After working in London, Auckland, Buenos Aires, Florence, Beirut, Vancouver and Seoul, probably my favourite city of all is Budapest. I’m a full-time writer who has penned scripts for British television, as well as travel guidebooks for people like Fodors and Eyewitness Guides. A film & TV actor in my spare time, I’ve played everything from a KGB spy to an Argentine party animal. My documentary A Café in the Sky - which is about the Hungarian legend of Gloomy Sunday – was broadcast recently on NZ television. To me, Budapest offers the unbeatable combination of a rich historical background mixed in with a very up-to-date urban pulse. I’m delighted to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with people who appreciate both.
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Interview with Scott
Getting to know you…
When did you first visit Budapest?1999. The first three times I came was to write nightlife guides for Budapest In Your pocket.
What did you know about the city before visiting it?
Well, just the usual stuff, Tokaj, Sissy, baths. I was really excited to come here. I was living in Krakow at the time and it’s a beautiful city but, especially ten years ago it was quite provincial and isolated. I felt that Budapest would be more of an international place. Even ten years ago, there were really good sushi restaurants here!
Since when have you been living in Budapest?
I finally decided to move here a few months ago, but I’ve been living here part time for the last ten years. I’ve also made a little film here and I know this city inside out.
Why did you decide move to Budapest?When I worked for InYour Pocket Guides, I was eventually promoted to manager, and I started setting up new guide books in different countries. I had to pick somewhere in this region to live, and I’d made some good friends here, I loved the nightlife. I still think this is the London of Central Europe, and it’s really central in central Europe, so I ended up moving here. Now I’ve been coming back and forth for the last ten years.
What are you doing in Budapest?
I’m a freelance guy. I’m a writer – I have a children’s novel coming out next year. I’ve also been working on two scripts for 3D animated films, one being produced in Austria and one in New Zealand, so I tele-commute a lot. I also write little blogs about Budapest. I go to auditions and occasionally get parts – two years ago I played a Russian spy for Ridley Scott. And recently, Ildiko Enyedi used me as an FBI agent. I do all the secret agents. The fat, old ones, not the young James Bond ones.
What did you experience in Budapest as a cultural shock?
Nothing, but I’ve culturally shocked some people. When I first came here, I was looking for directions, and an elderly gentleman came up to try to help me. He asked me “Deutsch?” and I said “nem” and he said “Angolul? London?”, meaning did I come from New Zealand and I said “nem, New Zealand”. At that point he started walking around me as if I was an exhibit at a museum. “So that’s what they look like huh?” or something to that effect.
What do you like about Budapest?
There’s such a rich cultural life. You can go to an exhibition or an opening or a book signing or a show every night of the week. I’m also fascinated by Hungarian history – I’ve written about it and I’ve got some projects that I’m developing right now. One’s about Bálint Balassi the 16th century poet. I’m calling him Valint Balassa. Anyway I feel like you can always keep peeling back the layers and learning more about the city all the time. At the same time, it’s a real city kind of city. It has neon lights and traffic and cheap glamour, it’s not too big and not too small. You can get almost anywhere in 20 minutes. The public transport’s great.What do you not like about Budapest?
Forget it, nothing! Alright, perhaps customer service isn’t all that it could be, but so what?! Sometimes I look for things in stores that aren’t there, like for example Pear’s soap, little things like that, but I can live without Pear’s soap. And it’s hard to find good fresh oysters. The thing is, when you’re in love with someone, you might be aware that they have faults, but you’re in love with them and you don’t care. And that’s kind of how I feel about this place.
What does Budapest have that your home land does not?Pretty much everything that matters to me. They’re extremely different places. The nature’s spectacular in New Zealand, but the reality is that most people are living fairly suburban lives. I’m an urbanite myself, and here I love the magnificent history and the fantastic buildings. Some Kiwis and Brits say they like animals more than people – well I like some buildings more than people.
What are people living in Budapest like compared to your own nation? What is the difference between them?
I went to a fashion show the other night, and I suddenly noticed how quiet it was, even though there was a crowd of people. It was a very well-mannered crowd. I’m not saying that this doesn’t exist in New Zealand, but I particularly noticed here how well-mannered people are. It’s also important here to make personal connections, especially with potential work partners. Meetings are about drinking coffee together and getting to know each other, and if you can find that personal connection, it serves you well later on.
Can you speak Hungarian?
My Hungarian’s appalling. I am trying to learn. Did you know that Franz Liszt didn’t speak any Hungarian? His native language was German. He tried to learn some Hungarian, but realized it was just too difficult. At the same time though, he was so inspired by Hungarian culture, but he just couldn’t learn the language. Not that I’m putting myself in his shoes, but this is exactly how I feel. I’m fascinated by the place, but I am on the outside of it because it’s such a hard job trying to learn the language.
What/who is the most famous Hungarian person or thing in your country?
We had a Member of Parliament, Nandor Tanczos, who was of Hungarian ancestry. He had long dreadlocks and was very much in favour of legalizing marijuana. I also had a friendly acquaintance whose name was Marton Csokas, who’s a successful Hollywood actor now. I used to know him when he waited on tables. I caught up with him at a wine festival a couple of years ago. He’s done very well. How do you think Hungary and Budapest can profit from the EU-presidency project?
