For weeks, I’ve been occupied with peaceful tracing of drug routes from Afghanistan further west while using a beautiful red pen stolen from the office supplies cabinet. Today however, I couldn’t prevent diverting my otherwise focused attention to two amazing news stories. First one, speaking of the resurgence of the Hungarian Guard – a neo-fascist organization – and the second one – telling a tale of a Russian woman who set fire to her ex-husband’s penis. Both stories put a large dent of worry and angst into my otherwise calm and boring Budapest life. I dove further into the sea of headlines and Read more…
Since it’s pretty much one of the most exciting things that has been happening in Budapest every summer since 1994, I must have heard about Sziget at least several dozen times. Finally, it happened and all the hype wasn’t for nothing – a week-long celebration filled with booze, music and half naked men, Sziget was very cool. I went for two days – first to see Gogol Bordello, Mau Mau and Madness, and then back for Leningrad and The Killers. Read more…
Of course there is more to Vienna than sausage, but this wiener was an all time winner of our weekend stay in Vienna. First of all, Vienna gets a bad rep as a boring place from those, spoiled by European travel. All lies. It’s a gorgeous, lively and friendly city. While Vienna’s architectural attractions include Habsburgs‘ mansions and gardens, the Ostereich (or ostrich according to D) capital is also proud of having been a stage set for “The Third Man” and home to the fabulous Dr. Freud. Quite expectedly though, vegetarians can happily roam the city’s gorgeous streets, but a food stop will bring meat refuseniks into a state of gloom. Who could guess that something harmlessly named “spinach pasta” can cause heart failure?
It was at the very end of our adventures in Vienna, when we broke loose of Lonely Planet’s suggestions and sat down at a place curiously named Centimeter. Read more…
So today I saw D off to the airport. Very sad. I wept at the customs booth for a few minutes while watching him expose the flashy contents of his carryon. Then I had to go to the bathroom really badly, which added more pain and suffering to the whole seeing off process. Then I sat on a bus with a group of Asian students from London who kept wondering where the hell they were going. But tonight, to sooth my heartache I bought a cheap, used bicycle, with basket attached. It pretty much rules. I also bought a helmet, which has Spider Man coloring and makes me look like the biggest idiot to ever roam the streets of Budapest. Let’s hope it will save me from any potential brain damage. The girl at the bike store was somehow not impressed with my biking skills – “Don’t end up under a car or something,” she said. Oh Hungarians and their dark, depressed humor! Ok, my basket is at the back and there is no dog… yet, but check out the sweet free ride this guys is getting!!