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It’s maybe not what you’d expect to see but we’d advise Just Jew It and visit a Jewish Quarter on World Holocaust Day.

And the biggest synagogue in Europe in Dohany Street in Budapest.

And learn how the Hungarian capital was bled of its Jewish population.

With half a million citizens sent to die in Auschwitz-Burkenau, the largest number from any single city in the Holocaust.

All of which is laid out in minute and everyday detail.

In the Quarter’s museum and honoured in the architecture and tributes around Dohany,

Been there bought the T-shirt

Of course, the greatest answer to the ravages of the Holocaust is for the survivors and their descendants to live a good and full life.

And that means celebrating your heritage.

Which we discover when we visit that the Jews of Hungary do with self-effacing humour.

With T-shirts and mugs of the famous Michael Jordan leaping logo with Just Jew It written on them.

It is a side of Jewish people which most will not reflect on today.

But we are reminded of one of the most memorable and heart-rending scenes in any film on the Holocaust.

Life Is Beautiful

From La Vita E Bella (Life is Beautiful) when father Guido uses humour to protect son Giusue’s innocence.

Explaining that the signposts ‘No Jews, No Dogs’ and we are reminded that similar prohibitions throughout history have included ‘No Irish’ are a joke too.

And that when they will go on to open a bookstore they will erect a sign saying ‘No Visigoths, no Spiders.’

And by joking that the rules of the camp are a game.

Read all about it: A Tora in the Jewish Quarter museum

Where you can accumulate points by obeying the draconic, inhumane regulations.

While when the guards come for Guido at the climax for execution and he sees Giusue hiding in a box.

He deflects with wit by winking at him and goosestepping.

The humanity of humour

Roll of honour: Artists in the Jewish Quarter

That people use gallows humour in their worst moments is a uniquely human coping mechanism.

And one which Jews have consistently turned to in the face of victimisation.

With Mel Brooks ridiculing Hitler and anti-semitism and Woody Allen celebrating the eccentricities of his own culture.

While a list of great Jewish comedians rolls off the tongue.

Jackie Mason, George Burns, Groucho Marx, Rodney Dangerfield and Joan Rivers.

To today’s powerhouses of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, Sarah Silverman, Adam Sandler, Billy Crystal, Sacha Baron Cohen and Jerry Sadowitz.

World Holocaust Day is, as it should be, a difficult one for us to get through.

None more so than those Jews, Gypsies and other cultures who suffered more than most.

But this year I will reflect on the shared humanity of humour.

Which I encountered in that small piece of Jewish-American fusion of culture I saw in the Magyar capital by the Danube, complete with its emotional shoes statue.

Countries, Europe, Pilgrimage

The Romani Diaspora never forget

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The Romani Diaspora never forget though few us even know of their holocaust and only rub shoulders with gypsies on our travels when they entertain for us.

Gypsy music evenings we find in our loveholidays travel pack are a feature of Hungarian holidays while for a daily dose of traditional music it can be found in the Central Market Hall in Budapest.

Where, of course, I was dragged as a trade-off for my history binge in the Hungarian capital.

Pride of place above the food and merch stalls, and word to the wise the Hungarians love a tin of goose liver and a Russian doll with Putin and miniature Vlads, is Fakanal Etterem restaurant.

Spell it out: The Fakanel Etterem restuarant

Where we refuel after a day pounding the streets,

After a morning in the Budapest baths with our food du jour goulash.

And listen to the lunchtime entertainment, a gypsy trio.

Just as Margaret Thatcher, George HW Bush, the Emperor of Japan and Princess Diana had done before us.

And that would have been some dinner party although we suspect they weren’t all there at the same time.

A gypsy trio

Now our troupe clearly had their tourist audience down pat.

With the violinist asking each table where they were from and tailoring his tunes to their country of origin.

With the French getting La Vie en Rose and in the absence of a Japanese tune the staple Blue Danube for our eastern friends.

Gypsy songs like every tradition the world over harks back to history.

And while our Fakanal Etterem trio lift our spirits with their toe-tapping tunes.

They equally will have laments for those we celebrate this year on the 80th anniversary of the Romani Holocaust.

Romani Resistance Day

And reflect on an act of unimagined bravery and the Romani uprising against their overlords in Auschwitz.

