CURES THROUGH JOY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1939, Page 8

CURES THROUGH JOY

BATHS DE LUXE OF BUDAPEST. HOT AND NATURAL SPRINGS. A “cure” can be a very pleasant experience in Budapest, where hot and cold natural springs, many with valuable medicinal properties, abound. Bathing; indeed, is the chief summel’ amusement in this beautiful city of ■sophisticated amusement (writes A. Haire-Foster). The three great bathing establishments are the Szechenyi, the Palatinus on Margaret Island, and the- Gellert, the last being the most exclusive and club-like. Perched on the side of a hill, it has a charming but rather artificial garden arranged like a maze, so that while it has the appearance of unity, part Can be reached only from the baths and part from the hotel arid restaurant. The famous wave-bath is blue-tiled, while the inside champagne bath, so called because of the bubbles which sparkle in it, has a sliding glass roof and a terface with artificial sunlight lamps. At Ihe baths there are restaurants, but that at the Gellert is the best, Gundel, who is to Budapest what Gunther is to London, being the caterer. To go there regularly for a few days is to get to know the notabilities. The beautifully browned young women who appear to have a special claim on the mattresses placed on either side of the chute, are dancers from the theatres and night clubs. They never, of course, go into the water, but lie there oiling themselves, “making up” their faces, patting their curls, and chatting to their cavaliers. Murati Lili, who is one of Hungary's best young “straight” actresses, arrives daily about noon, a quiet charming girl with very good “style.” Then there are the lovely society ladies whose variety of chic costumes seems endless, whose tan is perfection, and the beauty of whose hands is excelled only by that of their feet. Their routine is always the same —a sun-bathe surrounded by a little court, a swim, a change into another smart bathing dress, luncheon, and then bridge, one corner of the large terrace being the reserve of a bridge club. i

Perchance, a large car with a crown and a hussar in cherry-coloured uniform laced with silver at the entrance to the baths denotes the presence of royalty. The Archduchess Augusta, wife of the Archduke Albrecht Habsburg, is a frequent visitor. Her special pleasure is the wave-bath, and, as long as she is in it, the waves are kept going. On these important occasions, they are "turned on" for a quarter of an hour every half hour, a siren sounding the signal. The place is beautifully kept, sweepers go round with a long-handled dustpan collecting any chance cigarette ends, or spent matches. The sweepers are elderly women, whose aspect of weariness and boredom is equalled only by the ennui of the bath attendants, magnificent looking young men who have to be on the alert should anyone get into difficulties at the deep end, or dive into the waves, which is

"highly dangerous and strictly prohibited." The sweepers also go’ round with a little bell and a board bearing the name of someone wanted on the telephone, or the dire information that a certain car has been parked in a prohibited area! One day, the board bore the name “Bordy Bella," whereupon Budapest’s enchanting little premiere ballerina came running out of the champagne bath. There is something very disarming in the naive curiosity of the Hungarian. An English girl arrived at the baths one morning wearing a particularly pretty blue bathing dress of a new pattern. Presently up came a Hungarian. stood in front of her. clicked his heels, and bowed (formalities that always look a little ridiculous in bathing kit!) saying: "Pardon, excuse, I speak to you. but I have a message from my wife, pardon, excuse, but where did you get your swim suit? 1 ' The sun sets early behind the Gellert Hill, so the wave-bath is deserted soon after four o'clock, but there is a tea dansant every afternoon on the big terrace to a jazz band, and —naturally —more dancing after dinner to Gipsy music.