Milka chocolate

Milka chocolate, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Yay, I found this at BIG i Solaris Dutamas. How exciting to yearn for a certain chocolate and to find it within the same week. Yummie! You can see the trademark purple cow in this shot. And if you're the observant type....my new electric blue longchamp features in this picture too. ( Trurth: it isn't the latest longchamp purchase)


Pssst guess what...this chocolate is made in BUdapest! ( So it still fits in my Budapest-theme posts for now)

Milka chocolates

Untitled, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Here is a collection of Milka chocolates in their traditional purple packaging. It's made in Austria so it made sense that the Budapest airport lounge had these goodies for us. Milka comes from a combination of two words " Milch (milk) and Kakao( cocoa). It's a German brand and the bigger bars carry their purple-cow-logo.

These chocs were yummie, I had 3-4 without stopping before moving on to nuts ( equally unhealthy) and felt ill as a direct result of my greediness during the first leg of the trip back to KL. It was worth it!

Hidden object games

Close up of the Basilica, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Do you play hidden object games? My brother and I are great fans. During christmas break yearly, we'll be glued to the screen trying to outdo each other with finding more than the other. The picture above is of the Basilica in Budapest. I've already written a post on it. But here is a view which is eerily similar to a scene from a hidden object game called " Buckingham Palace". ( tip Big fish hidden object games are the best avoid others)

Cyclist are important

Cyclist are important, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

There are a lot more cyclists in Budapest than in KL. And oddly enough, we didn't see a single motorcyclist in Budapest whereas KL is crawling with them.( Not an exaggeration).

Here is a traffic light I saw by chance. Pretty cool. I'm not a fan of cycling. Reminds me of the first year in university. A friend remove my mud flaps and I had mud on my bag and coat at the end of the day. I also fell off the bike once with a heavy knappsack behind me. I ended up like an upside down turtle and *cringe* had to be helped back upright.

I'm pretty happy driving about these days. And I can park just about any spot. And can drive different made of cars:)

Painting the scene on the Danube

Painting the scene on the Danube, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I wish I could paint well. ( Painting by numbers I'm told is not counted) Here is a picture zoomed with the G12 ( it is currently out of commission sadly) of a man sitting facing the danube and drawing.

This was taken from the conference level floor of the Intercontinental Budapest!

A cellist along Andrassy avenue

A cellist along Andrassy avenue, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I spotted her as she walked pass me. I did a few photo stops...and when I tried to catch up with her she was far, far ahead of me. I wonder whether she is a music student rushing to class, or perhaps rushing to practice.

Righto..next instrument to consider...is a cello!

Who is this ?

Who is this ?, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Budapest has many sculptures. It's a pity the names are sometimes not written anywhere leaving us less informed to guess who and why they are there. I took this picture because the man looked like he had a commanding air about him. And the sun shinning like so, made this a perfect shot to capture a sunny morning in Budapest.

Café Gerbeaud by night

Café Gerbeaud by night, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I've forgotten how dark the evenings are during the winter months. A bit of a shock walking out of the great hall market and seeing the dark skies. The temperature dropped a lot too. So I was grateful for the thick jacket.

This is Cafe Gerbeaud near HRC Budapest and in Vörösmarty tér 7. It is a famous traditional coffee house in Budapest. I didn't get a chance to go in. ( Bummer) On the upside, I'm still able to wear my jeans comfortably.

GERBEAUD CAFÉ

1051 Budapest Vörösmarty tér 7-8.
Post address: 1364 Budapest Pf. 211.
Opening hours: Mo - Su: 09:00 - 21:00

On the Danube

On the Danube, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

The Danube is a very long river. It originates in Germany and passes through Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine and Romania.

That's a whole lot of countries. When I got back from Budapest, my dad asked me " so was the Danube blue?" Anyone who's ever had to take piano lessons as a child would have certainly played a song called " The blue Danube". It's a waltz by the Austrian composer Strauss

Palinka

Palinka, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Hungarians make the best Palinka. But it's biase because Palinka is only licensed to be made in Hungary. So there you go. Something interesting to digest. I read this in a magazine at the hotel. It is a traditional fruit punch. I read this and decided I should return to Malaysia with some Palinka. I spotted this at the Budapest airport. The prices were in Euro which was good. No massive conversion needed in my head. The person serving said the palinka in these bottles weren't as good as the one in the boring glass bottles nearby. So I bought one of those instead. Haven't tried the Palinka...but when I do,I'll be sure to share the experience.

