Back in Budapest

After arriving at the airport in Prague yesterday afternoon, it started raining like there was no tomorrow. I thought that the flight was going to be an utter nightmare, especially since I was taking a turbo prop plane. The rain slowed down just a bit, so I still ended up getting soaked boarding the plane...take-off was a little sketchy, but once we got up there we were fine. The best part of the flight was when I looked out of my window and saw this massive rainbow shooting up out of the clouds. It was pretty amazing and it was just another sign of how amazing this trip truly has been.

Last night we had a very Hungarian Italian dinner...I was so exhausted it really didn't matter what we ate. We were too tired to buy our train tickets last night so Adam directed me to the station and I picked them up this morning. Travel in Europe is ridiculously cheap...and it just goes to show how poor our transportation infrastructure really is. For two round trip tickets to Vienna it was a little less that $100 USD. Not bad at all!!!

I was still pretty tired today so I only walked around for a few hours...grabbed some more espresso and toast with bacon (which was a grilled cheese and prosciutto...that is what I call toast)...crossed the Danube and checked out another church. I tried getting into the Great Synagogue (which is the largest in Europe) but it was closed for some reason (I guess it could be a Jewish holiday). I still snapped some pics of the outside. Behind the church there was a small cemetary, which made me a bit depressed. All of the markers were dated in the early-mid 40s...there was a very interesting Holocaust Memorial that was unveiled in 1991 in memory of the 600,000 Hungarian Jews killed by the Nazis in WWII. I now realize that I did not take a picture, but you all know how to find wikipedia.

So I am off to finish my beer and make sure all is packed. :) I am looking forward to the relaxing train ride. We almost took a hydrofoil up to Vienna, but it double the price and would have been to close of a call for my flight home.

I am starting to get a little worn out from the constant walking around, but I know it is all worth it....another double espresso (or as they have been saying in central europe - espresso lungo).

I am not sure if I will have computer access in Vienna, so if you do not hear any updates I will post when I get back.

Again...hope all of you are well!!! Everyone in NYC I hope to catch up with you all when I get back next week. Be ready for my b-day. PA folks - I plan on coming home to grab my car in a week or so, I will also be in for a wedding at the end of the month (I have no clue what weekend it is).

Talk to you all soon!

Lawrence

PS - I apologize for any typos - the spell checker doesn't work that well over here.

Prague - days 3 and 4

Yesterday was another fantastic day here. I started by making my way to the Old Town Square again to check out the inside of the Tyn Church and also climbed to the top of the tower at Old Town Hall. The views were amazing up there. Well worth the climb.

After that I walked to the National Museum. I would say that it is similar to our Museum of Natural History...not quite the same though. There was an exhibit that covered the history of the Czech Republic that went through to post WWII life in the country. Very interesting. In addition, there was an exhibit on Europe as the center of science. One of the main parts of this section was on the development of medical science and most of it was devoted to child birth and the tools and various teaching devices used. Very odd stuff. There was also a video playing of what I first thought was surgery, but upon second glance I realized it was the Czech version of the Miracle of Life video they showed us in junior high school. I must say that I was surprised to see this playing in a museum.

After that I grabbed a late lunch, rested and went back out for a stroll at night. I was completely exhausted.

Today was an easy paced morning, with just a walk up to the Franz Kafka museum...checked out a book shop, grabbed an espresso (third of the day) and read a book. Made my way back to the hotel...did some last minute shopping (yes, I bought shoes).

My taxi picks me up in 30 minutes for the airport and I will be on my way back to Budapest. I am hoping Adam just wants to chill tonight because the constant walking has taken its toll of my feet.

He booked our hotel in Vienna last night...sounds like a decent place and is expensive enough. We stay there for three nights and once I get back to Budapest I will have a few hours before I depart for the airport and home.

Hope you are all doing well and I look forward to catching up when I return.

Talk soon.

Lawrence

Prague

Dobry den.

So I made it to Prague late yesterday afternoon and checked into my hotel...then I immediately ventured out to explore the city.

This trip keeps getting better and better....the architecture in this city has completely blown me away. I started out by making my way to Starmestke namesti (Old Town Square), which includes Old Town Hall (home of the Astronomical Clock...I will post pics when I return home), Church of our Lady Before Tyn (14th century Gothic church with amazing spires) and St. Nicholas Church. After exploring everthing in the square I headed West to go over the Charles Bridge. Unfortunately, there is a little construction going on at the bridge, but it is still amazing with all of the statues that line the sides. I capped the night off with some light Czech snacks (a variety of cold meats, horseradish, and about a whole loaf of white bread + garlic butter of some sorts) and two pints of Budwar (one regular and one dark). Oh, I also checked out a concert in St. Nicholas Church.

Then today I woke up early and made my way to Prague Castle. It was an uphill walk in the sun, but once I made it and saw everything up close, I realized it was worth it. I spent all morning and part of the afternoon there. Inside the walls I made sure to check out as much as I could. The highlight was St. Vitus Cathedral...words cannot do it justice. It is a massive Gothic castle placed inside the walls of Prague Castle. You cannot tell from the outside, but the stained glass windows are breathtaking. I am pretty sure I snappped pictures of each and every one. It is definitely a place I will never forget.

