Christmas Market in Prague (Gloomy, but not really)
I got some great news a few weeks back! I found out that…someone actually reads my blog! Yes! So what if it’s my sister! It’s better than…nobody reading it! Actually, she asked me why I hadn’t written something in a while, and I didn’t have a really good reason. Some excuses, sure, but nothing substantial. So what if my computer continues to freeze up to the point where I can’t type or move the mouse whatsoever. Last week, they replaced my logic board to fix the BLACK SCREEN OF DEATH!
Regardless, I’m finally ready to write an entry, just for my sister, to wrap up this year and bring on the new year — and quite possibly the last year the world will ever witness.
Christmas party - Lili leading the way...
The last two years, I did not celebrate Thanksgiving conventionally. My first year, I was in Belgium, which was awesome. Last year, for unspecified reasons, I didn’t celebrate at all. It’s kind of strange to think of such a big holiday being celebrated all across the US, yet by not waking up to a parade on TV, or driving several hours in traffic to enjoy turkey, argue with family, and enter a food coma almost make it feel like just another teaching day here in Europe. I did spend a few lessons teaching about being thankful, or at least what makes you happy. Responses included:
Christmas party - 1st grade reindeer...
- legos
- my mom and dad
- my dog
- giraffes
- Jacob!
After drawing hand turkeys all week at school, I switched gears to get ready for a first: The first Thanksgiving for me while abroad. The American teachers here in Budapest were all in for getting a full-on meal together. The dilemma: Finding a whole turkey in Budapest. The dinner was planned for Saturday. It was Friday. I’d asked my colleagues where to find one, to which they replied with a look of stupor, wondering why anyone would want to buy an entire turkey. And even if I found one, what were the odds of it fitting in the smaller ovens that can be found in kitchens all over Hungary. Lucky for me and fellow turkey hunter Chris, the first meat stand we went to at the nearest outdoor market, Bosnyak Ter, had a big, fat, meaty turkey sitting on the counter. The sucker, which weighed in at a hefty 6+ kilos, or around 13 pounds, was taking up most of my fridge space waiting to be cooked.
Turkey with garlic cloves under skin
After a night of, ahem, celebratory drinking between Chris and I, I managed to get myself out of bed and start prepping my other dish, scalloped potatoes. While talking to friends John and Val on Skype and getting ready, I managed to slice my thumb instead of the potato, and started freaking out, of course. I was almost positive I sliced off more than I thought, and was ready to head to the hospital to get it sewn
scalloped potatoes - minus my skin
back on. In between my friends’ laughter, I managed to wrap it up, put all the ingredients in a bag, and carry my bleeding finger and myself out of my apartment and on the road to the hostess’s place. Thanks to my thinner blood — damn alcohol — my finger took nearly two hours to stop bleeding.
While cutting my finger was definitely traumatizing for the day, it at least got me out of cooking and washing duties. Another teacher and I made a run to Tesco, the Walmart-like store of Europe, and stocked up on wine/beer and bread for the evening, but not before stopping to enjoy some pre-T-Day dinner Belgian-style fries!
Turkey cooking in the oven -- yes, that's beer
And what comes after Thanksgiving? Black Friday. Oh, but no Black Friday here in Hungary? Well then, I guess next up would just be the holiday season. One of the coolest things about Christmastime in Europe is the fact that there are holiday markets all over the place. Hot food, hot wine, and cool/unique, mostly handcrafted gifts. It’s nice to walk around there every once in a while, so long as it’s not a weekend and crazy busy with tourists.
Someone's meal on a plate!
I’ve been fortunate enough to go home the last two winter breaks. It’s been rough, fighting snowstorms, delays, and undesired layovers, but I still had a great time with family at home for the break. This was the first year to not go home. Tickets were way too expensive, and with the fear of being delayed by snow yet again, it just wasn’t worth the expensive risk. Well, as luck would have it, this season has thus far seen less than a handful of flurries. Either way, the ticket was about $600 more than it should’ve been. So I stuck around, and a few of my friends here who also didn’t go home decided that Christmas should be spent in Prague.
Even though this was my third trip to Prague, it was definitely different than the last two. I really enjoyed Prague this time around, and I think part of it had to do with the time of year. Being Christmas weekend, we were informed that a lot of the sights would be closed. This actually worked to our benefit, as we didn’t have to worry about making any opening or closing times, or rush around to fit a bunch of things into one day. Instead, we wandered around, seeing what we wanted, stopping whenever we felt like it, and just enjoying a laid-back time in Prague.
Václav Havel --- Get it?
Restaurants include a Mexican restaurant where the waiter made fresh guacamole at our table — and it rocked — and an all-you-can-eat-and-drink Christmas Eve dinner, with tuba and accordion players serenading us to Jingle Bells! We also managed to enjoy bagels at Bohemia Bagel, and a bunch of Christmas market street food. Can’t. Complain. At. All.
Memorial for Havel in the castle
We also managed to check out the Pulp Fiction bar called Jack Rabbit Slim’s (it’s close to the train station). While looking for a different bar, a bunch of old guys told us that this is the happenin’ bar to go to. I mean, it was pretty cool, but not the place we were looking for at the beginning of the night.
I should also mention that when we got to Prague, we waited for about 45 minutes in front of some sketchy bar where the lady wouldn’t let us in.
All you need is...
When I finally called the guy who was supposed to take us to the apartment, he was shocked that we were waiting for him. He then drove us in his dog-piss-smelling car to the apartment. Lucky for us, the apartment did not smell like his car. I can recommend the apartment if
Kitchroom? Batchen?
anyone’s interested, as it wasn’t too far from downtown, and even the apartment owner couldn’t ruin how nice the apartment was on the inside. I’ve never shared a shower and a kitchen, though. First time for everything, right?
A few movies that I’d like to recommend that I’ve seen this last month here in Budapest. Moneyball was awesome. For those who don’t know, it’s about Billy Beane changing the way the A’s picked players by using a mathematical equation. This may sound strange to say, but it was fun watching the movie. I even felt like I had goose bumps after reliving the A’s 20 game winning streak. It also brought me home, seeing what is now called O.Co Stadium, along with other shots of the Bay Area.
The other movie I saw was 50/50. Joseph Gordon Levitt finds out he has cancer, with a 50/50 survival rate. The movie succeeded in giving a lighthearted edge to an otherwise heavy subject. Also definitely recommend this one.
The last thing I want to share is a video. I was walking around the Christmas market at Vorosmarty Ter the other day with a friend, sipping hot wine and relaxing, when something strange projected onto the building where Gerbaud is. It turned out to be an awesome 3-D projection, which was just mindblowing!
I stopped into two museums this week: the Agricultural Museum, which had a Christmas art exhibit and a bunch of other stuff I didn’t get to see since they closed at 1600 that day, and FINALLY the “From San Francisco to Woodstock” exhibit at the Kogart House. It was awesome to check out, especially since I’ve been to several of the venues. I’m curious to find out which concerts my hippie dad went to during the time. It’s crazy to think while he was rockin’ out to some Jefferson Airplane at the Fillmore, my mom was probably rockin’ out to lullabies in her crib.
RIP Hippies...
Beatles @ Candlestick!
Woodstock poster
In summation, I’ve had a great 2011. Lots of memories made, for better or worse, and I’m looking forward to welcoming in the New Year. If only I knew what’s in store for me in the New Year…aside from the Apocalypse, that is.
As I mentioned in my recent post about my time in Turkey, I definitely got a hot haircut…literally! I was stumped when I saw the guy grab a cotton ball, attach it to a stick, and then douse it in purple fluid…that is, until I saw him light it on fire. At that point, I was freaking out. The haircut was so far, so good, too!
The first time he hit my face with his cotton ball of fire, I freaked out and exclaimed, “What the !@^$?!”, which made him jump and scream something back at me in Turkish. I took a breath, and let him continue to hit my face. Not my usual haircut back in the states, but I’d definitely try it again!
About two months back, I bought some juice at the store. Not just any juice, but Happy Day brand pineapple juice. What makes this juice so special? Well, I don’t always drink juice quickly, and I found out that some of the juices I’ve bought in the past last for several days, not weeks, because not all of them are pasteurized here. Happy Day is one that is pasteurized, so I can take my time to enjoy it.
Except for the one I bought two months ago.
When I first opened it, I noticed some black stuff around the inside edge of the rim, but thought, “Meh,” and…took a swig.
About two days later, I figured I’d have some pineapple juice in the morning before heading to school. Not wanting to dirty a glass, I took another swig…and spit it right back out. After pouring the entire carton down the drain, I was left with a sink full of blackish-bluish mold. Yes, I took a swig of that nasty stuff [see picture]:
Blurry picture, but as you can see...that's not juice
I hopped on my computer and e-mailed Happy Day in Hungary, telling them exactly what had happened. I received a well written email, in English, from the QA manager. They apologized for the mishap, asked me for information about the carton I bought, and offered to replace the carton.
