Budapest World Championships Notebook - Day Two
Brazil's Caio Bonfim and Sweden's Perseus Karlstrom competes in the men's 20km race walk final during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on August 19, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Hungary’s capital city Budapest is served by one international airport, the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, which is located 16 kilometres southeast of Budapest’s Central Business District.
In Budapest
River Danube a prominent feature of Budapest
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National Athletics Centre, venue of the 2023 World Athletics Championships, sits on the banks of River Danube. These two are key landmarks in Budapest, but in terms of popularity, River Danube takes the prize. It is the second longest river in Europe after River Volga in Russia, and connects 10 European countries, running through these countries or being their border.
It originates in Germany, and flows 2,850km downstream, passing through or borders Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine into the Black Sea. River Danube is navigable, and is popular with river cruises, unlike River Nairobi which is chocking with waste.
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Ferenc Liszt International Airport
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Hungary’s capital city Budapest is served by one international airport, the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, which is located 16 kilometres southeast of Budapest’s Central Business District.
On Thursday evening, the airport was a beehive of activity as teams continued arriving for the world championships. At least 2,000 athletes from more than 200 teams are in Budapest for the world championships, and that has naturally put pressure on staff at Ferenc Liszt International Airport, leading to long queues.
Originally called Budapest Ferihegy International Airport, the facility was renamed in 2011 in honour of Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. It offers international connections within Europe, but also to Africa, the Middle East, North America and the Far East.
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Lots of smokers in Budapest
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One thing that strikes a first-time visitor to Budapest is the large number of smokers in the city. Evenings are a popular time for residents of Budapest to hang out at various joints in the city, or just out in the streets.
Regardless of the day of the week, pubs open late into the night and it is common to see revelers sitting in clusters of tables spread out on the streets, drinking and smoking away the night. Going by my experience in the last few days, a typical resident of the city loves his drink and cigarette.
