Foreign Demand For Real Estate Falls In Hungary

By Boma Oduma






With unrealistic expectations for the performance of the residential real estate market in Hungary leading up to the nation’s EU accession in May, 2004, demand for Hungarian real estate by foreigners has taken a downward turn. Before accession, anticipation for increased foreign interest was very high in Hungary. The expectation drove developers to start new projects with some of them successfully developed in less than a year. An example of this tremendous success is the Duna-pest residences in Budapest’s district IX, which managed to complete 90% of its apartments in less than a year.

Although the residential market enjoyed the enormous benefit between 1997 and 2004 of catapulted real estate prices thanks in large part to foreign investment – most notably by the Irish – by the end of 2004 the market as a whole began to encounter less interest from foreigner investors.

“The increase did not reflect local investment,” said Andor Szel of Central Home, a leading Budapest realtor that specializes in selling downtown flats to foreign investors, “and, likewise, the downturn does not really reflect the Hungarian economy either, which is in fact growing.”

The 1990’s saw a great influx of German, Italian, and Israeli investors coming into Hungary as the market first opened to foreign buyers, according to the Central Home website. Rental income reached levels around 12%. With these days past and gone, however, foreign investors are turning away from Hungary, pitching their tents and their presence in Dubai, among other places, which appear to be more favourable at the moment. Dubai’s real estate popularity with foreign investors stems in part from coverage in British media: an exposure sorely missed by Budapest, even by the media of its most recent investors - the Scandinavians, the Spanish, and the Brits – whose general public lack the awareness of Budapest as a possible place of investment.

A vital issue for choosing a country of investment is access to local mortgages. Unfortunately, Hungarian mortgages are not easily accessible: with high interest rates, it is quite difficult for investors to purchase real estate and to invest in Hungary.

“Mortgage facilities in Hungary are not functioning well,” said Szel. “Due to economic pressures, it is very difficult to obtain mortgages from local banks. And those that are available come with very high interest rates, thereby discouraging locals from buying.”

The loan ratio is also relatively low in Hungary when compared to other western European countries, which likewise keeps down the relative prices of Hungarian real estate. Citizens as well as foreigners are affected by this fact, which holds back private investment. In Britain, there is an open possibility to take a British mortgage for a foreign investment, which gives British investors a comparative advantage so long as interest rates in Hungary stay high.

All hopes are not completely lost, as there are high expectations for 2007 regarding the reduction of interest rates for Hungarian mortgages. This promises to enhance the allure of the real estate market, churning forth a new wave of investors in Hungary since other market factors are indeed quite favourable. These include a fully-implemented computerized real estate register - unlike other countries in the region where printed documents are required as valid proof of ownership - as well as an availability of potential investments that outstrips more saturated markets in Western Europe.

Counterterrorism In Budapest

By Philipp Sigrist

“International terrorism is a growing problem in our world today. We need to learn how to fight it”- this was the slogan at the first conference of the International Anti Terrorism Association (I.A.A) that was held in the Art Palace of Budapest on the third of March 2006. Eight experts in the field held the six hours conference for the stated purpose of discussing terrorism and its various side effects.

International terrorism has become a growing concern in today’s world. It has attracted the attention of many different organizations and prompted the creation of many others, including the International Antiterrorist Association (I.A.A), which was formed in Hungary in June of 2006, which recently hosted a six-hour conference in Budapest. The eight speakers – which included a Hungarian army general and an Police expert on explosives - provided insights on the issues surrounding and giving birth to terrorism, and on the sophistication and reach achieved by today’s terrorists.

General Szabo was the first speaker to the podium. His speech concerned largely international security and its challenges. He pointed out various threats and how they can be solved.

First, he said, the dangers today are more complicated than before, specifying that in today’s world of globalization previous dangers are even more dangerous because of technological development. Local, National, and International problems, he said, are all connected with each other, and an increasing gap between rich and poor countries raises the danger of organized crime and terrorism in developing countries.

