Frost

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
A luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

Venice

Venice was as astounding as anyone would suspect. It's aging architecture, location on the Adriatic, and flow bring everything together to make for a postcard looking shot every time one would turn the corner. And, if you're looking to take great photographs, only wait a few minutes and a gondola will come right around the corner, making your perfect picture even that much more classic.

Having just recently given an architectural presentation with a good friend of mine in the fall semester on the history of Venice, this was truly an experience to be had. This entry does not go into depth of all of the fantastic food we ate, the pastries we indulged in, nor the countless amounts of gelato we consumed.

This trip was a getaway for Maryann and I from our already getaway of a semester. We decided to take a trip by ourselves to a place that we have always wanted to visit. Albeit that it is the very closest in Italy we could get to, it was a great trip and something we will never forget. In total, we spent three days on the island of Venice itself, and one day at Alberoni beach - a small island very near to Venice. Here is a recap of our experience:

Day 1: April 10, 2009

After having arrive to our camping sight in Treviso, the closest city on the mainland, the night prior, we started our day ready to take on the tourist hot spot of Venice. First we purchased our boat ticket that would allow us to go to and from Venice as often as we liked within an allotted time period. Although this ticket was 25 euro for three days, it was entirely worth it considering the amount of bus changes and travel time it took to get to the camp sight. Once we had arrived, we started by wandering aimlessly (which was truly a treat in itself) until we found ourselves at the Ponte de Rialto (or Rialto Bridge), the most famous bridge that was not constructed by Palladio or Michelangelo, oddly enough, but Nicolò Barattieri. After enjoying our stay near the bridge for quite some time on a nearby dock, we finally decided to venture to the famed Piazza San Marco to see Napoleon's work and all the hype. So. Many. Tourists. Being Easter weekend, Venice was packed and, sadly enough, was too crowded to see Saint Mark's Basilica from the inside. On the exterior, it is as grand as imagined. St. Mark's square borders the Adriatic, and countless amounts of gondolas dock there. Finding a dock with no gondola, Maryann and I sat and watched the Adriatic, and were amazed at the fact that we were in Venice. Wandering for the remainder of the day finally brought us back to the campsite for some food.

Day 2: April 11, 2009

Our first day of breakfast pastries! We eat on the dock that we found right next to the Rialto Bridge the day prior, and enjoy the possibility to finally relax somewhere. My new found love for photography drove us to search for the most fantastic shots in the entire city - I think we found some (check my Flickr link on the left side of the Blog). After enjoying the morning, we wander to another part of the city next to the beautiful St. Maria Formosa church and rest with sandwiches at a cafe. The luxury of time in this place was truly fantastic - as my leisure of sketching in Venice became a daily activity. Next we decided to search for the famed Arsenal - a military complex that was once used as a shipbuilding yard during the late days of the Roman Republic. It employed a vast majority of the residents of Venice, and is today used as some form of a police base - which prevented us from entering. After continually exploring for the remainder of the day, we decided to sit on a dock and face the Adriatic, entertaining ourselves with the water taxis that passed and the amount of traffic that flooded the harbor. Watching a Venetian sunset was truly remarkable.

Day 3: April 12, 2009

The last day on the island of Venice, we arrive on Easter Sunday, 2009. While everything is packed and Piazza San Marco is unbearable, Maryann and I searched for a church not overcrowded and say our prayers of thanksgiving on Easter. From there we start our walk to our newly appreciated dock next to the Rialto Bridge but stop to get some late breakfast at a crepe shop (there is a picture of this particular crepe on my flickr). Sitting on the dock, I was able to sketch again, capturing so much of this amazing place through my pen. What a privilege. From there, we grabbed lunch and returned yet again to our dock (we silently claimed it as our own) and I quickly fell asleep after having promised Maryann I would help her with her experiment: counting how many gondolas went by this particular spot at the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal. Granted, this was one of the busiest places on the water way, but was still perfect for such an experiment. Finally counting, Maryann calculated that in one hour 216 gondolas went by, and since they were 80 euro a pop that weekend, that put the total earnings at 17,280 euro in one hour. I need to get a gondola. We enjoy the rest of the day and the start our return back, only to be delayed by the biggest cruise ship I have ever seen go by the outskirts of Venice. I am so glad we were not on that thing. Camping was too good to pass up!

Day 4: April 13, 2009

Our last day in Italy brought a different experience. Now that our ferry passes were up, we decided to pay 10 euro for a ferry to Alberoni Island to check out the beach. We relaxed for a few hours, walked around, and decided to head back early. We ended that day with playing cards at the campsite outside.

Venice is exactly what you would picture it to be. If you ever visit, make sure that you have plenty of time. It would be easy to see all of the tourist attractions in one day, but to really experience it - and it is worth it - taking extra time is best. We were able to get away from the beaten path and experience quiet areas of Venice, where people actually lived and we weren't crowded by tourists the entire time. One of my favorite stops on our vacation.

Thanks for reading.

Brief

Back in Budapest after our 10 day adventure to Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris.  The world is just awesome.  Testimonials to come next week.  Tomorrow, Maryann and I will tour this lovely city for one last time, before jumping on the bird to Seattle.  We are very excited to come home.  

