Budapest – Typical Japanese tourism with a guided tour
I was traveling around Budapest with a college friend, Momoko. She is in between jobs, living in Japan, and is a couple of years younger than me.
Budapest is magical at night
Riversides in any cities in Europe are beautiful, but Budapest is one of a kind — the Parliament buildings, Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Buda Castle, Elisabeth Bridge, and Fisherman’s Bastion.
At Fisherman’s Bastion, you can enjoy live violin music and stunning panoramic views of Budapest. My friend described it as a “perfect night.”
Szentendre town of Hungarian artists
Szentendre has been the home of many generations of Hungarian artists since the early 20th century. It was my guided tour experience.
Budapest is beautiful at night, but it’s kind of gray during the day. Szentendre is colorful and a beautiful place during the day.
I’ve come this far
You can easily tell who is a tourist and who is not. Japanese tourists are very easy to spot. They are in a group, they curiously look around, and they have slightly different fashion from the locals. Experienced travelers quickly learn how to take local public transport and find good local restaurants. They don’t look scared or nervous. Momoko looked a little nervous, and she looked around curiously like a typical tourist. That made me realize that I am already one of those travel gurus.
If I could travel back in time to when I was 18, that kid would never know that they would become a digital nomad.