Budapest. Now. Oh, And I Went to Rome.

Budapest is amazing. Of course everyone loves it. Now

It is easy to maneuver, manicured and renovated. I love the things that have evolved and I love that more people are realizing what a jewel this place is.

Don't get me wrong. It has always been breathtakingly beautiful. 

But... As I've said so many times this week, I loved Budapest even before it was so lovable. I lived in Budapest for 4 years, a few years back. 

I loved Budapest when you were met in the shops by grumpy grandmas who did not value customer service and no one spoke English.

I loved Budapest when things were not as clean as they are now and when you had to have a ticket before you got on public transportation though there were few places to buy them. 

I loved the city when there were less cafes, less visible creativity and less tourists. Even with despair, more evident then, etched it more faces. Though it is still evident in many and apparent in some areas more than others.

10 years ago, I came to Budapest, an idealist. A very ordinary person, but full of hope, desiring to share it in some small way. And as it so often goes when you purpose to give, I received more than I ever expected or even knew to want. I met local and international people who helped me form a more complete picture of the world. I forged friendships that helped form me; aligning my perspective more closely to reality.

I have many reasons to think fondly of this beautiful place, and the memories I created here I will always treasure, but besides those I can still feel like a kind of unnatural love for this city. It feels almost like someone planted it deep within me. It is something I cannot explain. 

Things I noticed coming back from the desert. And arriving in Hungary.

Cold Water

I love washing my hands in cold water. The choice of water temperature feels luxurious. When I left Kuwait hot water was my only choice. Hot water to wash clothes. Hot water after working out. Hot water in the toilet. 

Less is Not Always More

There are some things where less is not more. For example, when it comes to clothing. I am revelling in the freedom to wear sleeveless tops and shorts. But. I have been a bit shocked. To say women dress more modestly in Kuwait than in Hungary, is an understatement. A few years back, Europeans didn't wear shorts (or only with tights underneath them). My how things have changed. 

Less is not always more.

What a Sweet Sound

The Hungarian language sounds so sweet. It seems like everyone is talking to a small child. (Edes, nyugi, nagyon jo). It contrasts with the way some other languages are spoken. Where they seem like everyone is always yelling at each other.

I Will Miss You When You're Gone

They are slowly renovating the only metro lines. There is a bit of a gloomy, sad feeling in parts of the city, especially on Metro 3(blue). They still use the same Russian cars that were installed during communism. I will actually miss them when they are gone though. Even the way the doors slam. shut. I will always have the panic of them slamming shut, on me, to remember them by though. And the memory of how I had to call out for help because evidently it wasn't apparent I wanted any. (I am stuck in between the doors people!)

But I Like Paper Towels!

Recycle, reduce and reuse are back in my vocabulary.

I should be congratulating the environmental consciousness of Hungarians, but I miss paper towels.

Don't forget to weigh and sticker your produce, but do it yourself, unlike in Kuwait.

Oh yeah. AND I went to ROME!

Observations of Rome.

-The city is easy to get around. 

-The metro is crazy packed. Crazy.

-Smelly bathrooms and toilets without toilet seats abound. There is garbage everywhere, too.

-Air conditioning is rare. 

-There are cafes and flowers everywhere though. And also people. everywhere.

-The buildings are colorful. 

-There are no Starbucks or chain coffee shops in Rome. But they do coffee, and food pretty well.

I went with my good friend Misha to visit the capital city of Italia! I did enjoy experiencing this famous place, but perhaps you can see when pairing Rome with Budapest which one remains in the foreground. Both of us agreed the Colosseum was our highlight (overwhelming when thinking of all the history, but we also went to Vatican City (my 27th country) and other places. Italy was the 26th country I traversed to.  

SO MUCH HISTORY. 

In summary, Rome is a one of a kind experience.

**I didn't take any pictures, but, in Budapest, I also went to two ICFB gatherings, IBCB, Golgota and Rezkigyo(twice). I enjoyed reconnecting and catching up with many good friends and I made some more special memories.

And now it is time to say goodbye to Europe. I will miss you. America, looking forward to seeing you soon.

Budapest to Kuwait

New Years in Budapest

It was frigid, there were no outside concerts(which I remember from a past year) and no organized fireworks, but there was mulled wine, noise makers and plenty of crazy people setting off their own explosives.