Time to sketch the coolest cafe in Budapest: Eckermann's.  Very chill vibe - makes me love my favorite type of music even more: instrumentals.  

If you want a sample of what I listen to  - hit last.fm and search 'similar to bonobo'.  That is what gets me through the long hours of drafting in the studio, and just chillin' out.  Great jazz and smooth percussions.  Love it. 

More to come!

Thanks for reading.

Tales from the Hang

My Flickr

Alright, one more thing:

I leave for Madrid tomorrow, hit Barcelona on Thursday morning after a lunar bus ride, and venture to Paris on Sunday with Maryann and Nick.  Should be a blast.

Today after Maryann and I visited the architecturally astounding St. Stephen's Baszilika near Deak Ference Ter one last time before we depart this phenomenal city, we got some Joe.  Following, there was a dread locked man on the steps playing one of the coolest instruments I have ever seen.  I bought his cd:

It is called a Hang Drum and was invented in Bern, Switzerland in 2000.  It is essentially two hemispheres put together to make an orb looking thing - or as Maryann put it, two turtle shells. There are only 2 people in the world that make them and it costs around 1500 US bones with a two year waiting list to boot.

His CD set me back 2000 HUF (round $10) and it was called Tales from the Hang.  Awesome instrumental music if you're into it, and great for yoga and just meditation in general.  Very spiritual.  Anyways, I'm hooked, and will pass it around to anyone who wants it back home.   I definitely suggest looking into it.  If you are a product of your environment and have an iPhone, there is an App for it on itunes.  

Lastly - I have to plug what I just stumbled upon: I found a blog of one of the only people of substance I went to high school with, and someone who has always meant a great deal to me.  He is spiritually inspiring, and one hell of a person - check out his blog/glorified Twitter account if you have time: 

http://chrstophrjames.blogspot.com/

This just in: Lego has introduced Frank Lloyd Wright's "Falling Water" ground breaking and genius design in a set -

Vitruvius Would Be Proud

Peace in Soul. 

Thanks for reading.

The Strongest Armor

I have to post this, as it is my new favorite Biblical guidance:

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:11-12

Truth.

Peace in Soul. Thanks for reading.

Haitus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/customfun

Readers -

Due to a combination of traveling, increase in schoolwork, and being unorganized my posts have struck a form of psuedo writers block which is sure to end soon.  Since my last post of Istanbul, Maryann and I ventured to the beautiful Venice on the perfect weekend of Easter and had quite an experience camping on the mainland of Italy and exploring the ever intriguing maze of Venice's makeup.  In addition, I traveled to Krakow, Poland with my group from the U.S. and explored that city for about a day and a half before seeing Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II - Birkenau.  That experience was at the end of April, and will be followed directly after Venice's post.  Lucky for me, I keep a journal of every day's events when I travel, and have all the information on a lengthy amount of cheat sheets; waiting to be put into this glorified moleskin.  For both Venice and Krakow, I aptly documented both via photography and posted the best shots on my Flickr page, so please check them out.  As soon as I send in my last paper for school I will be trying to get these posts done.  The 25th of May marks the day when Maryann, myself, and my roommate Nick embark on our final journey of Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris.  I will have plenty of pictures and stories for this blog.  I apologize for the inconsistency of my blog since mid-March, and will get everything up, including my recap entry once I return home, by the first week in June.  Will post soon.

Thanks for reading.

Istanbul

www.flickr.com/photos/customfun

This entry comes two weeks past due because I just had a wonderful week and a half with my parents.

By far my favorite of our excursions to date, Istanbul provided for much more than we could have ever bargained for. With no expectations in mind of our travels even further east, my roommate Nick and I set out for Turkey on the Thursday before our spring break. With great hopes of escaping the cold winter weathers of Hungary for some much needed warmer weather coming up from the Mediterranean, the Aegean, and the Black Seas, we landed to slightly warmer, but very rainy, weather. Nevertheless, we were excited to arrive. After over an hour trying to find our hostel, and Nick and I trudging through small side streets with our gear in torrential downpours, we finally arrived to Mavi Guesthouse with the aid of about five incredibly friendly Turks. The first thing we learned is that we were in by far the most hospitable place we had yet visited. And our hostel was the exact same - with a great breakfast every morning, topped off with Apple tea or Chai (traditional Turkish tea). After checking in I was greeted by a nice surprise of a note left from someone I had not seen since high school - Erin - who was studying abroad in Istanbul. To break us into this massive city (with 15 million residents) she took us to a very cool restaurant with some of her friends and to play backgammon afterwards. The density of Istanbul is nothing short of amazing - like San Francisco but on a much, much larger scale. This first night's introduction was great.

