在很早很早以前，在每天都要刷某论坛的时候，我随机认识了一波网友。
说起来网友这个说法好像已经很古早了，很容易暴露年龄。印象当中可以追溯到上世纪九零年代，那时候互联网刚刚进入大家的生活。于是我们有了论坛，有了QQ，曾经一度还可以访问推特，后面有了微信等各种工具。
论坛也好平台也好工具也好都无所谓，能够打破地域和时间的限制，随机认识在原本现实生活中可能永远不会遇见的人，是一件挺有意思的事儿。
也许是因为共同经历了互联网的变迁，也许是最早大家有共同的爱好，也许是毫无目的的闲聊比现实生活中的社交来得更加纯粹，虽然这些网友关系始于随机和虚拟的空间，但却奇迹般的在这十几二十多年保持了稳定联系。
这波网友里面有一个家伙的ID是猫，我的ID是熊。所以最早开始的聊天记录就是猫说几句，熊说几句，连着看起来非常有喜感。最近的交流的内容是猫的工位上堆满了手办，熊的工位上光秃秃的连个杯子都没有。
猫在武汉，熊在巴黎。一边樱花已经要变成过去时，一边的樱花正在进行时。
然后我就想到了武汉。
武汉这个名字源于三个部分：武昌、汉口和汉阳，合称武汉三镇，因而得名“武汉”。我只去过中心城区，据说现在大武汉都规划到六环七环去了。
武汉我去过很多次，虽然能理解但谈不上喜欢。
如果用一个字来总结我对武汉的印象，大概是：忙。
首先它是历史书上很忙碌的地区之一，最早大概可以追溯到3000多年前的商周时期，再然后东汉末年，武昌应该算是军事重镇。后面到了近代，武昌起义，有了中华民国。最近几年因为疫情这件事，在世界历史上也算留下了印记。
武汉位于中国中部的长江和汉江交汇处，地理位置上也很忙，素有“九省通衢”之称。长江和汉江穿城而过，很多的桥，很多的路，很多的车，还有很多很多的人。
如果你去过武汉，大概率去过夜市吃烧烤，去过路边的早餐店过早，见到过熙熙攘攘的人群边走边吃，甚至是边骑车边吃。蒸锅铁锅煮面的锅，塑料板凳和保温箱，垃圾桶堆满一次性餐具和签子，电动车自行车三蹦子还有汽车肆意妄为没有任何规律的交错在一起，行人见缝插针，忙着赶路，忙着吵架，忙着吃东西。
鲁迅虽然说过，走的人多了，也便成了路。他可能没有来过武汉吧，走的人多了，本来的路也会消失不见的。
武汉人的日常也突出一个忙。忙着赶路，忙着说话，跟内蒙人新疆人对比仿佛开了两倍三倍速。武汉公交车更是中国交通的奇迹，压弯漂移各种硬核操作，突出一个着急。我体验过，确实有好几段整个人都是悬空的。武汉人说话着急这个事情，个人感觉不仅是语速的问题，更多是音量的缘故。第一次去武汉的时候，我总感觉街上的男女老少都在互相骂祖宗十八代，后面发现他们也许只是日常问候并且夸对方买的水果真不错。
某种程度上，也能理解为什么人们着急。武汉既不是沿海城市，也不在富饶的包邮区，也不符合西部大开发的政策。虽然有丰富的旅游资源，这些年也在大力发展文旅消费，但又缺乏再上一个台阶的动力。大江大河大武汉，平均通勤距离也比较远，工资水平也不算高，所以普通人都在争分夺秒的赚钱，精打细算的生活。
有人说这是烟火气，有人说这是江湖气，本质上都差不多。
然后我就想到了布达佩斯。也是一座很热闹的城市。
布达佩斯是匈牙利的首都，也是全国最大的城市，坐落于多瑙河两岸，也是一座跨河的城市。
布达佩斯的名字也来源于两个独立的城镇：布达（Buda）和佩斯（Pest）。这两个城镇分别位于多瑙河的西岸和东岸。1873年，这两个城镇正式合并，形成了今天的布达佩斯。是不是和武汉遥相呼应了一下。
另外一个热知识，陈佩斯的名字就是取自“布达佩斯”。因为陈强在访问布达佩斯时，很喜欢这个城市，因而决定将自己的儿子命名为“布达”和“佩斯”。所以他还有一个哥哥叫陈布达。
布达佩斯这座城市来说，拥有城堡皇宫的布达是比较有格调高大上的城区，佩斯那边是比较平民化的热热闹闹的商业区。如果要city walk的话，两三天刚刚好，可以遍历整个城市。去玩的朋友们记得提前换点当地货币，好像叫福林。不为别的，至少买咖啡上厕所的时候很方便。我就是在排队上厕所好不容易排到队头的时候，发现竟然是收费的，然而我两手空空，一个钢镚都没有。还好排在我后面的一个大叔是个好人，帮我给了钱，算是请我上了厕所。
布达佩斯的历史也很悠久，可以追溯到罗马时代，当时是罗马帝国的一个重要军事基地。随后，布达佩斯经历了许多重大历史事件，包括蒙古入侵、奥斯曼帝国的统治以及奥匈帝国的建立。说起来我在初到布达佩斯的时候，刚好赶上了冬天。一出机场，深吸一口气，哎？这味儿我熟，和呼和浩特一样一样的。所以也能理解当年蒙古铁骑遇见一马平川的匈牙利平原，大家肯定很高兴，这儿跟家差不多，咱不走了吧。
布达佩斯的饮食也能找到游牧民族带来的风味。比如Goulash，也就是匈牙利炖牛肉，不放淡奶油的话就跟我平时炖牛肉的口味差不多。再比如炸油饼配酸奶油，石板烤肉，都很好吃。我在犹太区偶遇了一家餐厅，还吃到了很对胃口的炖大鹅，老板很向往中国，很嫌弃白左。
对比看来，布达佩斯的经济发展情况在中欧东欧这个篮子里还算是不错的。工业，服务业和旅游业都发展的不错。近年来，布达佩斯还成为欧洲IT产业和金融产业的中心之一，很多欧洲或跨国公司都在把中欧西欧北欧的配置逐渐转移到布达佩斯去，人力资源性价比高，并且依然适用欧盟内的政策，很划算。
说到最后，一座城市的气质往往是由充满生活气息的细节定义的。也许是街边小店，咖啡馆，也许是菜市场，夜市，也许是一座座桥和穿城而过的河流，也许是不同时期的建筑物，也许是人来人往的火车站。
武汉和布达佩斯，虽然一个在亚洲，一个在欧洲，但都有很多细节值得发现。
A long, long time ago, while browsing BBS on internet daily, I randomly met a group of online friends.
