You better shop before Sunday in Hungary

Only recently did this law come into effect.

Mandatory shop closures on a Sunday that is.

And while I did do a bit of research before coming here , coming from Malaysia , the effect did not hit me full on until later when I realised that even bakery stands and restaurants would not be open !

Meantime, I'd done Mammut and Mammut II mall

Arena Plaza

Also West End which I least liked

Had also checked out smaller grocery stores like CBA

And ALDI

( pic taken from Foursquare )

The touristy Central Market Hall I kept for Saturday .

By 1 or 2 , an announcement went up over the P.A. system.

Could not hear it clearly . On a hunch I asked a trader

" What time do you close today ? "

" 3 " she said

" Are you open tomorrow ? "

" Nyet "

OH MAI GAWWWDDDD !

That left me just under an hour to grab whatever I'd seen on 3 floors !

Tees , keychains , paprika , smiley pickles, leather bags and an I Love Hungary sign ....I rushed like hell and ended up with less that I had initially aimed because some started packing up early to go home .

Sheeessshhhh...

So anyway , by the time I got back and bumped into Silad, the Hungarian who used to live in Romania , I offloaded what had just happened.

And then he dropped the bombshell.

" You know .... nothing is open tomorrow. Only small shops. If I were you , I'd go grab something from the supermarkets now before they close. "

No kidding. Well , I took his advice and rushed over to Aldi. The crowd...oh yes , everybody was like frenzy stocking up cos you see.....even small tuckshops and mobile bakeries like Princess by the metro stations ....nothing would be open . Which meant I would have to starve on a Sunday ? No way. Seriously now ?

So I bought stuff to make....like bread and tinned foods. 

And only when I made my way to Vajdahunyad Castle the next day did I discover that meals can be purchased at places that have open air fairs.

Guess the Sunday is geared towards family bonding. 

Well , that was an experience in itself. Crazy .....I won't forget that .

Conclusion : there's really no need to panic buy. You just have to know where to go get supplies or eat. Still , to be on the safe side , if you really need to do your grocery shopping on a Sunday , it's best to do so before noon.

Location : Budapest