Friday - Nick and I set out to search around our hostel before Maryann and her friend Kelli arrived from Budapest. Waking up to realize that we could see Aya Sofya, or Hagia Sophia, from our window was one of the best treats I could have asked for - as I have studied that particular building in almost each one of my semesters of architecture school. [Brief history - Aya Sofya was founded in the mid 6th century by Emperor Justinian and was declared a Christian house of worship, seeing that Istanbul, or then, Byzantium, was the center for the Eastern Orthodox religion. It remained so until the mid 15th century when a Muslim conquest occurred and the building was turned into a mosque. The best part is that the mosaics and relics from the Christian use are still there today, and were not removed for Muslim use. The sheer size of this building is breathtaking.] Directly across Aya Sofya is the Blue Mosque, which is one of the most notable mosques in the world, and one that has six minarets - being the only other mosque to have so many minarets other than Mecca itself. I was in architectural heaven. From there we took municipal transit and were packed in like sardines for an hour to get to the airport to pick up the girls. Once they arrived we checked them in and took them around town. Seeing all the bazaars made them excited for the shopping to come - and in walking down the street we met our newest friend, Tom Jones. Not really Tom Jones, but that is what he liked to call himself. He wanted us to come into his restaurant so badly, and with so many promises of free and/or discounted food that we promised we would be back that night. (A common thing, since we were literally the only Caucasians we saw for days on end, was for shop owners to come out and approach us to get us into their restaurants). Ending up at that restaurant that night we ate dinner and then were ready to leave - but Mr. Jones wasn't ready for us to leave just yet. He proceeded to start a dancing party with the few people in the tiny restaurant, and had all of us doing classic Turkish dances - a very cool experience. This was cool until he started playing bad American pop music and doing his own dances, which were a sight to see in themselves, and wouldn't let us leave until he was done. About an hour and a half later we finally escaped the restaurant, unable to catch our breaths from laughing and wondering - did that really just happen?

Saturday - After an early breakfast, we decide to head out to see some more of this incredible place. Walking to bazaar after bazaar, and being hounded by every shop owner saying "My friend! My friend!. . ." we eventually decided to venture away from Sultanahmet (where our hostel was) to see another side of Istanbul, and to hopefully catch a soccer game. Once there and about to buy tickets, we were hit by one of the biggest hail/rain/thunder/lightning storms I have ever been in - and once we sought refuge in a local cafe, we left a puddle on the floor from our being so wet. However, with Maryann's excellent encouragement, we pressed on to get our tickets for the game - she could tell this was something I did not want to miss. After being unable to read the ticket due to our extreme lack of knowledge of Turkish, we finally got into the correct gate at the stadium with the help of more friendly locals after about four failed attempts and circumnavigating the stadium multiple times. When the game started, and with 50,000 screaming Turks (for a domestic club match, nonetheless) is was every bit worth it. Easily one of the coolest things we have done over here.

Sunday - The visit of Aya Sofya finally happened. The history of the building was so alive in every piece of stone and mortar that was crumbling, and the height of the main dome was astounding. The techniques that the peoples of that time used in order to create such massive works of architecture will always amaze me. From there, more bazaar searching occurred and lasted the majority of the day. From the small bazaars outside of Aya Sofya to the Grand Bazaar's outdoor shops, we got plenty of haggling opportunities in that day. My favorite instance was when I was approached by one shop owner who said "My friend! My friend! Where are you from? Germany?" - "No!" - "Holland?" - "No!" - "Switzerland?" - "No!" - "Mars?" - "Yes! Mars!" We were frequently asked where we were from because being from half a world away usually meant that we carried more money. I came to the conclusion here that if one was depressed or did not have many friends, they should just come to Istanbul, where everyone is your friend! As the day carried on, we wandered aimlessly and soaked up as much of the culture as possible.

Monday - Since now the Grand Bazaar was actually open, we decided to visit the massive tourist stop and see what it was all about. Insanity. Shops squeezed in everywhere with things that just made it seem as though it were the black market on a large scale made this fantastic. This was short lived as Maryann and Kelli were leaving for the airport soon. Before she left, we both ate a kebab in front of Aya Sofya - an awesome way to end our trip together. From there, I took Maryann to the airport and came back feeling very claustrophobic from transit, so Nick and I decided to relax by playing backgammon at a local joint called 'backpackers' which would be the following night's destination as well.

Tuesday - The last major historical thing to see in Sultanahmet was the Basilica Cistern. This cistern was constructed in the 6th Century also by Emperor Justinian, can hold 27 million gallons of water, is the size of two football fields, and has a colonnade that consisted of Roman historical influence. Completely lit up and with an ambiance created, this with a sight to see. The craziest part was that it was directly under everything we had been doing - the tram lines, restaurants, shops, and the whole busy city was just above where we were. From there we made our way to a bridge that connects land masses over the Golden Horn, which is a strip of water that runs up from the Bosphorous Straight - which connects Asia to Europe. Here, we had the freshest fish sandwich - as it would be caught, cleaned, and cooked within a matter of minutes. Incredibly delicious. More wandering and taking in the massive views of the city led us to relaxation and backgammon with apple tea at Backpackers again that night.

Wednesday - We wake early, eat, and pack for the trip home.

Istanbul was an absolutely amazing journey. It was the greatest form of separation that we have had, as we journeyed even further from our home. Being in a country where the national religion is Islam was also very interesting, and seeing their faith and devotion to their religion was incredible. The cultural pride is ever strong, and the sense of love for their city's history and development over centuries is very present. The culture is alive, the people were incredibly friendly, and I honestly loved being called everyone's 'friend,' as my skin color made me stand out like I never have before - it was truly something to experience.

Thanks for reading.