Pssst the alcohol content may vary from 37% to 86%

The brand "Palinka" is protected by Hungarian and EU law and can only be made from healthy fruits by distillation.

Chinese Takeaway

Chinese Takeaway, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Spotted this shop en route to the great market hall. ( We took the longer scenic route thanks to some misguided instructions from two different people) Eastern chinese fast food. Their menu featured the obligatory Kong Pao Chcken,chicken with bamboo and mushroom, Onion chicken, Peppery fried chicken ( new..never tried this before) Pumpkin with chicken ( yuck) Duck liver( pate I guess) Thailand chicken, Cola chicken ( do they add cola to the chicken in a stew form) Interesting menu obviously tailored to suit the local taste. I wonder how many chinese they actually are in Budapest.

Qatar airways

Qatar airways, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I love the idea of being given jammies in flight:) Here we are enroute to Doha and sobsequently to Budapest.

cross stitch

cross stitch, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I have only completed one cross stitch the size slightly smaller than this little pin cushion you see above. It's a very patient person who can sit down and sew bit by bit.

My mum is a cross stitch fan and she has done a lot over the years. The house is filled with evidence of what a patient and determined individual she is. Today's her birthday. I've put a link on her ipad to my blog but I suspect she rarely visits.

Happy Birthday Mummy. May God continue to bless and look after you. Love you loads.

While we're on the birthday note, FB friends reading this would know...we celebrated my paternal grand aunty 's 97th birthday on Saturday. 4th Ee Poh is a lovely lady. we had a gathering of aunts, second cousins and nieces and nephews all united in the great love we share for this special lady.

glass bottles

glass bottles, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

We're big into plastic bottles. Leading to ( I suspect) a lot of used bottles which are not recycled. We were served glass bottles of mineral water; sparkling ( yay) and non-sparking during the meeting. Slight problem once you're open the bottle you're pretty much obliged to finish it otherwise the bubbles will disappear.

Run run run

Run run run, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

This bronze chap looks like he is in a dreadful hurry. There was no sign nearby to tell me what this represents. I tried googling but can't think of how to google for information. I can't remember the name of the street either.

So we will never know what this represents. And who did the sculpture. Boohoo

* this picture was taken somewhere near Intercontinental Hotel Budapest. I can't remember the street

Hungarian Policeman

Hungarian Policeman, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

This fat chap stands facing the Basilica. Presumably in the past this would make sense...guarding the church grounds. He looks pretty laid back with this protruding tummy he's hardly an example of a trim policeman. There's a certain calmness about him which makes you smile.

Budapest has a few more Bronze sculptures littered intermittently around the city. This was the first which caught my attention. I did so want to pose with this policeman but sadly there weren't many people about at 7:15am. The sweeper was busy doing his job I didn't have the nerve to interrupt him to ask for a picture.

Vaci Utca lace shop

lace, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Okay, if I could turn back the clock, I'ld buy at least 3 of these. Yes yes I'm pretty sure I would. One long runner, a round lace with bright flowers and finally a decent table cloth.

This was taken at a shop along Vaci Street.( main shopping street where prices are definitely higher than the great market.)

russian dolls

russian dolls, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

The more expensive, the more little dolls you can remove as you go along. Surely everybody would love one ( or two) of these. the number of dolls ranges from 5 to thirty. Matryoshka dolls are Russian wooden dolls. It is a sign of fertility and motherhood.

The traditional nesting doll design is one of a young Russian woman dressed in her native costume with a scarf on her head. Can you spot on in the picture?

If you're dying for one...you can buy it on line:) I 've come across from pretty lovely nesting dolls for sale. tempted. Very tempted.

The start of winter

Budapest, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

When you google months to visit Budapest, you are told (wisely) that October is the start of the colder weather. Closer to the date to departure, the weather forecast then tells us that we're to expect a slightly warmer early October. We arrived to nice warm sun and a temperture of 21 degrees celcius. ( Glorious I hear you say).

