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I am astonished that 50% of the people who voted think Bucharest better than Budapest ... Absolutely stunned in fact.
Yes, Budapest is a great city - much nicer than many of the Western European capitals which seem over-rated compared to Budapest.
However, for those who get to know Bucharest with all of its cultural subtleties (which few visitors do), it is possible to realize that this city can be like one of those short, frumpy, clumsy and physically ugly as H actors who, paradoxically enough, have something extremely charming, unique and just plain likeable - once you get to know them and see how they act.
I am not sure about a Bucharest-Budapest comparison, I guess it depends on what you are looking for. Budapest is nicer, theoretically, but also colder. Bucharest is much less manicured and sparkly, with many more defects, but it is warmer and has more zest for life.
I have recently visited Bucharest, after leaving Boston for a cross-country relocation (thank Goodness).
Even though, on paper, there should be no comparison between Boston and Bucharest, never in a million years would I exchange the charmingly flawed, fun, lively and bohemian Bucharest for that cold, Puritanical, boring, devoid of zest for life and just nauseatingly over-rated city of the US.
For me, a place like Bucharest would win hands down. Really down.
Such characteristics are probably what made some people vote for Bucharest.
But I agree it is an acquired taste. Bucharest would not strike most foreigners with standard tastes as a dreamland. That's for sure.
If one is traveling for a short and finite period of time, they'd not have the time to pick up on nuances. This is especially true of a first visit.
I've been to Prague at least a dozen times, probably more, and I still don't pick up on all of the nuances.
I think you are absolutely right, it takes a while to get down to more subtle aspects of a city. Like you I have been to Prague many times and I still feel I have not got under its outward appearance. I think sometimes one needs to live somewhere to truly come to grasp with a place. Sometimes it just hits you though.
Prague to me is insanely beautiful has a fascinating history and amazing cultural life and yet I prefer Budapest. Budapest to me is more real. Less perfect perhaps but more real and yet still breath-takingly lovely. I was lucky enough to travel in Eastern and Central Europe before the "iron curtain" fell and after so I feel I have seen most countries in quite different circumstances and lights. In many ways I think I prefered Hungary and Czechoslovakia ( as was) under communism. Obviously I did not have to live there and I realise life for the locals then was pretty darn awful in almost all respects but as a visitor I think there was more charm, more real national culture and that globalism hadn't quite eaten into what made Hungarians and Czechs different for example.
I found Prague almost insufferable the last time I went, a lot of it seemed so phony and "plastic" only geared to tourism and our familiar Western blandness of multinational brands, designer shops and associated unpleasant sights. I love the city and yet found it oddly repellent in some ways too . It is hard to explain.
I don't like Globalism in the UK or France as it is and it seemed a shame that countries have to lose what makes them so unique in order to succeed economically. I wish each country could find its own way to "work" without having to copy the rest of the world. It makes the world seem a smaller place and to me a more vapid one...
We should be celebrating our own uniqueness rather than trying to ape what people are doing in other parts of the world. I am always saddened when I go somewhere and find that we live the same , eat the same, wear the same clothes, listen to the same music etc... We are losing so much national identity and culture.
If you ever get a chance, try Olomouc, in the northeast of Czech. It's a college town with 7 fountains and is as delightful as Prague without the pretense.
I think it will take Prague another decade to find itself.
It's a daytrip for me, so I'm pretty comfortable just wandering and hearing a non-tourist concert now and again.
It is a pity that there are so many restrictions on countries to become members of the EU. They do lose their uniqueness.
06-18-2011, 05:09 PM
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I didnt get any responses from anyone for my post yet. I would like to see what other people think of it:
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Originally Posted by
I have been to Bucharest three times.
I have family that live in Romania.
Bucharest is not nearly as bad as some people say.
I actually saw some impressive great charming areas of Bucharest and had an interesting trip there.
However, it was a big mistake that a lot of great areas of Bucharest were demolished a few decades ago. It used to be called to be called the "Paris of Eastern Europe." Despite that, there are still some charming areas of Bucharest left.
Also, Bucharest seemed safe to me, and the infrastructure not bad.
I have never been to Budapest, Hungary but my sister lived in Budapest Hungary for 6 months to study abroad for college there. She also showed me a lot of pictures of Budapest. Based on that, I would pick Budapest over Bucharest. But Bucharest is not bad at all.
I do meet a lot of Romanian people (mainly expats/immigrants) on holiday, usually they are cool but never did i met someone from Hungary. Why is that?
Because Romaina is a s... country, the people leave it asap. In difference to that Hungary is nice and wealthy, only few people leave it for immigration.
Because Romaina is a s... country, the people leave it asap. In difference to that Hungary is nice and wealthy, only few people leave it for immigration.
Romania has a higher GDP than Hungary, so much for poorer and inferior.
To the OP, Bucharest is crowded, I would go to Brasov, Cluj, and Constanta instead.
Because Romaina is a s... country, the people leave it asap. In difference to that Hungary is nice and wealthy, only few people leave it for immigration.
Ummmm, I'll disagree with your comment.
I thought Romania was delightful; I'll certainly visit again.
My only complaint is the roads.
Romania has a higher GDP than Hungary, so much for poorer and inferior.
To the OP, Bucharest is crowded, I would go to Brasov, Cluj, and Constanta instead.
GDP per capita of Romania - 7500, Hungary - 12900 (USD), so it obviously is poorer. You probably meant total GDP, but in that case Nigeria is "richer" than both of the countries.
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