Thursday, November 20, 2008

Polski śnieg!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Vienna: Day Three



We stayed at Hostel Ruthensteiner, a lively little place located not too far away from the city center. The front desk offered daily tours and we decided to take advantage of this opportunity to see the city through the eyes of a local. Our tour guide, who reminded me of Captain Hook, showed us his city with colorful commentary. Later that night before we boarded our train, we got to sample the famous Sachertorte.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Vienna: Day Two



Today we went to the Imperial Treasury to see some of the crown jewels and let me just say the Habsburgs definitely owned some serious bling. Later on I went to visit the Sigmund Freud Museum, which was located in his former office/apartment. The museum was definitely one of the highlights of my trip, due to my fascination/borderline obsession with psychology.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Vienna: Day One



Emily, Tiffany and I decided to go to Vienna over the long weekend, home to Mozart, Freud and The Sound of Music. We arrived early on Friday morning, when most of the city was still deep in slumber. We walked along the nearly-deserted streets, being exposed to a more subdued side of Vienna. We were lucky to have Tiffany who was basically fluent in German, to help us navigate our way through the elegant city .

A few hours later we went to the Spanish Riding School and got to see the Lipizzaner stallions during their morning training session. During the afternoon we went to the Albert Museum and saw an excellent exhibit on Picasso.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Budapest (Day 3)



Today we explored the Buda hills, which were much more scenic than Pest and had amazing views of the Danube. Afterwards we went to explore the indoor market, where I experienced my first Hungarian goulash. Jó étvágyat!




Definitely a trip to remember.


Sunday, November 9, 2008

Budapest (Day 2)



No trip to Budapest is complete without a trip to the Turkish Baths. Dating back to when the Ottoman Turks invaded Hungary, these baths contain natural hot springs that are ideal for combating that imposing winter chill.



Capturing a rare group moment.


Afterwards, we went to the House of Terror, which was once the headquarters of the Hungarian Nazis and later the communists. This museum was very haunting and realistically brought the brutal terror regimes back to life. In the basement of the building was a prison where the Nazis used to torture and murder innocent victims. There was a giant Soviet tank in the middle of the museum and in the semi-darkness slick, black oil silently oozed off the sides of the base. It was very educational, but at the same time so devastating to witness and try to comprehend what mankind is capable of.



Saturday, November 8, 2008

Budapest (Day 1)



I once read an article about Budapest in one of my dad's Smithsonians. I've wanted to go there ever since. The author painted such a vivid picture of the city, of its beauty and rebirth from its communist past. Now finally I get to experience the magic of this city with my own eyes.

We took an overnight train to Budapest. I always find something magical about this land-based transition. Emily, Tiffany and I tucked ourselves into the cramped (yet cozy) sleeping quarters of our triple bunk. We made Emily sleep on the bottom bunk after she informed us about her sleepwalking tendencies.


Snug as a bug.

Since our train was late, for some reason beyond my comprehension, I decided to take that as a sign to sleep in. Big mistake. I was woken up by Piotrek bursting into our cabin announcing our arrival. Three seconds later, disheveled and dazed, I stumbled out of the train into the hazy Hungarian morning.

For breakfast I had "Hungarian-style" scrambled eggs, which consisted of red bell peppers, grated cheese, ham and the Hungarian staple PAPRIKA. Breakfast definitely hit the spot, even in my bewildered state.

Afterwards we had a tour of Pest, the industrial section of the city. Our tour guide referred to Budapest as the "Paris of the East," and it rang true due to the architectural style and wide avenue that ran down Pest, remnant of the Avenue des Champs- Élysées in Paris.





For dinner we were treated to an all-you-can-eat Hungarian restaurant called Trofea Grill. I think the restaurant was mainly occupied by customers who were celebrating special occasions, because we were the only group not celebrating a birthday or wedding. The food was excellent though and I especially enjoyed the paprika chicken.



Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The American Election 2008 (pt. 1)


http://images.chron.com/blogs/txpotomac/McCain%20and%20Obama%20shaking%20hands.jpg

The American election is taking place in that far away land I call home. Rumor has it that there is a record turn out for voters this year. It's hard to comprehend that Obama has made it this far. Who would have thought that a man with African blood could possibly be a presidential candidate?! I can honesty say now I am proud to be American.




Sunday, November 2, 2008

All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day



The two days after Halloween are All Saints' Day on November 1st and All Souls' Day on the 2nd. We visited Rakowicki Cemetery, which is the largest in Krakow. We arrived at dusk and there were thousands of candles illuminating the graves as far as the eye could see. Many families had come to pay respect to their loved ones that had passed on. Tonight was definitely a very moving and surreal experience.