The other side of Hungary...

Budapest is one of the most beauitful cities I've ever been to. I was amazed when I was told that much of the city was actually bombed during WWII, in particular during the "Battle of Budapest" towards the end of the war, during which both the German and the Russian side wanted to defend the city at all costs...so much of the town is actually reconstructed. You'd never guess though. And part of the charm is that much of town is actually crumbling if not decaying. But although it gives it that romantic edge it is of course very sad to see the state of some of the buildings, it makes you want to find a huge wadge of cash and pay someone to make it up to its former glory. The EU is generally thought to be that "someone" and money has started coming in so one can only hope... but of course much more tragic than the buildings is the human aspect of the poverty. I have never seen so many homeless people anywhere. At night time every second doorway seems to house a person, usually drunk. With alcohol being super cheap and about 50% of every supermarket's floorspace being taken up by alcohol it's not surprising to see so many people swigging on street corners. I really don't know how they do it - even now nights still get bitterly cold, I can't even begin to imagine what winter must be like. So I can understand the desire for warmth - even if via alcohol!!  Homelessness in general also seems to be well tolerated - maybe becuase the state does not offer an adequate social system? I don't know - all I know is that there are several "camps" that I know of, in the parks and in subways etc where people have made homes for themselves as best they can, with mattresses and everything...

The povery really hit me when we went to the flea market out in the suburbs of Budapest and took the bus for about 45 minutes, out of the center of town and through the industrial sites.. gone were the pretty sights and old majestic buildings. Replaced by dilapidated soviet style housing blocks. Some of it was so sad - one estate in particular is etched into my mind: most of the windows were bricked up, those that weren't were in shards - it looked completely uninhabitable and unsafe...but at some of the windows there were little flower pots and clothes lines. Nowhere is the contrast more apparent that my office actually, which is quite ironic. Our offices are in one of the first "capitalist" style business office blocks that were built in town. Out of my window I look onto a crumbling courtyard and blocks of flats that are just so poor and dilapidated... That's cpaitalism at best for you - survival of the fittest.. or somethign like that. I think there's still a lot of influence of the old era around that manifests itself in many ways - huge ambition in young people and a massive desire for material wealth seem quite common for example. And I sense a kind of feeling that now that it is possible to make something of yourself you should seize that freedom and make the most of it - with maybe not so much sympathy for those that can't/don't... Although the economic realities of the country mean that a lot of people actually have to work more than one job simply to survive, not out of any other higher motivation.

Who is the mystery pee-er who is always just in front but just out of sight?!

Another very intriguing aspect, not sure whether related or not, is the pee everywhere! Everyone always moans about dog poo, but to be honest I've seen more people clean up after their dogs here than anywhere else. What gets me is the traces of pee at every street corner! To be honest it's a bit of a mystery - I've never seen anyone actually peeing, but at the same time the traces always look fresh. They are also quite clearly human. Male. Who is the mystery pee-er who is always just in front but just out of sight?!