And I waited for a reply. And waited. And waited. And then decided to forget about it, since it was only a few hundred forints, anyway.
Last Friday, I was in between classes when my phone rang. A woman answered, “Hello. This is Rausch Happy Day.” Unsure who it was, I asked them to repeat what they had said. She then mentioned that I wrote to them or something, and I decided to just say yes to get the conversation moving. I thought maybe it was regarding some children’s English activity book or program or something…anything, but the juice I had written them about two months back. And then she goes on to tell me it’s about the juice I had written them about two months back.
After a few moments of cluelessness, I finally figured out that it was about the juice I’d bought two months back! Woohoo, they’re going to send me…one free carton of pineapple juice? Either way, I gave them my school’s address since I wouldn’t be home.
Around 11 o’clock, a teacher comes up and tells me that Laci down in the buffet is wondering who Hidas Jacob is and why he has juice down there. Hearing the bell, I race to class, deciding to reap my moldy rewards at the next break.
So, the bell rings, and I race down to the main entrance and ask about my juice. The guy at the reception area points down on the grand. I walk in and see, not one, but an entire box of pineapple juice. 12 cartons, to be exact.
12...count 'em...12 cartons of pineapple juice
It may have taken a couple swigs and two months, but I finally got my pineapple juice! Happy Day was really awesome to give me so much…if only I had a blender, an ice machine, a bottle of Sailor Jerry’s, and some creme de coconut to make myself a piña colada…then it’d really be a happy day!
After spending over a week in Turkey, I made it back to Hungary safely. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for my health. My Turkish cold/flu may have been caused by the nasty, too-close-for-comfort bus ride, or walking barefoot in cold water at night in Pamukkale. However, the most likely cause was one of the friends I traveled with — cough, Val, cough — not sure who, though. Either way, now I have some extra time to blog about the last week.
Zombie-me walking underground!
Boo! Halloween weekend!
The last day of school before fall break happened to be the same day as my school’s Halloween party. I had some trouble getting a costume together this year, but wound up with some makeshift doctor/teacher/scientist zombie, and it actually worked. The party was a lot of fun, especially for the kids! I did have to get up in front of all my second grade students and sing aroo-cha-cha to them. Oh, you don’t know aroo-cha-cha? Well, check out this video. While our version has different lyrics, no drinking, and no old men, the students seemed to enjoy it nonetheless. Later that evening, I went with other English teacher amigos to Arriba for dinner. We were surprisingly the only ones to show up that day in costume, which meant free margaritas! After an awesome Mexican meal, we went to the Merlin theater for Funzine’s Halloween party! It was pretty cool getting to enjoy Halloween once again. Last year, I was in Cesky Krumlov, which was awesome, but I miss the days of dressing up, and, yes, even trick-or-treating — I know, I know! I’m too old now…so I just need a better excuse if I ever want to go again!
Istanbul was Constantinople…Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople
They Might Be Giants – Istanbul (not Constantinople), from Tiny Toons!
Egyptian Obelisk at night
After landing in Istanbul with no problems, we got our visas ($20 USD), and looked for our ride to the apartment. I’ve never had someone waiting for me at an airport holding a sign with my name on it…and Istanbul was no different. Instead, my name was on a piece of paper attached to a stick. Either way, it was still cool. The guy near the sign told us to wait a few minutes and we’ll go. Well, then he left. After asking someone else what’s going on, we got the same answer — wait. This went on for about 45 minutes. Finally, my name was the last on that stick. I went over and asked what was up, and a NEW guy said “Where have you been?!” Uh, right where you told us to wait 45 minutes ago! Whatever!
When traveling in groups, I prefer renting apartments over hotels. They’re usually cheaper, and have all the amenities we need (except for housecleaning and breakfast). Well, after much searching, I found Sultanahmet Suites, which turned out to be pretty awesome! They set up the (messy) airport pickup, included housecleaning, and was centrally located to all the sites. When we checked in, we found out that the apartment’s wifi password was Albuquerque. Strange choice, right? Well, two of my friends are from Albuquerque, and as it turned out, the hotel owner lived in Albuquerque for ten years. What did that mean for us? The first breakfast was on him! Anyway, we checked in, chilled, went to a nearby restaurant for dinner, and then walked around the Hippodrome — where chariot races used to take place, as well as home to most of the sites to see and enjoyed Istanbul at night.
There are two main parts to Istanbul for tourists — Old Town and the New District. Old Town has all the sites you come to Istanbul to see – the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, etc. The New District is more trendy, with restaurants and bars — it’s where Istanbul’s nightlife is poppin’. For this trip, we spent all our time in the Old Town, which means I need to go back and explore the other side!
Group shot!
On Monday, I woke up early and decided to go for a run. That was pretty much a bad idea! Cobblestone roads, nonexistent sidewalks, and cars coming out of nowhere turned my three mile run into a two and a quarter mile run, but that’s okay. It was fun to see the city as it starts to wake up for the day. Anyway, after I got back, we regrouped, and enjoyed our breakfast. The owner was there, so we chatted with him for a while. He gave us information about Istanbul and what sounds like amazing plans for his hotel/apartment, such as bringing supposedly awesome food from New Mexico to the hotel. Here’s a breakdown of what we did/saw/ate in Istanbul (in no particular order):
Inner Courtyard, Blue Mosque
Sultanahmet Mosque aka the Blue Mosque – built between 1609 and 1616, it really is an amazing mosque, with beautiful calligraphy along the walls and amazing blue tilework; still used as a mosque today
Outside the Blue Mosque
Inside the Blue Mosque...not so blue in this picture
Hagia Sophia — Was a church, then a mosque, now a museum; dedicated in 360; it’s enormous; I read somewhere that Notre Dame Cathedral’s dome can fit inside, or the Statue of Liberty minus her torch
Grand Bazaar — 1 visit was enough, but 3, don’t get me started. Unless you’re in the mood to shop, or are looking for something specific, get in, get lost for a few hours, and check out what else Istanbul has to offer. Val and Bea did an amazing job haggling for their purchases. I only bought a couple souvenirs, got a few liras knocked off, but walked away happy nonetheless
Fish sandwich — cheap, delicious — a must if you are in Istanbul
Doner kebap — I’ve had Turkish gyros here in Budapest, but it was nice to have one here; pretty good, and they offer bread, pita, or a wrap; definitely missing sauce though
Baklava — wow! There was a little café up the hill along the tram line called…Cegdim. For 4.50 liras, you get four pieces of baklava. Definitely stopped here more than once!
Baklava!
Street food — roasted chestnuts, corn, sesame pretzels, and some honey-covered churro thing that John and Bea went on a hunt through the city for (and nearly missed the shuttle back to the airport, too!)
Seafood restaurants under the bridge — beware, they beg for you to eat at their restaurant; prices aren’t horrible if you’re careful where you go. We, however, were not, and got screwed, even with a free beer! Stick with the fish sandwich instead!
Basilica Cistern — AWESOME! Two Medusa heads can be found under pillars in this underground basilica. Don’t miss this place! What a trip!
Medusa!
Turkish Coffee — worth a try, if you’re into coffee; I’m not a big coffee person, but I didn’t hate it
Whirling Dervish show — 50 liras — definitely a unique experience; I could never whirl as long as they did, even if there’s some special technique to it! Let me just say that I saw several people asleep during the show.
Walk across the bridge — either into Old Town or the New District
Spice Market — almost felt like a mini Grand Bazaar, but obviously with more spices
Haircut in Europe #3! — I’m starting to like this trend of getting a haircut in a new country. A Turkish haircut — quite the experience! The guy lit a cotton ball on fire, and whacked it on my ears and cheeks; I freaked out the first time, which freaked him out and then he yelled something at me in Turkish — probably “Don’t move, idiot!”. Other Turkish men walked in, sat down, used some gel, the hairdryer, said hello to us, and left
With all that I was able to accomplish, there’s still a lot I didn’t see! For my next visit to Istanbul:
Topkapi Palace — really bummed about missing this; ran out of time
Taksim Square — made it across to the Asian side, but that’s about it
Bosphorus Cruise — didn’t get to take a ferry, but especially want to take it all the way up to the Black Sea next time!
Old City Walls — definitely plan to walk on it next time around
Hookah — So what if I have one at home! I should’ve smoked one in Turkey!
Next stop: Pamukkale
Pamukkale panorama
After Istanbul, we flew to Pamukkale. The flight was easy, and the airport transfer wasn’t as bad as the first one — except we got into this old Turkish guy’s minibus at some point. He was really nice, and would’ve been the driver to Afrodisias, had I had time to visit the site…but more on that soon.