Perfect Prague

This entry has been delayed because of, well, school. Yes, I know, that thing that I am here to do always seems to interfere with my European experience! Kidding completely, parents. Amidst my packing for my early morning flight to Istanbul, Turkey, tomorrow morning, I am trying to get this entry out to keep a running account of each trip I take.

Seven hours duration brought us from Budapest to the beautiful Czech Republic via a bus that served us hot chocolate (that was a very integral part of the story). Once arriving at around 2 pm, we made an unusually long trek to our hostel to check in, and in doing so we passed through the majority of old town Prague. It was in this short journey that I was able to distinguish that Prague has a very large tourist market, as souvenir shops are seemingly on every corner. Also, however, this massive amount of tourism was due to Prague's "Festival of Europe 2009," which sampled amazing food, live music all over the former Eastern Bloc, sideshow acts, and did I mention crowds, and crowds of people? In all honesty, you could have been there and I would have missed you. After touching down in the hostel, we decided to start walking around. The main square, where there was cheap food, incredibly old buildings, and Czech culture that was accessible to anyone who carried enough Korunas ($$). The best part of the main square of old town had to be the atomic clock, which at every hour, on the hour, would have a skeleton come out of it and ring a bell, while statues of the 12 disciples rotated between two windows on the top of the clock. I say this was the best part because so many tourists would wait for at least half an hour to see this anomaly, cameras drawn, and ready to shoot the amazing Czech atomic clock. However, once the show was over, 'awww' seemed to be the general sound of let down, and the laughter of the native Czechs at the stupid tourists shortly followed. Just listening to the laughter was great.
Next came further foot searching, and crossing the Charles' Bridge, which was constructed in 1357. This bridge is lined with Christian (eastern greek orthodox) statues and angels, and offers an amazing view of the city from the middle. Next came a stop in a pub, and the annoyance that this festival was actually going on. This pub we entered would only allow big groups in, and was catering to a pub race, if you will, where groups of predominately Americans that wished they were still in college went pub to pub, drinking, and drinking, aaaaannnd drinking. Needless to say, the enjoyment of relaxing with my first Czech beer (Budweiser Budvar. . . copyright?) was shortlived. From there came the visiting of the peace wall, which people put graffiti on as a protest to Soviet occupation (http://www.flickr.com/photos/customfun). This was again one more sign of the aftermath of communist occupation, and the effects it had on people. The wall was decorated with John Lennon quotes and charicatures, and powerful slogans [ the most being, "I was born to tell you I love you" - to their oppressors....this was empowering]. After this incredible sight, the night ended with a pub for some food where we were clipped on a huge tip - 20% for their handing out beer and hearty food, oh and not to mention that Czech restaurants don't charge tip. Ever.
The following day was our trek to the castle. This seems to be a habit of every place we visit; to hike up to the one castle. Since Prague's castle complex is the largest in the world, there was plenty to see - from old buildings and the district itself to the absolutely stunning St. Vitus (Veetoosh) Cathedral -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Vitus_Cathedral -, which is a gothic cathedral dating back to 1344 that is located in the middle of the Prague castle. The construction of this cathedral was absolutely incredible, for the amount of detail that went into creating such a structure is phenomenal. After this, we ventured a pizza joint for a rest. From there we visited the Andy Warhols traveling exhibit from the NY MOMA that had a select few of his 16mm films, and for just over $3 US, it was quite a steal.
From there, we went to visit something I have always wanted to see: The Dancing Building. The Dancing Building is a building that was designed by LA architect Frank Gehry (Disney Concert House, Guggenheim in Bilbao, Univ. Cincinnati Health Center). Just to see something in person that was so abstract as that was really amazing. Surprisingly enough, it fit in quite well to the surroundings even though it had very contrasting shapes and materials. Google 'Dancing Building' and look at the pictures, it is impressive in pictures but was incredible in person. Following this was more sightseeing, dinner, and then back to the hostel, when our group decided to go to the largest dance club in all of central Europe.
I passed.

The following day, Maryann and I arose early (while no one else did, because it was the largest dance club in central Europe) to go to a great bakery to get some tasty treats to end our stay in Prague. The bus ride back consisted of more hot chocolate, a showin of James Bond in Hungarian, and some Czech chocolates we got for the ride.

For pictures please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/customfun. I apologize for making this entry so brief, but I must pack for Turkey. That entry will hopefully be put up next Wednesday.

Thanks for reading.

Don't Eat the Bread Basket!

An entry has been long overdue, and I apologize for its tardiness. I wrote nothing for two weeks because not really anything happened, other than our planning for the future weeks ahead. This entry will cover our journey to Vienna, Austria, but future entries will bring Prague, Istanbul, Berlin, Krakow, Barcelona, and Paris. These will be the exciting weeks ahead.

