Budapest

There is a lot to write for Budapest. Therefore, I shall do so numerically.

1. The Rainbow. Budapest was the first truly good-looking city we'd seen. Every city has been flat, but Budapest has lovely foothills laced through and around the city. So 3 of us walked up to the castle hill in the pouring rain. All of the sudden, the rain lightened, and the sun began to shine and out popped the most beautiful rainbow ever. It framed the parliament buildings which is pretty much a gothic palace, and it framed the hills in the distance.

3. Szimpla. We met up with friends from Olomouc for a few glasses of wine at a bombed out building. I love how bombed out buildings are just incorporated into businesses. This bar had two levels with a really tight twisty stair case leading into the loft. There was also a table built into a gutted car. Wine was cheap at about 2 dollars a glass.

2. We went Halloween Shopping. Unfortunately All Saints Day meant the stores were closed the entire weekend and I couldn't rent my 1980s blue prom gown. I should have bought it, alas no room in my luggage. We met up with our Olomouc friends, and a few other people at a bar. It was literally 3 hostels converging for one crazy night. Spencer ran into one of his good hostel mates from Edinburgh. He recognized her through her Ninja mask. That was really really cool. The only downer about partying in Eastern Europe is they haven't outlawed smoking in bars. I've gotten used to the bliss that is the smoke free environment.

4. The Labyrinth. It was big, underground, stinky, old and slightly scary.

3. Meeting people. The next day people were too hung over to do anything so it was a write off. I finally convinced Spencer out of bed for a walk up the big hill. We decided to wait half an hour. And then we walked. The sunset was crazy gorgeous so we took so many pictures and made our way across the bridge. There we randomly saw Spencer's two ex-roommates from Edinburgh, very very good friends of ours. We ran to them because we were so excited. We were all in complete shock. We caught up about all of our adventures so far over a dinner.

4. The baths. We decided to meet Corey and Sarah (the flatmates) at the baths. The baths were a delight. They had about 18 different pools indoors and outdoors. And it was almost too warm for the outdoor baths. We spent about 4 hours there and it was bliss. In one pool, there was a current that pushed you around in a circle. One would that was childish, but a lot of adults were doing it!! There were steam rooms, saunas, medic baths....it was so relaxing. We ended that day at Szimpla.

5. The currency is forints - about 160 to the dollar. It makes hard math, and 10 000ft bills are scary. I paid for one beer with 10 000 and forgot to get the correct change. I only got change for 1000. When I ran back to the store the lady laughed at me. I guess there are stupid tourists everywhere. I must have done this often because I ended up missing 6000 by the end of the trip. ...Yikes.

mmm...that's about all.