Admiring the view...
In Pamukkale, we stayed at the Melrose House Hotel. The hotel was about ten minutes from the UNESCO world heritage site. After enjoying an amazing breakfast (included in the stay), we walked over to Pamukkale. Well, the rest of the group did. I trekked into the center of “town” to solve our bus issue.
I would’ve gone to Aphrodisias on Thursday, but the driver didn’t have a big enough group for it to be worth the drive. No problem, I’ll go Friday, right? Nope. When I had emailed the Melrose Hotel and our hotel for our next stop, they both told me it’d be no problem booking an overnight bus to Cappadocia. They also didn’t tell me about the celebration that weekend. What celebration, you ask? Oh, yeah — Eid — the Festival of Sacrifice to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son.
<ifWhat this meant for us was that all the buses that would’ve been no problem booking, like I was told, were in fact all full. So I marched into town, where I met a really nice guy who tried to help us find tickets. The best he could do for us was get us to Konya, and from there we could take a minibus to Cappadocia. No problem, he told us. Plenty of buses, he said. Unfortunately, that meant losing our entire Friday to traveling, spending more money than anticipated on extra buses and hotels, but at least we’d make it to our flight back to Istanbul on Sunday, right? Hold that thought…
Ruins of Heliopolis at Pamukkale
Pamukkale, which has been a spa since the 2nd century BC, means “cotton castle” in Turkish. the travertines are beautiful. Back in the 70s, hippies and backpackers would come here as they traveled through Turkey to kick back and relax before continuing on. Now, a bunch of tourists come in by the busload, spend a few hours walking around, and leave. Instead of swimming in the ancient pool, which I heard has ancient ruins at the bottom, I decided to spend most of the day wandering around Hierapolis, the ancient ruins of the area. Since I wasn’t going to be able to see Aphrodisias, I figured I’d make the most of it. It always amazes me to walk through ruin sites like this, or like in Greece, or even the Forum in Rome, because it’s mindblowing to think of civilization as it once was.
The amphitheater there is amazing, but I hiked up a little higher to another part of the ruins, and it was just me, two other people, and complete silence. It was spectacular. Afterwards, we sat and enjoyed the sunset above the “cotton cloud” pools. The walk down was treacherous, as you have to go up and down barefooted. The water is hot at the top, but cools as you get closer the bottom, making the walk a little less comfortable. Afterwards, we stopped at Mehmet’s House for dinner. It was pretty good, with a very friendly owner, and a decent menu. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a nice, relaxing place to eat. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel. I walked through the terrace in the cold weather wearing my t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. Everyone at the restaurant stopped and stared at me for a few minutes as I waited for the rest of my group. Maybe that’s why I’m sick…
Mushroom Chimneys!
Next stop: Cappadocia, or the Craziest Bus Ride You’ll Never Take
Friday morning was our biggest adventure yet! We went to the center of town, hopped on the minibus to Denzili, and made our way to Konya and then to Cappadocia. Or so we thought…
After getting to the station and exchanging our voucher for our tickets, we were told to wait at platform 17. So we did. For 45 minutes. Finally, someone came out and told everyone to go across the parking lot to the bus. So we did. And then some young guy started yelling on the bus in Turkish. We had no idea what was going on, but sat patiently, hoping we’d leave soon enough. The bus started up, drove about 30 seconds, and pulled over. The young guy, who had previously gotten off the bus, got back on, started yelling again, and stormed off. And then the police came. And they took the bus driver away. Was he arrested? Not at that point. Everyone got off the bus. I tried to ask anyone who would listen if they spoke English, and the answer was an astounding no. The best I got was me asking “Problem?” And one guy saying, “Yes, problem.”
Goreme! Welcome! (Finally!)
Finally, someone from the bus company rerouted us to Ankara, the capital of Turkey, and from there we were told we could get to Cappadocia. No problem, they told us. Again. After spending seven hours on the bus, we finally arrived around 8 pm. Hastily, I ran to the ticket desk to buy our next tickets to continue the journey. Guess what? Full.
Now, imagine the New York Stock Exchange. People yelling, papers flying, madness. Now, imagine all that, at a bus station, all in Turkish. It was a madhouse! I had to fight my way through the crowds to even get up to a desk. The only answers I got were “full” and “no English.” I finally caved in and called the hotel. They were apologetic, but couldn’t help in anyway. They looked at trains — sold out. So I went back upstairs to try again. As luck would have it, I found Kontur, the bus company we used to get to Ankara, and started to berate them in English. Too bad they didn’t speak any, so they had no idea what I was upset about.
And then I met Alper. He heard my complaining, and asked what was going on. As it turned out, Alper is a computer science teacher who was having trouble getting to Antalya via bus. He offered to help us find a bus after he got his ticket taken care of. And soon enough, we found some guy quietly announcing a ride to Kayseri off to the side. Sketchy as this sounds, I guess it’s pretty typical to scalp tickets like this. I have a feeling our first bus of the day was more like this one. Either way, this bus worked out, but it was costly.
The bus wanted 120 liras to get to Kayseri. Fine, we took it. But if we wanted to go to Goreme, where our hotel was, he wanted another 180 liras. We THOUGHT we’d agreed to getting 30 minutes to find our own minibus at Kayseri, but once we got there, the large Turkish bus attendant waved us back on the bus, and basically demanded the money. I called Alper (yes, at about 3 AM), for help. He apologetically said there was some confusion, and that we now have to pay.
Former cave dwelling!
He basically overshadowed me, motioning with his fingers for the money. So we paid. After that, the Turkish guy’s demeanor changed. He knew they had robbed us blind with that price and there was nothing we could do about it. He came to us, gave us some water (yes, we basically paid out the ass for a small cup of water!), tried to get us to dance, and kept babbling in Turkish. I kept saying, “What?” “I don’t understand,” and whatever else I could to make him understand that even our hand signals weren’t making sense, but he didn’t seem to mind. He hovered over Val as she slept. He sat with John, Bea, and I and just…sat. Awkward? You have no idea. He even took John’s hat, turning him into a Turkish Costello…Finally, I said, “Me (slap chest), Jake. You?” “Ali Ali.” So we called him Ali Ali. At one point, Ali Ali got the driver to stop the bus, waved goodbye, stepped around the corner of the bus, waited ten seconds, and then jumped back on laughing. What the hell, right? Well, at least they got us to the hotel and helped us with our bags! Otherwise we would’ve been searching every cave for our pension.
In Goreme, we stayed at the Cave Life Pension. While the location was great, I have to say I wasn’t too impressed with it. Sure, I’d recommend it, and if I needed to stay there again, I’d do so happily. But I’d also be happy to try another one, too. The breakfast was good, the staff was friendly, but the room was just okay. Guess it sounds like I don’t have much to complain about, after all. Anyway, Cappadocia was amazing. Who knew how awe-inspiring this area would be.
Getting lost in the underground city!
On Saturday, I decided to split off to ensure that I got to see as much as I could in the area. I started off with the Open Air Museum, which included old dwellings and several churches built into the caves. After, I took a minibus to the mushroom chimneys, which were just a trip. Lastly, I rushed from minibus to minibus to Kaymakli, where one of two underground cities can be found. I was sandwiched between two English tours, so I got tidbits of information, like the pathways intentionally built small to have an advantage over anyone attacking, or the bathrooms up in the stables on the first floor with the animals, or where they make wine, or how they have special shafts for smoke to release without going noticed. I’m not too concerned with confined spaces, but walking through those tunnels were a little tense. One woman and her son were screaming at me to go backwards out of one, causing me to nearly trip and fall, because they were freaking out!
On my trek back to the hotel, a man who found out I was American told me to wait in some strange, smoky room for the bus. I found myself waiting therewith three young Turkish guys. They were all staring me down, chatting amongst themselves — about me and my being American, of course. Finally, one of the guys asked if I speak Turkish, to which I said no. He said okay, and they continued talking, most likely still about me. Who knows. We had dinner at a restaurant that served kebaps in clay pots, which was awesome!
I was going to pay the extra money to go on a hot air balloon ride, but with the extra buses, hotel costs, and my being sick at this point, I decided to sleep in instead. However, I’ve already added that hot air balloon ride to my list of things to do the next time I’m back in Turkey! The flight back to Istanbul was painless, except for the super long shuttle to the supposedly nearby airport. However, today was the day of sacrifices, so the streets were lined with cows, goats, and other animals being butchered by groups of men, some with children watching. Pretty intense sight, for sure! Even back in Istanbul, the sacrifices were happening — which surprised me considering this was more of an urban area than the village of Goreme.