Wein -

We started out trip out to Vienna on Thursday evening , the 26th, on a train bound for the Westbahnhof station in Vienna. Once there, we checked into our hostel, and decided to take a look around our immediate surroundings, although it was getting late at night. Already we had said it was much, much nicer weather than in Slovakia, as our faces did not freeze when we stepped outside. However, my optimism was peaked when we found one of hundreds of kebab stands located throughout the city. Having never tried one, I could not believe how good it was. If ever curious, visit Austria. . .even for the Kebabs. So we wandered aimlessly to kill time until my comrade Diego showed up from Bilbao, Spain. Diego is studying abroad through USF also, was my roommate last semester, and will be one of my roommates next year. Since he did not reach the hostel until nearly midnight, we tried to get as much sleep as possible, since we had planned to visit our Mecca of this trip. Stuhleck was its name, and skiing the Austria Alps was our desire. We arose early in order to have plenty of time to catch our train that took us directly to the slopes. We were told to board at platform 22, at 8:52, which after a train switch, would eventually get us there. So we boarded a train at platform 22 at 8:52, but it was not the correct train, since they were slightly behind schedule. Sadly, however, is that we did not realize that we had boarded the wrong train until much too late; well, until we ended up in northern Austria instead of southern Austria. The view from the train was gorgeous, but it was very interesting as to how the ticket checker did not say anything to us about being headed in the wrong direction. We had all decided that having been here for six weeks and having nothing go majorly wrong, we were doing quite well. Still, this kind of adaptation was something I was hoping to avoid. Although we love it here, we certainly miss being able to fully, easily, and readily communicate with people. So on our way back, we attempted to laugh it off and plan our day ahead, with skiing scheduled for Saturday.
Once back, we saw an incredible amount of Vienna. Before we did any sight seeing however, we all grabbed another kebab sandwich - a great way to start our sight seeing. We walked around the shopping district, saw some of the oldest churches in the city, and saw many side acts on the streets that were trying to get your money - ah, its the same all around the globe. Architecturally staggering was the palace of the Hapsburgs, most notably of Kaiser Franz Joseph. From the outside, this construction was an architectural wonder, as every single aspect was crafted to perfection. Walking around with our Rick Steve's guide, we saw the greatest things that Vienna had to offer, while avoiding what was not worth our visits. Thankfully to Rick, we found out that we could buy cheap opera tickets (4 euro!) for standing / seatless views from upper balconies. Only paying 4 euro to see a world class opera in Austria was quite the steal, and was something I will never forget. From there, we got some more, uber hearty eastern-European food that practically made our hearts stop. They even had our Slovakian cuisine we tried in Bratislava! We could not escape the sheep's cheese, apparently. And to top the night off, Diego and I had another kebab. I was hoping to get sick of them by the time we left, and I am pretty sure we accomplished that.
The next morning, even earlier, brought our successful ski day. We got to the Sudbahnhof station early, caught the correct train, and were up at the mountain by 9:47 a.m. The mass amounts of people attempting to rent / or get up to the slopes from the base lodge brought about delay since the lodge was not designed to cater to that many people. Finally getting on the slopes at around 12:30, we enjoyed some beautiful skiing and snowboarding, with incredibly strange rope tows to bring us up the slopes (skiers put these ice-axe looking things behind them, while snowboarders had to put one end between their legs - needless to say, I was hurting). Breaking for lunch around two, we had some Berner Wurstel at a restaurant that was actually on the slope. It was then that we decided that we had incredibly hard lives. Returning to the slopes after that, we were still able to catch some good runs. Surprisingly, and unfortunately, the entire snow park closed at 16:00, contrary to our previous belief of 18:00. The picture posted is of the train pulling through to take us back to Vienna. All in all, our skiing of the alps was something I will never forget. Returning for some food and an early bed time, brought us up the next morning fresh.
Sunday, March 1 (I cannot believe it is already March!) brought us a check out time and our last bit of sight seeing before our 15:50 train and Diego's flight. We toured the inside of the Hapsburg palace, and saw the apartments of Franz Joseph and his empress Elizabeth. A very real sight to see, we all agreed that the Hapsburg dynasty left behind some amazing works of architecture, art, and history.
Thus the end of our trip came to a small cafe next to our train station. We sat down, and the nice gentleman took our order of once cappuccino, one tea, and one coke. When he asked if we wanted water, and us saying yes (without specifying 'tap water' because they automatically bring you bottled water and charge you for it) he brought us not only water but a nice bread basket. Assuming it was just something that they offered, like back home, we began to eat it. As we sat, conversed, and ate, I managed to see a few other tables that had full bread baskets, even while the people sitting in front of them had been at their table longer than we had been at ours. When the bill came, we were charged for not only our drinks and water (approx. 15 euro total), but we were charged a nice 10 euro extra for our bread basket. Diego asked the waiter what the charge was since we did not order it, and apparently their fine print on their menu is that if you eat it, you pay for it. It is the subtleties that I truly miss about back home - such as this. Diego and I conclude after this that, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and when in Austria, don't eat the bread basket!' Our frustrations subsided when we realized as to how ridiculous that cafe was, and figured it would make for one more good story later.
Having not had any major problems while being here in Europe, our first run ins with unfortunate language discrepancies, train schedules, and bread fiascoes brought the only small clouds to our incredible trip. We have not forgotten that we are still adapting. We still have to communicate with the few people that speak English, and we still are attempting to get used to the customs of the land. Thus far, this adaptation has been eye opening. And while the few unfortunate events were, well, unfortunate, the train pulled away from the Wein - Westbahnhof station headed for Budapest - Keleti station with me thinking how incredible it was to see that physical remnants of the Hapsburg empire, skiing the alps, and getting a rude awakening to bread basket etiquette.

