Bang slap in the middle of Europe, Hungary is a somewhat benighted country of around 10 million people. The country came into existence in 896 AD when a group of tribes who it is thought migrated from Central Asia looking for a better life (sound familiar??) were united under the first Magyar king, Stephen. Stephen (named for St Stephen we’re told) is still much venerated in Hungary - his right hand is lodged in Budapest’s largest Roman Catholic cathedral and is celebrated each August on the country’s national day. And consequently, 96 is considered a very lucky number in Hungary. So lucky in fact, that no building in Budapest can be taller than 96 metres (the height of the domes of St Stephen’s Cathedral and Hungary’s massive parliament building) as well as the number of steps on the grand entrance staircase of the parliament building

Over the next several hundred years, Hungary grew in strength and power reaching a peak in the country’s Golden Age in the 16th century. But it was all downhill from then! Hungary was divided up between the Hapsburgs and the Ottomans; Transylvania, traditionally Hungarian so we’re told was split off and eventually became part of Romania. There came another brief “glorious” period in the second half of the 19th century when what was left of Hungary joined with Austria under the Emperor Frans Josef I and Budapest became the second city of the Austro-Hungarian empire. It was during that period that many of the grand buildings on both the Buda and Pest sides of the city were built and Budapest became one of Europe’s most fashionable and elegant cities. Unfortunately for them, Austro-Hungary was on the losing side in World War I and much of the 20th century was pretty much a disaster for Hungary finding themselves first under Nazi and then Soviet occupation, the latter only coming to an end in 1990. By that time, Hungary was just a fraction of its former self which explains why many people of Hungarian descent live in neighbouring countries - Slovakia, Croatia, Romania among others. Budapest was badly damaged during WWII and it has only been in the past few years (particularly since the end of the Communist period) that the centre of the city, on either side of the Danube has been restored to its late 19th century glory.

Since the turn of the 21st Century, Hungary has been a member of NATO and the EU. The country’s prime minister, Viktor Orban is a right wing populist who has created his own version of democracy which has brought the country close to being suspended from the EU. Orban sealed the borders of Hungary to prevent migrants from Asia looking for a better life from entering. It’s hard to escape the irony of that!! Unsurprisingly much of the political class (at least on the government side) are former communists who changed sides although apparently not their love of one party rule and autocracy after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Still despite (or perhaps because of) its checkered history, Hungary has produced a lot of people who have become household names. There’s Biro (of ballpoint pen fame), Rubik (the cube man), the Gabor sisters (Eva and Zsa-Zsa, who described herself as a “housekeeper”- after every divorce she keeps the house!), Bernie Schwarz (aka Tony Curtis), Johnny Weissmuller (aka Tarzan) among many others. So many in fact, that our guide says that everybody has some Hungarian blood!

Tony Curtis was particularly proud of his Hungarian roots and among other things, his foundation funded a monument to the Swedish diplomat Raul Wallenberg (who helped saved thousands of Jews from deportation and was himself likely murdered by the Soviets after the War) which is in the courtyard of Budapest’s Dohány Street synagogue.

We spend a fascinating (but bitterly cold) morning with an elderly Jewish guide who we hired to tour us around Jewish Budapest. This he does but he also provides us with some fascinating insights into Hungary’s current prime minister, Orban and his Fides political party. Orban is an admirer/“friend” of other right wing, autocratic-leaning populists dominating the political landscape these days (he mentions Trump, Netanyahu, Erdogan and Putin). As in their respective countries, our guide tells us that there’s a big disconnect in views between people who live in Budapest (around 15% of Hungary’s population) and those who live in rural areas. Discontent is bubbling up though in Hungary and there was a big street demonstration while we’re in town against the “slave labour” policies of Orban. A one day general strike is threatened for the week ahead.

We end our “Jewish tour” at a Glatt kosher restaurant adjacent to Budapest’s main orthodox synagogue. As we sit down we’re treated to a “cabaret” - four people on an adjacent table having a loud argument with a waiter over something with their food they’re unhappy with. Kosher restaurants (or their clientele?) are the same everywhere!! We enjoy our matzo ball soup, chopped liver and cholent anyway!!

Our visit to Budapest ends with a night at the opera. A grand performance of Verdi’s Nabucco at the very plain Erkel Theatre, a communist era venue standing in for the city’s opera house which is under renovation. 

Just a shame that we’re ripped off by the taxi driver who takes us back to our hotel, revealing a meter demanding a fare six times higher than we’d paid earlier on, claiming “night rates”.....