Still Hungary

After the tour ended and the basic history of the city was explained to us, Rachel and I went back to revisit some of the highlights and to take some pictures without holding up the group. I can sometimes be obnoxious about pictures, snapping 30 of the same shot.. this way I am bound to get a good one, right? So we went back to the ¨castle¨ where we took some pictures with the city behind us. I got my picture but as Rachel was setting down her belongings and getting prepared for her own picture, a lone traveler decided she would sit down and ponder life for 30 minutes in the spot we were using as our backdrop... okay, so we wait. and wait. and wait a little more. I nonchalantly walk over to where she is and start snapping photos around her... nothing. Okay, Rachel is over it. I kid you not, as we are walking away she decides it is her time to leave as well. People. They are funny.

Next we head up to the hill over looking Pest. It is where the Hofburg palace used to be which is now a museum and a lookout point. Some kids were filming something so we idly stood around watching them and waiting for someone to take our photo. A group of tourists from Asia came around and they were fun to watch. All of them getting super into their photography. I took notes. We asked one man to take our picture after he was finished and he obliged. After getting the scene just right, which we appreciate, and taking the photo on Rachel´s camera for us, he motions for us to wait. He gets out his own camera and takes the same photo of us.. muttering very beautiful.. or something to that effect. Man, we just get all the guys. :) So after we giggle a little about that, we decide to head back to the hostel to find a place to eat and powder our noses. It is essential during travel you know. The girl at the hostel recommends a restaurant to us that is very good not too far from the hostel. Later we come to find out that it is in the Jewish district. The place had a charming feel to it. The street was deserted and at first we weren´t sure that we had headed in the right direction, but never the less, we found it. We walked in and were immediately seated.. as there were only two of us, it wasn´t too difficult to walk in somewhere without reservations.. luckily. As we opened the menu, Rachel was delighted to discover that they had Matzo ball soup and considering it was passover, she was going to have it. The food that night was delicious. Seriously, I still dream about the poppyseed mess (no joke that was its name) that we had for dessert. If you ever go to Budapest, find this restaurant in the jewish district and order that. DE-LISH.

A funny thing about places around Europe is the relaxion when it comes to social norms that I am accostomed to. For example, usually pets are not allowed in restaurants back home.. not once, not twice, but multiple times have I seen dogs wander or be brought into restaurants and just chill with their owners. At this place a cute little dog showed up, he was good, no begging he just took up shop in the middle of the room and waited for someone to call his name or whistle him over as his owners ate in the other room.

Feeling wonderfully satisfied, we headed back down the deserted street (again a little uncomfortable) back towards the hostel and to bed. Since living in Spain, we have become accostomed to eating later and never finish meals before 11pm.. if we even eat before then.. so it isnt weird to finish dinner and go to bed.

Day 2. We are excited! The sun pouring into the room again woke us up before the alarm.. but of course, we rolled over and waited for the alarm. First things first. I was getting some medicine. We headed to the pharmacy and were pleasantly surprised at how much English was spoken in a city where we were told there wasn´t any. We ate some pastries for breakfast and we were off to see St. Stephen's Basilica where the relic of St. Stephen's hand is.

The Cathedral is beautiful. Quite a contrast from the elaborate stone cathedral that I am used to in Sevilla. Inside the decor is gorgeous, all colored marble with gold accents. The paintings on the ceilings reminded me of the church my grandparents attend, although they are not very alike. We ventured to the back of the cathedral to catch a glimpse of the holy hand. A group of Spanish tourists were right in front of it, so we waited around while they fished out a euro to light up the box. The hand was interesting. A little black and not so fresh.. but it is a hand with more than a hundred years unattached to a blood source, so I suppose I can't expect it to be fresh and young looking.

The sun shining on the steps tempted our pale bodies too much and we gave in to sitting on the steps, soaking in the scene and absorbing the vitamin D. As we were sitting there, we drew the attention of a flyer hander outer who came over to talk with us. Of course, he wanted to practice his English and with us being English teachers in Spain we were the perfect candidates. We chatted with him a little bit about English sitcoms and were on our way to get some lunch. Funny how our trips revolve around food. Bad? whatever. We headed towards the Opera house. We were told that there was an awesome place to get lunch that had a cheap daily menu.. which would give us a starter and main meal. It doesn't take much more than that to convince us. After finding Waldos on the street drinking beer and keeping even with a guy in a small go cart advertising something, we found the street we were looking for. And we found the place.. but no one knew what we were talking about in regards to the menu, nor was anyone really able to speak English. So we half walked around the block and just decided to go back to eat something off the regular menu. The waitress was not in a good mood, but I think she had a long day. So we decided on our food and drink and waited for our food. A bit while later, it came.. and unfortunately mine wasn't right. I hate having to send stuff back... but I did. The poor girl felt so bad and apologized profusely. It was fine but both Rachel and I ate our meals solo as we rushed to make it to the Communist walk on time.


.... we did a lot ok. just wait, I saw real bullet holes.