Some important locations in communist Budapest: one to be avoided, the others a magnet.
The 'White House' |
The Central Market |
The so-called White House (Fehér Ház) still stands on the river bank at Margit Bridge. It housed the central headquarters of the communist party and Budapest residents kept a respectful distance from it, usually walking on the other side of the road to avoid its security cameras.
In a country where a western-made car was seldom seen, and where the average man had to make do with a Trabant, there was always a fleet of black Mercedes cars parked outside this building.
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The Central Market was where we all went when we wanted something special or unusual. Although lacking its present top floor, its basement had shops where you could find imported products unavailable elsewhere in the city. It also had the widest variety of fruit and vegetables which is why Margaret Thatcher was taken there on her 1984 visit to Hungary - the stall she shopped at still has her photograph on display!
All markets had a crowd of sellers outside - many having come from the countryside to sell flowers or produce from their gardens and allotments.
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Corvin Áruház
This was one of Budapest's first department stores at Blaha Lujza Sq. which is still grimly holding on today. The advertising slogan of the time "minden szinten szinte minden" translates as On every floor practically everything; but the slogan was quickly parodied as On every floor practically nothing! Nevertheless, it was seen as an elegant place to shop in the 70s and 80s and was the most popular department store in the city.
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or from Stanfords in London and Bestsellers in Budapest.