That evening, the temperature dropped to 13 degrees so our walk back from the great market hall to the hotel was brr brr brr cold. The next two days were crisp and gloriously cold.

My tartan tights made its debut on Day 3. Bought at the street market in Hongkong during last year's APSR meeting. ( I knew it would come in useful eventually)

Hungarian State Opera House

Hungarian Opera House, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Here is the Hungarian Opera House on a sunny morning. (Hungarian: Magyar Állami Operaház) This building took nearly ten years to complete. It is built in a Neo-Renaissance style. On the Balustrade ( not too clear in my picture) you can see some of the 16 statues of the great composers of the world; Beethoven, Mozart, Verdi, Bizet, Tchaikovsky and Monteverdi.

The tram

The tram, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Here is a good reason to stay at the Intercontinental Hotel Budapest.....the tram line number 2 stops literally outside the hotel. This is my shot of the tram as I faced the hotel with the Danube to my back. I love the sight of the tram. It's a lovely yellow and the shape of the vehicle is pleasing. It's pretty quiet. No chug chug sound as it buzzes pass.

Budvari Siklo ( Buda Hill Funicular)

Funicular Castle Hill, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Took this picture en route down Castle Hill at night. Bit cold and very hungry at this stage. The funicular wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. Nice and slow up the hill and down.

We had initially walked up the hill. But it was dark and some parts were a bit too dark for my liking so we opted for this faster ride uphill.

The view from the top was nice but it would have been much nicer during the day. On the up side, there wasn't a crowd and no long line for the ticket and for the ride up and down.

We'd walked across Chain Bridge from the Intercontinental Hotel....with many photo stops en route.

The funicular was opened in 1870. Like most things, it was destroyed during World War 2 and eventually reopened in June 1986.

Note: Funicular is a cable railway that moves up and down a steep slope

Parliment

Parliment, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

When you google Budapest, you're quite likely to see pictures of either Chain Bridge or the Parliament. So here is my picture taken late in the evening. Using the G12 and rather unsteady hands because I was cold.

The Hungarian Parliament building is the largest and ( I googled) tallest building in Budapest. It is also the same height as St. Stephen's basilica.It lies on the bank of the Danube. And I got a good look at it during the rather pricy night cruise we took on the last night in Budapest.

This picture doesn't do it justice. Truly it looks amazing close up. Like a perfectly symmetrical intricate model. It is built in a Gothic revival style. It is the 3rd largest parliament building in the world. It has 691 roms, 20 km of stairs ( ouch)

I can't remember exactly what it is, but the building is built in such a way that the temperature is constant through the year.

Where to go?

Where to go?, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I've been looking through my pictures. I realise it would appear that I had a lot of time for sight-seeing. Which isn't true. I felt like Alice in Wonderland running after the white rabbit. Such a rush its only coming back and looking at the pictures that I truly get to admire the parts of Budapest I saw.

Gresham Palace

Gresham Palace, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Taken en route back from midway on Chain Bridge to the hotel. The red car to the left of the picture is driving from Buda to Pest. ( Cool!)

Gresham Palace is now known as The Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace. It opened in 2004.The site was originally a palce called Nako House but when the London Gresham Life Assurance Company bought it, they demolished Nako house and built this current structure. Why Gresham? It is named after Sir Thomas Gresham the 16th century financier to Queen Elizabeth the first. It is a fine example of Art Nouveau ( French for new style)  architecture in the world. I want to stay here!!!


Four Seasons Gresham Palace
Budapest - District V
Roosevelt tér 5-6
Getting there: Tram 2 to Roosevelt tér
Tel: (36 1) 268-6000
Fax: (36 (1) 268-5000
Four Seasons Gresham Palace website

Buda Castle

Buda Castle, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Buda Castle is on the Buda side of Budapest which meant we had to walk across the Chain Bridge to get there. Quite a long walk but because the weather was nice and crisp and COLD....it was a lovely experience.

