Shocking: Is Debrecen Europe’s most depressing city? – VIDEO
Based on his YouTube intro, “gus1thego” (Gustav Rosted) is a 30-year-old globetrotter who’s already ticked off 184 countries and shot tons of videos about his adventures. Case in point, he’s published six videos on Hungary, reaching and inspiring hundreds of thousands of viewers. However, his latest release on everyday life in Debrecen, Hungary’s second-biggest city, might not sit well with the locals.
Is Debrecen set to be Hungary’s new capital?
We have previously discussed his videos, as they have raised thought-provoking questions about Hungary and its people. For example, he once asked which countries Hungarians love and hate the most, which received some rather intriguing responses. In another video, he found out Hungarian is one of the trickiest languages on earth – no wonder foreigners reckon they’re facing Mission Impossible when trying to learn it. He even gave a shoutout to Szentendre (north of Budapest), calling it the most colourful town in the country, while also serving up seven weird facts about Budapest. Check out our earlier post on Szentendre HERE.
He shared all those videos two years back, but it looks like the Danish YouTuber’s made a comeback this March to shine a spotlight on Debrecen. Though, locals might not be pleased with his take on the city.
Debrecen, Hungary’s second-biggest city, is home to a world-famous university, a large community of exchange students, factories, a historic city centre and the grand Reformed Great Church. Plus, it even did a stint as Hungary’s capital back in 1849 and from 1944 to 1945, when the government had to flee Budapest. Every now and then, journalists and influencers ponder whether the Orbán cabinet fancies swapping out the opposition-leaning Budapest for Debrecen as Hungary’s capital.
The YouTuber’s latest video from Hungary dropped on 18th March, and it has already garnered over half a million views.
Train ride, dismal apartment blocks and language barrier
Gustav arrived in the Eastern Hungarian city after a pleasant, budget-friendly train trip on a decent train. Even though Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) are notorious for running late, Gustav had no complaints. Maybe he just struck lucky.
The Danish YouTuber kicked off his day at a local pub, knocking down a bottle of chilled Kőbányai beer. Turns out, Kőbányai was very much to his liking, and he was quick to conclude that Hungarians regularly have beer for breakfast. Plus, Gustav got the lowdown on the Hungarian football scene; as previously he was only familiar with Puskás. The Danish traveller was particularly impressed when one of the already intoxicated pub-goers spilled out the names of a number of Danish football stars.
Continuing his sightseeing trip, he was quite taken aback by the dreary apartment blocks in Debrecen, though. And he reckoned only two locals had a grasp of English, which puts Hungary’s education system in a pretty dim light. However, his feedback seems to contradict the latest statistics on the matter. Still, guest workers and foreign students seemed to have a good handle on English. He bumped into a Pakistani food delivery rider and two students from Zimbabwe while wandering the streets.
Phone boxes took Gustav by surprise
On a positive note, he liked the pink phone boxes still in use in Debrecen, reminiscent of the 1990s. He was also taken with the churches and the tram system in the city, saying that the outskirts were a far cry from the charming city centre.
Gustav even struck up conversations with some locals downtown. For example, a young girl told him that safety was one of Debrecen’s strong suits. After strolling for hours in the city, he must have worked up an appetite, so he went on to grab a málnás párna (a pastry filled with raspberry jam), which he reckoned was a classic Hungarian delicacy, though turns out, it’s not entirely true. Then, he swung by a restaurant for a bowl of hearty meat soup and potato paprikash (sausage and spud stew with veggies), giving them the thumbs up.
Is Debrecen a bit of a downer in Europe?
In the end, the popular YouTuber thought Debrecen was way more pleasant than he’d expected. Sure, he pointed out the lack of restaurants, but he reckoned the city had great vibes and the locals were friendly. A Hungarian guy even told him that Hungarian women are the most gorgeous in the world. Gustav concluded that on a Tuesday evening, the city comes alive with people enjoying smoking and drinking.
So, apart from a few hiccups about the sparse eateries and the grim apartment blocks from the Socialist era, Gustav didn’t have too much to complain about in Debrecen. We’re keen to see what he’s got in store for his next video exploring the quirks of Hungary.
You can watch the full video here:
Read also:
I love Debrecen, what the heck?
This guy is an idiot. He must walk around with his eyes closed! Debrecen has many cafes, restaurants and take-aways at all price points. In addition to Hungarian restaurants, there are Italian, Turkish, Italian, Chinese and Indian places. There are lots of fast food places. There is even a Belgian restaurant and an Indonesian place. In my experience, the price and qualitty of food in Debrecen is generally better than Budapest.