Revolutions don't have commercials!!!
This has been a very interesting last couple of days! So interesting (and busy, in fact) that we have not had an opportunity until now to seek out internet and write about our experiences. So pardon us, fellow peanut lovers, if the details of Sunday/Monday are a wee bit fuzzy.
Sunday was basically a breakfast of British biscuits/cookies in the hotel room, which I am SO SICK OF despite their yummy goodness, and an early start to the train station to catch our train to Gatwick. While Whitney was in the shower I double-checked the itinerary and we actually were scheduled to fly out an our earlier than we were thinking, for some reason, and it's a damn good thing I noticed, too, because it took us almost a full hour just to check in, then another half hour or so to get through security - all the while behind this cute but ANNOYING Australian couple that kept punching and making out with each other. It was just sick. Normally I pride myself on being pretty worldly, but I have decided that being a PDA prude is just fine by me.
Hungary is a quite interesting place. First off, I don't really know what I expected the people to be like - I suppose something akin to Turkish people, large hairy men with bristly mustaches that smell like ethnic food (sounds awful, doesn't it?). Well, it's not like that at all! Hungary is actually full of attractive people, and they look very standard-issue European - generally slim, tight logo-less t-shirts, jeans (why do all European guys have nice asses), Euroshoes, and that general ethnic look that makes it hard to pinpoint a particular country of origin. Lots of blonds, especially the women!
Our flat in Budapest was just awesome - it looked like Ikea threw up in there, and I forget that's really more of a European look than an American college look, at least in terms of origin. We had a kitchenette, a nice TV with cable, and two big windows that looked out onto a courtyard of what looked (at first glance, at least) like a 19th century palace. Not the case, I'm afraid, but very quaint just the same. And cheap as all get out! We were right on this adorable little square with a cafe that had the world's best espresso and some pretty cheap kick-ass beer too. And a really cute waiter who was like 22 and one old assy one who was probably his father. Needless to say we liked the young cute one better!
Budapest, look out - you have not been discovered by Americans yet, but with the new Delta service that is sure to change soon. Definitely a fun city - kind of spread out (hard to walk around too far) - the metro has scary-fast escalators and even scarier po-po who inspect your ticket (and you better have one - no turnstiles!). I would not want to be on the bad side of that one Hungarian lady...her forearms were as thick as a baby's head.
Also, on a side note, we were witness to a quasi-revolution as it came out that the Prime Minister of Hungary lied to get elected and they are trying to have him recalled. Huge protests our first night which actually got violent (they stormed the TV station and burned some cars...tear gas ensued...thankfully we missed that) and then some general stand-in protesting after that which felt half like a Nazi rally (angry Hungarians have REALLY scary voices) and half like Woodstock without the drugs - some folk music kumbaya stuff. Whichever ends up being true, it was quite an experience nonetheless.
Train to Bratislava yesterday which despite severe language barriers (don't GET me started on Magyar) was a fun adventure, and most of the trip we ended up having our own cabin which was fun bonding times. Lots of silly self-pictures forecoming!
Bratislava was a cool town as well - very undiscovered by the West and very well preserved - think of the things Disney tries to recreate and you've pretty much got it. There's a huge old-town with a lot of outdoor dining, CHEAP ass beer (0,5 L was about a dollar...pardon the European notation, I just like it) and just nice to walk around and take it all in. We ate on this boat on the Danube which had horrible service and more spiders than I have ever seen in my life - they cluster around the lights and catch millions of bugs - smart of them, but very unsettling for me, since it's hard to not be sitting directly under them! And I finally got my shop on, buying some aforementioned Euroshoes ($25, les woots!) and a cute zip up which makes me look very Euro. The huge hair does not, however - I forget that walking around outside constantly is not conducive to long haircuts and my 'fro just keeps on growing! Lots of hat action in Rob's world lately.
Got to Amsterdam today - our hostel is kind of a dump (especially compared to prior digs) but it's basically just a place to crash so it'll be ok. Red light district walk, beer on the canal, best falafel EVER and now here. Perhaps tonight we will partake in the sins that make this city great...only time (and the next blog entry) will tell! Actually, maybe I won't tell...some things are better left undocumented!!!
