Travel Day
Budapest to Milano
Breakfast opened at 06:30. There were a few of our fellow Cosmos travels there first thing. Several of them had left at 03:00 for the airport for early flights. Our flight is at 14:00 so we have lots of time. The first order of business was the morning cappuccino and brioche. Took a while to find the brioche but it couldn’t hide. The brand of coffee machine here is different from what I have seen before. It makes good quality machine coffee.
Between sips of the coffee and a bit of brioche, there was conversation with fellow travelers. As 08:00 approached I packed up and went up stairs to make sure Mary was up. She was! We finished packing up and headed downstairs so she could have some breakfast. We sat and talked with Karan for a little while. We talked about seeing him in India, he appeared up for it. He lives three hours outside of Mumbai, although he kept calling it Bombay. These name changes are still confusing.
After breakfast we went back up stairs for our luggage. We went to the front of the hotel where I used the Bolt app to order a Bolt Taxi, same thing as Uber only about ½ to ¾ the price. A little less than just a taxi but it is easier since I don’t have to communicate where I want to go, and the payment is automatically on the credit card. It also eliminates the thought of a tip.
It didn’t take too long to get to the airport; however we did notice all really nice football, soccer, stadiums on the way. Madrid, London, Rome, Lisbon: all proud European capitals and all boasting a rich football pedigree. However, when it comes to domestic dominance, each of them must bow down to Budapest.
Hungary has been a hotbed of soccer since the late 19th century. Budapest is in a class of its own as a powerhouse city throwing its weight around on the national stage. Between them, the seven different clubs from Budapest have won more than 100 league titles; it's a long history of success that Budapest's continental counterparts can only envy.
The city straddling the Danube has puts its stamp on the Hungarian topflight since the start. The competition was launched in 1901 and the winners of the first two editions were the now defunct Budapesti TC, who played their matches at the Millenáris Sporttelep (a stone's throw from the Puskás Aréna). Another local club, Csepel, picked up three titles in the 1940s and a fourth the following decade. But football in Budapest is largely the story of the traditional big five: Ferencváros, MTK, Újpest, Honvéd and Vasas.
Collectively they have hoovered up a remarkable 97 titles, from a total of 121. And each campaign can serve up as many as 30 derbies, providing all five are present in the topflight; that's no small matter given the fierce local pride that drives their ambition. Indeed, all five clubs have long been based in their own districts, each with a distinct history and vibe.
Since they were founded in 1899, reigning champions Ferencváros have played in the city's ninth district – also known as Ferencváros, once dubbed the 'stomach of Budapest' due to the importance of its food industry. Bolstered by the country's largest fanbase and a record 34 league titles, the Zöld Sasok (Green Eagles) are Hungary's most successful club. That also makes them the team everyone wants to beat, a status they have held since before the First World War.
It's the same story in the women's game: Ferencváros are Hungary's prime female force, having edged ahead of capital rivals MTK Hungária in recent years. And Ferencváros Stadion was the scene of a piece of female football history in 2019, when nearly 20,000 watched the first rebranded Women's Champions League final. Fittingly, the opening goal was scored by Budapest-born Dzsenifer Marozsán of Lyon.
In the men's game, Ferencváros's first major rivals were MTK, and the Örökrangadó (Eternal Derby) between the sides was the original biggie. MTK remain Hungary's second most successful team, their tally of 23 league crowns underpinned by a record sequence of ten in a row from 1914, though they have toiled in vain for the trophy since 2008. Based in Budapest's eighth district, the name of their Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion home nonetheless evokes their storied past, Nándor Hidegkuti having played as a forward for Hungary's legendary Mighty Magyars team of the 1950s.
Nowadays 'the derby' means one thing: Ferencváros versus Újpest. Among the most keenly fought fixtures in the European calendar, the atmosphere seldom disappoints. It is a rivalry that began bubbling away in the 1930s when the Lilák (Lilacs) first broke up the Ferencváros-MTK duopoly, claiming the first five of their 20 league titles. Back then, Újpest was a separate town to the north, only becoming Budapest's fourth district in 1950. The team itself then snaffled up seven consecutive titles from 1969, when their rivalry with Ferencváros was at its most intense.
