can be booked at your on base itt among them Are enjoy top Tours and six Day Tours Cost from to most travel agents on the Economy have a Good selection of Tours to or Book through the National travel office the hungarian tourist office has a number of including the indispensable travel information Hungary updated it tells you everything you need to know about entry medical postal service and it is available from Feliza Budulas Ter h1364 other travel offices include Baseler Strasse d6000 Frankfurt 069251283 Danube travel general agents for 6 conduit London w1r 14930263 Busz North America 630 fifth Rockefeller Cente suite new hungry in Hungary the windows of the Hilton hotel reflect the Fisherman Here Are some selections food in Hungary comes in Large portions and relies heavily on peppers and tomatoes Vine ripened tomatoes that have try goulash at least Wash it Down with Good hungarian wine and save room for most restaurants open for lunch and keep their kitchens warm throughout the so you can have a late lunch or Early dinner As the spirit moves it May be More difficult to find a lat night kitchens usually close at 10 booking is almost always necessary the hotel will help there Are plenty of Quick food stands scattered Many of them privately Here is a list of Budapest restaurants that i of can Inancsi Neri at Herd Ogurok it 80 not far from the chair open noon to 9 the name Means aunt and Good local soups Cost 16 to 36 forints about 30 to 70 salads about 15 forints 30 cents and main dishes 50 to 95 forints to i had the House specially of liver and onions Good at 78 forints but Best of All were the desserts a round dumpling served with quark something like Yogurt which can be eaten salted or and thin rounds of deep Fried sugared Menes Between the forum and the Hyatt look for the saddles out Hungary is a land of rustic restaurants with wooden handmade tablecloths and Gypsy in this prime tourist area of the the most expensive dish on the menu was 255 forints about the food from goulash to Are from the great Plain Hungary wild West and the music is from a Cimbalos an instrument that looks like the insides of a i had a Juicy Steak with a Side order of a Good version of one of those vegetable mixtures so dear to the hungarians it is made with Corn a similar Lecso is made of Green peppers and i also tried the typical pickled salad in Many restaurants behind the bar you will see great jars of pickled eggs and All sorts of pickled vegetables waiting to be put if you prefer a Western the forum hotel has a salad bar for 110 forints about 100 Eves the elegant 100yearold restaurant said to be the oldest in i had Fried Catfish the first Ive had in Europe without the for there was a meat stuffed crepe in a Cream two people can eat Well for under Matyas Pince at Marcius 15 Ter Matthais cellar is the one place that every tourist hears but its living on its if you want atmosphere and Gypsy but if Good food is your main go Post Kocsi Etterer on the restored Square Korvin Ott Ter in a Northern this was the old Post Auto end station when the postal bus ran from Vienna to it has Gypsy music in the arched or choose the White clothed tables the cooking is traditional hungarian and delicious two can eat Well for about the elegant Coffee houses have almost disappeared from the scene in replaced by a few pastry shops full of atmosphere two of the Best Are the with and the the hungarian is the old new York it is All Gilt and with a decadent ceiling of nymphs and the on the peaceful Square by the same is better known As it is always Busy and the decorations Are As delicious As the other Good pastry shops Are Kulon Egersegi and Hungary has Good both red and dont hesitate to Cut them with Mineral water if they seem a bit kudos for promotional Effort goes to the Egri bulls which comes with its own but i prefer the red Tihanyi Zweigel and the White Somloi Juh Fark from Tokaji is Hungary fortified like it makes a Good ice Cream about at the there Are several kinds of Clear fruit and i found the an Apricot excellent for battling a the bes known native Beer is but one finds Pilsner Urguelle and the danish tub org More Pepsi and Coke Are both bottled Mineral water is always and at Many tourist spots Plain ice water is Linda White 10 stripes Magazine june june stripes Magazine