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In The Eye Of... ... the beholder, is it the journey or is it the destination? Some people love roughing it, some prefer doing it "just as the locals do." For others, it's just gotta be first class (as they define it) every inch of the way. Whichever fits your profile, never assume that your choices will (or can) automatically match your expectations. Whether your marathon running is done at popular tourist spots in other countries (like the Paris Marathon), in the US (like the Chicago Marathon) or venturing far out into the uncharted wilds, be clear on the realities of your destination. Even then, the better your sense of humor, the more likely you are to have a rewarding experience. For each of the marathons that we cover, we will also talk about the cost (for both a budget and a luxury point of view), options on how to get there, what else there is to do while you are there, possible family activities, how best to get around and if there is a definite "don't miss this" nearby, we will let you know. Not all of the marathons that we cover cater to foreign participants. Those that don't can occasionally have a very "local" flavor in their approach to a race. We will do our best to point out those issues when they might impact your decisions. None-the-less, it is best to always expect a certain amount of adventure to burrow its way into the mix. Remember, your goals are running a good marathon and having some fun. (rs) |
Budapest and Hungary Basics
- Marathon: 24th Spar Budapest International Marathon is scheduled for October 4, 2009.
- Location: Hungary is in Eastern Europe bordered on the west by Austria and on the east by Romania and with Slovakia and the Ukraine to the North.
- Size: Hungary is slightly smaller than the State of Indiana.
- Population: The population approximately 10 million or roughly the size of New York City.
- Government: Since 1990, Hungary has been a Parliamentary Democracy.
- Legal System: The justice system is based on the western model.
- Economy: It became a member of the European Union in 2004, but will not adopt the Euro until 2010. As of this writing, the Hungarian Forint (HUF) is valued at approximately 200 Forints to 1 US dollar.
- Technology: Due to the lack of upgrades during the years of Communist control, Hungary has had to rebuilt its' entire communications infrastructure. For a population of 10 million, there are almost 9 million cell phones in use. This system is backed by a complete fiber-optic infrastructure among with an international switch in Budapest, as well as 4 satellite earth stations.
- Transportation: As of 2005, Hungary had 26 advanced airports. The Budapest Airport has daily connections to most major european cities. There are approximately 70,000 KM of paved roadways including roughly 700 KM of modern expressways. It also supports an extensive network of rail and water transportation services.
- Other: Hungary has experienced a slight decline in population (-0.25%) in recent years due mostly to the birth rate not keeping up with the death rate. Median life expectancy is 72,66 years. Ethic makeup is 92.3% native Hungarian, 1.9% Roma (Gypsies) and 5.8% other.