The term “online friend” seems quite old-fashioned, easily revealing my age. As far as I can remember, it dates back to the 1990s, when the internet was just entering our lives. That’s when we had BBS, QQ, and for a time, Twitter, followed by WeChat and various other tools currently.
Whether it was a BBS, a platform, or APP – didn’t really matter; what was interesting was the ability to break down geographical and temporal barriers and randomly meet people you might never have chance to meet in real life.
Perhaps it was because we shared the experience of the internet’s evolution, perhaps because we initially had common interests, or perhaps because aimless random chats were purer than real-life social interactions, but although these online friendships began randomly in a virtual world, we (miraculously) maintained stable contact for over a decade or two.
One of these online friends she had the ID “Cat,” and my ID was “Bear.” So, our earliest chat logs consisted of Cat saying a few words, Bear saying a few words, which looked quite funny. The recent conversation revolved around the cat’s workstation being fully occupied with toys, while the bear’s workstation was completely empty, without even a cup (we don’t have fix seat in office).
The cat is in Wuhan, the bear is in Paris. Both cities have many cherry trees.
On one side, the cherry blossoms were fading into the ground; while on the other side, they are just in time.
This made me recall Wuhan.
The name Wuhan originates from three parts: Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang, collectively known as the Three Towns of Wuhan. I’ve only been to the central urban area; I’ve heard that the greater Wuhan area is now planned to extend to the sixth and seventh rings.
I’ve been to Wuhan many times; while I understand the situation, I wouldn’t say I like it.
If I had to summarize my impression of Wuhan in one word, it would be: busy.
Firstly, it’s one of the busiest regions in history books, dating back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties over 3000 years ago. Then, at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Wuchang was considered a major military stronghold. Later, in modern times, the Wuchang Uprising Event led to the establishment of the new China. In very recent years, the pandemic has also left its mark on world history.
Wuhan, located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Han Rivers in the central China, is a bustling city, often referred to as a “thoroughfare connecting nine provinces.” The Yangtze and Han Rivers flow through the city, creating a network of bridges, roads, vehicles, and, most importantly, people.
