"It started almost as a myth, a rumor whispered in the hallways at CEU - "Did you hear there's a whole festival for palinka...AND sausage...AND it's held in the courtyard of the Castle?!" Budapest loves a good festival, and whether it's artisanal food and local crafts (the monthly WAMP fair), Hungarian wine and cheese, street food, craft beers, Hungary's heritage-breed (and delicious!) Mangalitsa pork, the spectacular annual Christmas markets, the famous Sziget music festival, or even, yes, the legendary sausage and palinka fest, there's almost always a street fair going on somewhere in Budapest. When the winter (or library) blues get you down, nothing beats a mug of hot mulled wine from the Christmas market set up in front of the Basilica."
Steve is currently a Mundus MAPP student in his first year at CEU in 2012-2013, and expected to continue his studies at Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals from September 2013.
You can find Steve's blog, including Budapest and Hungary travel tips, at http://stevebutterfield.wordpress.com/