After touring the castle grounds, I wandered around Mala Strana (Lesser Town) and grabbed a massive lunch - traditional goulash (which I realize I can eat every day!!!) and one LARGE beer. The waitress asked if I wanted the large size, so of course I said yes...I was not expecting a glass so large and heavy I would need two hands to drink from it. Needless to say I was able to finish it...especially after walking around for hours.

I did some good shopping after lunch and then made my way back to the hotel...and here I am.

I have big intentions on going back outside after I rest for a bit. Hoping to revisit some spots at night just to see everything all lit up.

Talk soon.

Lawrence

Wine festival

After we pulled ourselves together yesterday, we caught a bus to an
amazing wine festival. It wasn't like the typical wine tasting we do
in the states. You pretty much buy a glass and go around sampling
wines...and the samples were extremely generous - as in a full pour.

A fellow KPMGer from Hungary was our tour guide and he had us sampling
the Hungarian cuisine...which was excellent! From a variety of
different breads, sausage, some potato dish, then this cinnamon
covered dough that was in the shape of a long tube. It was quite good.

We stayed there until around 22:00, and slowly made our way back to
Budapest. Of course we ended up going out with some random locals we
met at the festival.

All in all it was another great day!

I am now at the airport waiting for my flight to Prague.

Talk to you all soon.

Wandering around the Budapest

Last night was our first night out through the Budapest pub/bar scene...we went to an interesting place call Instant.  It was an entire building (that is set for demolition), but before they tear it down they turn it into a bar...well there were about four or five bars in the building and all of the rooms were open and set with chairs or other random items.  The one room was a dentist office in its prior life...and yes the chair was still there.  The basement was set-up as a disco, set with a DJ spinning records all night, another bar, disco ball, and people dancing like no one was watching.

 

It was a good night out.

 

Today we walked around Budapest all day and made our way to the Parliament Bldg, which was amazing...then we continued on and on and on.  Took a rest for some coffee...went through a park...saw some form of castle...and found our way back to the apartment.

 

Nick and Adam are still passed out so I am taking some time to try and post some of the pictures, but the connection is way too slow.

 

I am off to try and wake them and grab some dinner and then who knows where we shall venture off to.

Tomorrow is a wine festival outside of Budapest, which should make for great day.

Talk soon!

Lawrence

We made it!

We made it into Budapest with no snags at all. There was a Swine Flu
checkpoint at the Budapest airport and I definitely thought I was
going to be snagged. Luckily my tempature was below the limit.

In re: to our trip to JFK...we do not know what we were thinking. For
some reason we budgeted 30 minutes of travel when we should have given
ourselves an hour. Totally got caught in traffic. We literally made
it with no time to spare. Thank goodness we made it!

About to venture around Budapest. Waiting on Nick to finish his absinthe.

Talk soon!

Lawrence

--
Sent from my mobile device

Lawrence

The Beginning

The trip is off to a hell of a start. We almost missed the flight. Made it by maybe 5 minutes...if that! Nick saved the day and I am further indebted to him.



Getting ready to take off...will write more when I land.

Day of departure

So I finally made it to the day of my departure for Europe.  Maybe I was out too late last night...maybe I should have stayed in and made sure all was packed and good to go...but no... I could not leave NYC like that.

I am just about ready to leave the apartment.  Just need to make sure all is accounted for (i.e. my person...my passport...some sort of currency or credit card...and maybe some clean clothes).

Life is good and I cannot wait to tell you all about the adventures I encounter over the next 10 days.

Tammy - fingers crossed you will not see me on 'locked up abroad'.  If it does happen, give everyone my love.

A - thanks for the sleeping pills and I look forward to seeing you at lunch.  You are the BEST!

The rest of you all...this is not the last you will hear from me....feel free to pass my words on to the rest of the gang...friends....or others that may care.

Departure date - 5/21/2009

My departure for Budapest is less than a week away.  So I decided to start this blog so I can share my daily adventures with all of you, my best of friends and family.

I hope you all enjoy.

Here is the prospective itinerary (some details may change, but this is the goal):

Depart JFK - 5:45pm on Thursday, May 21st

Layover in Zurich, arrive in Budapest - Friday, May 22nd - 11:25am

Venture around Budapest through the weekend with a potential trip to Lake Balaton to stay at a lake house of a friend of a friend.

Monday, May 25th, leave Budapest for Prague.  I stay in Prague for a three night solo excursion.  This is the part of the trip I am really looking forward.  The Czech beer, the castle, food...and on and on I go.

Thursday, May 28th - return to Budapest for a night then venture off to Vienna on either Friday night or first thing Saturday morning.

Return to Budapest early on Monday, then depart for NYC via a layover in London.  Back home on June 1st, just in time for my birthday on the 3rd!

I will also try to upload pictures every couple of days so you can put an image to my words.