If you’ve ever been to Wuhan, you’ve likely tried barbecue at night markets, had breakfast at roadside stalls, and witnessed the bustling crowds eating while walking or even cycling. Steamers, iron pots, noodle pots, plastic stools, and insulated boxes abound; trash cans overflow with disposable tableware and skewers; electric bikes, bicycles, three-wheeled vehicles, and cars weave haphazardly together without any discernible pattern; pedestrians squeeze through gaps, busy rushing, busy arguing, busy eating.
Although Lu Xun said, “Many people walk on it, and it becomes a road,” he probably never visited Wuhan. On the contrary – with so many people walking on it, the original roads disappear.
The daily life of Wuhan residents is also characterized by busyness. Busy rushing, busy talking, they seem to be living at two or three times the speed of people from Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang. Wuhan’s buses are a marvel of Chinese transportation, showcasing various hardcore maneuvers like cornering and drifting, all emphasizing a sense of urgency. I’ve experienced it myself, and there were indeed several sections where I felt completely floating in the air. The fact that Wuhan people speak so hastily, in my opinion, isn’t just a matter of speaking speed, but more so of volume. The first time I visited Wuhan, I felt like everyone on the street, young and old, was talking so bad to each other just like cursing each other’s mother, only to later realize they were probably just exchanging casual greetings and complimenting each other on the quality of e.g. their fruit and veges in hands.
To some extent, this explains why people are in such a hurry. Wuhan isn’t a coastal city, nor is it located in the affluent Yangtze River Delta region, nor does it fit into the Great Western Development Strategy. While it boasts abundant tourism resources and has been vigorously developing cultural and tourism consumption in recent years, it lacks the motivation to reach the next level. With its rivers and grand cityscape, relatively long average commutes, and relatively low wages, ordinary people are all racing against time to earn money and living frugally.
Then I thought of Budapest. Also a very lively city.
Budapest, the capital and largest city of Hungary, is situated on both banks of the Danube River, making it a city straddling the river.
Budapest’s name originates from two separate towns: Buda and Pest. These two towns were located on the west and east banks of the Danube, respectively. In 1873, the two towns officially merged to form the Budapest we know today. (Isn’t that a bit of similar with Wuhan?)
Another interesting fact: a famous comedy actor Chen Peisi’s name actually comes from “Budapest.” When his father Chen Qiang visited Budapest, he loved the city so much that he decided to name his sons “Buda” and “Pest.” Therefore, he also has an older brother named Chen Buda.
Within Budapest, Buda, with its castle and royal palace, is a more upscale and sophisticated district, while Pest is a more down-to-earth and bustling commercial area. Two or three days are just right for a city walk, allowing you to explore the entire city. You need to exchange some local currency before you go; it’s called HUF, I think. Just for convenience when buying coffee and using the restroom. I was at the front of the line for the restroom when I discovered it was a pay-to-use area, and I was empty-handed, without a single coin. Luckily, a kind man behind me paid for me, inviting me use the restroom for free (NICE!).
Budapest has a long history, dating back to Roman times, when it was an important military base for the Roman Empire. Subsequently, Budapest witnessed many significant historical events, including the Mongol invasion, Ottoman rule, and the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Speaking of which, when I first arrived in Budapest, it was winter. Stepping out of the airport, I took a deep breath—hey? This smells so familiar, just like Hohhot. So I can understand why the Mongol cavalry, encountering the flat Hungarian plains, must have been so happy; it felt like home, let’s stay!
Budapest’s cuisine also reflects the influence of Mongol cultures. For example, Goulash, or Hungarian beef stew, tastes similar to my usual beef stew without cream. Another example, fried dough sticks with sour cream and grilled meat on a hot stone, both delicious. I stumbled upon a restaurant in the Jewish Quarter and even had a delicious stewed goose that really suited my taste. The owner was a fan of China and disdainful of the “left”.
In comparison, Budapest’s economic development is quite good within the Central and Eastern European context. Its industry, service sector, and tourism are all thriving. In recent years, Budapest has also become one of the centers of Europe’s IT and financial industries. Many European and multinational companies are gradually relocating their operations from Central, Western, and Northern Europe to Budapest, where human resources are cost-effective and EU policies still apply—a very worthwhile move.
Ultimately, the character of a city is often defined by its vibrant, daily life details. It might be the small shops and cafes along the streets, the night markets, the bridges and rivers flowing through the city, or the buildings from different centries.
Wuhan and Budapest, although one is in Asia and the other in Europe, just like brothers who have been separated for many years – both have many details worth discovering.