You know what I really like to do in Budapest when it’s so blasted cold? Stay submerged up to my chin in bubbling hot thermal waters. With the steam rising off the waters, it creates a thick swirling mist that envelops my head and I feel transported to an ethereal calm of well-being,
I always head first to the Széchenyi Baths, which is the most beautiful thermal spa in all of Budapest. The building housing the vast complex is incredibly ornate with white rococo timing and large statues gently contrasting to the soft yellow background.
The baths are as popular with the locals as the tourists. Making the rounds in the pools you almost feel as if you are making a whirlwind tour of the world, as there are so many various languages to be heard.
There are the three outdoor pools and seven inside ones. I much prefer the outdoor pools for the contrasting sensations they provide. The indoor ones have different levels of temperatures and some are aromatised with aromatic oils.
No air brushing bodies are seen here! All real, all humans in the genuine! These are not nude baths as in Baden-Baden, we all have on our suits.
The lovely young women with perfect bodies mostly in bikinis, I must confess make me envious of my youth, yet here I am with the only body I have who has so kindly carried me through this life.
Confronting reality, I am, a woman of a certain age for sure, but filled with much gratitude to be alive in this moment regardless of my loss youth. Anyway, I am not alone, as there are many who are probably wistfully thinking the same.
There is always some pain involved in going to these outdoor pools in the winter, fortunately short-lived. Going from the lockers to the outdoor pools, wet from the initial shower in below freezing temperatures, and then getting out to go to another one has to be a brisk affair or else!
The stinging cold on my wet skin takes my breath away, but without flip-flops, which happened last year, is just plain hellish. Walking barefoot on ice is wickedly painful on the feet, so now I double-check that I do not leave them behind!
A few screams now and then are testament enough of being in the same plight. Ah, plunging in the hot water immediately takes away any suffering!
Everytime I have been there, I have seen guys playing chess along the edges, while submerged up to their chests.
The most bubbly of pools is at the Széchenyi baths, where volcanic bubbles gush to the surface in multiple spots with so much jet force, you feel totally massaged from below.
One of the Széchenyi’s outdoor pools has a corridor of rushing waters that propel you around at great speed, sometimes barely missing others that may have tried to resist the force of the gushing wave. Even if you brush their bodies, while a little embarrassing, all is taken in good nature and laughter ensues.
I saw a chain of people of all nationalities each massaging the neck of the person in front of them and thought what a wonderful sight to see. A miniature united nations all practically naked touching each other in bonding humanity.
I felt a pull to join them, but in the end, my shyness overruled and instead just marveled at their courage which I failed to achieve. Perhaps the next time!
The brisk and sharply cold air on my head makes for a such a stark contrast, yet I feel overwhelming warm bouncing around like a baby in the womb. Snow flakes falling on my head are barely noticed, if for but a slight tickle.
As night falls, the whole ambiance is totally surreal! The mist swirls so thick that visibility is lowered, prompting couples to take advantage of snuggling and kissing in the obscurity of the wet steam that envelopes them.
The other spa visited , Veli Bej was built in 1529 during the Turkish occupation and has just been lovely restored and renovated. I loved laying submerged in the very hot octagon shaped pool under the original cupola, which provided a meditated ambiance. A fantastic massage followed for a pittance that rendered me fortified and renewed!
I never needed these baths more than now because of going through another pickpocketing ordeal which I discovered just before I was ready to board the flight to Budapest.
Though nothing was going to make me forget all that entails, at least the warm soothing waters eased my frazzled nerves. I was determined to enjoy where I was regardless of my misfortune.
Tonight I say goodbye to Budapest and head back to Paris, which has it all except these fantastic thermal spas that I am now addicted to! A bientot!
Sound nice, Cherry–I’ve never been there but do have friends from Budapest; also like your comment about”lost youth”–know what you mean–but at least we have been there and are still alive–
Thank you Herbie. Being alive is really great despite whatever we have all been through! After a while you learn to surf life like a true surfer, knowing sometimes you will be knocked off a wave and at others will sail into the shore.