"For memory"

[N_Architect]

I do not think you need to apologize, HUGE AL, but again it is not for me to judge.

[Coles]

I am just a ... normal guy.

Has anyone ever mentioned Asperger's to you? I don't mean that pejoratively.

[N_Architect]

Coles, if you think you really know me so well from my writings, posts or whatever else so that you can make such a suggestion or judgment referencing that specific syndrome (because as you may well know Asperger's is a syndrome/disorder), then I have really nothing much else to say here...

[phaleesy]

Has anyone ever mentioned Asperger's to you? I don't mean that pejoratively.

Coles, that's a rather personal and uncalled for comment, don't you think?

But this TR meant to be different, and I tried to be fairly discreet and mild in describing what I lived in BUD. If I tell you what I lived there, you won't believe your ears. Seems the person or those who reported the post had a different opinion. What they do not understand is that their kids WILL learn or face these things in their lives - with the exception that they will learn them not from their parents, instead life will teach them itself

My understanding is that this is a travel and aviation forum. Some tit-bits of naughty activities to tease the readers is fine. Any more detailed accounts should really be restricted to one's personal blogs. Just my opinion anyway. I personally do not have an issue with alternative TRs but I can also understand the concern of some other readers.

Humiliating them by taking pictures of them and distributing those to my friends by email is not a nice hobby, I believe. One of my friends, sad to admit, told me “you could have put a small tiny camera next to your PC, nobody would notice and you could have recorded everything.”

That's absolutely creepy and pervy! I have had photos taken by random male travellers in the past. I hope I am right to assume that they only had honorable friendly intentions. I would be royally pissed if any pics were circulated around along with their stories of imagined conquests.

I got robbed by the local mafia

If it's not X-rated, could you please write about the incident? Or you could provide us with a more sanitized version? It would help everyone to be more street-wise in BUD.

[HUGE AL]

I do not think you need to apologize, HUGE AL, but again it is not for me to judge. I am the one who took your post way too seriously and I knew well, before I post, that nothing was ever meant to be implied or that any character assassination was implied, for God's sake. I also think that we both agree on most, if not all aspects. So personally I see no issues whatsoever on what you referenced, and regret (and consequently apologize) if my post gave the impression that I do have some issues on your words.

I do not know, perhaps I do take things too seriously especially after my recent 'spicy' post on this thread was temporarily removed, few days ago. No hard feelings for any of the moderators team, let me make this clear as well, I understand their decision (and told them so, actually). At least I may be sensitive in a 'straight' sense, and not hypocritically 'sensitive' like the person/people who reported my post. I do not hide, I do dare to talk about things that others may well be doing (secretly away from their kids and wives) but never talk about. I went to Budapest for a week, lived 7 nights so intensely that I still today cannot be calm. I got robbed by the local mafia, I slept with a call girl each night I was there, fell in love, lived life as I have never done before. And I am just a lonely normal guy.

The easiest thing to do is to write about whether the ex-SIN BTC lamb on SQXXX tastes good or not. But this TR meant to be different, and I tried to be fairly discreet and mild in describing what I lived in BUD. If I tell you what I lived there, you won't believe your ears. Seems the person or those who reported the post had a different opinion. What they do not understand is that their kids WILL learn or face these things in their lives - with the exception that they will learn them not from their parents, instead life will teach them itself... Keeping silent about things takes our world back, not forward. I am disappointed (not by the moderators or members like you), and as I said, perhaps this is where all this 'taking things too seriously' comes from...

All is good, N_Architect. I sincerely hope you do continue with your posts as I have always enjoyed them...and the beautiful pictures. RESPECT!

[N_Architect]

Thank you, HUGE AL, you're cool.

Coming back to phaleesy's request, read on:

Single males or males in groups of 3-4 are a very classic and easy target in BUD. If one is not careful, the consequences can be pretty bad. Four people from our group (two Americans and two Russians), all in separate incidents, got scammed the first night in BUD, when going to bars. What happened to me was different, but the result was the same.



