After that meal last night, it would have been easy to sleep! The only problem was the heat in the room. Also the sugar from the night before given all the desserts and alcohol. So I didn’t wake up feeling bad, per say, just not as well rested as I would have liked. But it didn’t really matter because I had intended on waking up early so I could get a nice Y&M in before leaving for the bathhouse.

Anna at reception had told me the day before that, because there was a music festival (in which I missed Kendrick Lamar), the afternoons will tend to crowd up at the bathhouses so the best bet is to get there more in the morning.

No problem! I ended up getting up and moving at around 5:45AM and had a really nice morning routine.

I went back to Veg City thinking they’d be open as the lady had said they would open at 7AM, however, they weren’t opening until 9AM. No worries. I went a little further down to where I had procured that coffee and got a green tea, some yogurt and granola, and got ready to hit the bathhouses!

SO! This bathhouse that I was going to was called Szechenyi Bathhouse. Alina’s father said it was the most famous and probably the best one in BP. So I arrived there shortly after 9AM, and got in line for my ticket. They had several options, and I got the one that included a locker and a massage.

This place was absolutely amazing. The architecture and design was so pleasing, and there were alllllll types of different natural water pools of varying temperatures, so many different saunas, and then there were the three outdoor pools.

So I walked in and began with the first pools I saw, around 35 degrees Celsius. What was nice is that it was fairly empty when I arrived and began my initial wanderings arounds.

I made my way to a different pool of similar temperature only because no one was in it. Then I crept around to see what else was around. Did the first sauna that was dry, and got my sweat on. I was probably in there for about 8 minutes before I went into a different pool.

ALSO, there are showers everywhere so after you get done in one area you rinse off before going to the next. Especially saunas. You know how ya boy sweats.

THEN! I found the super humid wet hot (American summer) sauna. It is one of those saunas that you cannot see when you walk in because of all of the water vapor. So, it was hot. I was sweating buckets.

Then when you came outside, about 10 meters away was the cold plunge pool at 15/18 degrees Celsius. HOLY $%#&* THAT WAS COLD. But it felt so good. Going from the hot to the cold like that.

So I did that a couple of times, and then made my way over to some of the other pool tucked away behind.Before I knew it was around 10AM and time for my massage. And it felt fantastic! Especially after all that back and forth going!
Ok, so then I left the massage table, went back and showered off all that oil, and then got right back in the sauna one more time before heading outside to the outdoor pools. I believe two of them were heated, and the central one wasn’t. Now, I left my phone in the locker room because (1) water and (2) people may get some ideas of taking it and I didn’t want to take any chances. So I didn’t really get a lot of photos of the interior, but what I have I’ll place here.

So then I chilled a bit more outside, as it was one of those days when I just wanted to catch sun rays. I was also starting to get hungry so I was trying to find the medium between sunning/bathhousing/not passing out from fatigue.

So I went inside and hit two more pools before calling it quits at around 1:30PM. I got showered and up and left…and remember that Budapest card I had purchased? Yea, lost it somehow. Sad, but got another one and continued on with the day.

So I had looked up best breakfast spots in BP and this place Cirkuszcame up. I got on the metro and made my way over, and fortunately, it was very close to the hostel as well, about a 10 minute walk.

So I went up in here, and having read reviews about the French toast and eggs benedict, got them. Also got a small side salad. Needed those veggies, especially when fresh!

All of them.

They were so good.

Got some coffee too!

I was pretty darn full, and left and headed back to the hostel. I wanted to clean my bathing suit and leave it to dry, and didn’t want to carry around a lot of extra weight. And I said, hey, I’m back, lets do another Y&M but make it quick.

So once I got those done, it was time to galavant once again! So Budapest is Buda and Pest, separated by the river. Buda is like that old old history, Pest is that new new.

So I wanted to walk over that way, check out the scene, see if I could get into the National Gallery there.

It was a sizeable walk, about 40 minutes (I put in something like 22K steps today), and I crossed this bridge and the sun was shining and it was really beautiful (and hot) outside. So I sat on this bench and was trying to think of what to do.

See before, I would have had drinks here and there all day, which is usually the way I vacationed. But this year has been different, the first drink I have, if I am going to, is at night with dinner. Otherwise just water and tea. Maybe it has to do with the Y&M, but I think it also has to do with me not wanting to balloon up with all these extra calories.

BUT! There was this really cool rooftop bar with views of Pest, so I said, ok THAT. Went upstairs, and there was some questioning as to whether or not I could because there were some OMINOUS CLOUDS creeping in behind. Nonetheless, they served me, and I got an old fashioned with Blantons, it was quite delicious! Made even better with these views.

So the bartenders and everyone were saying that they didn’t know how long they’d be open for, and as I was sipping, they started cleaning up…quite quickly. I took it as a sign. I needed to finish my drink and get on my way! So I drank it fairly quickly, relishing in the flavors of course, and then made my out the elevator, and then the front door. I looked over my shoulder and behind me, and the dark clouds were creeping in even more. The wind was picking up as well, and you could feel the rain coming in the cool crisp air.

So I made it across the bridge and, because I was about an 8 minute walk to the dinner spot, decided to stop for a beverage. I had an espresso martini to start, and then some Japanese whisky that was very tasty, although super warm because of all of the heat in the city. It began raining outside, but it was not too bad. Still, I was thankful to be inside rather than outside.

So, it was getting to be about time, so I started making my way to the dinner spot, Meatology. So when I walked in, I wasn’t feeling it at all. It was rather empty, and had too much of a fast food feel. I sat down, but started looking at other restaurants where I might be able to eat. IN these moments, I caught myself and said, look dude, you are here, it was a recommended restaurant, and you have to have the experience.

So, I locked in, and started looking at the menu. I couldn’t understand it at first, and the waiter was helpful in translating dishes. I selected a pork dish, and a white wine.

I’m glad I stayed. This food was great, and was anything but fast food like. The meat was very flavorful and fell off of the bone. The beans and other vegetables only added to the flavor. For having been so against it, I cleaned that plate without a problem. On the way out, I saw a father and son, with the son wearing a Villanova shirt. I asked him if he attends, but he doesn’t. they are from the Villanova area, and we began talking at length about sports and their trip. Really nice cap to dinner…

…until I had this gelato, which was the true cap to dinner. My goodness this gelato was so good. They create a rose design with it, and it is so rich and delicious.

So then I left, and found one more whisky bar, but it was not very good and not worth writing about. I had it quite quickly, and got back home on such a lovely note! Great great day and evening.