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January 25, 2006
Numb Noses
It's day six in Budapest and I'm beginning to forget what warm weather feels like--and by "warm" I mean anything above freezing. I just returned from dinner at Mongolian Barbeque, where we had what seemed like a million courses of bizarre foods (like fried cheese with blueberry sauce, cream of potato soup, cavier, smoked goose breast, and carapaccio--and that's not even counting the main course). Looking at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I can definitely tell that the rich Hungarian food is not being good to my waistline (or my cheeks, which are looking particularly rosy these days).
Yesterday was definitely one of the highlights of the trip so far. A and I went to Szechenyi Baths, a landmark of the city. For a mere $13, we got full access to the mineral baths (all dozen or so of them, at various temperatures), the steam room (which was so crowded we just stood like sheep until the sweat started running down our faces), and the outdoor thermal pools--the best of them all.
Surrounded by the buildings on all sides, from the outside pools it's impossible to tell that you're in the middle of the city. Instead, everyone lolls around on the pool steps, with head and shoulders above the water (and yet somehow not cold in the below-freezing temperatures) and the rest of the body toasty warm in the geothermally heated water. Foggy steam billows, creating a haze that prevents you from seeing 6 inches in front of your face, and then suddenly clearing to reveal the entire pool, with old men playing chess and couples in various stages of copulation (they are quite free here with the PDA).
Anyway, it was a delightful experience, topped off with a 15 minute massage in a locker room that the guide book accurately called "a scene out of the hospital in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". We returned home feeling woozy and relaxed, and exhausted in the way that only results from hours spent in warm water.
And finally! I've made plans for this weekend...that's right, I'll be visiting Bratislava, the charming capital city of Slovenia. I know next-to-nothing about the city, which will make it interesting. My first solo trip!!
Comments
Jen:
Here I am, communicating via blog. And, people (like you) say I'm so not up with the times. Ha!
Sounds like the Hungary portion of your trip is/was wonderful, albeit a bit on the cold side.
Hope the rest of your trip comes together OK despite the last minute changes. I'm having a great time in Kansas....almost as exciting as touring Europe. Actually, I am having a good time...getting to catch up with Wayne and getting a respite from the office. I'm sure there will be hell to pay when I return but I'll deal with that when I have to.
The Chamber of Commerce banquet is this evening. Hope everybody doesn't fall asleep while I'm talking.
Keep warm, safe and have a GOOD time.
Love you,
Dad
Posted by: Dad at January 26, 2006 09:59 AM