The castle is built on the tip of Castle Hill. And to get to the top, we took the Castle Hill Funicular. ( Thankfully they accepted creditcards cos I didn't have a single forinth on me the duration of the trip) This poor castle has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. It currently houses the Hungarian National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum. No chance of entering as we made it there well after 7pm.

Interesting face: The labyrinth of Buda Castle can ( and has) housed as many as 10,000 people. How amazing is that?

Hungarian dolls

Hungarian dolls, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

These look rather cute.I found them at a shop along Vaci Street the afternoon before we flew back to KL. These may be opened. But I wonder what one can put in such a tiny space.

Embroided eggs

more eggs, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I saw these midway through my journey of the lovely souvenirs on the 1st floor of the market in Budapest. I wished I had had more time to browse. I think during the summer it must be packed with people. We had a good unhurried time browsing through the stuff.

Aren't these eggs cute? I like the sign especially. "Not Fragile". Imagine for a moment, your Christmas tree decorated with many of these eggs. That would make it one unique tree indeed.

Millennium Underground

Millennium Underground, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

The Millennium line was the first underground to be built in Continental Europe. It runs under Andrassy Avenue. It is the second oldest underground in the world. The first being the London underground.And it is a UNESCO heritage site.This line ( also known as Line 1) has been in operation since 1896.

The word Millennium signified the 1000th year the Magyar tribe settled in Hungary. The picture is of one of the stops along Andrassy Avenue. I'll post another picture of the metro above ground.  It's pretty silent as it chuggs along the road. I saw at least 2 cruising  along.  I didn't get the chance to sit in it. NO Forinths and they do not accept Euros and I wasn't too keen on changing money because we had such limited time here.

Andrassy Avenue

Andrassy Avenue, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

This avenue received its name after Count Gyula Andrassy who was Hungary's prime minister between 1867 to 1871. He supported the building of this road. And this avenue has been a World Heritage Site since 2002. I was here very early in the morning so all the shops were closed. I was determined I should walk down this avenue having researched a little before my visit. It's 2.5km long so I didn't make it to the end because I had to be back by half eight for the start of the meeting. Aargh!

House of Terror

House of Terror, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

It is on the list of interesting things to see on Tripadvisor Budapest. The name is a little scary. The house of terror was opened in 2002. This building is located at Andrassy Avenue Budapest. It commemorates the victims of both the communist and Nazi regime in Hungary. The present building was previously the Nazi headquarters. In 1945 the Soviets overthrew the Nazi regime and used this building for their headquarters. They also used the torture chambers below. I didn't know this was the House of terror when I took this picture. But there was a emotional pull towards it. And a reluctance to go nearer.

Local Hungarian food

Local Hungarian food, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Stuffed cabbage with paprika. Yum? I wouldn't know because i shyed away from it. This is the Hungarian version of Kim Chee I guess. It didn't have any smell. Look at the T-shirt of the cabbage seller...." I love Hungarian Food". There wasn't a mad rush to buy it. But we did see a few people presumably locals sitting down in front of this stall having a cabbage or two with a glass of alcohol.

little walnut dolls

little walnut dolls, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Doesn't this remind you of THumbelina? I did buy one. It was so cute. I looked and looked to pick a lovely one. It was hard because they were all cute. Not many shops at the Great Market Hall sold this. So I'm glad I bought one from the first shop I spotted this in.

hand painted egg-ohs!!!

hand painted egg-ohs!!!, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

These are amazing. Such detail. And I wonder how they got the paint so even. I'm guessing its a Hungarian tradition to paint eggs. No I didn't buy any. Too much trouble handling it all the way back home.

Dotty

pokka dotts, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

These are my feet. Clad in dotted-theme tights and shoes. I walked really fast from the hotel to St Stephen's Basilica. It was hard with the uneven surface. ( See picture to appreciate fully the trouble the ankles had) The weather was glorious so I really have no right to complain:) Found a starbucks just beside the Basilica!

