Category: Hungary

The strike at Budapest Airport is over, at least for a while. That means both Ferihegy 1 and Ferihegy 2 is in use again, and planes leave on schedule and from the planned terminals.

Both LESZ and RDSZSZ (the unions that were striking) went back to work before christmas. Even though they went back to work, they are still negotiating with Budapest Airport to get more money for their work. If the negotiations does not lead to change, they will stop working from January 6.

The train strike has also ended, so now transportation to Hungary, from Hungary and within Hungary should be going as usual!

Information from Budapest Airport
Budapest Airport opens Terminal 2A at 05:00 on Friday, 26 December. Terminal 1 opens one day later, at 04:00 on Saturday, 27 December. Until 27 December, all airlines operating from Terminal 1 are shifted to Terminal 2B.

Until 26 December, all passengers enter the transit area through terminal 2B that operates with full capacity. The check-in for some non-low-cost flights operating within the Schengen zone is at terminal 2A. BA advises all passengers to get in contact with their airlines. BA call center and flight information: +36 1 296 7000.

Speaking of mongols in Hungary, most people start thinking about 1241 when the Mongols invaded Hungary and killed big parts of the population (read History of Hungary), but last week another mongol entered Hungary; the film called “The Mongol.” It deals with the Mongol of all Mongols, Genghis Khan!

For those who plan seeing the film to learn more about what happened in Hungary and in other nations as the Mongolians invaded them and continued on, they might be disappointed. The reason? Many people fail to read the undertitle of the film, “The rise of Genghis Khan”. But, knowing that we can understand that the film deals with the childhood of Genghis Khan and the background for the empire to be built. It speaks of how the tribes where united under one flag. And what comes after that?

We do not know yet, but as far as I am informed they are planning to make two more films about the Mongol, so in those we might get the historical parts involving Hungary as well!

Cinemas Budapest

Yesterday the first snow came to town, and today it continued. It is not remaining, but still it serves as proof to the fact that it can be quite cold in Hungary, and in Budapest. People from Hungary are often amazed as I tell them that Scandinavian tourists coming to Budapest often find themselves freezing. The fact is, they often do. Zero degrees celsius in Budapest can feel just as cold as minus 15 celsius in Stockholm, probably because of the wind, the Danube and so on…

So, if you are preparing to come to Budapest, rather prepare yourself for very cold, then for quite warm… if you put on to much you can just take of some clothes instead. We have a site presenting the average temperatures in Budapest, so you can use it for some help, but it can not be trusted to much.

The Forint has experienced some serious changes in the last months. Earlier this year one Euro could be bought for 230 Euros, but in these days the value has changed to approximately 280 Euros. The dollar, which earlier could be bought for around 150 forints, can now be bought for 200 forints.

Because of this, your money (Euro, Dollar) as a tourist will be more worth in Budapest in these days. For how long the Forint will be as weak as now is not possible to tell.

Even though it is so, some changing shops are still charging a lot as you change your money, so be sure to check that the difference between what they are selling and buying your currency for is not to big. For example: It they sell Euro for 285 Forints, they should sell Forints for 270 Forints. If the difference is like this, it is okay, but if it is bigger, you should look for another place. If you are lucky, you will find better places as well!

Currency and money in Budapest

The three big national days in Hungary every year are 15 March, 20 August and 23 October. The 23 October is the day when Hungarians remember the spontaneous revolt against the communist government in Hungary in 1956. It started peacefully with a big student demonstration, but as the State Security Police (communist) started firing upon the demonstrators it turned into a violent revolution. After some days it seemed as if the Hungarians had won, but it all turned worse as a large Soviet Force entered the nation 4 November and overrun the Hungarian forces. More than 2500 Hungarians died during the battles, and more than 200.000 had to flee the country.

A sign of the revolution was the Hungarian flag, from which they cut out the Soviet symbol, and because of that a big hole was in the middle of the flag.

Today
During the national day most shops are closed in Budapest, but museums, thermal baths, zoo and so are open. Restaurants are open as well, but it is recommended to reserve a table beforehand, as several people eat outside on days such as this.

October 6. 1849 was a date still to be remembered and commemorated in Hungary. On that day 13 of the generals from the 1848-1849 revolution in Hungary against the Habsburgs were executed in Arad (in Romania today). At the same day Count Lajos Batthyány was executed as well, the first Hungarian Prime Minister. Today a square near the Liberty Square has an “eternal light” named after him (located at the placed where Count Lajos Batthyány was killed).

The famous Lajos Kossuth (whose statue can be seen at for example the Heroes Square and outside the Parliament) managed to escape to USA before they caught him as well.

It is said that after executing the 13 generals in Arad the Austrian generals clinked their beer mugs together celebrating and making fun of the Hungarians. Because of that a “promise” was made that the Hungarians would not clink their beer mugs for 150 years. Those years have passed away, but the people still don’t clink their mugs in Budapest or in Hungary.

It must be said that most historians claim this to be just a legend, and that written records do not support this theory!

History of Hungary

The 13 Martyrs of Arad