Day Trip: Vienna

When I was initially thinking about where to study abroad, Vienna was one of my top choices. Of course, in the end, I decided upon Budapest [and what a great decision that was], I knew that while I was abroad I needed to visit Vienna. Last Friday, I finally made it. Vienna is actually very close to Budapest, about a three hour bus ride away. And wow, the city is beautiful. The buildings are pristine and lit up for Christmas. There are so many Christmas markets everywhere as well, although the biggest one we found was at Rathausplatz, right by Parliament. 

       

There were tons of vendors, most of which were selling some sort of delicious treat: huge pretzels [sweet + savory], chocolate, apple strudel, soup, sausage, and of course, hot mulled wine, Punsch. The best parts about the wine are that a) it's hot and you're absolutely freezing, b)it's delicious, and c) you get to keep the Christmas market themed ceramic mug it comes in!

We also went on a tour of the Parliament building. Only 2.50 Euro with the student discount! The building is small, but has incredibly intricate decorations on the inside. Part of the building was bombed during WWII because the Germans used it as headquarters, and that area has distinctly new construction and style. However the original parts were very cool to see. 

One of the amazing buildings that makes up the Hofburg Palace. 

The ridiculously cute and picturesque entrance to one of the Christmas markets. Almost worth the frostbite we suffered.

 

More beautiful street scenes. I was only in Vienna for a day unfortunately, and I wish I had more time to explore the city. I'm glad I was able to go though, and hopefully next time I visit I can stay for a few more days. 

A Pseudo Thanksgiving Break

As we all know, Thanksgiving is an American holiday. So here in Hungary we didn't have any school or time off, of course. But we managed to celebrate anyways. 

First off, there were so many visitors. It seemed as though everyone had a friend, significant other, sister, sister's friend, etc come to stay with them for the week. So, that added to familial holiday feel. Secondly, I was one of the lucky ones I mentioned above, for Justin came to visit me that week! It was so great to see him and to show him around Budapest. He can finally see why I am in so in love with this city. Thirdly, the whole gang came together and chipped in to create a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner. Literally, everyone either made something or brought drinks and we ended up with an enormous spread of food -- all of which was surprisingly delicious! Obviously I love spending Thanksgiving with my family, but I truly have to say that this year was one of my all time favorite Thanksgivings, or as I've deemed it, Friendsgivinkkuh. Definitely something I will never have again: in Budapest, with all new friends and a few visitors, and Hanukkah at the same time!? Once in a lifetime. 

Anyways, albeit a little late, but, Happy Thanksgiving from Budapest! 

Weekend Escapade: Paris

I know it's been a little while since I last wrote.. Life all of a sudden picked up with school work, traveling, and visitors. But, two weekends ago I traveled to Paris! Made even more amazing because it was my birthday weekend. Such a hard life, no?

My parents simply love that I'm studying abroad because I provide the perfect excuse/opportunity for them to get some great traveling in. They visited me in Budapest, and coupled that in with a tour of Prague and Vienna, and then two weeks ago, they met me in Paris! We have all been to Paris before, but it was almost nicer for me this time because I didn't feel as though I had to run around, trying to see every site in existence in a matter of days. On most of the trips I've taken this semester, I try to do it all, because why not make the most of the trip. But the three of us were able to relax in Paris and leisurely walk the streets, stumble upon cool places and famous sites, and of course, eat delicious French food and pastries. No complaints.

Our first stop was Notre Dame. Still as magnificent as ever. And the view of the Seine doesn't hurt either.

 

I love the architecture in Paris. Granted, all the buildings look very similar, so you either love it or hate it I suppose, but I happen to be a big fan. I think that possibly my favorite part of the buildings is the roofs. The rows of windows peeking out, the chimneys stacked, and the attic rooms I can imagine within.

We checked out the Centre Pompidou but didn't venture inside. 60,000 square feet of show room? We weren't prepared. But the verdict's out - Dan and Sharon strongly dislike the building. Thoughts?

