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Published: July 31st 2013
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I believe we all agree that I have terrific language skills, but I must admit Hungarian has thrown me for a loop.
Yet even with the language barrier ... today I witnessed another example of how we are all the same. At lunch, under a huge umbrella, in 104 degree heat, I witnessed the following, and although I understood only one word of the entire conversation ("gelato") I knew precisely what was going on.
Two tables, the first occupied by two couples, the second occupied by the four children of the two couples (lets call them 8-12). Lunch was over and the waiter was cleaning up and asked if anyone wanted desert. As the parents shook their heads "no," the waiter was already rattling off the options, which included GELATO. The ninos, of course, wanted gelato, and after some energetic cajoling the parents relented. After sorting the ninos, the waiter asked the parents if they want to join in the gelato. The two husbands (who I believe are brothers) did not need much encouragement. They threw up their hands playfully and I'm pretty sure the words "well as long as the children are having gelato" were uttered (there it
is ... guilt-free gelato). The wives, begged off, indicating to the waiter that they would share some of their respective spouse's gelato. Much humorous protestation ensued as the husbands made clear to their wives that on this hot day if they expected some gelato, they best order some for themselves. When the gelato arrived, their were eight servings.
I am on currency number 7. I changed 30 Euro (about $36) and got 8,500 Florent. I paid 650 Florent for a beer. The bills have huge numbers on them, and when you pay for something big (like 3 nights in an air conditioned hotel) the numbers look staggering (until you do the math). I will add a photo.
It is really hot out. I opted for a hotel, because an air conditioning free hostel was not going to cut it. Everyone you speak to mentions that its 40 degrees (the temp conversion on the Internet says that is 104 ... which seems about right). Definitely a 3-shower day.
Despite the heat, I ventured into the mean streets of Budapest.
Did you realize that historically, Budapest was two towns? Buda on the west side of the Danube and
Pest on the east? I had no idea.
Buda is more residential and Pest is the commercial center. And there is quite a rivalry. Even my tour guides (one a buda and the other a Pestian ... I did not make that up, that's what they call themselves) got into it bit (its like the Bears/Packers thing).
I wandered the streets and saw St. Stephens' Cathederal, the Chain Bridge (which is really just a suspension bridge. Its a nice bridge and all, but frankly, I do not know whey they get so excited about it) and climbed up to the top of the Castle on the Buda side.
In the photos you will some stark white "castle turrets." These turrets look like they were intended to defend the castle. In fact, it is simply an ancient, and very fancy fish market. They needed a covered place to protect the fish from the heat. It offers great views of the Pest side and the inside is now used as a restaurant (the menus of which messed up a pretty cool photo).
If you travel a lot, you hear comparisons between Prague and Budapest, sister cities on the
Danube. Budapest is beautiful old city, but is has a completely different vibe than Prague.
Budapest is a much larger city, and it is not as colorful as Prague.
Budapest looks and feels like a city, a beautiful city, but a city nonetheless. Prague on the other hand is almost surreal, as if Disney had engineered a two thousand year old Eastern European theme park (and I mean that in the very best way). But what Budapest buildings lack in color, they make up for in detailing. And, especially on the Buda side, the city is surprisingly hilly.
When you look at the photos, note how bright it is. I am using an IPhone camera (which I am very pleased with btw) but it does have limitations. With the crazy bright sunlight and the generally light tone of the structures, the color is crushed out of the pictures, which is disappointing. But on some darker buildings, the effect is quite nice.
A special shout out to Chipper Jones (the golden retriever, not the third baseman) the best dog ever.
Note to coffee drinkers traveling in Europe. Any hotel worth staying at will have a proper
"English Breakfast" (as opposed to one of those weedy continental breakfasts) included in the rate. Many have replaced traditional coffee urns with fancy machines that can make you an expresso, a latte, a mocha or a double double low-fat whip whip double steam chai cappachino.
These machines will certainly work in a pinch (and if they don't have regular black coffee selection, put an expresso in a coffee mug and add hot water), but if you ask the wait staff, generally, back at the wait staff counter, there is an urn of properly brewed, American black coffee. If you are polite, they will share. Just so you know.
Speaking of the wait staff, there is a young man named Robert who works at breakfast, and Robert is sporting a little 1970's porn-stache. Young men, I urge you, until you can grow a proper mustache, that hair above your lip is just tragic and sad. It is not manly. And for the record, young women will not sleep with you until you shave.
A special acknowledgement to Jon Anderson who made the Disney analogy about Prague (he too intended it to be complimentary). I think it was Oscar
Wilde who said "Good writers borrow, great writers steal."
And before we go, I think we should consider how well rounded a blogger must be to have a reference to a 1970's porn-stache and Oscar Wilde in the same blog.
More maƱana.
JJF
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John Burczyk
non-member comment
weedy
The drippingly derisive, \"one of those weedy continental breakfasts\". Are you going to be like Madonna and start feigning a British accent?