Last stop: One more night in Istanbul!The last adventure in Istanbul was yet another transportation nightmare. Rather than take the easy route — a taxi — to our hotel, we decided to walk because it was supposedly only 5 minutes from the airport. Too bad the two addresses I had weren’t exactly the same. So we went with the one that seemed the most likely. A nice Turkish guy at a store helped us find a minibus, and we were able to find the hotel — after two and a half hours! I unfortunately missed the chance to see the palace today, but that’s okay. The hotel, Han Airport Hostel North, was a great place to stay if you don’t mind a little public transportation to get downtown, or a taxi to get to the airport. It’s very uniquely decorated in a modern style, and they probably have good food at the restaurant downstairs, too!
Peaceful...serene...Pamukkale
And this morning, at 3 AM, we woke up to head to the airport and end yet another fall break. I’m glad to have finally gone, but I’m definitely not finished with Turkey. There’s so much more to see and do, that it warrants several more trips! I will say that even with the language barrier in many places, everyone was friendly and willing to at least try and help. I’d ask one question, and I’d have five different people all talking with each other trying to figure out the best solution. Now to get over my sickness and enjoy the few Turkish Delights that I bought!
I went because: Turkey’s been on my list of places to see, and I knew I’d need more than just a weekend to really enjoy my time here
Don’t miss: The sunset at Pamukkale, or exploring Cappadocia if you can get out there (especially one of the underground cities if you’re not claustrophobic!). No wonder they’re on the UNESCO world heritage list!
Don’tbother: Trying to fit everything you can into the trip! Enjoy what you do get to see, and save the rest for the next trip!
Coolestsouvenir: My haircut, with the flaming cotton ball experience, or my mini model of Pamukkale or the fairy chimneys in Cappadocia
Worthasplurge: I didn’t get to splurge on this like I had planned, but had I, it would definitely have been on a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia! Heard so many great things, but just couldn’t do it. Also, take either the green or red tour of Cappadocia if you’re pressed for time and want to make the most of the day. Transportation is doable, but time consuming and tricky. Of, and fly Turkish Airlines if you can…our short flights even included a lunch that was easily better than some meals I’ve had on international flights!
I wish I’d packed: less clothing! I packed more than I needed for a week-long trip, but also ended up not having enough to keep me warm while in Cappadocia!
Ending the day with a natural spa treatment! Pamukkale
It’s amazing where 10 hours on a bus can take you from Hungary. But before I get into that, let me start with my injury.
I unfortunately earned my first running injury, and not one that I’m proud of, to say the least. I’ve been running steadily 4 times a week since I got back to Hungary, and last weekend I even managed to go the distance — 4 miles (which was a workout for me)! And ideally I’ll run another 4, maybe 4.5 later today! But on Wednesday morning during my mid-week 3 mile run, about halfway through I realized I was running off my normal path. Now, I’ve gotten used to running a certain route depending on the distance, but I don’t mind veering off the beaten path, either.
And now I learned my lesson! Stick to the path! As I was going down a street that hadn’t yet been hit by the morning sun, I noticed an old lady walking her dog. As I swerve to the right to go around them, I didn’t notice the uneven pavement, tripped, and nearly ate a big piece of sidewalk! Luckily, my wailing arms were near a fence and my finger got stuck, slowing my fall, but also jamming it backwards. Not wanting to look like I injured myself, I ran a few more feet before stopping and assessing the damage.
I had a choice to make. My finger was killing, and I still had half a run left. I don’t know how to stop a run on my watch, so I either forfeit the half I already ran, or keep going. So I kept going. Going at a slower pace and holding my finger in my other hand to keep it straight, I finished the run! What do you need fingers for when running, anyway?
I don’t think it’s broken, but have suspicions of a sprain or dislocation. After traveling to several pharmacies, I finally found tongue depressors and adhesive-but-not-sticky bandages to put together a makeshift splint, which so far seems to be working. I haven’t gone to a doctor because I figured they’d put a splint on, anyway, and there’s not much they can do for a finger injury (I don’t think!).
Now, as I was saying before, 10 hours on a bus from Hungary can get you pretty far! Myself, along with three Hungarians — Bea, Kari, and Balint (contributing photographer to this entry, thanks!) — were the American-Hungarian Beerfest team! After having some Mexican food for dinner at Arriba, we trekked to Heroes’ Square to find our bus. Bea got us reservations on the lower level of a double-decker bus, and with a table, too! We left at 2200, or 10 PM.I was under the impression we’d be arriving at 11 AM, but that was the time they intended for the tour of the city to end and for us to be at the festival’s doorstep!
After several stops along the way, with some sleep, a dubbed version of “The Bounty Hunter,” and even a movie about Munich, we finally
Walking around Olympic Park
arrived to our destination, starting with some stretching around Olympic Park.
Now, I have to say that Germany has never really been at the top of my places to see list. Many have told me I should, and after visiting Munich, I have to say I’m intrigued and would happily take another trip that way at some point. From what little I actually saw, it seems like a city with some interesting history, unique architecture, and a fun place to walk around and enjoy a liter of beer. Which is why we even came, right?
After losing our tour group, we decided to wake up with some coffee before trekking to the festival. I couldn’t believe how many people were walking around the pedestrian shopping area, but seeing the crowds at Oktoberfest was even more insane! We got there around 12-something, and people were already hammered. Stumbling, being carried by friends, or just plain sleeping — Oktoberfest definitely was a mecca for a party of drunkards!
Kari and I enjoying the best of the wurst
Instead of get right into drinking, we decided to eat a wurst, and then hop on the big ferris wheel! I’m glad I did, because seeing the event from that high up was that much more awesome! With so many people, I was in disbelief with how we even made it from the entrance to the ferris wheel! Once we got off, we were in agreement that it was time to drink!
Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks to going to Oktoberfest on such short notice AND on a weekend is that you might not find a table. From what I’ve been told, people reserve tables for the following year right after they finish drinking at Oktoberfest the previous year! Supposedly, areas are reserved in every tent for people without reservations, but we were there late enough that it would be challenging to even find those open!
Bea really came to the rescue here with finding not only beer, but also a place to
Augustiner Beer...what we drank in the tent!
sit! She suggested we pay 3 Euros to go into some unknown area fenced off from the rest of the festival. After entering, we were surrounded by carnival games and sausage stands. However, we were on a mission, so we sped over to a tent called Festzeit, which served Augistiner beer. (I tried to find what tent we were in exactly, but I think it’s a smaller tent, so it’s not on any official map for Oktoberfest. Either way, it rocked!). Inside was insane! Folk dancing, singing, people standing on benches and jumping up and down. Whips were cracking, beer was spilling, and everyone was having the time of their life. Unfortunately, there wasn’t an empty seat around.
After walking a bit and having our doubts, Bea asked a waitress about finding us some space. Instead of telling us tourists off, she happily asked some people to make space for all four of us! I am so glad that we were able to squeeze into a tent, because it just made the experience that much more memorable! We sat with a woman and her two kids, dressed in dirndls, and a Brazilian man and a German man with his grandson. They’re friends because one’s daughter married the other’s son. The Brazilian, a former Samba singer, told me he loved San Francisco, but his hometown Rio is the most amazing place in the world, based on natural beauty alone. Can’t argue, never been. The German guy had something to do with Bosch, the equipment company, but he looked more like a crazy/awesome scientist/musician. He also gave his 6-year-old grandson the last of his beer…kind of forgot about that until now!
After enjoying our beers — which were 9 Euros a liter, by the way — we decided to do some more exploring around. We had to leave soon, anyway, because a reservation for that table was coming at 1730, and by now it must’ve been 1700 or so. Kari and I were hungry, so we snacked on some currywurst – my first time eating it, and it did not disappoint! A trip back to Germany to enjoy the wurst certainly would not be the worst decision!
Bea and Kari, beer champs!
Balint and I enjoying our liters of beer! (Note: those are not my glasses!)
The strangest thing to me about Oktoberfest was that there were tons of rides. I don’t know if the rides are there year-round, but I just don’t get why a bunch of drunk people would go on spinning rides (that were definitely spinning faster than any ride I’ve seen in the US), only to puke. Bea, Balint, and I decided to challenge my notion by going on a roller coaster. This was one of the few coasters that actually went so fast that I couldn’t keep my arms up. Probably for the best, anyway — I didn’t need an entire broken hand, and with such tight turns, who know what my arms in the air would hit! Once we got off, we saw a guy who was leaning against a fence start puking for a good minute! Which is why I didn’t get the rides/alcohol thing.
Lowenbrau horse! Our transportation around the festival!