“International terrorism is so powerful,” said the general, “that it influences relations between nations. The sobering disadvantage of globalization is that it is easily abused, especially economically. After the fall of communism, criminal organizations grew rapidly throughout the eastern block. This resulted in Hungary becoming a drug transit country. Corruption often occurs in changing political systems. Populations grow older and pensions come under threat. Flooding and other natural catastrophes compound these difficulties. How can these problems be solved? First of all more information is needed. Organizations must function more efficiently and international problems will find international solutions. But most importantly we have to understand the way terrorists think, get to know their philosophies, structures, financial assets, as well as their goals. To understand the way they endanger can be treated like a science.”

The general concluded by saying that any kind of problem can be easily challenged if it is tackled as early as possible. To this end, he advocated avoidance rather than confrontation, assuring his audience that the necessary counterterrorism organizations will be formed in the near future.

The second speaker emphasized attacks conducted with explosives. Unlike the general, he took the view that terrorism is an ongoing war, rather than a problem to be addressed and prevented.

The number of suicide bombers, he said, has grown dramatically in recent years. He specifically stated several places where attacks had been carried out and described the results of these attacks. One example he gave was a bomb attack in Tunisia specifically aimed at tourists in order to destabilize the country. Interestingly, attackers often manage to penetrate high security zones such as in Saudi-Arabia, Iraq and Israel, he said, adding that whatever security protection there is, attackers often manage to break through checkpoints and other barriers.

“The Madrid bombing showed that attacks have become very well organized,” he said, “The bombings did not only become more sophisticated but also more ruthless. During the Bezlan siege for example, terrorists did not stop from killing children. Terrorism is constantly evolving technologically, monetarily as well as in popularity. It began with simple bombs, but today terrorists can be in possession of dirty bombs such as chlorine or even nuclear waste bombs. But the biggest fear is that one day that terrorists might have access to a working nuclear bomb.”

A speaker from the police raised issues relating to crisis management in the case of an emergency. He used a recent local event as example, the October 6 riots in Budapest.

“Theoretically it seemed perfectly manageable and controllable,” he said “but in practice everything turned out to be completely different.”

Since the police did not have much experience with riot control, it had to learned through trail and error. An attack on Hungary can result in similar failures, he added, since police forces are not experienced enough for such tasks, as they have never happened before.

The final speaker, the head of the I.A.A Tamas Lax ended the conference by summing up the various speeches and made one final conclusive statement. “The international community can fight terrorism if the necessary institutions and agencies efficiently work together with their governments, but the responsibility also lies within each individual”.

Eyes Open To Windows Vista

By
Ugo Eriobuna
and
David Valker




Microsoft has long promoted itself as being about helping individuals and communities around the globe with the mission of enabling new avenues of social and economic opportunity extending particularly to the estimated 5 billion people that have yet to realize the benefits of technological advance. The multinational company’s tools to achieve this are transforming education, fostering local innovation, and enabling jobs and opportunities to create a continuous cycle of sustained social economic growth for everyone. While achieving these goals currently remains a distant prospect, thirty years ago the dream of a PC in every middle-income home seemed likewise impossible. Today, with Microsoft having reached more than one billion users, life has changed profoundly: information is more readily available, connections are more easily made and commerce is more quickly undertaken. Bill Gates - along with his company – has indeed moved closer to his goals.

The latest move is called Windows Vista. Naturally, it contains a dazzling array of new features; some of the most significant include an updated graphical user interface and visual style called Windows Aero. Aero uses graphics hardware to add translucent boarders to your windows. Windows Aero builds on the basic Windows Vista user experience and offers Microsoft’s best-designed, highest-performing desktop experience. Using Aero requires a PC with a compatible graphics adaptor and running a Premium or Business edition of Vista. László Vajgel, working for Fourcut, an editing studio, when asked his views on Vista he said:

“There have been a lot of changes in the new software,” said László Vajgel, of Fourcut, an editing studio in Budapest, Hungary. “The buttons and functions I got used to in XP are not quite the same in Vista.”