The 1960s and 1970s were also the heyday for Hungarian clubs in Europe, when the nation's finest regularly held their own on the continent's grandest stages. Vasas blazed a trail by reaching the European Cup semi-finals in 1957/58, but MTK improved on that by gracing the European Cup Winners' Cup final in 1964 – and Ferencváros repeated the feat 11 years later, having seen off Liverpool along the way. As for Újpest, they strolled through to the semis of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1961/62 and the European Cup in 1973/74, campaigns that featured wins against Ajax and Benfica.
Back on home soil, most of the big Budapest derbies of that era were played as back-to-back double-headers at the Népstadion – the site of today's Puskás Aréna. Attendances were often huge, including the record league attendance of 98,000 for Kinizsi (Ferencváros's name at the time) against Honvéd in 1955.
To foreigners, Puskás means the Ferenc Puskás of Hungary, the Galloping Major of Real Madrid. For Hungarians, Puskás means Honvéd. And for Honvéd fans, Honvéd means Kispest: Budapest's 19th district, where Puskás himself grew up. Such is the strength of fans' affection for their neighbourhood, they view themselves as 'csak a Kispest': just Kispest. And their heroes have certainly given them much to celebrate. The Vörös-feketék (Red and Blacks) primarily excelled in the 1950s and 1980s, though the most recent of their 14 titles came under current Hungary coach Marco Rossi in 2017.
To the south of Újpest is Budapest's 13th district, the home of the city's fifth traditional force. Vasas – the Ironworkers from Angel Land – are based in Angyalföld, which was once a centre of heavy industry. Nicknamed the Piros-kékek (Red and Blues), their list of honours includes six league titles, though all date back to the Communist era.
Fans of Vasas and MTK leave a less visible mark on the capital these days, but supporter processions and stadium tifos are de rigueur for the biggest matches of their rival clubs. The Ferencváros faithful offered up both for their Europa League round of 16 decider against Leverkusen in March, while Honvéd fans even serenaded former title-winning coach Rossi as he stood on the balcony of his apartment in 2019, as they made their way to the Hungarian Cup final.
On matchdays the city's longest avenue, Üllői út, takes on a green tinge whenever Ferencváros are playing at home, with masses of Fradista congregating around the Népliget metro stop. Over in Kispest, red, white and black are the colors that dominate the streets from Határ út and past the Honvéd club museum to the Bozsik Aréna. And expect plenty of lilac in Újpest, where the Kék Duna Borozó (Blue Danube Wine Bar) is crammed full of memorabilia celebrating the local side.
Fans looking for a less tribal destination should make a beeline for 6:3 Borozó on Lonyay utca in the ninth district. Opened to mark Hungary's famous 6-3 victory over England at Wembley in 1953, the bar was once owned by Hidegkuti himself and continues to honor that fabulous team – a team of talents largely drawn from the fertile pool of Budapest's prestigious clubs. That dazzling era may be gone, but this is a city that still sways to the rhythms of the game.
The Mighty Magyars revolutionised football in the 1950s but only one Hungarian has ever won the Ballon d'Or: Flórián Albert. He's widely considered the country's sole player since those glory days who could have slotted into the Golden Team.
A prolific forward, Albert received his landmark award while playing for Ferencváros in 1967. It was a fitting coronation for a player nicknamed the Emperor, remembered today for his trademark pose of hands on hips, the relaxed stance of a ruler surveying his domain. Albert was equally regal in motion too, regularly slicing through opposition defences with grace and elegance.
Born in Hercegszántó, close to the Serbian border, Albert moved to Budapest as a child. It was there that he spent his entire playing career, a one-club man who made his Ferencváros debut aged 17 in 1958 and eventually retired in 1974. In between he rattled in 256 goals in 351 league games and helped the team win four league titles, a Hungarian Cup and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1964/65. Twice named Hungarian Player of the Year, he also hit 31 goals in 75 outings for his country and finished joint-top scorer at the 1962 World Cup in Chile.
