On a recent Spring Break trip, I found myself wandering the streets of Buda (or was it Pest?), taking in the view from the banks of the Danube. As the capital of Hungary, a member of the former Soviet bloc, Budapest is a muddle of heritage and still trying to figure out where it fits historically, socially, and politically.

Like its past, the city itself is divided. Buda, laying west of the Danube, plays host to many landmarks that acknowledge Hungary’s history of occupation, first under the Ottoman Empire, then under the Hapsburgs.

The Royal Palace that stands atop Castle Hill today was rebuilt during the reign of Maria Theresa Hapsburg, queen of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 1700s. Twisting traits of neo-classicism such as a long corridors framed by uniform windows and columns framing the entryways, the Royal Palace shows its Hapsburg heritage in its resemblance to Austrian buildings like those in the city center of Vienna.

More impressive though, is the Fisherman’s Bastion, a series of arches and turrets that cradles the Matthias Church and opens up to the Danube. The etched patterns in the stone and the almost whimsical composition of the bastion makes it look like a child’s sandcastle at first sight. The best thing about standing in the Fisherman’s Bastion is the view over the Danube. From my perch at the top, I could see all of Pest stretched out before me.

When gazing at Pest from atop the Fisherman’s Bastion, the first thing that immediately caught my eye was the Parliament building, located on the waterfront on the Pest side. Built in the same Neo-Gothic style as England’s Parliament, the Hungarian Parliament building also nods to classical elements such as the large dome found on most basilicas, and borrows its palette from Florence’s Duomo.

It’s definitely the most distinctive landmark on the skyline, but another reason it stands out is the role it’s played in restructuring Hungary after the fall of the USSR, and the current instability of its institution.

(Pictured at left: view from Fisherman’s Bastion)

Hungarian discontentment with Soviet Communism came to a head in the fall of 1956, when a spontaneous student protest led to the fall of the communist regime in Hungary. Although invading Soviet troops quickly squashed the revolt, it planted the seeds for a strong republic after the Cold War.

Throughout the 90s, Hungary was repeatedly touted as the best example of growth and democratic potential in Eastern Europe. However, this has all changed in the past five years, with an unstable coalition between two minority parties controlling Parliament and the recent resignation of the Prime Minister. The shifting tides of Hungarian politics is almost designed into the building itself: the grandeur of the structure belies the promise that Hungary once showed for progress, but the imposing Neo-Gothicism reminds you that there’s a darker side to what happens in those halls.

Outside of the Parliament district, Pest seems to have completely forgotten about its troubled past. Considered the downtown area, Pest plays host to a growing business scene with shops, bars, restaurants, and various leisure activities. Pest is also home to Hero’s Square, which opens onto City Park, a site about as old as Hungary itself. These days, green fields are dotted with ponds, streams, the Vajdahunyad Castle, and the Széchényi Thermal Baths.

After a leisurely stroll through the park, I found myself at the door to the spa. The building that houses the thermal baths is spectacular. It’s not in a mish-mash of architectural styles, but the effect is nothing short of luxurious. The baths themselves are something else entirely. Fed by two hot-springs, the Széchényi baths are the largest in Europe. Open all year round, the three main pools are outside, where the chilly March air is quickly forgotten when you jump into the warm water.

Although relaxing, a few hours at the thermal baths actually takes quite a bit out of you. After we spent a sufficient amount of time pruning in the hot pools, all of our stomachs were growling. Luckily, Pest’s growing culinary scene offers a variety of options from traditional and contemporary Hungarian fare to Japanese to West African to every American fast food chain imaginable.

The best meal I had during my trip was at Menza, a restaurant so good it’s been given five stars by the New York Times. With this reputation comes a certain level of snootiness, but the food more than made up for the slightly obnoxious staff. A mix of traditional and contemporary Hungarian fare, my favorite (judging from my dish and bites of my friends’ plates) was the roasted duck breast with fig sauce. It was the perfect balance of sweet and savory, although the best thing on the plate had to be the potato donuts, these tennis ball sized potato and dough balls rolled in almonds and flash-fried.

A five-star restaurant in other city would probably set you back a good week’s salary, but not so in Budapest. An entrée, two glasses of wine, bottled water, and tip (tax is included in the price of the meal) set me back about 5000 Hungarian Forints, approximately $25.

The exchange rate was probably one of the best things about taking a trip to a city that hasn’t been completely over-run by tourists. Although a member of the European Union, Hungary has not yet converted to the Euro, giving us foreigners more for our dollar. For the entire week (minus hotel and airfare) I spent around 50,000 HUF, the equivalent of which is about $270. Amazing.

Although Hungary is now a member of the European Union, the country still has a long way to go before it becomes a fully integrated member. Walking the streets of Budapest, it is evident that there is still a feeling of mistrust toward its new membership.

(Pictured at right: celebrating the 1848 uprising)

My trip happened to coincide with the anniversary of the 1848 uprising against the Austrian Empire. The day was celebrated with various exhibitions and a fair across Chain Bridge, but there were also a number of riots across the city.

It seemed like much of the anxiety wasn’t aimed so much at the idea of becoming more like Western Europe as it was suspicion that joining the EU would limit its autonomy. For a country whose history is mostly comprised of periods of occupation or integration into other empires, it’s easy to see where this doubt comes from.

Hungary, more than any other former Soviet satellite, was eager to join the ranks of developed Western European countries. Since the 1990s, Hungary has quickly opened itself to foreign investment and new avenues of growth, allowing its GDP to grow faster than most other Eastern European countries.

Yet, the recent economic downturn has taken a serious toll on both the country’s development, as well as its spirit. Maybe it felt more noticeable as an outsider, but the streets of Budapest seemed emptier then most places I’ve been, and everyone had an air of doubt toward everyone else. When we were out during the day, you would see the occasional people out on the street, but everything cleared out come nightfall. There were, of course, the normal groups of young people crowded in bars every night of the week. It seemed eerily like the entire city was on a curfew we didn’t know about, and the people who were out hid in the bars so they wouldn’t be caught.

Political and economic troubles aside, Budapest is a beautiful city full of history and culture. As a vacation destination, it offers a taste of old world beauty mixed in a growing metropolitan setting. However, like many other places, the future of Budapest, and Hungary, will be shaped by current events, and this city could either thrive or suffer at the hands of political and economic developments.