Hungary has always been one of those countries that fascinated me. I regretted not having devoted any time to explore it during stint exploring Europe by Car. This time around I dedicated two months live in Budapest and travel within to explore parts of the country. Two months is probably not enough to truly grasp what’s going on within the country, but I’ve witnessed and experienced enough to consider it one of the worst countries to visit.
Keep in mind that these are my own opinions based on my own experiences. Someone else from a different background than I may have a different experience. But all is not always right and cozy during travels and I keep as much of an objective opinion as I can. However, I speak out from what I know and only what I know. So, YMMV – Your Mileage May Vary.
First of all, there’s a far-right nationalistic movement going on from the news and whatever TV outlet I consume information from. I can feel it and sense it, especially when you’re not of European descent. The migrant crisis has affected the political climate in this otherwise beautiful country. The capital city of Budapest doesn’t show this as much, but as soon as you get out into the suburbs or the countryside, things become more apparent.Budapest: An Expat’s Paradise
Budapest is home to many expats and digital nomads. Its ideal and centralized location within Europe makes it perfect as a base for western and eastern European excursions. The cost of living is relatively cheaper than its western counterparts. I was able to rent out a huge room in a flat for 310 Euros a month which I found through a friend’s referral. I decided to stay long-term to chill and also join a gym to recover some atrophied muscles from over a year of constant travel.
Budapest is very international. Ninety percent of the conversations I overhear out on the streets are in English. There are international shops everywhere, and the city is indeed a thriving metropolis. One of the biggest music festivals in Europe also happens here, the Sziget music festival.
The city is fantastic and ideal for beautiful nighttime photos. I’ve spent many sunsets and nights just across the Danube on the Buda side photographing Gelert hill, Fisherman’s Bastion, and the Buda Castle. The Buda side provides the most photogenic postcard views of Budapest. But the Pest side is where all the parties are at. Pest is famed for its ruin bars that are unique only to Budapest. These ruin bars become very lively at night, and during the weekends, lines of people would snake around the bars waiting to get in.The internet infrastructure is the country is fast and ideal for people with remote jobs. My flat was near the central international train station, Keleti Palyaudvar, and I was able to make quick trips to Slovakia, Romania, Austria, and Croatia.On the downside, the city has a very odd and strange odor, and I can smell it everywhere I go. I don’t know where it’s emanating from, but on one incident at night, I saw an old lady positioning herself in between two parked cars while urinating standing up. I don’t know if it’s the smell of urine or a gas leak all over the city.The Hungarian Countryside: A Brewing Far-right Nationalism
I hitchhiked with a friend who is of Hungarian descent from Cluj to the border town of Biharkeresztes in Hungary. From there, we were going to catch a train to Budapest. Hitchhiking through the border was a bit of a hassle. The border control was really on alert because of the migrant crisis. Nobody would give us a ride to the border, so we walked it across on foot to hitchhike on the other side.
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We walked about 2 kilometers towards the train station in this town. We came across two farmer teenager carrying scythes. My friend overheard them talking, and he told me later that they were yelling:
“I’m gonna kill you, migrant!”
I can only assume it’s due to my darker skin and black hair that I would be mistaken for a migrant. But that etched a compelling and disturbing image in my head. Imagine if one of those teenagers carrying sharp scythes started swinging at me. Not a very good first introduction to Hungary.
The Far-right faction is represented by Jobbik which regularly blames the country’s ethnic and religious minorities for its woes and in recent years have been reported to form vigilante groups meant to harass minorities, especially gypsies. Bands of vigilante groups are formed to patrol small towns in Hungary and rural villages and threaten and harass the local Gypsy population.Eger: A Beautiful Place, Kind Of
There was also an incident in Eger where I was flat out refused service. I went to eat at a restaurant one night and used the Wi-Fi service. The next morning, I went to the same restaurant now talking to a different server. I politely asked if I can get a table and use their Wi-Fi. The server looked at me in disdain and said they had no WIFI. He then told me to go away. WTF? I was a paying customer last night and will be again today!
The next day another incident happened where a group of guys who were drinking beer at a restaurant when two dark-skinned individuals passed by, probably Romas (Gypsies) – the group proceeded to harass them. One had formed a fist on his hand and bumped it on the palm of the other proposing to beat the dark-skinned individuals. I was walking past them when this all happened, and I think I was only spared the heckling because I had an expensive camera wrapped around my neck.I was disturbed by what just happened so I bought a hat that screamed tourist so I would stand out like a sore thumb and look like a tourist instead of a Gypsy. That hat has a large engraving that says “Los Angeles.” It worked like a charm!
I have faced racism before growing up in California during the early 90s. In the suburbs of Sacramento, I was chased by a van full of skinheads who threw rocks at me and calling me a gook. To their ignorance they had no other derogatory name for a Filipino and all they can muster up was a catch-all insult for all Asians. During these days and age, I would like to think that’s all behind us but that’s not the case, especially here in Hungary.
The Final Train Out of Hungary
After these incidents, I couldn’t wait to get out of Hungary. On the train out towards Slovakia, I ended up in a town called Miskolc. It is an industrial town full of working-class people. I explored the city for a few hours and did notice a larger Roma population. The people of Miskolc were noticeably friendlier, at least to me. I was greeted with a smile when I asked for information or a mug of beer. I accidentally dropped 5,000 forints on the ground the guy behind me rushed up and told me I had dropped it. A very helpful and friendly gesture.
