Merry Markets

With the gift giving day almost upon us, people are now scouring the shops like mad trying to get the presents they need. Personally, I really don't like the feverish crowds that clog up the streets and malls. There's a sense of desparation about and quite a bit of pushing and shoving too. Luckily, the things I need to buy this year are fairly simple and don't require a lot of trawling.

Read moreIf you're stuck for present ideas then you could always try the markets that spring up every year. You can only really use the markets once for a present, unless it's a Secret Santa gift, in which case you're bound to find something tacky enough within your price range.

The wooden stalls sell the same items year after year without fail. Most goods are not good. Wooden bowls and plates, candles imbedded with dried flowers, honey imbedded with dried fruit, small wooden toys hanging from springs, figures of witches and birds to hang from the ceiling, cigarette lighters and an assortment of metalic goods from fruit bowls to hip flasks.

But don't despair, there are still some things that make a trip worthwhile. Practical stuff like gloves, scarves, hats, wrapping paper are fairly decent and then of course there's the food. Almost everywhere you can find Kürtos kalács (chimmney cake), gofri (waffles) and forralt bor (mulled wine). Plus, if you take a trip down to the Vörösmarty ter markets then you can get a thoroughly fantastic (though perhaps expensive) grilled kolbasz.

So if you have some shopping to do, stop by the markets for a break, a bor and a kolbasz. But please, be careful what presents you buy there.

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