Hungarian seasonal tip: Mum’s elderberry juice is the best!

The all time favourite drink for Hungarian children (and probably for adults) is the elderberry syrup. Serve it cold with a slice of lemon to your friends and you will be praised to the skies. In May and early June you might see some huge white flowers on a bigger bush around roads and parks. This is the elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

For medical purposes it is used as well but this time we recommend it as:

One of the best local refresher. The elder syrup can be bought in any shops and you can ask for it in bars. For thoose who would challenge themselves in a Budapest kitchen:

It’s time to try making the glorious elderberry syrup. Easy to make, cheaper and healthier than any other factory made plastic bottled refresher.

Requirements:

- Elderberry flowers 8-10 big ones , 80 dkg sugar, 1 dkg tartaric acid / borkősav, 2 lemons, clean and empty bottles, two days patience.

How to do it?

Visit one the Buda hill sights and beauty spots. For example Normafa or János Hegy. Take your family and friends with you. Take a picture from above on our favourite capital. Take a walk in the forest and look for an elder tree. Pick only the healthy flowers which smell good. Use a paperbag to collect them.

Back home get a big pot. Boil 5 liters of water. If cooled add the sugar and the juice of a lemon, slice the other one in it. Add the flowers and mix it. Take it to a cool and dark place. Mix it up twice everyday. After 48 hours your patience will be honored! First filter the juice. You can add some more lemon juice if like it. Pour the juice into the bottles. Finally: serve it cool with still water and a slice of lemon. (Did you know that Hungary’s tap water is drinkable?) Lasting for 4-5 days. Keep it in the fridge.

Thirsty enough?

Well, if you just want to skip the ‘making process’ go to the nearest Budapest ruinpub, terrace or restaurant and ask for bodzaszörp!

Egészségedre – Your health! Cheers!

Are you ready for this?

What do you find at the flea market of Budapest? More than trash and even more than treasures. Clourful faces. Diversity in nations, religions and old goods. False and true gold jewellery of any kind, lost and sold memories from Hungary. You can get one of them this time for a reasonable price.

How to get there?

Travel to Boráros tér. (Take no 2 - 4-6 tram) Get on the bus no. 54 (see bus timetable ) Do not get off till the 20th stop what is ’Naszód utca – Használtcikk piac’. The driver usually announces the magical word ’Ecseri’. This time follow the not so well dressed Hungarians, traders and other tourists.

Basic rules

Taking a look is free. The normal price is at least doubled as you first ask. You might ask before you take a picture on someone. Do not take picture on children. Tolerance is required. Enjoy the bustle of the market. Do not throw away your trash and butt. But eat a ’lángos’.

Dress code: do not wear good shoes as this talks most on your financial situation.

It’s useful to know ’mennyibe kerül?’ - how much; ’kérem’ – please and I would like to take it; ’köszönöm’ – thank you.

Enjoy.

EUSHorts film festival tonight!

During the week, Budapest Beyond Sightseeing guided the artists of a European Shortfilm festival, held in Budapest; titled the Moving Districts.
It was really stimulating to work together with the young artists groups, and to show them the 8th district from every possibly angle.
Tonihgt, 26th March 2011, they present their short movies for the public as well. Everyone is welcome at 20:00 in the Fogasház!

Wonderful pictures made during the Beyond Budapest tour

Jodee the founder of BudapestZin.com made you a surprice picture show.
Enjoy and visit BudapestZin!


© Budapest daily photo 2010, photo by Bugarszki Zsolt & Jodee

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Check out our friends at BudapestDailyPhoto.com

With the eye of one of our guests

Zoltán Major the leader of the 'Kalász Fotó Klub' let us publish his pictures made in the 8th district, during the 'Juice of the 8th ditrict' walking tour. Taste it, enjoy it and come with us to see it yourself.

Down in the 8th

Come and see this!


A festival to co-opt gentrification.

Sept.3-5.

Poetry, dj-s, art, cafe, and a lot more in the Roma Parliament.

Budapest Beyond Sightseeing guides Guardian

On the way from London to Istambul the Guardian journalists highlight the specialities of the capitals. So they came to Budapest and surely had a great time. The horse-race at Heroe's square was their only touristic stop. After that we won the horse-race bet with the help of the 8th district locals. If it were not enough we had the chance to enter the last traditional shtiebel in Budapest.


"Beyond Budapest tours is a fantastic look beyond the tourist sights of the city, getting under the skin of fascinating districts and delving into the secret histories of the Hungarian capital. Highly recommended for those wanting to get off the beaten track." Benji Lanyado, Guardian Travel