Central Market Hall, Budapest

Central Market, Budapest, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Finally, a picture of the Central Market Hall in Budapest. Theoretically in the Pest side of the city, This picture was taken just as we arrived. Not many people as you can see in the picture, so it made the visit a pleasant one. I hate jostling elbows with people. The first floor is where the souvenirs are sold. And the prices are cheaper than the shops at Vaci Street. So it's well worth the long walk here for a shopping spree. They accept Euros but not all shops. And you need to be good at maths cos only a few shops show their prices in Euros. What I liked especially was the lack of shop keepers breathing down your neck re-arranging everything you touch. ( Hate that!). The downside of this lack of presence is....if you're in a hurry to buy....you'll be left standing for a bit while the owner comes to your rescue from some other part of the shop.

Matthias Church

The bridge linking Buda to Pest, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Taken from the hotel during tea break. Yes we squeeze all photo ops into every free moment possible.

The bridge is Chain bridge and in the background you may well make out the tower of a church. This is the Matthias Church. The official name is the Church of Our Lady. But it is popularly named after King Matthias. He liked this church so much, he held two of his weddings here.

Széchenyi lánchíd

Chain Bridge, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

The Chain Bridge ( in English) is yet another bridge linking Buda and Pest. This is it at night. The view was amazing and this was taken from the Buda side of town. We took a quick walk across the bridge from our hotel on the Pest side and took the Castle Hill Funicular to the top to get this view. I think it would have been better ( photo-op wise) in the day. But our meeting was very hectic and this was the only available time to venture out. Temperature was 13 degrees during our walk.

Interesting fact: It was designed by an English engineer and it was the first bridge linking Buda and Pest.

Construction in Budapest

Construction, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

This is at the end of Vaci Street. And the bridge you see in the background would be Liberty bridge.( Szabadság híd in Hungarian). It connects Buda and Pest across the Danube River. The two ends would be
Gellért tér (at the foot of Gellért Hill, with the Gellért Spa and Hotel Gellért)

AND

Fővám tér (with the Great Market Hall and the nearby Budapest University of Economics).

This picture is taken on the Pest side....en route to the Great Market Hall.

Paprika to the left and right

Paprika to the left and right, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

We arrived at Central market hall eventually. And we were greeted with ham, salami, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and quite a bit of paprika. There are different types of paprika, sweet, hot, very hot and mild. Sadly the writing is in HUngarian so on reaching home .....whilst attempting to distribute my Paprika, I couldn't figure out the types.

Paprika is the symbolic spice of Hungary. It is produced by grinding dried deep red paprika pods of the pepper plant..

Interesting fact: The plant was brought to the country by the Turks in the 16th-17th century.

Szent István-bazilika

St Stephen's Basilica, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

St. Stephen's Basilica is a Roman Catholic Basilica in the centre of Budapest.It is named after the first King of Hungary It is the third highest building in Hungary. Which tells you they're not big into sky scrappers. The architecture is neo-classical. Construction started way back in 1851

I walked here on a crisp sunny morning when the temperature was 2 degrees. This was taken around 7:13am. Just look at the gorgeous sky. Behind this cathedral is the start of Andrassy Avenue (Andrassy Ut) which is an iconic boulevard in Budapest.

Interesting fact: The preserved right hand of St Stephen is kept in a shrine in the chapel of holy Right.This mumified hand is paraded in the streets on August 20th.

Lovely now if only I knew what the function is

Lovely now if only I knew what the function is, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

I tried getting the girl at the shop to explain the function. She tried. But I'm still clueless. So if anyone knows what this is for...please leave a comment.

Hungarian peasant blouses

Hungarian blouses, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Also seen in Budapest embroidered blouses galore. These ones were plainer and I can't seem to find the more elaborate ones with the rich kalocsai hand richelieu embroidery in my stash of pics. ( May have been too enthralled odd-ing and agh-ing at them )

Although they are traditional, I wasn't so much in awe of the peasant blouses.They look suspiciously like some found at our local stores in Malaysia.

Hungarian embroidery

typical colours of Hungarian embriodery, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

They're big into embroidery in Budapest. Most shops were selling paprika ( a separate post for this) or embroidery or both. Here is just one such table runner seen in a shop along Vaci street. Hand sewn. There were cheaper versions sold outside along the street towards the end of the evening but we were told they were machine sewn.

Apparently Hungarian embroidery dates back to the middle ages where the number of embroidered cloth you had was a mark of wealth. Floral patterns are big. And I think they're called "Kalocsa". If you see the picture above, the flowers and leave are prominent with bright clear colors which work well together.