Another surprising part of the event was the lack of trash cans. Rarely did I see any around the festival, and even walking back to the bus, I only passed one — after we’d been on the move for 20 minutes. Instead, trash continued to pile at various spots around the festival
So we casually made our way back to the bus, and waited, tired and hazy from a long but awesome trip to Oktoberfest! I did get a souvenir — a beer stein! At one point, Bea got a picture with some guys in lederhosen (which she challenged me to get one with a few girls — which I did, and I’m calling it generational because from what I remember, the age of the four started low and went…up), the guy ended up giving me his beer stein to take. I really wasn’t supposed to, and my guilt got the better of me. I took it out of my backpack, and put it down somewhere around the festival grounds.
Balint with some damsels in dirndls
We left Munich about 2200, and arrived back in Budapest at 0645 in the morning. An amazing weekend trip, and one I’d be up for again — but maybe with an extra night or two to fully enjoy what Oktoberfest and Munich have to offer!
Bea found some men in lederhosen, too -- but I think the guy just wanted her candy apple!
The 411
The bus: We paid 12,000 forints, or about $60 USD, per ticket for the bus to/from Oktoberfest. It was about a 10-hour bus ride each way, with stops along the way. This included leaving Friday night to Munich, leaving Saturday night from Munich, and returning Sunday morning to Budapest. Dates for the bus trip are already up for next year, which you can find here.
And I found a few damsels in dirndls, too!
Oktoberfest: Walking around Oktoberfest is free, but contrary to what we were told, you really can’t find beer to purchase around the grounds except in tents. If you know you’re going for sure, I’d try and do some research and make a reservation somewhere, or get there early enough (probably 11 AM would guarantee a seat somewhere, but I don’t know for sure!) If you’re going on a weekend trip, pack light. I brought some extra clothes and a toothbrush to avoid wearing the same sweaty clothes for two and a half days, but some people don’t mind their own stench — even if others do! Beer was 9 Euros/liter this year; wurst was around 5 Euros, and usually came either in or with a roll. The coaster and ferris wheel were 6 euros each, but definitely worth it if you’re into those kinds of activities!
[Author’s note: This was written during my actual birthday week, but due to memory card issues, I decided to wait to post until I could get some pictures up with it. Still no photos, but here’s the blog entry!]
It finally happened! After 24 years and 364 days, I finally turned 25! The only daunting thing about my turning 25 is the fact that I’m a quarter of a century old. I’d heard different point of views on how people felt when they were 25. Some loved it, some loathed it, and some were totally indifferent. For me, I guess it either hasn’t hit me yet that I’m at what some would consider a milestone, or it really doesn’t make any difference. I’m living life, enjoying it, and just moving on forward like I do every other day.
The only difference is that I pretty much celebrate it all week long.
My parents are divorced, and have been for, what, ten years now. Early on, events like birthdays or Thanksgiving were split between my parents. I guess it worked out to where every holiday lasted just a little longer because I got to celebrate it twice. So the idea of having to celebrate my birthday twice with two different sides of my family is no big deal. But how do I stretch it out to a week? Well, I guess I can go with the fact that my dad does the same thing. Every year, our family goes to Lake Tahoe for a week, and it works out perfectly for my dad because his birthday always happens sometime during that trip. So if he can celebrate his birthday all week, why can’t I?
Hence…the birthweek. A week-long celebration of the day I was born. Sweet!
On my birthday, I was surprised with a package as I was leaving the school. Whatever my mom and sister had sent me actually arrived at the right time! And what an amazing package it was! Oh, you want to know what I got? Well…
Some homemade beef jerky courtesy of my buddy, Paul K. Not only did he use the amazing eros pista for half the batch, but he also included my other favorite, garlic salt!
Some health food stuff
Apples to Apples
A magnetic chalkboard to use in class, made by my sister, Morgan
Some nice cards signed by loved ones
School stuff, like stickers, for the students — not really for me, but it’s cool
Peanut butter, because that’s one thing I’ll always miss from home
Pistachios
An awesome picture of my mom and I on a roller coaster over the summer
I have to say, it was probably one of the best presents I’ve ever received — definitely made my day that much more awesome!
After school, fellow teacher Chris took me out to eat at Kashmir, an Indian restaurant near the Bazilika. The food was pretty good for lunch, but was not the lunch buffet they advertised on their website. Either way, the tandoori chicken was perfectly cooked, along with the soup and some strange, stringy dessert. Following lunch, I met with several other teachers to enjoy some drinks and relax. John and Val and I enjoyed a nice liter of beer — which is always more overwhelming in one large glass than two ½ liter glasses! Laurel made her way out shortly, and we went from one bar to one of the garden kerts to keep the fiesta going. Dinner was at El Rapido, one of the few Mexican digs around the city. Though they take a while to cook, their burrito tastes a lot better than some of the other places I’ve tried in the city. I even enjoyed a Corona with it — with lime! The rest of our teacher’s group here in Budapest joined up and we finished the night off over at Szimpla Kert. Definitely an awesome birthday!
On Wednesday, the fun continued as I met up with Chris to hang out, followed by a dinner at Thai restaurant Kis Parasz. Probably some of the best food you can get in Budapest, this place has enough spice to make any cold go away!
Thursday was another fun time, hanging out and whipping up some palinka jello shots! Using mezes bodza (Honey Elderflower) palinka and strawberry and lime jello, Laurel helped me create what is a masterpiece and should be served everywhere. Palinka, the delicious fruit brandy of Hungary, was a perfect match for the jello, and went down smoother than taking a straight shot of palinka ever would have!
Every September, my school goes on some kind of field trip towards the end of the month. This year, it was a boat trip up and down the Danube for about an hour and a half before letting us off at Margitsziget. After enjoying a good breakfast in the morning, I jetted down to the metro, only to be met by screams of “JAKE!” Just my luck, I happened to wonder into the car holding one of my 2nd grade classes, all clad in green. They didn’t like that I was wearing yellow — for 1st grade — but they were more than happy to see me nonetheless.
Once on the boat, we settled in as some guy spoke in Hungarian the whole time. It was cool for the kids for about 8 minutes, and then their short attention spans kicked in and they could’ve cared less about what he was saying. They’d rather color, explore, play — and they did. Once on Margitsziget, we wandered around the zoo for a while before ending up at a meadow for the kids to run all their energy out. And they did, but not before making me throw chestnuts at a tree to knock chestnuts out of said tree, and even some “Jacob says.” I was surprised they wanted to play a game in English with me, considering it was a day of no classes for them, but it was good. Vera and Adam even started continuing the game with “Vera says” and “Adam says.” I’m impressed that, even only three weeks into school, they were able to say most of the full sentence instructions that I give them when I lead the game.
After leaving the island and saying SZIA! to my classes, I made my way back to Chris and Laurel’s place for our first game night! We ate, enjoyed those palinka jello shots, and played Apples to Apples, which was a blast! It was quite tricky arguing for each of our cards to win, but somehow Chris and I ended up with the most. It came down to a showdown — the word was sparkly. I played Judy Garland; he played flat screen TV. And while I thought those sparkly red slippers would take the cake, the flat screen TV prevailed.
As the weekend winds down, so does my birthweek. While it’s been a blast, there’s only so much birthday fun I can squeeze out of it!
The last thing I want to mention is a shoutout to the one person who actually tried AND solved the clue I gave in the last blog entry from the scavenger hunt. Balint, congrats! Whenever I see you next, you’ll get that high five! For those who didn’t bother to try, the answer was…: AKACFA UTCA.
Okay, that last comment was supposed to be the last, but after waiting to post this, one more birthday treat came in. After being back for several weeks now, one thing I neglected to do was walk ALL the way across the hall to say hello to my English-speaking neighbors. Little did I know how much they had been expecting me, and I felt so bad for not coming sooner. Anyway, not only did they get me a sweet treat from their trip to Amsterdam, they got me an awesome book about Eger (in English, of course!) and an ice cream with 2-5 candles! I was blown away, and so were the candles after I made a wish. Tocsi, Heni, Sara, and Bendeguz, I don’t know if you will ever see this, but thank you for making my birthday that much more special this year.
Let me preface this entry with this: I am not apologizing again. It’s my blog. And this isn’t to say that people have pressured me to write more (although maybe a little peer pressure is all I need — do it, Jake…go ahead, it’s okay). But I keep getting lazy about writing here, and I really shouldn’t. After all, I am paying for the domain! Either way, you’ll get an update…when I update it (and hopefully I’ll be better about it! Maybe it’s time I expand from just reviews of my time, and add in more about Budapest and whatnot!).
The saddest part is I actually had a blog entry ready to go live back in June, but got frustrated with WordPress’ picture uploading method, and just never published it. I know most of my recent blog entries have been recaps of what’s going on, and this one isn’t going to be any different. But I’m going to keep it short.