Thanks for reading.

Splitting a Snickers in Snowy Slovakia

Before I begin: If you have time, please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/customfun to view recently uploaded pictures that I have slightly influenced through artistic license.

As the title of this entry suggests, we spent our weekend in Slovakia; Bratislava, actually. Now before any details are spilled or interesting stories are accounted for, never in a million years did I say, 'I think one day I'll visit Slovakia.' This is the perfect disclaimer to my experience. It was last Tuesday, February 10th, when I asked Maryann if she would like to go somewhere outside of Hungary to take advantage of our long weekend. Deciding upon Bratislava, we went to the train station to book our ticket. Here was where the preconceived fears of the language barrier really took in full effect. Before coming to Budapest I had always just assumed that pointing or little Hungarian knowledge would get me far enough. But it was when we were booking our "international" train ticket and were getting shooed away left and right for asking if anyone spoke English that the divide was really beginning to take a toll. However, we finally found our way to the correct place to get our ticket to Bratislava, and after a little confusion, successfully booked a trip to a different country's capital for $20 round trip. Ah, the good life. From there I booked a cheap but awesome deal of a hostel that ran us an additional 13 euro for two nights. Before we had even left, I was starting to love our trip.
Leaving on Friday morning for our 9:28 train ride out of Budapest-Keleti pu. station proved even more exciting than anticipated, as Kelli, Maryann's friend, forgot her passport. Not knowing if Slovakia was a part of the Schengen Agreement, we decided to chance it and continued on our way to the station. Once at the station, we simply showed our ticket to the nonchalant ticket guards who in all likelihood would have let us through with a blank piece of paper in our hands. With no signs to mark the platforms or which trains were leaving where, we hopped aboard our (thankfully) correct train and found our way to the first empty compartment. The tickets here have no assigned seating, so getting your own seat seems to be that of a free-for-all. Two and a half hours on the train and we were there. -Welcome to beautiful Slovakia!- I thought, before exiting the train to the bone chilling winter winds that made me wish I had packed heavier clothing. Walking out of the station that had no ticket checkers, no passport stands, or really any evidence of authority was almost a little comical. We did not know that traveling from Hungary to Slovakia was such a low key thing; maybe we overreacted about the passports. We made our way to the hostel via the .50 euro tram ticket and checked in.
Once settling in, we asked the front desk worker where the best place to eat was, as we had the appetite to fill our ravished stomachs with authentic Slovakian cuisine. The Slovak Pub, we were informed, was the best place to go. My first real experience of cultural divide: walking into this pub was like something out of an old western movie. . . only in Bratislava. I opened the door and stepped in, with Maryann and Kelli shortly behind me, to find that literally everyone in the pub was staring at us, for a good 15 seconds. Apparently we do not pass for native Slovaks. After our meal of dumplings, sausage, and sheep cheese (mmmmm tasty), I had thought differently. It was from there that we planned the rest of our stay.
Bratislava is much smaller than I had anticipated, as is Slovakia in general. With a population of around 450,000, I had assumed to see some active city life, even if it is around 1/3 the size of Budapest. However, we were shocked as to how few people we saw for being the capital city of the country. In addition, we were surprised as to seemingly how little there was to do around our hostel. Enter 'Old Town.' Old town is the tourist area of Bratislava that is kept to a 't,' with perfect cobble stone and high end shops and restaurants, it is clearly a financial gain for the city. However, it was almost as if it were a different city completely, as outside of 'Old Town' still greatly reflects communism and political turmoil more than any place we have seen thus far. Once we had seen the tourist locations and the local hot spots, including an authentic Slovakian chocolate bar, we decided to venture out into the real city and see what we could find. With our aimless wanderings we found 8 churches within a 12 block radius, most of which stemmed from the 16th century. One church we found was built in 1297, and was a common place for knights to be knighted (I was in awe). If that wasn't amazing enough, finding the national cathedral was, as 11 kings were crowned in that building which was finished in the early 1450s. Sad to say, however, is that we tried to get into the cathedral twice, and were both times barred due to weddings. Apparently, it is an amazing place to get married. Who would have thought? After seeing the best parts of the low town, the highlight of our trip came to center stage: the Bratislava Castle. Having read plenty about it, we excitedly began our hike up the hill to see this acclaimed building. After all of our reading and all of our hiking in the insanely cold winter, it was being renovated. Scaffolding covered every single inch of each wall. The irony of this moment was as hilarious as it was frustrating.
All in all, Bratislava was an awesome trip. We saw amazing churches, experienced a few very cold Slovakian snow days, and ate the heaviest food that has ever entered any person, ever. Although the tourist aspects of this city could be accomplished in one day, our findings of great cafes, churches, and every bit of history this city had to offer made our trip a memorable one. And on top of that, we met some very interesting lads in our hostel; two went to NYU, one of which was from San Francisco, who lives right next to where I did last fall. Small world, no?
To explain the title of this entry, Maryann and I were sitting on a bench outside of the train station in Bratislava, waiting to go home, splitting a snickers as the snow continued to fall and the cold continued to chill, when we both laughed at the thought that we were in Slovakia. The realization of that alone was amazing.

