The Flea Market

About three weeks ago, my friends and I read about the weekly flea markets that happen in City Park. We've actually been away every Saturday and Sunday since we heard about it until yesterday! We really wanted to go and I am SO glad we did. It was a lot of fun and very local - I don't think I heard another group of people speaking English the entire time.

 

Like any flea market, some of the stuff wasn't so good and some of it was treasure worthy. There was a ton of Communist-era goods and antique knick knacks. My addiction is vintage/old jewelry.. so I basically died and went to heaven. And the best part was, everything was either very well priced or dirt cheap. My kind of place.

I'm sure you're all eager to see what I bought, of course. 

I got the above jacket for 500 HUF, which is about $2 USD. Yep. It's an amazing winter jacket, big enough to fit another sweater underneath but not huge, hits about mid thigh, and is in a cute utility style.. and it was two dollars.

I got a gorgeous little cameo ring too! About 1500HUF, so still a pretty good price, and I absolutely love it. I think I love cameo because my mom has always loved it, but how could you not?

And then, for novelty, I bought a Hungarian socialist pin. When in Rome... 

Anyways, we will definitely be back. The space is so huge, I know we'll find more great steals next time. Maybe I'll just have to buy a few more rings if I get the chance. 

Weekend Escapade: Prague

I feel as if I'm living weekend to weekend.. each one greater than the last. On Thursday night, we took an overnight train to Prague. I'm pretty sure no one has ever said a bad word about this city, and I'm no exception. From what I saw, Prague is the perfect city. Ah, Bohemia.

 

We arrived around 6:30AM and walked to our hostel from the train station. When we arrived, we found out there was a free walking tour at 10:30 and so we decided to go on that. What a good choice. Our tour guide was fun and very knowledgeable, and we were able to see so much of the city in only a couple of hours. She knew not only the history behind the sights, but also the legends. 

Of course, no proper tour of Prague is complete without visiting the Astronomical Clock. We were able to see it as it struck noon. The twelve apostles rotate in the windows and the four figures on the top ledge move in motion with the bell. They represent four types of evil: Vanity, Greed, Death, and a Turk [representing the invaders].

After the tour ended, we walked along the Charles Bridge. Of course, this is a 'must-see' if you're in Prague. From there, we headed in the direction of the Lennon Wall and stumbled upon some ridiculously cute back alleys.

 The restaurant below was so romantic and the food looked great. My favorite part was the two tables that protruded off the side of the wall and over the water. Life goal: return to Prague and eat at this restaurant. Preferably with someone who loves me. 

 

We found our way to the wall. I think it basically becomes an entirely new wall every few months with all the writings and drawings that are continuously added and covered up. It was fascinating to just stop and spend some time reading all of the comments. I almost wish the wall was bigger so that more could fit on it at one time, but there's something very special about how tucked away it is.

     

Afterwards, we found a yum place for dinner and had traditional Czech food. Pork. Potatoes. Cabbage. Beer. Not exactly light fare..  We shopped around an open air marketplace and then headed back to our hostel. We ended up testing out a few pubs in the area -- pretty cool for the most part. Just make sure to tip.

Weekend Escapade: Croatia

I've been wanting to go to Croatia since March I think.. and this weekend, I finally did! About ten of us rented two cars and drove down to Dubrovnik and then back up to Split for a couple days. The drive was pretty long, and we got lost a couple times along the way [I'll admit] but we made it there in one piece and had an amazing time. 

Our first stop was Dubrovnik. 

We found an amazing beach right off the highway and we couldn't resist pulling over for a quick swim. The water was so clear and blue -- one of the prettiest views I've ever seen. But that just seems to be how everything is on the Croatian coast.. I was constantly blown away. 

We arrived in Dubrovnik and went to explore the Old Town. The old city/fortress was built by Italians, and the streets are so reminiscent of Italy. Tiny, narrow alleyways built with stone, cats all over the place, gelato stands every few meters, and sunny, blue skies. 

 

 

 

We found a nice beach in Dubrovnik to spend the rest of the afternoon. After that, we drove to Split. We spent two nights there, and spent all day Saturday on the beach. Big surprise. Budapest has been cold and rainy lately, so we all wanted to get in as much sun as possible.

We left Sunday morning and stopped at a Croatian National Park on the way back to Budapest. This park is famous for it's waterfalls, which cascade off of one another. We were only able to explore a little of the park but we still got to see some beautiful views. The only way to walk through the park is on a narrow wooden bridge which crosses pool after pool of clear water fed by the waterfalls. It doesn't get more idyllic than that.

 

 

Basically.. Croatia is beyond anything I could have imagined. I'm so glad I got the chance to visit but also that we were able to drive through it!

Next weekend, Prague. But not sure it'll be able to top this.

