Budapest's Central Market

If you patiently wait for & hop on Budapest's yellow line subway...

(which was the first subway train in Europe!)
...and walk down Vaci Utca...

...you will find this giant market, The Central Market,

situated at the end of Vaci Utca,

right at the mouth of the Liberty Bridge.

It's huge... three stories of the freshest produce, meats, cheeses,

spices, flowers, fish, caviars... they have it all.

Look at Russell... he's just itching to get in there & shop for produce!

Here's what it looks like when you walk in.
It's three different levels.

Russell was having the time of his life!

Hungarians are big on spices... particularly paprika.

They have endless types of paprikas. Initially, I steered clear.

But, when in Rome, do as the Romans. I'm now hooked on paprika paste.

This longhorn made me think of home.

Oh, Texas!

Speaking of Texas, did they really get beat by Baylor?

Here we are eating lunch on the third floor, Bop on watch.

The bird's eye view.

I loathe grocery shopping, particularly in Hungary. Russell always did the grocery shopping in Houston. But this was not an ordinary experience. This was a trip to Budapest's Central Market. It's an enormous farmers' market where all the freshest foods and spices are sold. Locals do their shopping here and tourists (like us!) come to observe. It was opened in 1897, so its been in operation for well over a century. We got ourselves a tasty lunch, some baked goods & Claudia's little Magyar dress. I'll definitely be returning, but probably when Claudia's back in school... it's not the best place for a curious & roving toddler who wants to dip her little mit in the spices. The vendors don't like that too much either. =)