Thanks for reading.

The Plunge

It has come to the realization that we are thriving. No longer are we dashing out to experience the tourist aspects of this place. No longer are we planning our daily and weekend adventures based off of a book or some entry that Rick Steves pushed atop some most notables list while in Budapest; no longer are we playing the rushed game of what we have to see immediately since, as Americans, we don't have castles that are 1000 years old back in the States, let alone Oregon. It is taking constant reminding and recognition of our stay here to fully enjoy it, so that we can experience the non tourist aspects of this city; so that we are not trapped in the confinements of a tourist book, but so that we are lead by curiosity, and maybe Laci's direction. I have never been away from the U.S. this long, so I have never had the opportunity nor the luxury of being able to relax and assimilate to a different cultural cycle. So it is taking the best of us to remember that we will not be returning to our homes until June, and it is only February. Once we remind ourselves of these things, however, we quickly realize that albeit we want to see the tourist aspects of this city, we also want to experience what could not be accomplished while just being here for a short stay. It is the difference in a ten day vacation to a five month stay.
In our search for the entertainment and culture of the local Hungarians we have already found much. Whether it be the pubs they go to, the theaters they visit, or the everyday places they venture to which would seem like monuments to any American - we are following. I am, however, drawing the line at the Szex Bolts (Sex Shop) which seems to be at every major intersection. Sex is taboo here, and is so much more widespread than back home, even if that may seem hard to believe. When viewing a modern interpretation of Shakespeare's 'A Mid Summer Night's Dream,' this became very apparent very quickly, as their use of nudity in theater was something I had to attempt to appreciate as the shock would not subside. I have come to the conclusion that what would be worthy of condemnation back home is of everyday talk, and to some, use for a society that is much more willing to accept this.

Aside from our first experience in Hungarian theater, we have found a 'local' church to attend. When I say a local church, I mean St. Stephen's Basillica, which is by far the largest place of worship I have ever been in my entire life. Pictured is a view from inside. I make a point to this because, although there is a 200 year old church down the street from us, this Basillica is an icon in the eyes of the Hungarians, and it just so happens to seat over 8,000 people. When visiting it with Maryann to get the mass schedule, we found out that none other than St. Stephen's right hand is held on display in the back of the church. I must say, this was really cool to see. St. Stephen founded Hungary in 1000 A.D. and still is seen as monumentally influential in Hungary's history, as he not only founded the political organization of this country, but also declared it to be Roman Catholic. Hungary is one of the only historically Roman Catholic countries in all of Eastern Europe, as nearly every other country (aside from Romania), belonged to the Eastern Orthodox Church, since the center was in Byzantium, or modern day Instanbul. There are multiple statues of St. Stephen throughout the city, including the one on the front of my university.

As I wrap up this entry, I wanted to put in another picture of my roommate, Nick. In this particular shot, we were up at the Statue of Freedom, which was errected after Nazi occupation. Nick is pictured on the left in an archway looking out over the Buda side of Budapest. This is an amazing place for any personal historian or lover of art, architecture, or culture. Budapest is a pocket in Eastern Europe that, even through many years of political turmoil, has survived to still be as beautiful as it is. I highly recommend it to anyone who would be so lucky as to have an opportunity to travel this far from home. And the best part is that it still has not exploded to American tourism like the Western European countries have. Being here three weeks almost, I have only ran in to Americans once. The separation is phenomenal. We are completely engulfed in this fantastic cultural experience. We are travelers that have decided to stay a while.

Thanks for reading.

The First Few Days

Being it Sunday and having been here for nearly five days, I have experienced more drastic change in this first week than nearly any other time in my life. The most minuscule things such as grocery shopping, going out to restaurants, or sight seeing are all impacted by the language barrier and cultural divide. Having grocery shopped three times already to attempt to stock our mini fridge and kitchen that is nearly of equal size, we have attempted to use what little Hungarian we know in addition to making no mistakes so that as little language is used as possible. As sad as it is, a true sense of globalization has hit me. The necessity to adapt and learn this culture in order to integrate myself has become the forefront of my desire while in my stay. Although English is used by most under the age of 40, and is spoken nearly fluently by a large amount my age, the divide is inevitable. In Hungary, English is implemented as early as primary school in the attempt to make Hungarians more global and adaptable to our ever changing world, as no other country uses this language. However, the older demographics we see the less and less English we hear, as the influence of communism is more apparent. The elders only know Hungarian and Russian due to Stalinism and Hungary being a communist territory very close to mother Russia. And, although we know basically no Hungarian, their (under 40) acceptance to our attempts and respect to them is taken warmly, as they love to use their English as much as we love to attempt to use our first words of Hungarian. But we do not want to plan on people using English, and we hope to quickly be able to converse just enough with the locals to get by. It is as though we are again infants attempting to assimilate. . . strange.

Since my last entry I have noticed a striking element about the streets of Budapest: when people walk they walk with a look of frustration. This is not to say that their hate everything, as they are incredibly nice people. It is yet another reflection of the era of communism, as (especially the elders) spent to many years with nearly nothing to smile about, it has practically become a part of the culture. However, inside closed doors, they are always in high spirits. Next, the main difference I have noticed between Americans and Europeans already is the volume that we traditionally accompany ourselves with. Walking down the street at 4:30 in the afternoon and seeing hundreds of people, I am always amazed as to how quiet it is. Only footsteps upon the pavement are heard amidst the mass of people, and the occasional car going by. It is truly a sight to be seen.

