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November 2006: On the run from the KGB (the Kenilworth Girls' Band) I thought I'd double-bluff and head towards Eastern Europe. I ended up (thanks to a very dull Easyjet flight) in Hungary - specifically Budapest. More specifically Buda and Pest, as it's two cities really. It's a fascinating place (or two) and I enjoyed my trip there. Read on to discover why...
• The Danube at night, looking past Chain Bridge from the east bank to the Royal Palace and National Gallery. A great view of an interesting city.
• Pest street scene, with the Liberation Monument beyond. I liked the big grey box on a leg camera things I saw around town. Very Gerald Scarfe.
• Buda and Pest? I found this sculpture while 'caching in town. I was actually looking for an artificial cave, but my GPS counted down to zero here, above it.
• By the Gellert Hotel and Baths, and Freedom Bridge I found this chapel in a deep cave. Really fascinating spot, and another one discovered thanks to caching.
• Climbing up from the chapel in the cave (see above) I found myself at the top of Gellert Hill where several statues can be seen. I just liked this gropey angle.
• There's a Citadel up on Gellert Hill too, and this is a little shot of the city from a viewpoint beside it. It did make a sweaty climb worthwhile.
• Hung Parliament. Hung, as in Hungary, geddit? Please yourself (said in a Frankie Howard style). It's only 100 years old, but has been being restored for 80!
• There is a story why this shot is called 'Me and Irene', but it's a long one. That's not Irene behind me, it's the Parliament building. And the Danube.
• And this is called Licky Licky because of some lads I saw around it... It's actually the official 'Zero Km' point that other places in Hungary are measured from.
• Close to the Big Zero (above) is this signpost/lamp. It has the names of places I've never ever heard of on it, and how far away from Budapest they are.
• The Chain Bridge was blown up by the Germans in 1944 as they retreated. It was originally buit in 1849 and replaced a ferry across the Danube close by.
• The Chain Bridge (see above) is famous for its Lions, which stand guard over each end. It's said they don't have tongues. But they do! Tall peeps can see 'em.
• Same again, but without me joing in. It's a lovely bridge, which might be why the makers of I Spy used it for the 2002 Hollywood film.
• I was in Buda and/or Pest for a show called AOExpo, which I was covering for ETO magazine (18+ only), and contractually that I have to pose with pretty girls.
• I really liked Saint Gellert, who looks along Elizabeth Bridge. This is him, and the bridge/alcove below, which I also enjoyed.
• And this is how St Gellert deals with Vampires. He clearly knows what he's doing with that firm wrist action and unwaivering cross work. Genius.
• My favorite trip to Hungary pic, which I've entitled 'Paul Smith: Hero of the Republic'. I liked the Liberation Monument so much I climbed up to it twice.
• By day it looses little of its magic, and I think the views from the top of Gellert Hill are better. I climbed up here twice in a day, once in daylight, once at night.
• While on Gellert Hill I took a photo of this 'Travel Bug' called Browny, before leaving him (or her, it's hard to tell with bears) in a cache close by.
• Again I came here, the Hungarian national Olympic medal winner's monument (1984!), while caching. On the downside, homeless people used it as a toilet.
• Close to Szent Gyorgy ter and Matthias Church is the Fisherman's Bastion, and this is the view from it. It's very lovely.
• Matthias Church is on a hill overlooking Buda, just a short walk from the Royal Palace building. I got up here on the 'Buda Castle' Funicular. Beats climbing!
• As above: The same church looks wonderful at night, as did much of the city centre as it's all lit up. Global warming will put an end to this kind of thing.
April 2008: I returned to Budapest to cover the BOTY Awards: Babe Of The Year. It's still a top city and here are my further thoughts on it and photos of it.
• Behind the parliament building -also in shot- is this interesting statue You can climb over the little 'bridge' he's standing on.
• Hero of the Republic (again). Well worth another hot climb up to Gillert Hill to see the Liberty Monument one more time.
• I really liked this view up the Danube. the framing, the girls giving scale and the composition all do it for me.
• I think someone important was going over the bridge, as 20 minutes later these had all been taken down.
• Here I am chilling at the Fisherman's Bastion. They've installed gates to charge you to walk on it now, the tight bar stewards.
• This always has work being done on it, which I've cunningly cropped from this shot. It's a very striking building, just missing a famous clocktower :)
• I really liked the front of this railway station. The picture doesn't do it justice; the sweeping lines, the elegance....
• Saint Gellert, still workin' it. Close by, the cup-n-ball men were also still fleacing unwary tourists. Don't even stop to watch. I didn't get conned myself...
• I walked through this tunnel under railwaylines to reach a geocache. An interesting area which has been used for pop videos and films.
• The Elizibeth Bridge is my second favourite, after the Chain Bridge The designer's only other surviving bridge isn't far from my home, at Marlow in Bucks.
• The Danube is a pretty river around here, and is useful too. I was below the rusting bridge which runs out to an island to get this picture.
• 'Girl with dog' as an internet image search might be a mistake, but if this statue was what you were looking for, then well done!
• Also behind the parliament building is this chap on a horse. It's a clue for a geocache I did here in 2006.
• The Liberty Monument, without a fat idiot in the way. It used to have the soviet star on it- Something the locals were very happy to get rid of.
• Another angle on Liberty, with birds. A great place for photography, I always seem to end up up here.
• Back to the start of my walking tour at the chap on the bridge. I saw this in the guidebook I took with me and went looking for him. I'm glad I did.
• On to the BOTY Awards. When I saw this Ferrari I knew I was in the right place. I don't think the 360 is a nice looking Ferrari though. Still, nice enough.
• Like the car above, there's something about a limo which says porn to me. No one was filming a scene in this one though, to the best of my knowledge.
• It's never long before the boobs come out at an event like this. And I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Or two bad things. Or in this shot, four.
• I loved CJ's look. There's nothing quite like a shaved girl... Mmmm.
• Another shot of CJ. She placed an advert for modelling and while new to the industry, was enjoying herself.
• Eve won Best Lesbian Scene at the Babe of the Year Awards. A deserving winner, I'm sure.
• Two performers I met before dinner. Sweet girls.
• Viv Thomas is a big name in high-end, mostly lesbian-themed erotica. A charming South African, and therefore an endangered species.
• Jo won the Babe of the Year award, as voted for by visitors to the forum on Viv's website. They have excellent taste.
• Speaking of excellent taste (18+), I do like it when someone says, "And now the lesbian floor show". I love my job.
• As we share a hairstyle (and a cup size, sadly) I had to get a shot with CJ. I've realised why this shot makes me look fat; I'm fat.
• And while I had my camera out, I got a shot with the babes seen 'doing their thing' (and each other's) earlier.
BudapestVid.mpg - 3min 17seconds, 45.8Mb April'08. A couple of views of Buda and Pest.
BudapestVid.wmv - 8.39Mb. As above, but a smaller file with more compression.