All Washed Up and Nowhere to Go...But the Embassy

The alarm went off at 4:30am this morning. We were scheduled to take the 5:45am train from Csurgo into Budapest. Having packed everything the night before, I got ready quickly and joined the rest of the gang downstairs in front of the hotel. Unfortunately, for the trip back I now had all of my bags. Shondor drove a makeshift trailer that transported our bags to the train station. Our brown bag breakfasts included salami sandwiches, peach juice, and water. After we said our goodbyes to the owners of Bolgogh, Shondor (one of the homeowners), Peter & Chris (from HFH Csurgo), we caught our train to Budapest. There was a bit of a mix-up at first because we couldn’t find Car 54, but once we eventually did, John McCarthy helped lift my 2 each 50 pound wheeled duffle bags in the compartment above our seats. The train ride took 4 hours, which gave me time to compose my blog and take a short nap.
Once we arrived in Budapest, Jeff, Court, and I caught a taxi to our Hotel Csaszar (located on the Buda side of the Danube River). The taxi driver ripped HFH off by charging 5,000 Forint ($26) for what should have been a 2,000 Forint ($11) ride. Unfortunately, the rooms were not ready for check-in when we got to the hotel, so all 16 of us had to store our bags in one hotel room. Court and I were on a mission today. A few days ago after putting his clothes in the hotel’s washing machine, Court reached into one of the pockets and realized that the key to his reentry back into the US - his passport - went through the entire wash cycle. Needless to say, it was damaged and would not be usable in its current condition. So Court and I headed out to find the US Embassy in Budapest. It was a 45-minute walk from our hotel, over the Margaret Bridge, and down past the Parliament. Surprisingly, the process of getting a new, temporary US passport overseas is not too time-consuming or cumbersome. It took about 30 minutes for him to fill out the paperwork. After that we were told to return sometime after 2pm to pick up the temporary one.
For the first time since Csurgo, we were able to choose our own lunch destination. Per my DK Eyewitness Travel Guide and with 2,000 Forint each, we found an Italian restaurant a couple blocks from the Embassy called Via Luna. Surprisingly, it was really delicious. We shared a caprese salad and a pepperoni mushroom pizza (which became a green pepper mushroom pizza after being lost in translation). I also had a glass of Cab Sauv with lunch, to unwind after a busy two weeks. Finally, we were able to take in the sights and sounds of Budapest. Budapest is often referred to as “The Little Paris of Middle Europe” and now I know why. The Danube River separates the Buda from the Pest side. Many beautiful bridges connect the two sides, the most famous one is called The Chain Bridge. The Parliament building sits on the Pest side between the Margaret and Chain Bridges. After lunch, we took a stroll up and down the Pedestrian street, Vaci Utca, which is closed to vehicular traffic and lined with various boutique shops. We also walked in and around St. Stephen’s Basilica. I love visiting the churches in Europe for their ornate architecture both inside and out. It was a hot day, so before heading back to the Embassy we ate a couple of ice cream/sorbet cones on the way.
Court now had two passports in his possession (both of which were needed to allow him to return to the US). The lack of sleep from the night before was catching up with us, so we decided to head back to the hotel by way of the Margaret Bridge. We took a detour and walked to Margaret Island to watch a smaller version of the Bellagio Water Dance Show at the fountain on the island. The views along the bridges and Danube River are picturesque to say the least. Once we got back to the hotel, I took a little nap in preparation for our last Team Dinner in Budapest at the Menta Restaurant. I had shrimp scampi for dinner, which wasn’t all that great. The service was terrible as well, but the company and conversation were all that mattered. At the end of the dinner, we said our goodbyes to those who were leaving. It was a fitting end to a wonderful two-week experience.
Kim, Yujin, Joelle, Jeff, Kevin, Kurt, Annie, and I all decided to go to The Swallow Bar (the same bar that we went to the first night in Budapest, right next to Hotel Czaszar) for our final farewell. Court had talked about going to an “oonce oonce” club (code word for “techno music” club) on our first night back in Budapest, but by the time midnight rolled around, he decided that he was too tired. So we all headed back to Hotel Czarszar to rest up for my first full day in Budapest.

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