The most interesting thing to me is the way that they communicate with one another. In the States, as you all know, all too often we will ask someone how they are doing simply because it has seemed to become commonplace, yet we do it usually because we feel obliged to, or because it has become custom interaction. Here, Hungarians only ask each other how they are doing when they genuinely are concerned with how someone is. It is a lesson that I have already come to realize that we can all be impersonal at times, even when we do not mean to.

Lastly, Beer is cheaper than water. This is quite convenient for Hungarians and their thirst.

Pictured left is the Hungarian National Castle, which was used from as early as 900 until World War I. The switch from a monarchy to the parliamentary republic that is used today was an influential one that reflected the newer world post WWI. As of now, this castle houses the National Art Gallery, and the National Library, which houses every book ever published in Hungary. Ever. The amount of history here is incredible. I took this shot on a sightseeing tour with my program, and it was one of nearly 200. Up top is the modern day Budapest, with one of so many trams that act as the city's lifeline. Having used the trams and buses myself, I am already in love with how connected this city is, as those in cars are mostly stuck in traffic, and the main mode of transportation is either the municipal systems or walking. Although, I am living on the Pest side, which is the much more urbanized and densely populated portion of Budapest. Attempts to compare this to San Francisco have failed miserably, and density is the only similarity I have found. One thing I have already learned is that whether in Europe or the States, we are in a global society.

Thanks for reading.

Arrival

Early Morning.

Having arrived nearly ten hours ago, I have come to write this entry as I am unable to sleep, and only accompanied by the sounds of the garbage man outside. This nine hour time change is already taking a toll on our arrival, yet it has already given me the opportunity to see the street I live on, and a portion of the city of Budapest, at an hour not many see on a regular basis. Already, we have come to appreciate our new home.

Our trip was much smoother than Maryann or myself could have imagined. Everything went off perfectly, and as of now I am typing this entry in my kitchen, and in the future for all you readers back home. With limited views of the city thus far, we were able to get quickly acquainted with our surroundings on our taxi ride back from the airport. Interestingly enough, the architecture of socialist years is on the outskirts of the city, and most buildings are the exact same and are a clear reflection of the war torn Europe that we have all known of. However, once getting in towards the city, the architecture becomes alive and the beauty of the city takes shape (the presence of these old buildings most likely has to do with Hitler's appreciation for architecture). So as of now, we have gotten to our safe haven, and have seen just how different the language is. If we had not received helped, we would have surely been stranded. . .

Laci (pronounced Lot-zi) is my mentor. He is a 20 year old law student at Pazmany (my school), and speaks fluent English. He met us in the airport and was so excited to see us that he jumped up and exclaimed "USF? Eric? USF?!" From our short encounter he has already told us a great deal about the city, and kind of what to expect. Already, we can see our cultural differences: fortunately there is a washing machine in the bathroom, but when I told him that back in the States we have driers, he could not believe that in such a short time our clothes were ready to wear. Here, they use heating racks to dry everything.

So it is nearly six a.m. and our only food is pretzels, trail mix, and cliff bars. We are sure to go to the market tomorrow to get real food to stock our kitchen with. Nick is to arrive on Thursday in the afternoon from France. Once he is here, the experience will really begin to take shape. The picture posted is one of a street lamp from our balcony on the third floor. I found it quite fitting, as it was one of the only things I could get enough light for, but also because it looks so different from ours back home. Notice the signs on the above the doors. And just our luck, Maryann lives directly across the street! I must end this post for more pretzels and reading up on our new home. Viszontlatarsra.

Thanks for reading.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog, and thanks for visiting.  A little background should be given about my trip to Budapest before I dive into blogging.  

1.  The title of this blog is a Hungarian translation of "For the Journey."  This adventure is already proving to be an experience just from the beginnings of packing, and the journey itself is sure to bring much to the table.  (forthejourney.blogspot.com was already taken)

2.  I will be traveling to Budapest with my girlfriend, Maryann, and will be living with my good friend Nick.  Nick is a former roomate of mine from USF, and he just spent the past six months studying in France; I am convinced he has abandoned the States all together.  Maryann, who goes to Portland State University, will be attending classes at Corvinus University (formerly Karl Marx University), a separate school a short distance from ours (Pazmany Peter Catholic University).  Howerver, she will be living on the same street as us: Raday utca.  

3.  This blog will capture our trip from Monday, January 19th, 2009, until June 6th, 2009.  It will hold entries from an array of experiences and countries to match: including but not limited to Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Croatia.  Those are not set in stone but are on the list of places we hope to visit. 

Ultimately, this blog will capture our attempts at adaptation into a completely new lifestyle, where English is spoken in limited amounts, and the lifestyle is a complete change.  It will encapsulate our learning, appreciation for a new lifestyle, and realization as just how large our world is; it is sure to be very refreshing.  So please, watch as we struggle, squirm, and try to earn our right to say we lived in Europe for a short time. 

Thanks for reading.