Urban Scavenger Hunt! (May 2011)
Funzine, the magazine that contains all that might possibly be fun in Budapest, had a little piece about an urban scavenger hunt around the city, ending with a treasure! So fellow teachers Val and John decided to join me to scavenge the city! The clues were both in Hungarian and English, and some were easier than others. For example, one clue painted on a restaurant wall read “Don’t go the wrong way,” Seeing the sign for drivers not to go the wrong way, we headed the other direction. And then it clicked: if you aren’t going the wrong way, you must be going the RIGHT way. Sounds easy enough, right? One of the more intriguing clues were some letters that had been painted gold to stand out on several plaques along the sidewalk. The letters were:
A K C U A T A C A F
If anyone reads this and can figure out where this clue took us, I’ll give you a…high five!
Anyway, there were 10 clues and all, and each clue had a number that helped to open the lock on none other than a treasure chest. When we finally reached the chest, numbers in hand, we added them all up so we could get the final combo. We’re nervous, excited, and ready for our bounty. And then…it doesn’t work. We try it again. Still no. The math must be wrong. Re-add it all. Same solution. Did we miss a clue? The lady working there is not involved with the solution, so she can’t help. Several other people come by, same numbers, same problem. We re-trace the last clue to make sure we got it all correct. We did.
Ye Olde Booty!
The lady took our name down and tells us she’ll call when the person in charge of the scavenger hunt comes in. True to her word, she called, and we got our bounty. The bounty was nothing too special, but the scavenger hunt was still a blast! Apparently the group that got their prize and walked out the door RIGHT as we were walking in somehow managed to accidentally change the combo or something, leaving us locked out of the box.
Boat trip!
Boat Trip, June 2011
Every year, Varosligeti Iskola takes the lower grades on a boat trip up the Danube. 400 kids and the teachers went to Dunafured, a field about 30 km up river from Budapest. It was pretty cool (actually it was really hot), and the kids ran themselves to exhaustion playing games all day. This was my first time taking a boat on the Danube in Hungary, so that was also very exciting (and slow)! The kids were excited that I went, and showed it by screaming my name until I waved to them. I don’t know what the other teachers thought about that, but oh well.
Day trip to Visegrad!
On a warm Sunday afternoon, several of us decided to head to Visegrad and hike up. it wasn’t too hot, nor too cold. Instead, it was the perfect climate for a hike up the hill to the castle atop. After taking the train and ferry across the Danube, we made the trek, up, up, up! At the top, we enjoyed a peaceful picnic lunch and then explored the castle. If anyone comes for a visit, highly recommend taking in Visegrad. It’s awesome! Word of advice: Don’t run through the hillside to cut the trail. You’ll end up with your legs on fire thanks to the stinging nettle hidden within!
Weekend trip to Eger!
One of my favorite spots in Hungary is definitely Eger. Located about 2 hours from Budapest, Eger is home to the northernmost minaret in Europe, a castle, and a valley full of wine cellars. After exploring the city, our group — Chris, Laurel, John, and Val — headed straight for the cellars. Although known for it’s red wine, Egri Bikaver (bull’s blood), they have plenty of white wines to enjoy. A glass of wine is pretty much 200 HUF, or about a buck. After surviving the wine cellars, Chris and I — the last two standing, for the most part — headed back to the panzio. Just as I’m about to go to my room to sleep, I was cut off by a group of Hungarians, including the chef of the panzio, who invite me to play poker. After enjoying wine all day, the last thing I needed was any jager or palinka. And yet they shared, and I accepted. And survived. The next day, Chris, Laurel, and I wandered the town and wound up at the former Jewish Synagogue, which is now a gallery. The gallery was host to Hungarian painters, and it was an awesome collection! If anyone is in Eger, I highly recommend checking it out!
NOTE: No pictures were preserved from this trip…and that’s probably for the better!
Lucy and Noah come to visit!
On the way back from Eger, I failed to remember I had guests on the way. Without any Internet access over the weekend, I wasn’t sure when Noah and Lucy would be arriving from Zurich. Fortunately, I caught up with them at their hostel and had a good first dinner at
Lucy Goosey and Noah el Boa: Night 1!
Lugas. Noah, my middle school amigo, and Lucy, his partner-in-crime, decided to spend a week in Budapest before heading back to the states, and I really appreciated them coming out to hang. For most of the week, they even stayed at my place, which you’d think would feel crunched but actually was a lot of fun! I definitely made sure they gulfed down some langos at the Grand Market, and we also went to the zoo and saw the baby orangutan! But Saturday, we decided to do something probably few tourists do: go to Vidampark, the amusement park in Varosliget. If you’re worried for your life, don’t go! The sketchiest roller coaster ever, but it was a blast. One of couldn’t handle the spins, and made their way to the bathroom to enjoy their ice cream cone twice! (Hint: It was Noah). It was definitely a sad goodbye, as we’d had a great visit. Looking forward to seeing Noah in August before I head back to Budapest!
End of Year 2 and Summer!
I was excited. The other teachers were excited. And, most of all, the kids were thrilled. The last day of school was closing in…fast! It was a great second year, and I am really proud at how far along my students have come with their English skills. I’ve had a great time at the school, and I had a tough time deciding, but…
I decided to come back for year three. If that wasn’t already clear.
And as of this blog entry, I’m already two weeks into the school year! I’m teaching 1st and 2nd grade again. I’ll miss my now-3rd graders, but I’m having a good time getting to know the new group of 90 1st graders — let’s see how long it takes to learn their names now!
Rather than travel over the summer around Europe, I decided to go home and soak up as much California sun as possible! Some highlights of summer include:
Camping at Silver Lake with my mom’s family: About an hour from Lake Tahoe, Silver Lake is a secluded area with lakes to hike and swim in, and that’s about it.
Obligatory Family Photo
Camping at Yosemite Valley with Noah, Lucy, Paul, Alison, Will, John, and Fanni: Survived a bear walking through the campsite, but what’s more amazing is Noah survived that bear’s visit WITH beef jerky under his pillow. Also hiked to some lakes (which were freezing), and had a great time in good ol’ nature.
Group shot, Yosemite!
John and Fanni visit: Fellow friends from Hungary, John and Fanni, came for a visit to California and gave me an excuse to be a tourist around San Francisco! This included whale watching, the wax museum, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and Marine World!
Humpback Whale breeching -- fish in the mouth!
Now that's a tale of a whale
San Diego: Joined Paul and John Riehl down to San Diego to see two podcasts live: Kevin Smith and Ralph Garmin’s Hollywood Babbleon, and Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes Get Old! Also played my first game of disc golf — which will definitely not be my last. I’ve brought my discs to Budapest, and am so excited to make my way to their courses out here!
Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, and Batman fighting Jaws with a laser!
And that wraps up summer. It was one of the best ones I’ve had in a long time! I had a great time with friends and family back home. It was hard saying goodbye, and I was even nervous about coming back to Budapest and making the wrong decision staying for another year. However, after being back now, I have to say definitely no regrets, and I’m glad to be back in Magyarorszag!
One more piece of news…
Back in February, travel blog Gadling posted information about a travel writing contest on Transitions Abroad. The deadline was March 8th, and I decided to enter. After submitting my entry a few days before it was due, I figured I’m way late, and since the contest had been open for a year, they must have tons of responses and already narrowed the choice down to the winners. To my surprise, I won 3rd place (and $100 bucks)! This was my first time entering a contest like this, so to win anything really blew me away. If you’d like, you can read the article here.
It was a great second year, but I’m especially looking forward to this third year. Some highlights so far:
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Nothing like seeing a movie in Hungary, with assigned seating and cheap tickets/concessions. For those of you from San Francisco, it is worth it to see the epic fog scene towards the end. Awesome!
- Skanzen Wine Festival: I just so happened to be lucky enough to win tickets to Skanzen’s wine festival, thanks to Funzine on Facebook! For those who don’t know, Skanzen is an open-air museum, with different architectural examples from all over Hungary. It’s worth a visit if you’ve got nothing else to do, and you’re out near Szentendre!
- Farewell Summer Fun Run!: For the first time in my life, I ran in a race! It was a blast! My friend, Bea, was brave enough to join me, and together we rocked it! The 5.5 km (3.5 mi) race started at former Roosevelt Ter (in front of the Gresham Hotel), and after crossing over and around Buda, ended back where it began! We treated ourselves to ice cream afterwards — we worked hard for every bite of it, too! Thanks, Bea, for running with me! Looking forward to the next time! I have to say, it almost felt like being a celebrity, with people rooting and clapping for everyone! It was definitely motivation to push on and make it to the end.
Farewell Summer Run: Yeah, we did that!