We used Air BnB to rent an apartment for our trip. We stayed on the cutest street: Rue Cler. In the 7th arrondissement, it's a street full of specialty markets. Boulangerie, boucherie, fromagerie, marché... and of course, heaps of amazing restaurants. Little brasseries packed with Parisians. Not a bad place to wake up.

We also stumbled upon the Christmas markets on our way back from the Tuileries! A lovely discovery. Mulled, hot wine, chocolates everywhere, and so many booths of gifts and little trinkets. I wasn't aware Paris had Christmas/Winter markets - I've only really heard of the ones in Vienna, and now I know, the ones in Budapest as well. But I've come to realize that Christmas time in Europe is a big deal. Festive music begins in the beginning of November! With no holiday around Thanksgiving time, there's nothing to stop Europeans from beginning the Christmas cheer. 

Our last stop was le Tour Eiffel. A classic. And, hey, this is a potential sneak peek at the Polite family Christmas card! 

Up next, I'll be posting about my day trip to Vienna and about Justin's visit to Budapest! 

Weekend Escapade: Istanbul

I know it's been a little while since my last post, but without steady access to a camera, it's hard to document my experiences! Last weekend, my friend and I had an amazing time in Budapest -- I'll post more about that when I can show you photos from the opera house. 

Anyways, this weekend, I traveled to Istanbul! I've had this trip booked for what feels like months, and it seemed like it would never come. I was so excited when we finally took off for Turkey. And, I was not disappointed. We hadn't even been in the city limits more than half an hour and I was already in love. I can't even really put my finger on what it is that makes me love Istanbul, but there's just something in the air... The streets, markets, culture, food, people. 

The first day, we arrived in the city around noon, and spent the rest of the day wandering. We stumbled upon the Spice Bazaar, walked along the straight and tried some of the local seafood, and of course tasted some treats. Baklava?? Turkish Delight?? So. Good.

 

 

The next day, we saw some of the more major sites, and walked over to Taksim Square and Galata Tower. We spent a lot of the day in the markets and Grand Bazaar. The Grand Bazaar is fun to walk through, but not the best for finding a good deal, even with haggling. There's an outdoor market of sorts, basically a mass of narrow streets filled with vendors, in between the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar where I found some great gifts for family and friends back home!

The next day, we did it all. We went to the Aya Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Basilica Cistern. I'm not sure which was my favorite; I'm torn between the Blue Mosque and the cistern. Two of the pillars in the cistern have Medusa heads on the bottom, and no one knows for certain how or why they're there. One of the many mysteries of Istanbul.

 

These pictures certainly don't do Istanbul justice. And besides the famous historical monuments, the food was delicious and the people were incredibly nice. We were hosted in restaurants and lounges by some amazing folk, who eagerly gave us great local knowledge and at times even walked us to our next destination. I would love to return to Istanbul someday, there's something truly magical about the city. 

Weekend Escapade: Szentendre

This weekend, I was home in Budapest. Even though I'm here during the week and about every other weekend, I really want to get to know Hungary before I leave. I want to see more than just Budapest. The first weekend I was here, wayyy back in the beginning of September, I took a trip to a town off the coast of Lake Balaton. However, besides that, I haven't really explored any other Hungarian cities. 

So, on Sunday, a group of us took the commuter rail to Szentendre, a cute little town about 45 minutes outside of Budapest. It wasn't the best day for touring, and we ended up getting rained out around 1 PM but it was still cool to see! 

I'll be in Budapest this weekend too; one of my good friends who studies in Milan is coming to visit! Can't wait to show her around. And, I finally get to experience the famous Budapest Opera! 

Weekend Escapade: Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania

Yep.. You read the title right. 

Last week, me and four friends road tripped down through Serbia and Macedonia to Thessaloniki. We drove through Bulgaria and Romania on the route home. It's hard to describe the trip; it was spontaneous and amazing and something I never thought I'd get the chance to experience. 