A Family Affair

As soon as I found out I would be studying abroad in Budapest this fall, my parents started planning trips. Supposedly, they're here to visit me, but really, we all know that I'm the perfect excuse for them to travel around through Europe. They booked a beautiful trip taking them from Prague to Budapest to Vienna, and then back to Prague. 

On Sunday, they arrived in Budapest! It was surreal for us to all be in Budapest, especially because I technically call this place my home now. We ate delicious food [probably a bit too much, let's be honest] and crossed some sites off our list. We made it to the Basilica, Heroes Square, City Park, and the famous museum the House of Terror. They also explored a bit while I was in class and the three of us discovered some really cute parts of town in the hunt for a couple of restaurants my mom had looked up online.

 

 

 

 It was so nice to have them visit, and what's even better is that next time we see each other, it'll be in Paris! I'm really living the study abroad dream.

The First Official Weekend

I've had a full week of classes, and now, a full weekend in Budapest. So many things have happened since Thursday, it feels like weeks ago..

The pubs/clubs here are very cool, a lot of them are 'ruin pubs', which are basically bars that are set up in half outdoor - half indoor old stone buildings. We've been to a couple, and it's always a good time. Here's a picture from one of them; multi-leveled, multiple bars and dance floors, and a cool ambience.

The next day I went thrifting with my roommate and got a really cute pair of leather booties! So exciting. I got them for a really great price, and they're the perfect fall staple. Later that day a bunch of us went to the International Wine Festival at Castle Hill! It was incredible. Buda Castle is an amazing setting to begin with, but then there were also hundreds of wine vendors and delicious food too. 

On Sunday, one of my friend's 'tandem partner' offered to take us on a hike! We went up in the hills past Buda and rode a chairlift up the mountain. From there we hiked to the top of the hill and had the most amazing view of the valley below. 

 

We explored that area a little more, and ended up in a really quaint little park nearby. 

All of that in only one weekend.. Not sure how it's possible. And I know next weekend will be just as amazing - we've officially booked our trip to Croatia!

The Food Chronicles: Part 1

So, if you know anything about me at all, it's that I love food. I love cooking food, going out for food, talking about food, learning about food, and obviously, eating food. I definitely think about food more than I probably should, but whatever, I have approval from Julia Child: "People who love to eat are always the best people." No argument there!

Anyways, here in Hungary, the cuisine is much different than back home. Bread, meat, and cheese are huge parts of the diet. I haven't really seen a vegetable dish offered on a menu, and only certain veggies are sold in markets. A salad here consists of iceberg lettuce and maybe a few tomatoes tossed on top for decoration. So, no need for me to feel guilty if I don't get the recommended 5 servings a day...

I've been here about two weeks, and this is some of the food I've tried so far:

 

 While away last weekend, this was one of the meals we were served. To start, a creamy soup.. not really sure exactly what is was, and as an entree, mashed potatoes and fried chicken. Very rich.

-

-

Now, this is my favorite part. I have a HUGE sweet tooth. I'm talking enormous. Colossal. Gigantic.. In all the markets here, they sell delicious variations of chocolate breakfast breads. See the one on the bottom left that looks somewhat like a cinnamon roll? It's a chocolate roll. And it's only 160 Forint, which is about .80 USD. I would lie and say I tried it once, but really, I think I've bought one almost everyday. How can anyone resist??

The First Adventure

This weekend me and some of the people I've met in my program signed up for an excursion to Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Hungary and Europe! It was absolutely amazing. Yes, I'm exhausted and I have an 8 AM class tomorrow, but it was so worth it.

     

The lake is surrounded by such cute 'beach' towns. Promenades, cafes, bike riding, and tons of sailing. After, we went to our hostel and got ready for the next event: wine tasting. Hungary has a beautiful and famous wine country, and luckily we got to experience some of it! The winery was hundreds of years old, and we tasted four types of wine fresh out of the barrel. Then we had a feast of kings -- wine, chicken, potatoes, and bread on huge platters at every table. It was delicious and so fun to get to know all the people on the trip. 

      

The next morning was a bit slow.. but we made it to Tofurdo, the largest thermal lake in the world. Apparently, the sulfur-rich water has some type of healing power. People go and soak in the lake for hours at a time to try and rid themselves of ailments. I only went in for a little but the water was pretty warm, about 30-33 Celsius. The weather here is also so great. I wasn't expecting it to be hot, but it's been in the low 80s almost every day, with full sun. It's nice to get a little more sun in before fall and winter descend.

Kollégium

It's now been one full day since I arrived in Budapest. Our dorm is on an adorably cute street, I live in a triple but it's actually not so bad, and everything is cheap. Like incredibly cheap. I could even stay under budget... maybe..

This city is so old-world and beautiful. I've basically been taking photos nonstop for the last 24 hours. The Danube river, the architecture of all the buildings, and of course the castles and such set the perfect setting for a semester abroad. Have a look.

 -

 This is the university that I will be studying at for the semester. The school building is amazing -- I think it was actually a palace for King Corvinus at one point. 

-

-