A classic way to get scammed in BUD is the following: in the surrounding area where all the 4 & 5-star hotels are located (IC, Four Seasons, Marriott, etc.) there is a pedestrian way with restaurants, etc. In the vicinity there are also some bars that should be avoided. I do not know the exact location, as I did not go there at all, I just walked in the tourist area near the hotels.

The scam works as follows (I am sure some readers of this forum will know these things but I have to say them anyway): single male or 3-4 male friends walk in the area close to the luxury hotels, looking to have a couple of drinks and may be meet some nice girls, even if these girls work in a bar.

Very beautiful girl appears in the middle of the street, initiates conversation with them in English, pretending to be a teacher that wants to practice speaking and also possibly get to know the guy(s) better. Proposes the male(s) to go to a nearby bar for a drink. Customer enters the bar, orders drink, girl orders drink as well, if more males in the group they order as well and a couple of girls appear and sit next to them, they order a drink each as well. Happens all the time everywhere, nothing wrong with it. There are bars where you can go, order a drink, bar girl comes next to you and keeps you company for as long you like, provided you refill her drink every now and then. That’s fine. What happens in BUD, and possibly in some other cities as well, is different.

Coming back to the scene we were following in that BUD bar, an hour or two later, male customer(s) decide to leave and ask for the bill. Waitress presents the bill, customer(s) look at the total amount, which is around US dollars 1,000 or even more, depending on the case. Complaint follows (naturally), as the five or six drinks the group may have had could not possibly cost more the a tenth of the presented price. Few seconds go by after the clients’ complaint, and four ‘good boys’ appear, showing clearly that you won’t make it out unless you pay whatever they request. Usually people do not argue much, as there is no space for movement or negotiation. In many instances people are taken outside the bar to an ATM and are forced to additionally withdraw an equally large sum of money. One of our guys actually called the police, and it was the police that escorted him to the ATM in order to withdraw the money. In that area near these luxury hotels, the taxi drivers and a part of the police are involved on the scam.

[Kyo]

That's really enlightening, N_Architect.

Will make sure to treat any future visits to BUD with a bit more caution (that area seems exactly similar to how Duxton Rd in SIN is... same deal with the bars/drinks etc)

[KeithMEL]

Thanks for that, N_Architect. I'm sure your advice would be most helpful for anyone planning a trip to BUD. Sorry to hear you were a victim of scam though.

[jhm]

The bar scam (and variations, e.g. Chinese students in Beijing who take you to a tea tasting) happens all over the world, e.g. I've had the same attempted on me in Athens many years ago. In my case though, it was an old man opposite the Grande Bretagne Hotel in Syntagma Square who wanted to be my "friend" and go to a bar for drinks rather than a beautiful girl.

[kapitan]

Post #9 updated. No pics this time, just words... Let me know what you think...

I'll try to post the pics from IST soonest possible, they're up but photobucket is down at the moment for maintenance. It's better to post so that all of you can enjoy rather than waiting till I do the 'full' write-up.

So I'll do a 'kapitan'-style report for the IST part at least, with more pics than words (haha, he'll be laughing when he reads this... ).

Yeah, I am laughing.... have I evolved a style of trip reports???

Less words is mainly because;

1) I am lazy
2) Lost for owrds
3) Bad English (did not want to embarass myself)
4) Loudsy speller of words

Arrgghhh... that's already too many words I have written....

[kapitan]

That's really enlightening, N_Architect.

Will make sure to treat any future visits to BUD with a bit more caution (that area seems exactly similar to how Duxton Rd in SIN is... same deal with the bars/drinks etc)

Don't ever start buying drinks for the ladies at any bar in Duxton Rd, once you start, it will not end.....

[N_Architect]

Post #13 updated.

[N_Architect]

So we’re off to the Intercontinental Budapest. Pictures taken from the bus on the way to the city center.

Budapest (Ferihegy) Airport, arrivals:

[N_Architect]

Budapest Intercontinental, standard room, two single beds:







Bathroom was really tiny.


Apologies, no other pictures of lobby, restaurants, etc.

City of Budapest:









This is an ice rink during the winter:

[N_Architect]

More Budapest: (now here I’m definitely writing much much less than kapitan – hahahaha)













Gerbeaud café: