Oh, hey there. And just like that it’s June.
I just got back from a week in Spain and a self-imposed digital detox.
But don’t worry, I’m back online and ready to share what I’ve been up to the last few weeks.
I visited Budapest before Spain, but the stories I have to share seem like distant memories; so I’ll do my best.
I went to Budapest with my friend Yasmin, who recently moved here from Toronto. I wasn’t sure how it would be traveling with another person for 4 days, since I’m usually on my own (and you know travel partners can either be really good or really bad).
Turns out, we had so much fun together (or at least I had fun). We’re both pretty low maintenance, willing to explore almost anything, and wanting to mix a bit of culture with a lot of eating and drinking.
I think one of the most ideal qualities of a good travel buddy is the ability to laugh at stupid situations and carry jokes throughout the trip.
We were usually giggling at something random, especially the temperaments of Hungarian women (note: not warm and cuddly), the indiscernible language (thank you – köszönöm), the incomprehensible currency (1 Euro=300 Fornits)
Although I earned the nickname “robot” for making Yasmin walk the whole city and do yoga, never sleeping, and easily bouncing back from late nights, I’m sure it was only meant as a term of endearment (she earned the nickname Lobby Boy, also a term of endearment).
We also realized I am like an old man–predicting rain, always having a pencil and paper, using a map, and wearing a watch (while Yasmin just used her weather app, phone notes, Google map and clock on her phone).
We learned a lot from each other.
Highlights from our trip:
One of the famous baths, which ended up just being like a big public swimming pool. Not as ritzy as we had anticipated or hoped for.
The Hungarian National Gallery
where we saw this Picasso, Matador e Femme Nue, which we noted strangely resembled us.
The crazy weather – getting soaked in sudden downpours and being in beautiful sunshine moments later.
The Hungarian food festival, including the really good looking sommeliers – did you know Hungarian wine is considered some of the best in Europe?
Rooftop yoga at the 360 rooftop bar – what a view!
The carrot cake. We sampled it at two different places. Both solid efforts, but too dry and not enough flavor. A solid 6.
All the ruin pubs – the nightlife in Budapest was so much fun.
Watching Grand Budapest Hotel on an ipad in our Airbnb (and noting again our similarities) while eating delectable cheese, crackers, hummus, and pistachios.
The oldest Metro in the world, with the oldest, fastest, scariest escalators in the world.
The gorgeous architecture.
Budapest reminded me a lot of Prague. You could still feel the effects of communism in some parts, and we saw trabants on every corner (really cheap cars produced in the latter half of the 20th century.
This was a city rich in history and culture, but it was that much more special visiting it with a really cool new friend.