And coming soon…
- Travel plans for this year: Weekend in Munchen for Oktoberfest; Turkey for Fall Break; Slovenia for a long weekend; and…I don’t know. We’ll see what comes my way! Also, there will be surprise projects that I’m working or collaborating on…but those are, for now, a surprise!
That’s it. You are now caught up. Let’s get this party started!
Whoo! That’s the sound of April whizzing past me! It’s definitely been a whirlwind, and I’ve definitely been on the move. Towards the end of March, my grandma became the latest family member to come out for a visit. She didn’t have too much time, but I think we packed in quite a punch for her trip! After arriving in Budapest, we immediately took off the following day to Pecs, Hungary. Located about three hours south of Budapest, Pecs is the definition of a quaint town. Look it up quaint the dictionary, and you’ll see Pecs right there! Or not. Regardless, it was a good start for her trip. Pecs, one of the formal Cultural Capitals of the world, has a great main square, colorful houses, and some cool museums. If you get a chance, check out the mining museum. You literally walk down into a recreation of the town’s old coal mine, complete with mind shaft and all. Pecs is also famous for a porcelain factory (Zsolnay), and several art museums. We had some extra time on Sunday, so we took a bus to the mini-zoo above Pecs. The zoo seemed much more pleasant than in Belgrade, but maybe that’s because it was surrounded by trees and greenery. Afterwards, I really wanted to go up to the TV tower since I’d never been up one. Well, thirty minutes of uphill hiking later, we finally get make it up! Had it not been so foggy, we probably could’ve seen some nicer scenery, but it was still cool. After getting lost going down, we made it back to civilization and on our way to the train station.
View from the TV tower, Pecs
Grandma with a miner
After surviving Pecs, we headed back to Budapest. I reserved the same apartment my family stayed in back in September (called the Kriszta Apartments – highly recommend them!). During the week, she hit all the main spots to see, including heading up the Danube Bend, going up the Bazilika, and eating cake at Ruszwurm in the Castle District. I finally went on the tour at the Jewish Synagogue on Dohany Utca, and learned that Garfunkel’s father is buried in the ghetto. Go figure. The only thing my grandma didn’t get to do was eat chicken paprika! At least she had a nice, big langos at the Grand Market! And she got to come to my school during the game festival! It was fun to see her talk to the kids, even if I made more fun of her than I should have. Grandma, you had it coming. Sorry.
The following weekend, we went to Venice, Italy for a couple days. The city never ceases to amaze me, from the canals to the narrow streets to the excellent pizza! We managed to squeeze in a visit to Murano and Burano , too. Of the three, I think Burano takes the cake. The colorful houses definitely set it apart from ancient Venice and glass-famous Murano. If you’re looking for a book, I don’t recommend City of Falling Angels. Thanks, Nick, for the suggestion (and spending 15 bucks on a book for Kindle…I thought those books were supposed to be cheaper!). I mean, the book was all right, if you’re interested in learning about high society Venice. By the way, Nick, if you’re reading this, I didn’t mean that thank you. In fact, you owe me 15 bucks. At least I finally did the one thing in Venice that I hadn’t done before…I went up the bell tower in Piazza San Marco! The weather was great all weekend, making the view that much more amazing! I wouldn’t say it’s 8 euros worth, but if you’ve got some extra to spare, why not?!
View of Venice, Italy from the bell tower
I don’t remember the last time I spent that much one-on-one time with my grandma, but it was a great visit, and I’m glad she got to come out and see what’s going on in my life these days. After she left, I had a couple days to relax before the next relative, Paul, came to visit. This marked Paul’s third visit to Budapest, and I’ve appreciated getting to know him more and more with every visit. The most rewarding part of the visit was going to Debrecen, Hungary for the weekend to learn more about my family’s background. I was able to see where my great (great?) grandparents lived, as well as a visit to the cemetery to see where some of them are buried. Paul’s friends in Debrecen, Lajos and Mariann were amazing hosts, and without them, we wouldn’t have seen much of the sights. Lajos, a chemistry professor at Debrecen University, and Mariann, a nurse, are two of the most generous and nicest people around, and I’m glad I got to meet them through Paul.
After Paul left, I had to make a quick decision about Spring Break. I’ve made it a point to try and travel somewhere while I have the chance. I was looking to
Paul, Mariann, and Lajos at the Hortabagy, Hungary
head to Slovenia, but waiting to the lastminute made it very difficult to book anything. Most of the hostel prices were way too high or not available, and I didn’t have the energy to try and track down some affordable options. After coming to terms with the fact that these geriatrics I’ve been spending time with have actually worn me out, I eventually made the choice to stick around Budapest for a few days and just…relax. Thursday had me doing some spring cleaning, followed by meeting up with John and Fanni and a couple of their friends for a great night out!
Flags of the participating teams
On Friday, fellow CETP teachers Maggie and Agi came out from Papa to check out the International Hockey Championship games! Fortunately for me, they had an extra ticket! After watching Korea beat the Netherlands, we prepared ourselves for the big game of the night…Hungary vs. Spain! Let’s see if we’re ready for the game:
Magyarorszag jerseys…check.
Paper helmets…check.
Hungary flags…check.
Game on!
The stadium was packed. Red, white, and green all around, and only a small group of Spanish fans to be seen. There’s no easy way to describe the beating Spain received, except to say that they got their asses kicked. The final score of the game was 13-1. It’s as if Spain didn’t even know what ice was. But when they scored that one goal in the third, the Spanish fans went wild! Or as wild as about 10 fans can get surrounded by Hungarian fans. It was an electrified crowd, with Ole’s here and Hajra Magyarok (let’s go Hungarians!) there.
If anyone is interested, here is a 15 minute clip (in Hungarian) of the game. When the first goal was scored, stuffed animals flooded the ice rink as donations for kids.
The rest of the spring break will involve me just kicking back, catching up on odds and ends, and hopefully revising that script I wrote in about three days back in February. Or maybe I’ll work on that new idea…
Either way, next up is May, and with spring in full swing, looking forward to plenty of sun-filled days.
I’m getting pretty good at only posting something here every three months. I never meant to update so infrequently, but whether it’s due to my being lazy or just not getting around to write, all I can say is there is no excuse that makes up for a sad blog. All I can do now is recap the last few months and hope that the next update will be sooner rather than later. Moving on.
Mangalica before the festival
February, what a month! Or was it? I actually don’t remember what I did. I was able to visit the super muddy Mangalica Festival, celebrating the hairy, fatty pig that is apparently becoming a hit around the world but is still just a typical Hungarian ingredient. After waiting at least half an hour in line, I wound up enjoying a Mangalica kolbasz before escaping the menacing crowds.
Mangalica after the festival
Somewhere around February or March, can’t remember which, John and Val invited me to go with them to the INVISIBLE MUSEUM. Now, to my surprise, we had no trouble finding the building, despite its deceiving name. Actually, the museum is very unique, and had I known the Hungarian name for it sooner, I would’ve realized it is advertised all over the city. What makes this museum unique is it gives the visitor a chance to lose one of your senses: sight. You walk through the exhibits in pitch black, having to feel your way through as well as using the guidance of your tour guide’s voice to find where to go. Oh, and by the way, your tour guide is blind (or in our case, Gabor only had 2% of his vision). Gabor was a great guide, and it was amazing that he knew each of us after the first handshake, enough so that every time he grabbed us later in the tour, he knew exactly who it was without fail.
It was so cool walking past a fruit and vegetable stand inside, and getting to pick up the items and figure out what it was via touch and smell. There was at least one we couldn’t figure out (or get a translation for!). Near my school there is a school for the blind, and I always feel bad not helping people cross the street because of the language barrier and not wanting to take them to the wrong spot. It was such a cool experience, and I recommend anyone looking for yet another quirky place to visit in Budapest to head here immediately. I’d post some pictures, but they all came out black…hmm…
However, we lucked out with the tour. If you need an English guide, you have to reserve it in advance. Fortunately for us, there was a couple that had already booked the guide, so we just paid the tour guide fee and joined with them. After enjoying a beer in the dark there, we decided to go with our new friends, John and Fanni, to Grinzini, a wine bar near Ferenciek Tere. John’s from Vermont, and is here teaching English, too. It’s a good thing we got to know each other quite well on that tour! It was definitely hard to know who or what (or even where) you were grabbing on that tour. Hopefully more hanging out with them around Budapest is in the cards! And onto March…
March was a little more eventful. The first weekend of the month, I had the chance to join Val and John and the majority of teachers from their school as they went to the Busojaras Festival in Mohacs, Hungary. A buso-what? Yeah, exactly. The festival is intended to commerate the Hungarians efforts of scaring the Turks away. They dressed up in costumes, made a lot of noise, and sent the Turks running for the hills. Or it could be to scare away winter. Here’s a video I made about the festival (mad props to John for the new logo for Frisbie Productions! He took my original idea, and made it 10 times more awesome with the glass breaking! Thanks, John!):
Urn of Nikola Tesla
There was a four-day weekend due to the March 15th holiday commemorating the 1848 Revolution here. After much deliberation, I went Val and John to Belgrade, Serbia. We took the overnight train to Belgrade, which would’ve been great to rest up and enjoy a full day in the city — had I not been cornered by the heater in the room on full blast! I think we lucked out going to Belgrade this weekend, as it was definitely the first weekend in spring, and everyone was out in full stride, smiling and walking around the city.
