As neighbors to the Ministry of Justice in this fashionable power district of Budapest, we’ve discovered a hidden gem. This wine shop (WINE NOT?) features an inviting bar and a compact restaurant area set within a stylishly designed indoor atmosphere. Boasting an extensive range of Hungarian wines, all catalogued at the district level, it offers a truly unique experience.
We are going for our new favorite – Bikavér, often referred to as ‘Bull’s Blood.’ This red wine is crafted from a blend of several grape varieties and is known for its deep, dark color and robust flavor. Bikavér from Eger adheres to strict production regulations to ensure its quality.
I recently visited Bond Street in London to converse with my favorite statue, Churchill. Now, in Liberty Square in Budapest, I met another personal favorite for the first time: Reagan.
In a tribute to the Hungarian people, Reagan designated an official Freedom Fighter Day, proclaiming: ‘The freedom fighters, as they were called by a world amazed at their heroism and idealism, fought almost barehanded against heavy odds, and soon fell victim to treachery and ruthless suppression. But they lit a candle of hope and inspiration that can never be extinguished.’
Reagan played a pivotal role in cooling the tensions of the Cold War with the ‘Evil Empire’ through a strategic race to deploy an anti-nuclear defense system in space. This initiative, combined with a significant drop in oil prices, financially crippled the Soviet bloc.
Reagan often began his speeches with humor about the opposition, as exemplified by this anecdote: ‘Two men, an American and a Soviet, were arguing. The American said, “In my country, I can go to the White House, walk into the President’s office, and pound the desk saying, ‘Mr. President! I don’t like how you’re running things in this country!’” The Soviet replied, “I can do that too!” “Really?” “Yes! I can go to the Kremlin, walk into the General Secretary’s office, and pound the desk saying, ‘Mr. Secretary, I don’t like how Reagan is running his country!'”
However, the most memorable words are from Ronald Reagan’s 1987 speech in West Berlin: ‘General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!’
On that historic day, over 50,000 people demonstrated against Reagan in West Berlin. Reflecting on the demonstrators, Reagan remarked at the end of his speech, ‘I wonder if they have ever asked themselves that if they should have the kind of government they apparently seek, no one would ever be able to do what they are doing again.’
I want to be like the people in Budapest, experiencing what they did during the times of Socialist Modernism and Brutalism. We took the tram to the Buda side, unsure why, but I knew we had to start somewhere. So, it began at a random tram station.
As we walked through the park, I noticed a house characterized by simple, geometric forms and a lack of ornamental detailing. ‘Pretend we’re back in the era of Brutalism,’ I suggested. You simply replied, ‘Oh, you’re a time machine.’ ‘Yeah,’ I said.
We found a bar on the ground floor, where the indoor design echoed a collective society: rugged, with raw concrete as the primary material, complemented by traditional Hungarian patterns. Notice the house facade, the red galleon sofa, and the style of tiles behind the bar.
Wanting to further immerse myself in the Budapest experience, I started to appreciate Dreher Bak, a double bock with a full-bodied dark flavor and a hint of caramel.
In the market halls, you encounter the soul of a country’s heritage and culture. I often take my lunch in these halls to experience the atmosphere and shop like the locals. This made my visit to the Grand Market Hall in Budapest particularly interesting, known for its wide range of goose liver.
Hungarian foie gras is commonly found at celebrations and family meals, highlighting its role in the nation’s culinary heritage. Hungary is also one of the world’s largest producers of foie gras.
As someone closely monitoring economic trends, I’ve observed concerning shifts in the Chinese property market.
Over the past year, both new home sales and property prices have been falling, a situation worsened by tighter government controls and a generally slow economy.
Although government interventions—like capping debt for developers and rolling out buyer incentives—are in place, it’s too early to gauge their effectiveness. This isn’t a trivial matter; the property sector contributes a substantial 30% to China’s GDP.
The current decline is causing ripple effects across various sectors, leaving investors and policy-makers with more questions than answers. Given the divided opinions among analysts about the timeline for recovery, it’s evident that stabilizing the property market is not just an industry concern but a macroeconomic imperative.
This post is written from a neutral point of view without favour to any part or subject.
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