What makes those feats even more impressive is that Albert achieved almost everything by the age of 27, when he suffered knee ligament damage in a World Cup qualifier against Denmark. He returned to action almost a year later but rarely scaled the same heights.
Albert later worked for Ferencváros in several capacities and, right up until his death in 2011, held an office in the club stadium, which was named after him in 2007. He now has a street named in his honor just south of the new Ferencváros Stadion, where visitors can find a statue of the man himself – hands on hips, of course.
There are apparently five big stadiums in Budapest. They are:
· Groupama Arena. Arenas & Stadiums.
· Stade Puskàs Ferenc.
· Papp László Budapest Sportaréna.
· Duna Arena. Arenas & Stadiums.
· National Athletics Centre. Arenas & Stadiums.
Our hotel was right next to Groupsama Arena and MVM Dome. While the MVM Dome isn’t a soccer stadium, it is a handball stadium, it is beautiful. This might be someplace that Oliver might like to go. We had driven past Stade Pushàs and Papp László stadiums yesterday when we drove in from Romania. They are are unbelievably beautiful. American football stadiums have nothing on them.
The airport is officially renamed Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport in honor of the Hungarian pianist and composer Franz Liszt (Modern Hungarian: Liszt Ferenc). It is a really nice airport. There is a story about a train which used to run from the airport into the downtown train station, but I could never get an explanation of why it didn’t do that anymore.
We were there the required three hours before our flight. There were no lines in security so we went right through. There was no passport control, although I am not sure why. Probably because we are flying between to EU countries and to Schengen countries. Not sure why or if I even care.
We had lunch at a placed called the Prosecco Bar. Mary had a pizza and I had the Caprese salad. No beer before the flight. By the time lunch was over it was time to head to the gate. We were the first ones there. It seemed a little odd, but after fifteen or so minutes people really started to show us. Clearly it was going to be a packed plane.
It is Wizz Air, a lot cost airline. We were in seats 3a & 3b. Fortunately we had priority boarding so we actually were the first passengers on the plane. The overheads for rows 1, 2 & 3 were taken up with crew luggage. But we got ours into row four’s overhead. The flight is an hour and thirty minutes. Uneventful.
There was some confusion when we landed. Almost like we were at the wrong gate. It too ten or fifteen minutes to sort it out. We exited into a part of Malpensa we hadn’t been into before but quickly found the way to the train station. The next train was a half hour out, but it didn’t matter. Got the tickets on the app and headed to the track.
Less than two hours later we were at our apartment. All electronic locks. Easy to get into. In an interesting neighborhood just east of the train station. Lots of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladesh restaurants. Look at the reviews to see if we wanted to eat dinner at one of them, the reviews all suggested we eat elsewhere. Our normal stand by is closed on Sunday, so we walked to the PAM and bought some cheese and salami. Mary bought some soup. I got coco krispies.
There is no Moka Pot here just a nespresso machine. Sad. That’s ok, I can walk over to the train station in the morning and get a cappuccino and brioche without a problem. We did put a load in the washer. It is one of those that supposedly not only washes but dries the clothes. We’ll see.
The laundromat is just a new meters away. It was packed on Sunday night. I am guessing that it isn’t busy at 07:00. We will see. Two and a half hours have passed since I started the “washer/Dryer” and it has finished the cycle. Things are clean and dry! I took them out and hung them on the drying rack just to make sure. Then I loaded another load into the machine.
There are three more loads, and if it washes and dries them, then I can avoid the laundromat all together. If they are clean but not dry, I can take them to the laundromat and dry them. It is supposed to be raining tomorrow pretty much all day. So we’ll probably stay in a play cards and do laundry. That was the plan anyway. Well at least do laundry. Two weeks is about the most one can go without doing laundry if all you have are carryon suitcases.
Damilia arrives tomorrow night. Hopefully she’ll be here by 20:00 or 20:30. We have lunch reservations at Hostaria La Baita, our usual place. It isn’t too far from the apartment. We’ll just do cheese and salami, or coco krispies, for dinner tomorrow night. We are looking forward to a day of basically nothing. As much fun and interesting as the Cosmos tour was, it is nice to have a day off.
Buonanotte e ciao, Enrico e Maria
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