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Waiting on a little platform in Budapest, I glimpsed into Snow White's universe had she chanced upon the seven dwarves' metro station instead of their cottage in the woods.
It was a mere 10m wide and the ceiling was so low even the dwarves would be wary of bumping their heads.
The train that arrived had bright yellow boxcars with orange plastic seats. Before departing, it emitted a cartoon-like shrill.
Thus was the scene at Oktogon station, part of the city's iconic metro Line One.
One quarter old-world elegance and three quarters kitschy modernism, the transportation system built in 1896 is a product of the city's Austrian-Hungarian heritage. Today, the metro line is one of a handful in the world to bear the Unesco World Heritage stamp.
Originally a Celtic settlement, Budapest flourished in the 15th century under the rule of King Matthias Corvinus. The city is Europe's best-kept secret to catch fin-de-siecle, or end of the century, architecture - a mix of Renaissance opulence and post-Soviet relics. And it comes without the price tag of London or pretensions of Paris.
Entry into the heritage sites is practically free with the Budapest Travel Pass. From just 1,550 forints (S$12) a day, the pass ensures unlimited access to all public transport - indispensable if you want to see the city via the metro.
First stop: What Hungarians call the Cultural Avenue of the capital, Andrassy Ut. At 2.5km long, it is lined with national monuments such as the massive St Stephen's Basilica that houses the mummified right hand of Hungary's first king and the neo-Renaissance Hungarian State Opera House.
A leisurely walk down this strip takes half a day. In the winter chill, Gerbeaud, the grand old dame of Budapest's cafes, tantalises anyone walking past its sumptuous art nouveau facade.
Seduced by the aroma of grinded coffee and melted butter, I stepped into the dining area of lavish wood panelling, elaborate chandeliers and heavily brocaded walls. The cherry on the cake is the house speciality, Dobostorta - caramel-coated, cream-filled sponge cake served by staff clad in traditional costume.
Not to be outdone, a Christmas market outside the cafe duplicated the cake's multi-layered richness. From end-November until Christmas, it's pure wintry fanfare from sunrise to sunset.
I discovered a "chimney cake" the size of my forearm - hollow, cylindrical pastry caramelised over a charcoal spit. "Kurtoskalac," said the baker sweating from the heat, "Hungary's oldest pastry." The comforting taste of fresh, warm bread at just 200 forints made it worth queuing in the cold.
Two blocks away is the Danube Promenade, framed by the white-topped vistas of the Buda Hills on the other side of the river. Along the water's edge sit historic landmarks such as the neo-gothic Parliament and magnificently restored Gresham Palace Hotel.
If Budapest were an art museum, then the Castle District is surely its luminous masterpiece.
After valiantly resisting centuries of foreign invasion, the Palace grounds today is a whitewashed splendour that shows influences from the ecclesiastic Matthais Church, which served as a mosque during the Turkish occupation, to the alabaster facades of the Fisherman's Bastion, harking from the Magyar Tribes.
But don't just come to Budapest to get up close and personal with a piece of history.
As winter frost settled steadily outside, I heartily slurped some original goulash under the magnificent 1827 glass cupola of the Gresham Palace, musing to myself that Snow White could have very well lived here.
Tips!
- Pay the correct fare as transport controllers conduct regular and rigorous checks. If caught, it's a 6,000-forint fine on the spot.
- Seats at the Budapest Opera House start at 300 forints. Tickets go for almost 1,000 forints less on weekdays.
- Calling for a cab in Budapest will get you a discount.
- Illegal cab operators are not uncommon. Only accept taxis with yellow licence plates.
- Shops open later on the three weekends preceding Christmas. - TODAY/sh
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