Vajgel also expressed doubts about the number of people actually making the switch to the new software in his home market of Hungary.

“Most people here use, well - what is a nice way to say - ‘unlicensed products.,’” he said. “This cuts off the biggest share of buyers. Also, people don’t think that the product is that good at first.”

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, editor of the US-based Ziff Davis’ Internet Linux & Open Source expressed his own views.

“Vista will be better than XP, which has easily been Microsoft's best desktop operating system to date,” Vaughan-Nichols said. “However, Vista also requires far more hardware oomph than previous Windows systems. I'd say Intel's recommendations are pretty much a minimum for Vista. I would only add that if you expect to see the fancy desktop, you need to invest.”

On the other hand, companies, institutions, and business organizations can afford to use this new software at the moment in Hungary. Most individual users living in Budapest think it is too costly and prefer to wait till the price value comes down. Moreover, as could be seen from the release of previous Microsoft operating systems, they always need some adjustments. In addition, the product is only useable after a few months of real testing by users.

The testing process by real users won’t make Microsoft weaker, as people opposing “going global” hope. Vista continues the path, started in 1975, in which the computer transformed from an awkward, unfriendly machine to our everyday instrument and “friend”.

Delayed Metro Construction Hampers Budapest Traffic

By David Valker

With winter over, the annual season of Budapest road and transit construction is set to begin, to the chagrin of local motorists. As the building of the metroline 4 continues, several important junctions will be closed, adding to those still closed by delays in earlier construction.

Work on expanding the existing Kálvin square metro station began on February 26, but only the sidewalks were unfolded as the change of sewer lines were started. On the 5th of April, due to the rebuilding of the sewer system, the square will be closed to traffic, including trams, with only the tram-exchange buses allowed to enter. The scheduled date to give the square back to the public is the end of 2008.

Another major project is the building of a metro station at Fővám square, next to Szabadság-bridge, and Corvinus university. Initial work began on the 5th of March, and as the building of the frame starts in the middle of March, the Pest-side lower wharf will be closed to traffic. Because tram line 2 goes through this area, it is still a question how traffic will be re-routed. Construction will take approximately 6 months, authorities say. As subway lines are the indispensable veins of a city, the balk, residents must cope with the necessary negative side effects.

Unfortunately, there are more negative side effects than needed, thanks to poor planning and execution . The one possible detour to the Pest-side wharfs is the Buda-side upper wharf, which has been closed since May 15, 2006, due to the building of the Gellért square metro station. It was planned to give part of the roadway back to the public in November, 2006, but thanks to unexpected technical difficulties – such as a gas-pipe that turned up during construction, despite its absence on blueprints - the whole project is delayed. The originally scheduled end to the work was 2009 October, but as yet it is still unknown when the project company BAMCO will actually draw to a close.

The Downtown and Suburbs Traffic Association (VEKE) has claimed that DBR, the company manageing the metro station construction, should examine the links on its own website wherein foreign metro builders explain how their plans avoid difficulties for surface traffic. To which Gulyás László, leader of DBR responded: "The metro here could not be built that way. If we would start to make temporary rails for trams, that would delay the construction even more."

Péter Gábor, a traffic-expert added, "BKV should rethink the order of projects. If they close two major routes next to each other in the city, the consequences can be unpredictable. Especially if you take into account, that the Szabadság-bridge will be closed due to renovation in August."

With luck, the juice will be worth the squeeze, and Budapest’s traffic problems will be over by 2010.

Sources: http://www.metro4.hu/index.php?lang_id=en&menu=1

Has Four Years of War Left The US Army Broken?

By Herman Lugaro

The twentieth of March, 2007, marked the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq, a war with no certain end in sight. Each passing year, moreover, has seen an increase in the ongoing toll felt by the US Army. With constant rotation of tours, low recruitment numbers, and the growing reliance on the National Guard and reserves, a sobering question is being raised: is the Army broken?

