Buda + Pest = Budapest

Mellow Mood Hostel
Budapest, Hungary
Friday, 6 June 2008
12:14 PM (USA)/ 6:14 PM (H)



sitting on yet another bed in a different hostel. oh they joys of european travel :)

Last night at 9:41 twelve of us, eight girls, four boys, left Prague for Budapest. We bought tickets for a sleeper train so we got to watch the sun go down and the sun come up. It was breathtaking. The mountains and countryside are something to be awed and I've never seen so many stars. I suspect it's because out where we were, there were small towns, few lights and lots of fields.

We arrived in Budapest around 7 AM. To my dismay I figured out that they do not take czech crowns here, so I had to withdraw more money and I actually feel kind of panicky. I've never in my life seen money fly like it does here, especially when they use such large denominations. Here in Budapest, 1500 is 10 american dollars. In Prague 1500 is about 90 american dollars...big difference and keeping that straight, and your czech money from your hungarian money is REALLY fun, let me tell you.

Anyway, so far this trip has been pretty great. We had a great time on the train, even making friends with the czech countrymen in the compartment next to us :) We talked, we laughed and then....one of the boys farted.

oh. my. goodness.

First of all, let me tell you that the size of our cabin was the size of a large refridgerator box, which when we were young was huge; however, now is quite the opposite, and also extremely airless. So you can imagine how this fart affected our spaceless cabin...it basically singed our nose hairs off and caused a chain reaction of gagging.

I wont say who it was, but let it just be known that it was cruel and unusual. Peace be unto you.

So again, ANYWAY we got here and automatically I really liked the place. It's laid back, kind of crumbly, but the people, oh my goodness, the people are nice! The smiled and laughed and even helped us take pictures! We went to the castle, a house of parliament, crossed THE bridge, and looked out upon the Danube River. OH and we explored a labyrinth of caves!! The day was breezy and warm. Perfect.

So, basically, I've decided that just like with people, some have chemistry with others automatically and some never find that flame. I see, everyday, how beautiful and wonderful Prague is, and all the lovely reasons why people fall head over heals in love with the place: the architecture, the castle, the eateries, the flowers, the everything for crying out loud is perfect there. And what I'm here to say is that I can appreciate and understand other peoples love for it, but for some horrible reason, Prague isn't ready to share it's heart with mine. I don't get those butterflies that I get other places like Budapest or Cesky Krumlov. Prague and I speak different languages; however, broken our translations we are trying :)

I am loving it more and more everyday, especially in the morning when I run. I get to see the place wake up. I see people taking out their trash, talking to the shop keepers, taking their dogs for a morning walk. It's very nice. So Prague and I are coming along, it just wasn't love at first sight.

Tonight we are trying to find a cheap cheap cheap cheap cheap place to eat so tomorrow we can go to the river-beach thing. Oh and this is one of the best places in the world to get in a thermal bath so we will probably do that sometime Sunday before we leave.

Either way, things here are going good and I'm about to go take a shower...thank goodness right? haha.

Oh and just so you know, I'm rooting for Big Brown tomorrow in the Belmont Stakes, woo-hoo!! If he wins he'll be only the 12th horse in the history of racing to capture the triple crown! ahhh :) I love my horses.

Okay, until later, I'm Christin Hardy reporting live from Budapest.