We left the night of Tuesday, Oct 22nd, because Oct 23rd is a national holiday, and our classes the following Thursday were canceled. When we left, we had no plans. No hotels/hostels booked - just us and the car. We drove through the night, driving through Belgrade, and we stopped in Macedonia to eat and recharge. Macedonia reminded me so much of the States.. Rolling hills and forested countryside. The restaurant we stumbled on was delicious and pretty cheap. So far, so good. 

We continued on to Greece. The weather was perfect - hot and sunny the entire weekend. It was such a nice break from cold and often overcast Budapest.

We drove to Thessaloniki. [fun fact: my Greek heritage actually traces back to Thessaloniki!] I wasn't sure what to expect, but the city was pretty dilapidated. Many of the buildings were unfinished or crumbled, and the streets were dirty. It didn't matter to us though, and we drove along the water till we hit a small town outside of the city. We found a nice beach, spent the afternoon there, and decided that's where we would spend the night. Two slept in the car, and then three of us slept on the beach. It was pretty amazing, the only hitch being the packs of feral cats and dogs that would say hello to us every now and then..

Our main goal in Greece was to hike Mt. Olympus, which was about two hours from where we slept. We awoke, found some food and provisions, and headed to the mountain. Now, I'm not particularly fit or hiking-oriented, but a couple of the guys in the group are. So, I was a little nervous about making it up the mountain.. but obviously I still wanted to try. 

The mountain is absolutely incredible. It is huge, and because of how large it is, I felt like I was experiencing all the seasons in one hike. The base is thick with trees, most of which are red and yellow, their leaves covering the trail/forest floor. Then, after some ascent, you enter a more evergreen level that's a bit more rocky. After that, you're in the process of passing the tree line, and are amidst the clouds, hiking rocks and boulders. The next level, which I didn't make it to, is above the clouds, and I think it's only rocks. All that, on one mountain, in one hike. I can see why the ancient Greeks believed Gods lived at the top.

 

^^  This picture is looking down into the mountain. 

After that, we were all exhausted. I probably could've fallen asleep standing up. We drove from the base down to a little mountain town called Litochoro. What a great find. Litochoro is an adorable, romantic town with a lovely square and some good, cheap food. We found a hotel that could accommodate us, and we all split a room. Oh god did I appreciate that shower. I think I still had some sand in my ears from sleeping on the beach the night before.

^^  The gang in Litochoro with Mt. Olympus in the background. 

The next morning, our plan was to drive to Sofia, but stop at a lake on the border of Greece and Bulgaria on the way. It was hard to leave Greece, because everything we'd done there had been so amazing, but we all really wanted to see Sofia. The drive from Litochoro to the lake was picturesque - we truly experience rural, Greek countryside. When we arrived at the lake we realized it wasn't actually that great of a place to swim, so we just relaxed in the sun for a while. Wild horses and goats wandered about..

 

We finally decided to leave Greece, and off we headed to Sofia. Before we got there though, we wanted to stop at a very cool national park in Bulgaria, Belogradchik. It was a fortress at some point in history, built there because of the naturally occurring rock formations.  

Sorry for all the pictures, but as you can see it, the park is beautiful. And unlike in American parks, there are no railings or fences to keep people off of the rocks. We were able to climb out, possibly to our deaths, and see a fantastic view of the sun setting over the hills.

We made it to Sofia that night, found a hostel, and passed out. The next morning, we went on a free walking tour of the city. What a cool place! I really knew nothing about the city before arriving, but it's so rich in history. It dates back to before the Romans, and you can actually see some of the excavated Roman architecture. Each level of the city is from a different age, which is incredible. Many of the buildings are beautiful as well, often topped in gold. And of course, there's still remnants from the Communist era all around.

 

 

 After seeing Sofia, we hopped back in the car and began the journey home. We drove through Romania but it was the middle of the night, and none of us really wanted to stay somewhere and explore that area the next day. We slept and drove, drove and slept through the night and were in Hungary by morning. 

Five days, about 1500 miles.. Definitely a trip for the books. One of the most unique experiences I've had this semester, and easily one of the best.