There’s more out there than you think.  Many bookstores, both Hungarian-grown and international, usually have a selection of English and German books on hand, but you’re going to have to expand the hunt to find Hugo in his native tongue.  There’s one place, though, that not only covers the French bases, but now has works …

The annual ‘lomtalanitás’ – or ‘bulky waste clearance day’ – takes place on a different date in various parts of each district. Organized by your local authority, lomtalanitás is a great free service which allows you to clear out the clutter, while proving an opportunity for some hawk eyed dumpster-diver types to scour the lomtalanitás …

It may come as a surprise to many expats just how dog friendly much of Europe can be.   If you’ve traveled solo throughout the continent, chances are you haven’t noticed the additional item at the very bottom of many hotel price lists.  For a nominal fee, most dogs are welcome to accompany you on your …

Moved all the way over to MP3s? Never, ever, ever, ever going to watch Toy Story again? Before you trash your old CDs and DVDs, consider the alternatives.  The most attractive option, money-wise, is to try to pocket a few Forint by bringing your English-language DVDs  down to Treehugger Dan’s, which will buy …

Occasionally, an expat might complain about “bad” Hungarian driving, when in reality the problem lies with the expat not fully knowing the local rules of the road.

There’s no shortage of paprika in Budapest, but every once in a while it’s nice to be able to cook up a little something different…or as the case may be for a lot of expats, something familiar. Culinaris is wonderful if you’re looking for a wide range of Western-style ingredients, but you’ll be more …

Whether you thought you could get away with it, were running a little late, or have just forgotten, there’s a good chance that at some point in your stay in Budapest you’ll find a little red or blue plastic bag clipped under your car’s wiper.  In it will be a receipt and a yellow bill …

As of 31 October, 2010 KLM will operate three daily flights from Budapest Ferihegy to Amsterdam Schiphol airport. KLM is currently offering a HUF 10000 discount to anyone booking travel on the new route.
More info here.

Rozsakert used to carry them, then not.  Tesco did too, but only outside of Hungary.  Don’t know whether it ever crossed Auchan’s bow before now.  Either way, there’s a reason for expat women to celebrate: tampons with applicators can once again be found in Budapest.  Brave a trip to the big box stores in Budaörs …

Readers have recently shared a few of their own favorites.  Scroll down to the bottom for the latest additions.
Summer getting a bit long?  You’ve been to Szentendre, Balaton and Vienna…what about the rest?  Here are a few short trip ideas for the weekend that you can do from a Budapest base.

Volcanic catastrophe, sharks in Nógrád: …

It’s important that your voice is heard, even if you’ve left Kansas.  If you have not yet requested an absentee ballot for the November 2010 election, you can do so at: http://www.votefromabroad.org/.  The application is fairly simple, but can take several weeks to process, so it’s important to plan ahead.
Please note that even if …

There are certain things that you don’t mind being lost in translation, however getting your haircut is one situation when you want to be understood loud and clear.

In the horrible heat of June, my electric fan died, so this week I took it over to this old woman near Arany Janos Metro. Greff Elektronika has been repairing my electronic goods for years – VCR, walkman, Discman, DVD, electric razor, and now my fan. Although quickly diminishing in number, there are still quite …

Power cycled it?  Checked all the connections?  Internet’s up, but your icons are frozen, so what do you do next?  The Wall Street Journal recently reviewed a number of remote fix-it options for your home computer.  These can be especially useful for the expat who’s new to town and unfamiliar with the local services.  As …