Sunday was basically a breakfast of British biscuits/cookies in the hotel room, which I am SO SICK OF despite their yummy goodness, and an early start to the train station to catch our train to Gatwick. While Whitney was in the shower I double-checked the itinerary and we actually were scheduled to fly out an our earlier than we were thinking, for some reason, and it's a damn good thing I noticed, too, because it took us almost a full hour just to check in, then another half hour or so to get through security - all the while behind this cute but ANNOYING Australian couple that kept punching and making out with each other. It was just sick. Normally I pride myself on being pretty worldly, but I have decided that being a PDA prude is just fine by me.
Hungary is a quite interesting place. First off, I don't really know what I expected the people to be like - I suppose something akin to Turkish people, large hairy men with bristly mustaches that smell like ethnic food (sounds awful, doesn't it?). Well, it's not like that at all! Hungary is actually full of attractive people, and they look very standard-issue European - generally slim, tight logo-less t-shirts, jeans (why do all European guys have nice asses), Euroshoes, and that general ethnic look that makes it hard to pinpoint a particular country of origin. Lots of blonds, especially the women!
Our flat in Budapest was just awesome - it looked like Ikea threw up in there, and I forget that's really more of a European look than an American college look, at least in terms of origin. We had a kitchenette, a nice TV with cable, and two big windows that looked out onto a courtyard of what looked (at first glance, at least) like a 19th century palace. Not the case, I'm afraid, but very quaint just the same. And cheap as all get out! We were right on this adorable little square with a cafe that had the world's best espresso and some pretty cheap kick-ass beer too. And a really cute waiter who was like 22 and one old assy one who was probably his father. Needless to say we liked the young cute one better!
Budapest, look out - you have not been discovered by Americans yet, but with the new Delta service that is sure to change soon. Definitely a fun city - kind of spread out (hard to walk around too far) - the metro has scary-fast escalators and even scarier po-po who inspect your ticket (and you better have one - no turnstiles!). I would not want to be on the bad side of that one Hungarian lady...her forearms were as thick as a baby's head.
Also, on a side note, we were witness to a quasi-revolution as it came out that the Prime Minister of Hungary lied to get elected and they are trying to have him recalled. Huge protests our first night which actually got violent (they stormed the TV station and burned some cars...tear gas ensued...thankfully we missed that) and then some general stand-in protesting after that which felt half like a Nazi rally (angry Hungarians have REALLY scary voices) and half like Woodstock without the drugs - some folk music kumbaya stuff. Whichever ends up being true, it was quite an experience nonetheless.
Train to Bratislava yesterday which despite severe language barriers (don't GET me started on Magyar) was a fun adventure, and most of the trip we ended up having our own cabin which was fun bonding times. Lots of silly self-pictures forecoming!
Bratislava was a cool town as well - very undiscovered by the West and very well preserved - think of the things Disney tries to recreate and you've pretty much got it. There's a huge old-town with a lot of outdoor dining, CHEAP ass beer (0,5 L was about a dollar...pardon the European notation, I just like it) and just nice to walk around and take it all in. We ate on this boat on the Danube which had horrible service and more spiders than I have ever seen in my life - they cluster around the lights and catch millions of bugs - smart of them, but very unsettling for me, since it's hard to not be sitting directly under them! And I finally got my shop on, buying some aforementioned Euroshoes ($25, les woots!) and a cute zip up which makes me look very Euro. The huge hair does not, however - I forget that walking around outside constantly is not conducive to long haircuts and my 'fro just keeps on growing! Lots of hat action in Rob's world lately.
Got to Amsterdam today - our hostel is kind of a dump (especially compared to prior digs) but it's basically just a place to crash so it'll be ok. Red light district walk, beer on the canal, best falafel EVER and now here. Perhaps tonight we will partake in the sins that make this city great...only time (and the next blog entry) will tell! Actually, maybe I won't tell...some things are better left undocumented!!!
posted by Raawwwb! at 9:21 AM
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