We all agreed that Belgrade felt like a grungier version of Budapest. I didn’t have too many expectations of the city,
Exterior of the Serbian Orthodox Church
so getting off the train and seeing just how hilly it was reminded me of San Francisco. Our hostel, Green Studio Hostel, was a cool place to stay. It was right near the train station, but still close enough to walking to nearby sights. Some of the sights we saw included: the largest Orthodox church in Europe; the Nikola Tesla museum; the most depressing zoo in the world; the fortress; and the military museum.
Cevapcici
Supposedly there is an amazing nightlife to be found in Belgrade…that is, if you can find it. Belgrade is chock full of cellar bars, and we didn’t have the best luck finding them. I went one night to a place called the Marshall Pub, where a bunch of Serbians ended up arguing about foreigners, and the bartender telling us to leave…NOW. We also went to a store called Supermarket, which is a combination of a restaurant and a store with quirky/unique products for sale. However, one of the highlights of the trip was…CEVAPCICI. Going to Serbia was a chance to enjoy in those minced meat fingers I constantly yearn for. Add some ajvar, and it is a meal to satisfy me 3 times a day. Well 2, because the other meal, breakfast, was a big delicious helping of some meat or cheese burek at the market!
Amazing graffiti in Belgrade
If you ever decide to go to Belgrade, make sure you check out the Tesla museum. Interesting guy, and he definitely had an interesting idea with the potential to change the world that was spoiled by those who were more interested in capitalism. Try and find your own map around the city, as the signs posted are some of the most useless I’ve ever tried to follow! If there’s one disaster I would not recommend checking out, it’s the zoo. Sometimes, going to a city’s zoo feels like a good way to really get to know a city and what the place is like. All I can say is that this zoo felt more like an animal insane asylum. A large bird biting a fence, an obese orangutan eating rust off the fence, a chimp happily masturbating, and a tiger waiting for the dad looking down from above to drop his little girl for a lunch snack really made the visit worthwhile! I will say that if you ever want to let a tiger out of a zoo, this one might be the place! Their crank-and-rusted-lock system for keeping the gate shut really seemed secure! If you’re in Belgrade anytime soon, the only reason I would suggest a visit to the zoo is to see a baby kangaroo (we assumed it was a kangaroo).
Kanga and Roo!
Now that's how you lock a tiger cage!
Amazing...or the elephant's hungry
Unfortunately, Val wound up catching some sickness on the trip and passed it on to several of those staying at the hostel. This included the guy working there, and me, of course. When I got back to Budapest, I immediately went to the doctor at the first chance I could, and he told me to rest a few days.
Too bad my mild cold turned into a nightmarish flu! Several sleepless, cramped up nights later, After missing a week of teaching, including a Saturday to make up for Monday, I finally started to feel better. With family coming to visit at the end of the week, I needed all the energy I could muster.
I did this last year too, didn’t I? And I even told myself I wasn’t going to do it again. And then I did it…again. I promised to update more often, along with pictures and videos and all that fun stuff. Did I? No.
So why am I writing now? Well, earlier this month, I received an interesting email from WordPress. Were they going to tell me I’m wasting precious Internet space by not keeping up with my blog? Has someone complained about my lack of posts? Those aren’t things that should matter to them. It’s MY blog. I can type as frequently or as infrequently as I please.
This email, entitled “Your 2010 Year in Blogging” was a recap of what I HAD written while I was writing. Let me give you some of the cool facts they told me:
I had enough blog views to fill five Boeing 747-400 passenger jets.
The most common terms searched were: jacob frisbie hidas, alex hidas, budapest zoo, jacob hidas, and zoo Budapest.
The most comments I got on any blog entry was FIVE.
The busiest day of the year was January 6th, with 36 views.
I was the #1 blogger for 2010.
Okay, so #5 is not true, but that’s okay. This year, though, I hope to write more entries about what’s going on with me in Hungary. I hope to fill six 747’s this year!
Let’s move on to the last couple months then. I have to say that I haven’t done as much traveling these last couple months compared to last year, but I have still had a great time here.
August: Came back to Hungary. Battled the heat, and survived!
September: Celebrated my birthday. My dad, sister, uncle, grandma, and that guy from that one trip, Nick, all came to visit! I met them at the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia for a weekend. Went to Pula, Rovinj, and some other places. Didn’t swim because it was too cold. Also had the chance to see where my grandma lived in Budapest before leaving to the US. Went to the birthplace of my dad. Saw where my grandma grew up in Debrecen. Relaxed in Lillafured, a beautiful area near Miskolc. Paul, my grandma’s cousin from New York, also came to visit. Fun times all around! Oh, and I went to Vienna and Melk with Nick earlier in the month. Sweet!
October: Instead of being sick on Halloween, I was able to participate at the school Halloween party. I had to lead a song in front of all the 1-4 graders. Yikes, indeed! My buddy John from back home came out to visit. We, along with Jamie and fellow teachers John and Val, traveled through Czech Republic (Cesky Krumlov, Kutna Hora, and Prague) and Krakow, Poland for Fall Break. Two amazing countries, and Krakow stole all of our hearts! Looking forward to going back, hopefully sooner than later. Finally started taking Hungarian lessons — so far, so good.
November: I don’t remember this month. Maybe it didn’t happen. Happy birthday, Morgan!
December: Started to get cold around this time. Snow, too. Christmas markets were a must, both in Budapest and a daytrip to Bratislava, Slovakia. It started to get cold, but that’s winter. Only got delayed one day going home for the break. Had a great time at home with family and friends. Enjoyed Mexican food, In-N-Out, and a bunch of other stuff, too!
January: This month just flew by! It’s probably going to start speeding up sooner than later! Already visited a couple museums, including the Aquincum, the Crime History museum (with the BEST tour guide in all of Europe, and possibly the world!), and the Electrotechnical museum! Gone to a new restaurant almost every week, which is refreshing, too! Oh yeah, and the WWII Hospital Bunker. What a trip that was — under the castle (next to the labyrinth) is a hospital that still is a functioning X-Ray machine (trust me, don’t use it), and was truly modern for its times.
So now what, eh? Well, um, how about a joke?
What did the monkey order at the coffee shop? A capuchin-o!
Here’s where I should insert some insightful reflection, but how about just some general thoughts instead? Yeah? Okay. I’ve really liked living in Hungary and being in Europe in general. It definitely has been an experience being here during the change in politics and the latest laws that have been all over the news (ahem, Media Law). It was great to be home, and there’s a lot that I miss and really appreciated taking advantage of while I was there for the break, but I was also happy to come back here. I really like my school, like my students, and am overall feeling pretty good.
I’ve also started running! I’m working on this plan. I just completed week 4. Let’s see how the next few weeks go, and if I survive! It’d be cool if I got as far as preparing for a marathon, but we’ll see. Robert is talking about participating in the Tough Mudder, but it looks pretty intense! We’ll see.
Now that February is right around the corner, I REALLY need to start thinking about the next steps in my life. It’s great that I’m 24 and have nothing tying me down, but I really need to kind of pick a direction and pursue it until something makes me go a different way. It’d be great to continue living in Europe, either in Hungary or elsewhere, but that all depends on what opportunities I find.
I’ll try and get some pictures up sooner than later, but here’s what I am working on accomplishing in the next couple months, with a couple wild cards thrown in at the bottom (in no particular order):
Slovenia – Lake Bled, caves, Piran, Ljubjlana, and a horseburger, of course
More cities in Hungary: Sopron, Pecs, Mohacs (Busojaras Festival!), and Koszeg are at the top of that list, but there’s plenty more to add
Istanbul, Turkey
Spring Break in Georgia with CETP-alum James R. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Amsterdam
Kosovo
Bulgaria
I have to say I’m very satisfied with everything I’ve already gotten to do in this amazing part of the world. Here’s looking forward to doing even more in 2011!
To those who’ve perused every once in a while, thanks for reading. I don’t know if you actually enjoyed it, or just suffered for my sake, but thanks.