When on 15 May 1944, 600 Roma prisoners from the 6000 then in the camp defied their guards who were planning to execute them all.

Instead they barricaded themselves into their barracks.

With hammers, pickaxes and shovels they had gathered after breaking into the equipment warehouse.

It was the bravest of resistances and no gypsies were gassed that day.

The Nazis responded by moving half of the prisoners to other camps and gassing the remaining 3,000.

All of which is commemorated on May 16, Romani Resistance Day.

What we all share

And which the Son and Heir who was invited out to Auschwitz last year to observe the commemorations learned from the community.

There is, of course, much to learn from reaching out beyond our own circle.

As I found first-hand when I found that I was actually booked to travel with a gypsy party on a Topflight working assignment.

To Marian site Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

And came away with a whole new understanding of a community which has been maligned and alienated.

The Romani Diaspora never forget though.

Nor those of us who reach out and share what we all do, music, faith and compassion.

Countries, Deals, Europe

Bath time in Budapest

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Bath time in Budapest and there is no shortage of options to take a dip.

Szechenyi Baths though is the most popular for a reason.

With its 15 indoor baths and three outdoor pools, saunas, steam rooms, a rooftop spa greenhouse and a beer spa.

It is 8am though when we arrive, Szechenyi (£20pp) opens at 7am and closes its doors at 8pm, and I’m done with beery breakfasts.

Or Brut brekkies too with that option open at my billet at the InterContinental Hotel on the Danube front.

Breadth of bathing options

With the breadth of bathing options on hand it would be easy to lose your partner… and, of course, I did.

We have a history of miscommunication as any married couple will recognise.

And we agree to meet at the outdoor pool after my sauna.

My little mermaid is no fan of the rocks and had even taken but one breath of the steam room before taking flight.

But we had shared both outdoor pools, gently warm, and warmer.

And at least half a dozen of the inner ones and jacuzzis on the right as we you enter back in from the outside.

She’s hot and she’s cold

Masochist that I am I tiptoed into the freezing cold ones.

Just as I had done in the Czechia Spa Triangle back in the day.

And almost as quickly leapt straight back out.

The baths are, of course, carefully monitored and measured to be of staggered temperatures.

So don’t be alarmed if a member of staff sticks a thermometer in near the step where you’re sat.

The temperature was certainly rising as having dipped my toe in the indoor pools and taken my sauna I repaired to our rendezvous.

Only to find that there was no sign of my little mermaid who could only be spending more time inside.

Trunks and disorderly

Now an hour in the hotter of the two pools outside surrounded by all God’s creatures, fat, slim, tattooed et al.

I took matters into my own hands.

And returned inside, my stars and stripes swimming shorts clinging to my skin, shouting Her name.

Only to find her outside, at the other outdoor pool, outside the cafe, clothed, eating a snack and drinking a coffee.

Water on the brain

Of course, had the middle lanes pool been open as we’d hoped my little mermaid would have been there eating up the laps.

As with such matters I put the misunderstanding down to water on the brain.

Now they say the human body possesses 60% water.

And after more than three hours in this H2O heaven I reckon I’m up to 80%.

Not that I’m complaining as I’ve never been so clean and reckon I won’t need another dip for the rest of the year.

After my bath time in Budapest.

Bathed and beautiful

Now our four-day loveholidays city break to the Hungarian capital, flying with Ryanair and staying at the InterContinental for two (£1,099) is drawing to a close.

And we’ll share the last knockings with you, only not now as we need our sleep with a redeye in the morning.

And no time even for a sink wash.

Countries, Europe

My kippur in 2025 Budapest

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The dress code was compulsory, yellow stars in the Ghetto which makes being asked to wear my kippur in 2025 Budapest tame.

Jews from four years old were mandated to sew the yellow stars on to the left-hand side of their garments in the 30s and 40s.

With the ultimate sanction execution.

Today Jews rightly and proudly are giving out the instructions to those entering their grand synagogue… to wear the kippur provided.

If the cap fits

Being an Irish-Scots Catholic this is new to me and the kippur takes off in the March Budapest wind.

I retrieve it and spot that there is a Kirby grip attached.

