Train # 6 (Budapest to Frankfurt, Day 24)

It took almost 12 hours by train from Budapest, Hungary to Frankfurt, Germany. We even had to pass through Austria. We were exhaaaaauuuusted. Once we arrived at the Frankfurt airport we still had a long night ahead of us, since we were spending it in the airport itself. We had to choice but to eat dinner at McDonald's because it was the only thing open at midnight. Then we went downstairs near Greg's terminal because his flight was earlier than mine. There was two sets of three seats and two benches. We were lucky enough to swipe the two benches and streched out to sleep.

Little did we know what was about to come.

I drifted in and out of sleep for about an hour. Around 2 am a group of Turkish people decided it would be great fun to have a picnic in the seats right next to our benches. This was an international airport for crying outloud with TONS OF ROOM but apparently they wanted to feast right next to us. I kid you not, they had thermoses of hot tea, gyros sandwiches, salads, fresh breads, the works! I probably wouldn't have been angered at them had they offered me some food. They were being so loud so Greg and I decided to pick up our bags and migrate to the other group of seats on the other side of the terminal.

Oh but guess what? 30 minutes later they also migrated towards us. We thought this was some sort of cruel joke. Was someone videotapeing this from a corner? What this a prank? Hadn't we made it very clear when we huff and puffed with our heavy packs when we moved away from them the first time?

It was probably 2:30 am at this time and little by little more and more of them kept coming. Within fifteen minutes their population doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled. What this a family reunion? In an airport? Was this some bizarre joke we both weren't in on? Greg got up and looked at the Departure screen to figure out where they were going....but we had no idea. We were befuddled and grouchy and laughing deliriously and sort of crying at the same time.

Around 3 am I counted them. I stopped counting once I reached 200. Were they trying to ruin our lives? All we wanted to do was sleep, couldn't they do somewhere else?

I can even explain how out of place we felt. It no longer felt like we were in Germany but under a Turkish invasion in a foreign land. It seemed like everyone knew eachother. They were all taking pictures of each other, video tapeing eachother, and swarming around eachother like bees and we were in the middle of it all.

Hundreds of women ask us to give up our seats, but we were being stubborn. Many older women glared at Greg because he wasn't being a gentlemen. We wanted to yell, "WE GOT HERE AT MIDNIGHT AND YOU GOT HERE AT 4 AM SO JUST DEAL WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!"

At 5 am Greg got us muffins for breakfast and I had to shoo the women off of his seat. One women had asked me three times for his seat, no means no lady. At this time there was definitely 400 people if not 5 or 6 hundred. It was insane.

Around 5:30 Greg went to the bathroom to wash his teeth and said that all the men were batheing their feet in the sinks. What. Batheing? Their feet? In the SINKS? This was the last straw, Greg went upstairs to use the restroom. I figured the women wouldn't be doing this and went he restroom once Greg returned.

Oh, boy.

They sure proved me wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I walked in with toothbrush, toothpaste and water bottle in hand only to find 15 women and 7 children in a cramped 4 stall bathroom. None of them were wearing shoes. All of them were washing their feet. Children were screaming as their mothers scrubbed their stupid feet. The ground was covered in sweaty water. They were making a huge. I walked in, shocked and grunted ughhhhhhhh outloud as I slammed the door behind me.

There was no way in hell I was going to put my mouth up against the facet that had just touched their feet. I was outraged and bolted up the third floor restrooms.

I know I'm supposed to respect other people's cultures and customs. But this just pushed my buttons the wrong way. Greg was equally was furious. We decided to abandon our seats and the ladies that had been vultures all fought over who would sit. The second Greg got up they had attacked the seat and he had difficulties even getting his bags out of the area.

Finally Greg went through security at 6ish and I headed to the other terminal and left around 10ish. It seemed as though all of bad karma was instantly paid off because I was able to lay down and sleep for half the flight across 3 seats.

Budapest, Magyar Köztársaság (Day 23)

Today we took it reaaaal easy. Walked around town, went to the camera shop again, napped for several hours and packed our packs for the long journey to Frankfurt tomorrow morning.

Budapest, Magyar Köztársaság (Day 22)

Here is an interesting fact. Instead of saying open 24 hours a day Europeans like to say "non-stop." I like this.

Here is a little fruit stand we passed:

Hungarian money is more or less Monopoly money:

This is some church:

This was the greatest camera store of all camera stores in the history of camera stores. They had millions of cameras, old analog and fancy digital ones too. Greg bought a Russian Fed camera. Very tasty.

BUDA + PEST. The Danube river divides the city of Budapest. Today we went to Buda...

Greg and Aslan.

Aslan and I.

If you look closer you can see Greg's little head...

There he is:

And here is the shot he took! To view more, click here.

The Chain Bridge...

and me.

Glorious. I love bridges.

This is the Pest side, looking from Buda.

Happy.

Angered.

This is my most favorite shot of the bridge. Greg took it:

Here he is gazing towards Pest...

Here I am gazing at Pest...

This is a gingerbread house:

With a gingerbread roof:

This is were Pest people live:

Man or Woman? We debated about this for a good 5 minutes.

We were trying to find an antique market and instead stumbled upon this market that resembled Pike's Place in Seattle.

Nice.

Delicious.

Budapest, Magyar Köztársaság (Day 21)

Today we went the the House of Terror Museum.

It contains exhibits related to the fascist and communist dictatorial regimes in 20th century Hungary and is also a memorial to the victims of these regimes, including those detained, interrogated, tortured or killed in the building.

I didn't know anything about Hungarian history and this museum really opened my eyes of the oppression this country had faced for so many years. If you are in Budapest I think it's a must-see.

Here is Hero Square:

Here is me:

Here is a super sweet building:

I like the green and peeling paint.

Here is an interesting sculpture. There was no plaque so we don't know who designed it, where the inspiration came from, and what it signified. Even if there was a plaque it would be in Magyar anyways.

this one is my favorite:

Here is Greg's shot, to view more of his work, click here.

Then we went to the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. I had been looking forward to these baths for the longest time. It is the largest medicinal bath in all of Europe. The bath can be found in City Park and was built in 1913 in neo-Baroque style.

It was lovely and water didn't smell like sulfur at all...

I felt like royalty.....surrounded by men in speedos...

The old men were playing chess. The board was built into the marble! It was so incredible. All the oldies would gather around to watch the moves of the players...

Take a look:

Splendid.

Glorious.

I want to go back already...