Mixed media

Budapest seems to be a city of huge contrasts without much demarcation.  Obviously there will be posh areas where no poor people are seen and definetely there will be less desirable areas where so called civilised people would fear to tread.....but in the main city districts every kind of life seems to sit cheek by jowl.  Within a few metres there will be a majestically completely roccoco expensive hotel ....2 metres down or into the road will be a homeless streetperson asleep on a bench outside a rather dubious potentially seedy looking bar or cheap takeaway joint.  Next door will be a grand public building for example the opera house surronded by strip bars and cheap secondhand clothes shops with the most unbelievably uninspiring window displays.  Streets change within feet and inches from lively restaurant and bar areas well lit up in to wee smelling dark and dingy oily looking pavements and then back again. The same happens up wards. Amoung the plethora of bridal shops fronting tatty rundown shops - all you have to do is look up to be astounded at amazing art noveaux detail or incredible stone work.  Its facinating and really interesting.  Maybe I've lived out in the sticks too long....

Faded glory

This isnt constrained to bar areas, shopping areas are all bit mixed up, the classic designer shops are grouped together in a united defence but non the less surrounded by tack and bizarrely dubious 'common' retailers.   Even the residential streets are a mishmash of beautiful restored or elegant new builds with rundown eyesores or new concrete monstrousities sandwiched inbetween, some of it rustic in appearance but much of needing a serious facelift or refurbishment. It makes for interesting wandering. We both agreed that walking round thedifferent districts and checking out the ever changing architecture has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of our trip... along with cake sampling and a roof top bar crawl.