Only I was told to get my thatch cropped before coming on my four-day loveholidays and InterContinental trip to Budapest.

And so I have little hair to attach it to although I make it work and it does hide my baldy spot.

I am clearly not the only Christian here today judging by the questions fired at our guide.

Who just happens to be Kristjan too, a twenty-something Jew who has been raised in the history of Budapest Jewery.

And tells us that as Neolog Jews they assimilated into their country and lived and fought as Hungarians first.

And Jewish worshippers second and they often took names from their surroundings.

Lest we forget

Not that any of that protected them from persecution, starvation and execution.

The images, audio, video and numbers in the ghetto museum are more difficult to assimilate.

More than half a million Jews killed by the Nazis and their sympathisers.

And one in three who died in the million killed in Auschwitz a Hungarian Jew.

Poignantly a sculpture, a weeping willow with its leaves carrying the names of victims.

In front of the gravestones, the mass 2,500 buried on the land at its front.

Everday life in a Jewish home

We are offered a glimpse of the lives of Neolog Jews.

In the Jewish Museum, the religious rituals associated with food, fasting and fashion.

And we are emboldened by the messages of hope in adversity which endures and how we all assimilate with each other.

It was and is the Neolog Jews’ watchword and we see that in the most modern manifestation of sport, showbiz and satire.

In the baseball cap with the Michael Jordan Jumpman logo in the merch shop.

As a Rabbi with the logo Just Jew It.

Which will take pride of place to my kippur in 2025 Budapest.

Countries, Europe

Belgians, Czechs and where the beers are Budabest

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I’m For research purposes you understood, we cast our eyes here over the Belgians, Czechs and where the beers are Budabest, all courtesy of The European Bar Guide.

It will surprise few that the beer-guzzling Belgians and the quaffing Czechs sweep up the top places in the EBG’s top 100.

And we’ll share our own faves here.

But it was heartening to see the Hungarians namechecked particularly as it’s our next pitstop.

EBR is our new go-to blog for what we’ve decided will be our mission for our 60s… get around as many bars as we can.

Their guide is fun and easy… you flip over a disc to find out more about their choices, much like a beer mat.

All ale to the Scots

As adopted Edinbuggers we were naturally drawn in by their choice of 100th top European beer.

The Edinburgh institution that is The Canny Man’s in Morningside.

The West End suburb being Marmite because of its associations

With a Prime of Miss Jean Brodie attitude of superiority.

But for those who like time capsules it is worth a sup… nose in the air, of course.

Now inhabitants of Scotland’s big two cities won’t even recognise that there is life beyond Glasgow and Edinburgh.

And we fear EBG has fallen into this trap too.

The Laurieston, a favourite haunt of power couple Jack Lowden and Saoirse Ronan, gets EBR’s nod for its Sixties schtick.

But as an Aberdeen Uni alumnus I’d always highlight the merits of the Granite City institutions.

Such as the snug-heavy ‘Ma’ Cameron’s with its impromptu trad music offerings.

And the Irish

As I would Belfast’s Italianate-decorated The Crown Liquor Saloon, or Crown to give it its everyday name.

The Irish, of course, pride themselves on their pub culture and EBG flag up some old stomping grounds.

High up at No.38 is lively Grogans, off buskers and ents hub Grafton Street.

Although we’d point you in the direction of Mary’s in Wicklow Street, with its throwback decor of days when bars doubled as grocery stores.

Such as you’ll find at the highest bar in Ireland, the nooky Johnnie Fox‘s in the Dublin Mountains.

And the award-winning Harbour Bar, Bray, Co. Wicklow complete with cats.

Ruin yourself in Budapest

As feline fanatics we’re indebted to EBG for highlighting the best pussy pub in Budapest.

The Calgary Antik Drinkba where Auntie Vikis and ‘her brain-damaged pets and piles of belongings’ add to the ambience.

Regular visitors to the Hungarian capital will regale you with recommendations to their ‘ruin bars.’

The refurbished post-Communist spaces in the Jewish Quarter, spruced up for our drinking pleasure.

The original of which is Szimpla Kert complete with junkyard art which we’re told is quieter to visit in the afternoons.

Czech out the beer

Our Czech friends also ramp up their Cold War artefacts but never to the detriment of their beloved Urquell Pilsner.