Interesting fact; the oldest embroidery in Hungary is the robe of the first King of Hungary Stephen the first and it can be found in the national museum. Apparently his wife helped embroider the robe. Well done to her!!!!

Modern Matryoshkas

Wooden doll with modern faces, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

Look what else we found at the Central Market Hall, Budapest ( also known as Nagy Vasarcsarnok...quite a mouthful) Try saying that really fast without sounding silly. See! You can't. Little Russian dolls but this time, instead of the traditional face and costume...we have faces of presidents of various countries. 4300 florinths per doll. I didn't buy them. I have more pictures of the Central Market Hall but let me just say more thing about it here. The path from Vaci Utca to Central market hall is theoretically one straight line. What we didn't factor in was the rather messy construction right smack in the middle of Vaci street forcing you to walk either to the right or left but not the middle of the street. And the construction goes almost throughout the length of this shopping street. It put a slight dampener on the speed of shopping. We took a wrong turn ( or two) and went en route in a convoluted manner.

Matryoshka dolls

little russian doll fridge magnets, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

We saw a lot of these dolls, which I now know the proper name. (Having googled it) They're Russian in origin which may make you ask why are they seen in abundance in Budapest. First let's just have a go at describing them. They're wooden dolls shaped like an elongated egg. Their colors are gorgeous but you will have to take some time to look at each face. Some faces look better than others. Some have blonde hair but most have jet black hair.

The real Matryoshka dolls are a set of wooden dolls which have one doll inside another. As you remove them and set down aside, their sizes decrease until you finally come to a single weeny one. The more nested dolls in the set...you more you'll have to pay.And they're all made from a single block of wood. Interesting yes?

The Russians ruled over Hungary for many years. So its inevitable we see a strong influence in their culture and souvenir:)

Secret Box

Secret Box, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

We saw a lot of these being sold. Mandatory in all souvenir shops in Budapest. It's called a secret box because you cant open it at all by pulling at the drawers or lifting the lid up. If you slide the back of the box, there is a mechanism which will allow you to open up a piece of the wood and you will see your key. Open it up and you have a space ( very small really) to store your secret stash

What is a Trabant?

What is a Trabant?, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

The trabant is a car produced previously in East Germany. It was exported mainly to the other communist countries and this includes Hungary. It was meant to be fast and durable. The average lifespan was 28 years. The engine was not the most efficient. as it emitted a large amount of exhaust fumes. With the reunification of Germany. the Trabant prouction line eventually closed in 1991.

This many explain why there were more than a few T-shirts being sold with the "Trabant" on it.

Hard Rock Cafe Budapest

Hard Rock Cafe Budapest, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

HRC Budapest was so near our hotel it was inevitable that we would walk pass and walk in and spend some money here. We had a meal here too. The ambience and arrangement was better than the HRC at Barcelona. It was halloween and we had some cotton cobwebs to look pass if you were looking for some T shirts on the higher shelves.

HRC is located in a nice old building along Vaci Street andVörösmarty square. It is housed by a UNESCO Heritage building. ( You can see it best from this angle) It first opened in Budapest on the 14th of December 2011.

CLick here HRC Budapest  for a much nicer picture found on another site.

Here is the address:
1051 Budapest, V. district,
Deák Ferenc street 3-5

Traditional Hungarian outfits

Traditional Hungarian outfits, originally uploaded by andreaban2009.

These outfits looked so colourful I had to restrain self from buying a set for the niece. If you look closer there is ornate detailing and the quite a bit of colours which make the outfit look simply gorgeous. The cloth as thick and looked a bit too warm for Malaysian weather. That and the possibility the niece would refuse to wear it....made me err on the side of caution and leave it well be.

Hungarian embroidery dates back to the 18th century. There isn't a single name for the traditional costume.I googled to try and find one.  The colours and embroidery vary. There is a lot of richelieu and broderie anglaise. Richelieu embroidery appeared first in the Renaissance in Italy. The word comes from the name of Cardinal Richelieu who apparently liked this a lot. Broderie Anglaise is french for English embroidery. And it is a different form of embroidery.