General Colin Powell seems to think so. The former secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation, that he views the Army as indeed nearly broken. He explained that the current active Army and Marine Corps are not large enough for the kinds of missions they are asked to perform. He added that another problem is that soldiers - mainly experienced Officers NCOs - are being sent on repeat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan thereby causing further strain.

In December 2006, Army Chief of Staff General Peter Schoomaker told the Commission on National Guard and Reserves that the Army would have to tap into National Guard and reserves more heavily in the short term to keep up with any increased demand for troops in Iraq or other operations abroad. In the long term, the general said, the Army would have to grow. This implies that the active Army is worn thin by constant deployments, and now has to rely on the reserves and National Guard to maintain such grueling demands.

In the wake of these burdening issues comes the now infamous “troop surge”. A “surge” is executed by extending the tour of the troops already in the country, and accelerating the arrival of incoming soldiers. The last “surge” was conducted from June to the end of 2006 called Operation Forward Together, which in the long run did not help make Baghdad safer, despite its aim to do so. The Bush administration has faith that the current “surge” called New Way Forward will be successful in securing the city of Baghdad against the insurgency. The true test will come once the extra soldiers leave Baghdad, with success to be marked by a sustained decrease in attacks on Coalition forces.

According to Josh White and Ann Scott Tyson of the Washington Post, there’s an underscoring stress facing the armed services, as illustrated by a report from the Army that it missed its recruiting goals by 16 percent in 2006, part of a serious downward trend.

To offset its recruiting woes, the Army has increased enlistment bonuses and waivers. These include cash bonuses of up to $40,000 for enlistments of three or more years, and the Army College Fund, which provides up to $71,424 for college. Also, the number of waivers has steadily increased since 2003 allowing some applicants to be accepted who otherwise would have been rejected in past years.

“The data is crystal clear,” said Representative Martin T. Meehan, Democrat of Massachusetts and chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee of Investigations and Oversight. “Our armed forces are under incredible strain, and the only way that they can fill their recruiting quotas is by lowering their standards.

Amidst these questions about the overall strength of the Army, there are at least some who take a different view. In response to the question, “is the Army broken?”, an active duty soldier - who asked to remain anonymous – had this to say:

“I do not agree with that statement, I believe that the Army is far from broken. The people who say that are not serving in the Army and what they are saying is wrong.”

When asked what he thought of serving repeat tours, the soldier said: “ Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like going back to Iraq, however that doesn’t matter, because I joined the Army on my own free will, and I have a job to do.”

Four years of war in Iraq is the main reason for the worry over the readiness and overall strength of the Army. There is a definite strain put on armed service personnel both professionally and personally when trying to complete the strenuous tasks given to them. Yet even with all of the problems facing the Army, there is still hope for a positive outcome, thanks to an Army made up of extraordinary people who volunteer to risk their lives, and others who pay the ultimate price honoring their commitment to the Army and their country.

BKV: Transportation for a Lifetime

By Meredith Degyansky

I roll over in bed shoving the overheated down comforter into the crack by the wall. My left eye peers open and the glint of the sun comes through the blinds giving me a sense that it is later than usual. I look at my clock beside the bed; 8:06 AM! How am I going to get to class by 8:30?