Which naturally is the only beer that flows from the golden taps of the Castle district pub U Hrocha in Prague.

While for a behind the scenes tour of beer-making we always advise Strahov Monastery Brewery where all the best monks go.

Now there’s something about a bar where they’re only here for the beer and we lament the much-missed Tom’s Bierhaus in Ieper.

Although we do keep alive the story of how our pal Muriel asked for a G&T and was informed she could have one of a 100 beers or water.

Brussels shouts

Now we suspect that EBG have whiled away many an hour in Belgian bars with six hostelries in the top ten.

The outliers being our Hungarian and Czech booze buddies.

And Papa Joe’s Jazzlokal in Cologne and the cultural crossroads bar Zlatna Ridica in Sarajevo, classical cities that should be on your map.

Of course, EBG has to pick one best and that accolade falls to La Fleur En Papier Doré in Brussels.

Which we’re told is ‘back from the dead, revived then elevated to the top.’

America, Countries

Forget Black Monday it’s Craic Monday

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If someone has pinned you down to tell you that this is the unhappiest day of the year, tell them Forget Black Monday it’s Craic Monday with these great escapes.

They, of course, will be full of woe and be all too quick to tell you.

About how today has the worst of the weather, the longest of nights and how you’ll be skint after Christmas.

Thank the heavens then for my friend Rachel.

For she brings sunshine into my life with a steady stream of far-off exotic destinations some of which I’ve still to tick.

Dip your toe in

The London West Hollywood, California, USA: Now I made a splash in West Hollywood when I would jump from breakfast to the lobby swimming pool.

But today’s offering is a different inn, The London West Hollywood which houses a gorgeous rooftop pool and cabanas.

Just imagine swimming towards panoramic views of LA and Beverly Hills.

Your garden oasis sweeps from downtown LA all the way to the Getty Centre and beyond.

Blue skies

Denver, Colorado, USA: Now closer to the skies was I 1600 metres up in the sky in the Mile High City.

And the sun too with 300 days of the big yellow ball every year.

The RiNo neighbourhood is the hip area, while it’s a great sporty city too.

The home of the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rockies and Colorado Avalanche.

The air being thin up there in Denver the locals will tell you it takes half as much time to get twice as drunk.

All of which appeals to the thrifty, but partying Scot in me.

Lakes and rivers

Lake Balaton, Héviz Spa, Hungary: The gift of Travel is in the people we meet, more magical than any sunset.

It is beholden on us too to all be ambassadors for our individual countries.

And that is why I’ll always believes Hungarians must be as charming as my Topflight for Schools pal Edina.

I dare say this Magical Magyar would be better at talking you through the inner sea, Lake Balaton.

It is home to picturesque landscapes surrounded by ancient fortresses, underwater cave galleries, vineyards and historic towns.

But don’t just take our word for that (well, actually do) but visitors have been relaxing here since the Ancient Romans.

Héviz Spa is a hotspot in Europe for relaxation and mineral treatments. www.visithungary.com

Shimmering seas

Tomori Beach, Kyushu, Japan: Now we’re probably more used to images of its bustling cities and cherry blossom parks.

But it’s the sunny seaside which we’ll focus on here and in the island of Amami, ‘the Blue Angel.’

Tomori Beach in Kyushu is considered the best on the island and just ten minutes from the airport.

And it is also a haven for snorkellers.

Blue murals and sculptures

Sacramento, California: Now for those who think California is only about the Big Two, Los Angeles and San Francisco had to sit up and take notice.

When Greta Gerwig wrote a ‘love letter’ to her native Sacramento, the multi award-winning Lady Bird, starring Saoirse Ronan.

Fans of the rites of passage movie will instantly recognise the American Market & Deli in the hip Midtown neighbourhood.

And its exterior mural depicting a Lady Bird-appropriate peacock with a large fan of feathers.

Store co-owner Gurpreet Singh makes a cameo appearance selling Lady Bird cigarettes, a lottery ticket and a Playgirl magazine.

Having just turned 18, she is buying every previously forbidden item now legally available to her.

I can identify with that and I know you fun Bandanini and Bandanettes do too.

And that is why today you’ll forget Black Monday it’s Craic Monday.