Buda and Pest.

Hungary Day Two and it didn't get any warmer. I weirdly like loading up on layers before braving the outdoors. 

Starting with breakfast (and sneakily packing a lunch in front of the sign "eat as much as you like! Take? No." - me no read English.) before braving the chill and heading outdoors. 

With a free day ahead of us almost everyone started with a trip to the House of Terror, a museum regarding the Soviet and Nazi involvement in Hungary and which used to be the location of the Soviet headquarters. It was like a taster for the coming Auschwitz and although weird to call it 'cool' (something wrong about that adjective association to a place that killed and tortured thousands years ago) it was definitely interesting and eye opening. I guess Hungary wasn't in the best geographical location during the war. We weren't able to see all the tunnels connecting the buildings (as the headquarters got so large they took over the whole block and ended up creating unground tunnels to connect them all) but we did see the torture chambers, the gallows and the offices and libraries where the plush surroundings couldn't be more contrasting to below. 

We left the depression and walked down the main street in the sunshine and sub-par temperatures, drinking in the luxury of life so many before us were forbidden to enjoy. Walking across the chain bridge to the church at the top of the hill, lots of steps to burn off the heavy portions of food we've been climatised into consuming, for another splendid view of the city mapped out below us. On to the castle where replicate Buckingham Palace guards stand their duty, stern faced and cold, literally. 

Descending before our hands fell off, we walked through the centre including the Christmas markets before hunting down the location of 'traps', a not-to-be-missed game for those in the know in Budapest. It involves being locked in a room with a group and not being allowed to leave until the puzzles have been completed. Mind boggling and problem solving, it's like an adult playground but finding the entrance is the first step. Walking for miles and being unable to locate it, when we eventually found it there was no answer to the knock on the door and we had to admit defeat. 

Supermarket dinners around the time of sun set (4pm!) before progressing straight to the bar where camp was set up for the rest of the evening. 

Krakow tomorrow, and continuing the fun game of endless currency changing.