Quickly, I hop out of bed, slipping into the first pair of trousers I find on the floor. I grab my coat, backpack, banana, and rush out the door. As I am running down Raday Utca, I am repeatedly stuck behind incredibly slow women in babushkas. Finally, I descend into the underground; looking at my watch it is 8:15 am. Perfect. I still have time. I tromp down the escalator impatiently pushing the lazy bystanders to the left. There is a man ahead, wearing headphones and smooching on his girlfriend. I hear the train arrive from below, a rush of people come up the opposite escalator, and the lovers will not budge. I get off just in time to watch the wheels of the metro roll by. Leaning against the wall with lost hope, I wait for the next train. Suddenly, a warm, smelly wind cuts across my face. The smell is a blend of old metal and body odor. I hear a rumble in the distance. Ahah! It is the next train. I hop on immediately, ride it two stops, and rush up the escalator taking it two at a time. Again, a wind blows through my hair from above but this time is the smell of flaky croissants. As I get to the top, I see the control officers guarding all exits. Instead of devising a dodge plan, I search frantically in the bottom of my bag for my pass. I find it and flash it at the man. “Koszonom sepan.” Having defeated all obstacles I use my track skills to sprint to class. I sit down puffing and sweating. The time is 8:33. Not too bad. Gotta love the BKV.

The history of the BKV (Budapesti Kozlekedesi Vallalat) in Budapest, Hungary traces back to the second half of the 19th century. In 1832, the first omnibus came to Budapest, which was one of the earliest renditions of a present day bus. As the years progressed, so did the public transportation network. In 1866, the first horse and carriage tramway began, but the speeds of the horse were not up to par with the hectic lives of the population. Knowing that they needed further improvements the BKV administration took the initiative to update their methods of transport. According to BKV documents, it took 21 months of construction to complete the very first underground system in all of Europe, christened on May 2, 1896. In 1900, the Budapest metro won the gold medal in the Paris World Exposition. The exposition was a world fair to celebrate the latest achievements and gain ideas to continue into the next century. After maintaining such great success, BKV decided in 1995 to revamp their network in honor of their 100-year anniversary. They were looking to enhance the speed, efficiency, and cleanliness of the system. In 1998, the BKV transportation system took it another notch by becoming what they are today.

Several statistics boast and support the quality of the transportation system in Budapest. The five branches or methods of transport include bus, tram, trolleybus, underground, and suburban railways. The company serves 1.4 billion passengers nearly everyday. The percentages of branches utilized are as follows; 41% use the bus, 26% use the tram, 22% use the underground, 5% suburban railway, and 6% use the trolleybus. The length of the entire network is 2,626.8 km. The routes travel to all areas of Buda, Pest, and Obuda, with the suburban railway reaching as far as Szentendre and Csepel. There are 224 bus routes, 35 tram routes, 14 trolleybus routes, 3 metro lines, and 5 suburban railway routes.

The BKV transportation system has outdone all other metro systems from which I have experienced. Never have I had to wait more than three minutes for the underground. It always comes right on time and the countdown clock is quite accurate. The maps are extremely efficient in describing where a certain branch is located whether it is a bus, trolley, metro, or tram stop. Thus making it easy to find access to the fastest, most efficient method to ones final destination. While riding on the vehicles, the commentator clearly annunciates each stop and street, providing an easy departure at the correct stop. It is possible to take public transportation anywhere in the city providing a safe atmosphere for the elderly or those who have difficulty walking.

The BKV symbol holds true to its values and objectives. Obtained from their worldwide website, the logo symbolizes their desire to “schedule compliant transport, extensive passenger information both at stops and in vehicles, modern electronic ticket punchers, and to clean vehicles daily and stops once a week”. I have already praised most of the above “missions” of the network with the exception of the latter. The trams and buses are clean and newly refurbished. On the contrary, the metro underground could use some work. Graffiti covers the old, rickety blue metro cars. Inside the vehicles, gum is stuck all over the gray, musky floor. The air is dank and dirty and the seats leave nothing to be desired. In fact, I suggest standing up because who knows what is in the fifty-year-old upholstery covering the benches. One time I saw a puddle of liquid floating on top of a black pleather seat. Also, be sure to wear gloves in order to protect yourself from the germ-infested handrails. Although the underground is unappealing, the speed and efficiency outweighs the negatives and on a personal account, I use the metros every single day.

