Bethapest

People are so nice when they know that you're sick. I've been shown more love and hospitality, and given more words of encouragement in the last 12 hours than I have in the last month all-together!

Let me start at the beginning:

Yesterday started much as any other day has here in Budapest: me waking up early and waiting for everyone else to be up and lively.

Once our group was ready to go though, we headed off to the thermal baths in City Park. The walk there was only about 20 min, and lovely. (We stopped on the way for some questionable chicken schnitzel sandwiches). Once there, we bought tickets and headed to the changing rooms. (But not before we took the opportunity for photos of the hot outdoor baths. Huge changing areas with nifty watchband locks, showers, hairdryers: the works.

 The walk to the bath, along Andrassy Ut

Heros Square in City Park

The Museum of Fine Arts

We came across this pond that was steaming! (likely because there are hot springs under the entire city...)

Mysical :)

Ducks!

I just liked this one, so I thought I'd share!

And this one..

The outside of Szechenyi Spa

The sign above the door

Alaska, Montreal, Toronto (another one!), Madrid and I can't remember where he's from..

Toronto, Me and Alaska! You girls are awesome!

Outside, we ran straight from the warm building, into the cold winter air, and into the steaming water of the first bath we came across. The girls had agreed to meet the boys, however, the sheer size of the place meant that we didn't meet them until much later. The girls spent about half an hour soaking in the swimming-pool-sized bath with hundreds of other people, standing over the air jets, and taking a tour from the lovely, Montreal. We decided to try the indoor pools, so we made a run for it to the sauna. The saunas in this place can fit anywhere from 10-30 people; sweaty, sweaty people. The heat was so extreme that my necklace was starting to burn my neck. We met up with one of the guys at this point, and made another run for it to the indoor pools. There were probably 15 different rooms, each with at least one pool, all with different temperatures, and different features. Some were sitting pools, some were swirling pools (the one we tried was COLD so two of us backed out while Montreal took the plunge!) And some were exercise pools.

We met my friend, Toronto, who was supposed to be having a massage. Apparently you need to specify when you want a specific gender massage-therapist.. He didn't want a dude massaging him (wimp!) Outside again and into a hotter bath than the first one we tried (the first was 34 degrees, and the second 38, and the 4 degrees made a world of difference!) This bath had a waterfall type feature that meant that the entire pool was covered by a misty steam that made it near impossible to see more than a few feet in front of you. It was starting to get dark by this point, and the lights were coming on. It was really quite lovely.

All in all, the thermal baths were well worth the 3200 HUF (approx. 16 euros) to go in. We probably spent a good 4 hours there and it was a lovely, relaxing experience. I now know why people stay in Budapest. (Not that I didn't before, but its much more evident now!)

I think my mom would really enjoy the baths, once she got over the idea of sitting in warm pools with hundreds of people, anyway.

Shower, change, bundle (but not too much inside because your body is still so hot from the baths). We headed back to the hostel in two groups, checked out an all-you-can-eat buffet on the way and decided that 16 euros was far too much to pay for the evening's meal. We got another recommendation for another Hungarian restaurant in the area. At 7pm, I lead the group to Barladino Which was only about two blocks away.

Some people asked the server a million question before ordering, and we were pretty sure she hated us. Goulash again for most of us, chicken strips with wildberry sauce and croquettes and Hungarian pasta with mushroom sauce was what I got (split with another person). This was about the time the sickness started to set in. I ate my whole bowl of Goulash, but it took me a while. After that came the chicken and all I had to do was look at it to know that it wasn't going to go down well. Its that feeling of impending hours of ill that comes just as you smell something that normally would be delicious. Not today. I must have visited the washroom 5 times in the hour and a half that we were there. (I only gagged the last time). By the time the bill got to us, I felt a light sweat coming on, and looking at the bill was just confusing.

At the hostel, I laid down for a while, watching a movie with some other people, but a bed is much better than a couch, so I went to bed around 10:30. Everyone else was headed out, so thankfully there wasn't much noise in the place.

Details are clearly not necessary, but I will say I woke up at 1:38 and made a run for it (which is actually quite impressive that I made it, considering that I'm on the top bunk!)

After that, I went upstairs to get some hot water and try to relax some more. I ended up settin up in a small room with only a small couch and a tv: Just me, my water and a garbage can. Cozy.

In the hours since being sick, I have been offered water probably 30 times, tea, electrolytes (which I accepted), blankets, back rubs, a pillow, ear plugs, my cell phone, and various offers of shout, or message me if you need anything. Oh, and a kiss on the cheek from Alaska before she left this morning. All of these offers of kindness are very much appreciated. I've moved from my cozy bed this morning as little as possible, writing this post on my BlackBerry between catnaps. I should probably move to my bed at some point...

...


I did move from my bed, and visited the world's second largest Synagogue with Toronto. It was lovely. I was a little slow moving today, obviously, so we didn't spend alot of time walking around, but we spent enough. I took pictures of him so that he could show his family what a good Jewish boy he is.

The Jewish Synagogue

Again.

Good Christian Girl at the Synagogue. God still lives there, right?

There is a mass graveyard outside the Synagogue in the garden and this sign, along with two signs each with a couple hundred names on them are in the garden.

Never Again!

Dinner was tomato soup at a local restaurant. Now to relax, grab a shower and wait for 3am when we'll grab a cab to the airport in order to make it back to Barcelona.