City Break - Budapest but with a scary lesson

One city I'd always wanted to visit was Budapest and i eventually did it back in October 2010, this was my first visit to a old eastern block country.

On arrival I was unsure where to go on public transport but later for my return had it sorted which and for information to those interested in visiting you need a number 800 bus then takes you to the start of the subway line where you catch a train into the City.

I'd pre-booked a small hotel which turned out to be down a side street close to the central market, bit of a shock when I arrived to find a locked door so i rang the bill, a voice came over speaker askng who i was as a camera above the door sussed me out. The door opened to reveal what can be described as a building site which worried me.
However i saw a sign that directed me to a lift and i went up to the 1st floor where i found a nice reception area with a lovely lady who spoke good English. Apparently the hotel only starts on the first floor and was really nice, good clean rooms and nice breakfast so no problems.

Budapest is a nice friendly city, found the locals great and plenty to see and do for a good long weekend, think i did 6 nights. Its actually two cities Buda & Pest split be the impressive River Danube with a number of bridges linking across.

Public transport is great and would advise anyone to get a weeks pass which is a dated bit of paper which you sign and can be used on trams, subway or buses. Shoppers the central market is impressive and there are two large shopping centres (very modern).

As for the sites there are plenty to see I visited and think are must see's the following, Heroes Square, Parliament Building, Castle District. One other must visit is the Terror Museum which is housed in a building that was used as the headquarters of both the KGB and the Gestapo during the Russian nd German occupation, scary what went on in there.

The only real dissapointment was the amount of graffitee on historic buildings hate to see it.

Another place I had to visit was the football stadium, been a Leeds united supporter its where we won our first european trophy back in 1967 (Inter Cities Fairs Cup).

Another day I walked up Gellert Hill, certainly gets the lungs working and a different day went to Margarit Island which is in the middle of the river with some nice walking trails.
One thing I regret not visiting is a park they have somewhere that they have put all the statues that were erected during communist rule, most other cities destroyed theirs but its part of history, may be wrong but think its called Momento park or something like that.

Food and drink is relatively cheap (their not on the Euro) but would suggest avoid eating in the restaurants along the touristy Vaci Utra and try some of the places in the maze of side streets. Even found a couple of good music clubs that i enjoyed.

But now the scary lesson, I was walking back to my hotel one night following my meal and decided to call in a Pool Hall close by hoping maybe to have a game. Got chatting to a couple, he was Brazian and she was Swedish and seemed very friendly, had a couple of games of Pool.
Anyway after visiting the toilet I finished my drink and said goodbye, as I walked to my hotel i started to feel dizzy and develop a splitting headache, fortunately i'd only yards to go, got to my room and totally flaked out until i awoke the following morning.
To this day I'm convinced something was slipped into my drink and I was very lucky I decided to leave when I did.
So Solo travellers take care and be careful.

Don't think its anything to do with Budapest, could happen anywhere.

Its a nice city to visit and you probably need 4 or 5 nights to do it justice.