The control officers are often spoken of in a negative light. People who do not like to purchase transportation tickets often feel the ticket controllers are too strict and insist on ticket verifications too frequently. I get stopped multiple times a week by the ticket controllers who are asking to see my pass. It is a very serious matter to purchase a ticket so I suggest not trying to bypass this. You will get caught. Besides, one ticket is only 230 HUF, a one-month pass is only 7350 HUF, and students get the best deal with a monthly pass for a mere 2950 HUF. But if you get caught you will get fined which can cost up to 7500 HUF. It is the least we can do as daily users of the systems to pay the fees. Imagine how much a gallon of gas would cost as well as the stress of traffic and trying to find parking. Do your part, pay, and be smart.

A movie came out in 2003 by the name of Kontroll. The film is poking fun at the control officers mimicking their uniforms with the armband and making them seem like a group of gangsters catching ticket violators left and right. The head of BKV comes on at the very beginning of the film to establish the fact that the movie is completely false. One of the main themes of the story is the search for a notorious attacker who has been pushing people into the underground tracks so that their bodies are splattered by the next metro train that arrives. After speaking with the producer ,Tamas Hutlassa, apparently the gruesome nature of the film made it challenging for the filmmakers to get permission to use the BKV facilities. The head of the actual BKV did not want consumers to think that the metro system was really like this. After much persuasion they succumbed to director Nimrod Antal’s proposal, but only provided the facilities during the off hours when the metro was not open to the public “We had to work in the middle of the night when no one was using the metro system. It was a long process because instead of 12 hour days, our days were only five and a half hours long,” states Hutlassa. Although silly and full of extreme exaggerations, the film Kontroll is entertaining and a video to watch if you are an avid user of the subway system and have a few hours to kill.

Coming from San Francisco in California, I often have to wait twenty minutes or more for a subway and have walked miles along the bus route to my destination before a bus even passed me. With that in mind, I am thankful for the public transportation system of Budapest. The easy access, speed of the trains, frequency, and efficiency are nearly perfect. I feel, therefore, that everyone who uses the network should hold no apprehension in purchasing the appropriate ticket to ride. I also feel it is unnecessary to bash the ticket controllers; they are just doing their job and they always say “Koszonom”. All of the positive factors outweigh the negative and so I will put on my germ protectant gloves and head down the croissant-infused air tunnel to hop on the next train pulling into Kalvin Ter.

Where Budapesters Who Matter Come To Gather

A Review Of Exclusive Budapest Nightlife

By Andrea Mihok


The top-end of Budapest’s nightlife is becoming impressive, extending from the most glamorous discothèques to the swankiest outdoor beach club, with plenty of surprises in between, just as you would expect from a European capital. A good night on the town – in the most exclusive company - may require some initiation. The tourist centre is not really where the elite go to meet, but rather at courtyard bars, huge outdoor clubs and cutting-edge dance venues scattered in nooks and crannies throughout the city.

The main party days are Friday and Saturday, but of course there are some places - the ritzy Moulin Rouge, to name just one - that are open almost every day. Nestled in the heart of the theatre district, MR greets guests not only with an invitation to dinner and what many regard as the hottest cabaret show in the town, but to join the dance floor accompanied by Budapest’s top-dollar DJs. The place is frequently full of local merrymakers, many of who know each other by face. Foreign visitors and expatriates are also known to flock to MR, drawn by its alluring profile and live nightly acts. The price for all this fine variety isn’t cheap, but compares favorably to clubs of this standard elsewhere in Europe.

The outskirts of Budapest boast a number of large, shiny clubs. Studio is the largest of all, and is located on a Danube river island, “Hajogyari sziget” in the North of the city. Unfortunately, it is open only on every second Saturday. The club itself is incredibly huge, upwards of 2000 m2. There are typically two very good Djs - Barany Atilla and Dj Antonio - producing the music, often accompanied by a live duet consisting of a saxophonist and a female singer. The Studio is divided into two parts: the Crowd, which is the largest part of the place and the VIP section, located at the end of the room, a little higher.