Ra ra ra I hope it’s great. I don’t know anything about politics, but I am only a tourism ambassador.
Questions to help tourists:
In your opinion when is it worth visiting Budapest?
Anytime. The girls aren’t any less pretty in winter than they are in summer. The beer doesn’t get any more expensive. I’m a spring, autumn, winter person, I don’t like 30 + heat, so I actually enjoy this time of year. My favourite time of year is the lead up to New Year’s Eve. I know people get tired by this time of the year because they’ve been working, but there’s lots to see and lots of social life. It depends on your taste. It can get bitterly cold in January and February, but if you’re going to the opera, or to museums, if you’re sitting in cafes, meeting your friends, there’s something heart warming about that.
For how long is it worth visiting the city?
For the rest of your life! Well, you could do the big hits of Budapest in three or four days. But you could also stay much longer and keep discovering more and more. For example, when the Hungarians kicked the Turks out, they didn’t leave much behind. The baths are the obvious exception, but if you wander around the city you can discover other small traces of the Turkish occupation. The deeper you dig, the more you find.
Would you recommend booking an accommodation in Buda or in Pest?
Stay in Pest but make sure you see the big hits in Buda like the castle of course, but also Gül Baba utca with the old cobblestone streets. If you want to go out in the evenings, you want to be in downtown Pest.
Which sights are not to be missed?
At least one café like Centrál Kávéház, the baths, the nightlife, some of the kert bars, Heroes square, Liszt Ferenc tér, walking up and down Andrássy Street. I’d also put the Gozsdu Udvar on there, because I love that style of architecture. And you have to see the castle district.Which are the hidden values of the city (which not many people know, although they should)?
One example are the little specialty stores. I’ve been interested in puppetry since I was a kid, and there’s a wonderful old puppet shop on Wesselényi utca.
What is an ideal Budapest weekend like for tourists?
You’d probably want to try to get to all the big hits that I mentioned, as well as the National Museum. You should also visit a good Hungarian restaurant. You’d do at least one night in the garden bars and of course the baths (I think Rudas is the one you have to see).What do tourists have to avoid in Budapest and what do they have to be careful about?
Behave yourselves. Sometimes I see these lads on stag-tours spoiling the atmosphere. On the other hand, I saw one group of young guys who were watching the girls walk by on Liszt Ferenc tér, and it was like they were watching a cricket match. They politely applauded every girl that walked by. I thought that was fine, it was chivalrous. They weren’t acting like oafs. So don’t act like an oaf. Also, don’t change money on the streets, and if a cab doesn’t have a phone number on it, don’t get into it, they’ll charge like a wounded bull. If you’re a fat, middle aged American tourist and an attractive young blonde comes up to you and asks you to take her for a coffee, don’t do it. You could get yourself into a difficult situation. I don’t speak from experience by the way.
In which programme or event should tourist take part in Budapest?
I think the opera’s something worth going to. When you look at the prices of the tickets especially, and the standard is very high. Also, the atmosphere around St. Stephen’s day and the fireworks.Which places should tourists visit, if they have time to travel around in the neighbourhood of Budapest as well?
I’ve been all over Hungary; Győr, Debrecen, Kecskemét, Pécs, Sopron. They all have something. I think Eger is really special, particularly because of its history. It’s a lovely quiet town and a nice place to go for a break. In some countryside places there are big mansions that are being turned into hotels, so there’s a lot to explore.What is your favourite…
- place in Buda?
Kis Budagyöngye. I like that place, it’s so traditional with a pianist. And it is hard to beat the Castle district.
- place in Pest?
My home. Oktogon, Liszt Ferenc tér, that area.
- coffee house in Budapest?
I’m torn between Centrál Kávéház and Café Vian.
- building, architectural piece of art?
The Napoleon Údvar is my newest one.
- Hungarian musician or band?
Liszt and Bártok. And Anima Soundsystem. They remind me a bit of a New Zealand band called Headless Chickens. And Rezső Seress of course, who wrote Gloomy Sunday.
- statue in Budapest?
On Város utca there’s a statue from World War I. He looks like he’s throwing a hand grenade. It’s funny to think that my Grandfather fought soldiers in that same basic uniform in World War One. I like to think that now I’m living here he’d say “I’m glad things have sorted themselves out”. Also I love the statues of composers that decorate the front of the Opera house. I love the way that people leave flowers by their favourite composer. It symbolizes how that culture is still alive.
- park in the city?
The Városliget. I love the Hunyádi Castle. It’s also a pleasant walk from Andrássy.
- place for going out?
Depends on your mission. Once a week I head down to Vittula. There’s always a friendly face there, and it has a good mix of expat and Hungarian regulars. But it is a dive bar, so be warned.
- Hungarian personality?
Bálint Balassi. I just wrote a book proposal about him. He was a warrior poet – that’s what every man wants to be. He was a bit of a rogue and he wrote some of the first erotic Hungarian poetry, in the 16th century. Tony Curtis too. He was one of those rare actors who managed to be ridiculously good-looking and funny at the same time.
- Budapest story?
The story of my life – now I’m here I’m living the way I’ve always wanted to.
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