Things I forgot about Budapest

-You have to put a coin in to get a shopping cart. It is nice that people don't leave carts laying around.

-You have to pay for your shopping bags at most grocery store.  It's a great idea because most people bring there own bags to save the money. 

-How much of a hike it is to Gellert hill.

But you are rewarded with beautiful views.

-How much you get/have to speak Hungarian because many people don't speak English.

-PDA. Compared to Kuwait anyway. Public displays of affection are pretty common.

Things are old and some are still in bad shape but it is all mixed to create such beauty.

Things that have changed in Budapest

A few notable advancements:

- There are now English friendly announcements in public transportation. And electronic signs post the minutes until the next bus and tram will arrive.

- More Cafes and more shopping than ever. Even many Mexican restaurants now. And there are now 9 Starbucks.

- There is a new, fourth, metro line.

- There are now 200 Forint coins(it's almost equivalent to a dollar).

- Turkish gyros, pizza and Chinese food are every. where. And Donuts seem to have exploded in the country.

St. Stephen's Basilica

Grandma Kato's Fresh Chimney Cakes

St. Stephen's Basilica 

The Chain Bridge

City Park

Fine Art Museum

Hero Square

The Parliament Building

Back to Kuwait

Turkish Air is really nice. Lots of leg room, a full meal for even short flights. They gave teddy bears to kids and served Turkish delight on one leg of the journey. Think Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe.

Today is a day to celebrate the prophet Mohammed's birthday in Kuwait. Because it falls on a weekend, we have Sunday(the first day of our week) off. I'm still going in for a few hours but just to get prepared for the week. Tomorrow it's back to the grindstone.

I hope your 2015 is off to a good start, too. Happy New Years.

Prague Vacation

Christmas in Budapest

Christmas in Budapest was nice. It seems it is not traditional, in this part of the world (I'm writing this from Budapest), to have a Christmas Eve service but a Christmas morning service.  We enjoyed broccoli cheese soup and Its a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve and headed to the Hungarian/English service on Christmas morning. 

We also enjoyed a post-service coffee at the beautifully restored New York Kavehaz.

It was built at the end of the 19th century and was frequented by the elite of Hungary's literary world. One anecdote tells of how the famous writer Ferenc Molnár, on the day the café opened, threw the keys into the Danube so that it would never close.

Traveling in Style

On Boxing Day, December 26th, we boarded a bus to Prague (pronounced Praha in Hungarian and Czech), Czech Republic. 

On the way, our bus had personal screens for movies and television and served free hot drinks. 

Arrival

It took 7 1/2 hours, with one break and 3 other stops, to get from Budapest to Prague.  After arrival, we checked out the local cuisine. Prague goulash with homemade dumplings is pictured below. 

It was quite a bit different than the Hungarian version, pictured here:

A Tour in Photos

Christmas markets were still in full swing.  

It was very cold ( around 30 degrees Fahrenheit most of the time). We bundled up and began our 46 hour Prague tour.  We spent a lot of time outdoors, so we constantly consumed hot beverages.

Below is the famous Charles bridge, a walking bridge.

The tradition of padlocks, with the initials of couples carved into them, is here as well.

Chimney cakes, also, are in Prague. I ate 2. I also sampled sausages and mulled wine. Sarah said the homemade potato chips were amazing. And she liked the schnitzel (breaded meat cutlets).

One of our many hot beverages.

We also made our way up to the castle district.

Climbing around 380 steps to the top of one of the castle towers, was tough.

But, we were rewarded with some breathtaking views.

Observation and Such

- Rye bread is the staple. When you order a sausage or soup you get rye bread. 

- Cobble stones are everywhere. Even new side walks are cobblestone. Because of this I didn't see very many heeled boots.

- Lots. Of. Tourists. There are more tourists in Prague than Budapest. 

- Even though it was bitter cold we all ate outside at the markets.

- The architecture and statues seemed sort of dark and mysterious.

- It seems the whole world does big, sparkly shopping malls now. Starbucks, H&M and Costa Coffee have overtaken the world.

- Czechs love pizza and Italian food.

- We went to a English speaking church in Prague. It was special to worship, next to the castle, with people from all over the world. 

Final Thoughts

I have wanted to go to Prague for a long time, so I am really thankful I was able to experience it. I understand why everyone loves it.  It's delightful!

And then it feels like coming home, again, when arriving back in Budapest.