VIPs at the Studio have the option to rent tables, hire bodyguards and even private waiters in sequestered boxes as they watch the Google dancer wiggling just overhead. To enter the VIP you need to pay a premium - 7000 forint - or present a VIP card. The card gives you a one-year membership and lets you in into a few more places without standing in any lines, along with valet parking at no additional charge.

If this still doesn’t fit your idea of VIP treatment, Budapest now allows the well endowed among you to start your party in a rented limousine before arriving to the Studio or other club of your choice.

Studio is considered by many to be a place for snobbish people, but one regular, Amir Derham, had this to say: “If you are together with your friends, it is no matter with whom you are surrounded, anyway you are bound to have a great time.”

Almost every week, Hungary’s young generation of hipsters meets in these clubs, raising the trend to the level of an addiction. On any given Saturday night when it is open, there are about 3000 people in the Studio, of which around 500 are the VIP section, where the overage drink prices are some ten times higher then in the normal dance area. A small bottle of Asti Martini Champaign, for example, will cost you 9500 forint in VIP, while the same can be had for 2000 forint at the Crowd bar. A conversation with the club’s manager reveals, however, that despite such high prices, the place can hardly turn a profit, thanks to high expenses. An informed source indicated, however, that drug dealing plays a significant role in keeping the place open.

When asked why it’s so interesting to go out every week and see the same people, clubgoers are at a loss to give a clear and meaningful answer.

“I’d rather go out and spend time with my friends almost every week,” said Alina, a card-holding member of Studio, “than to stay at home, watch TV and feel lonely.”

One trend certainly is clear: these places are a haven for fashion house heads, looking to show off – or catch up on - the season’s latest. It is now popular at many clubs to commence the evening with a fashion show to attract people’s attention. Indeed, heads do turn toward the allure of tall, slender models sauntering up and down runways decked out either in fashionable clothing or often just titillating pieces of underwear. As a result, these clubs are perfect for people watching - the women are breathtaking, but off-limits to all but the smoothest operators.

Budapest’s clubs are also becoming a second home to such big name DJs as David Guetta, one of the most sought-after DJs in the world. On my last visit to Dubai, he was invited to one of the grand hotels on Jumeriah Beach, where after just a few minutes of pumping music he had everybody screaming, jumping and simply having an incredible time. A similar house-rocking takes effect each time Guetta or any one of many top international DJs takes control at one of Budapest’s discos.

Once summer comes around, there is rarely any need to go indoors to party. Most of the indoor places shut their doors for the season and the “beach” places open up. The Bed and the Dokk beaches are two of the most visited upscale party spots during the summer. Bed was clearly designed very carefully, it is almost totally white: the curtains, the tables, even a few big rounded sofas where you can actually lie down - as the name "Bed" indicates. The place is known for its special parties - which seek to simulate the atmosphere of a Hollywood party filled with movie stars - such as the “white party,” where everyone is dressed in white and no other color is allowed.

The variety and abundance of outdoor summer nightlife in and around the Budapest city centre is unparalleled. Several run-down courtyards have been converted to hugely popular inner city beer gardens and the banks of the Danube are home to a number of open-air clubs. One upmarket favorite is the Rio Café, located on the Pest side of the Danube. The Rio succeeds in generating that special carnival feeling, just as if you were in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at carnival time. To achieve this effect, they often invite dancers from Brazil or from other Latin American countries.

Whatever club, pub or beer garden you find yourself in, one enduring aspect of Budapest nightlife is that there is no rush. There is always time to get in an after-hours drink. What’s more, things often only get going after midnight. If you still have energy after the main party closes you’ll have the chance to go to the after party. Usually these parties start at 5 in the morning and serve breakfast, with a barrage of arresting music to shake you back to consciousness. And you needn’t worry about lunch or dinner, because they too will be served on time. In other words, it is well worth staying up past your normal Friday night bedtime, because Budapest isn’t sleeping and it always gives you the opportunity to have fun.