In Eger, I didn’t get the same treatment. I felt like I have glared at constantly like I was a stray dog. As I sat on my seat on the final train to Slovakia, I reflected on my experience in Hungary and can only conclude that the EU is weakening. The EU was meant to avoid the Ethnic Nationalistic movement that devastated the world in the 20th century (the Holocaust). I hope this trend doesn’t continue because Europe has a long history of ethnic nationalism. My time in Hungary is a stark reminder of this.HAVE YOU BEEN TO HUNGARY? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
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Wow, thank you for that article. I love Budapest, went there twice but never went in the rest of the country. What you’ve experienced is just horrible. Europe et USA are collapsing… I can’t wait to see what will happen to the next election in France next may actually.
I hope it doesn’t get worse! I like the EU and how easy it is to travel there.
It’s so sad to read about your experiences of intolerance and prejudice in what is otherwise a beautiful country. I’ve only been to Budapest and Szendentre, and found both of them beautiful (and yes, Budapest’s nightlife can be lively!), so I guess that not venturing in to the more rural areas meant I didn’t get to see the brewing rise of nationalism in the midst of the migrant crisis. We do indeed love in troubled times, with an institution that was set up to stop the horrors of World Wars happening again in very real jeopardy…the France election seems pivotal, so let’s hope the worst doesn’t happen there!
I hope you’re right Joe.
Wow your blog is beautiful! And love the great decription of Budapest, it will definitely be on the list for our next visit to Europe!
Thanks! Architecture in Budapes is amazing :-)
That’s awesome! i love Budapest, but after reading this I think I will have to travel other parts as well.
Cheers!
Eger is cool and Lake Balaton is worth checking out too!
While I wouldn’t want to get stared at like a stray dog, sometimes the places that aren’t used to foreigners and don’t cater to them are so interesting for a host of other reasons. I’d love to visit Hungary to learn and see. It looks just exquisite.
Yes, Hungary is still worth a visit especially Budapest and Eger. But, if you want warm and welcoming people check out Slovakia and Romania.
I love Budapest. I been there a few times, but that was years ago. Your photos really capture the old world charm of Budapest. It’s too bad they didn’t make you feel welcome. They have a beautiful city. They should share it.
The city was fine, it’s very international as mentioned. The suburbs and countryside, not so much.
Wow! How interesting! It sounds like a bit of an odd mixture. Do you think you’d go back?
Probably won’t go back in the near future. There’s so much more in the neighboring area to bother :)
Just like other countries in Europe, Budapest is beautiful too. I guess everyone loved this architectural landmark city. Grateful to read your post. btw, your photos are amazing. Keep going.
Thanks :)
Im dying to experience living in another country. Budapest sounds like a good option. Maybe I can convince my husband to move there. I like that it’s international. Although the peeing standing up thing is quite odd lol.
There are better places to live than Budapest :) Check out places in Bulgaria (Sofia) and Romania (Cluj-Napoca). Cheaper and friendlier people :)
Thanks you for sharing. Budapest is a great city to explore photography. I love the night shots,especially. My wife and I are both of Hungarian decent. We’ve traveled there many times since 2003, both reconnecting with my mother’s extended family and seeking, and finding, my wife’s biological family (she has been given for adoption by a 56 refugee) in any event, our travel have taken us to the north to there take region where my family emigrated fro, spent considerable time in Budapest visited Eger several times, Sopron, Balaton and my son and I spent 3 weeks in Debrecen enrolled in a Hungarian language course at the University. We’ve gotten around. Now I say this because we too have encountered some of the discrimination you have. Ticket agents at the train stations, a clerk in a village bakery, a docent at Eger castle, Not because we are dark skinned (we’re pretty white) but because we are Americans. There is an undercurrent of intolerance in various parts of the country, but fortunately we found that the vast majority of Hungarians are welcoming and hopeful that their country does not fall back into authoritarianism. I believe that the more we, as westerners, travel to countries like Hungary, we encourage those who seek integration in the the greater world community. So thank you again for your adventurism, your courage and your willingness to share your experiences. Peace.
I think Hungary is a beautiful country (amazingly photogenic!) but like other nations have imperfections. I think global integration might have caught on too fast so some of the more traditional areas are having a hard time adapting. Thank you for the little bit of enlightenment. While I’m not glad that you witnessed some of the discriminations I have encountered, it at least puts some things into perspective.
Thank you for your post about Hungary. I love Europe and European languages but what you have experienced and observed about a growth in hate and intolerance is very real and things in the country do not seem to have moved forward since the second world war, to the point where they really should have sanctions made against them, particularly in their mistreatment of Roma. When I first heard some of the news articles, I actually thought that I was reading about the second world war atrocities. All this from the country that received the most from the EU, awful. It will take a lot to improve things but discouraging business and tourism is the best start.
Glad you’re enjoying better hospitality in other countries though and best wishes with your future adventures! :)
Thank you for the thoughtful comment. In this day and age, you would think something like this would not have the broader support from the majority of the country. Fortunately, Budapest is international enough that tolerance will be promoted.
As a Hungarian, I find your article both ignorant and offensive. If you think all Hungarians hate migrants than you must be a racist yourself!
Well, Vincent, wear the shoes of one and walk the road I walked. I don’t think you read the article else you would have read that I entered Hungary with a Hungarian friend and that I did not see the same “issue” in Budapest as I did the other places I’ve visited. I think we have the tendency to read/hear only certain facets about ourselves and choose to ignore the other.
Wow! Sounds like a backwards shithole! I’m white but I can’t stand places like this.
This was just based on my experience and to be fair, it’s outside the main metropolitan cities. The capital city, Budapest, is quite pleasant and I spent over a month traveling there with no issues :)