Budapest, Hungary

Friday morning we headed over to a bike shop. It was a bit cold, and only barely drizzling at the time. We got to the shop, picked out our bikes and headed on the tour. It was beautiful of course, and our tour guide had great information. It however began to pour rain, and the temperature dropped a good 5 degrees. I actually still enjoyed it quite a bit, because when will I ever get to ride bikes around Budapest ever again? But some kids on the tour were upset and bothered and annoyed. We were freezing, yes, but we made it through. We went to lunch after where we warmed up with hot soup and beers.
After lunch we decided that the best event for a cold and rainy day would be the bath houses. We ran home, grabbed our swimsuits, and met at the most famous and popular Hungarian Bath house. It was glorious. It was like one gigantic pool, but it was the temperature of a hot tub. The baths are built on top of natural hot springs, so the water is full of minerals and sulfer. The sulfer smelled a bit, but we got used to it. The minerals however made our skin feel so soft. We swam around, played in the whirl pool, and had a great time in there for a few hours. It was nice being in the hot water while the air around us was so cold.
After a good three hours we decided it was time to go. We went home, showered off the bath water, and went to dinner. I had gnocchi with olives and artichokes. It was sensational, obviously. The gnocchi however was quite different from italian gnocchi. They were bigger, more potatoey, and even had a different flavor. I loved it though. Annie (the other annie) and I split a bottle of Merlot that was absolutely delicious. Everyone ordered a different kind of wine so that we could try each others.
After dinner we headed to a bar that was playing the olympics just to relax and hang out. In Budapest, it is uncommon to go out before midnight or 1 oclock. We enjoyed watching hockey games and an American-type bar experience. We had a liquor that has a strawberry taste to it (i cant remember the name) that is extremely famous in Budapest because that is where it originates from. Ralph bought all of us the drinks, what a doll, and then he, Tucker and I spent the rest of the time in the bar discussing communism because the next morning we planned to go to the Terror House.
We got a call from the rest of our friends who were ready to meet up, so we went to a club/discotec called Morrisons2. We could tell it was popular when we got there and there was a line to get in. The discotec is 4 stories. The top story was a coat check, game room, and lounge area. The main floor had tables to sit at and the bar and an area to dance. Below that, underground, were two stories dedicated to dancing. Each story had multiple rooms, and each room had a different genre of music to dance to. Disco music, 80s pop music, 90s rap music, music from 2000s, etc. Needless to say I fell in love and it was hard to pull me away from the dance floor. I spent the majority of my time in the 80s room with the girls. It was a blast. We danced the night away! We didnt get home until pretty late, but all made it back safe and soundly.
Saturday morning was a slow start mostly just because we were all so exhausted. Thankfully Chloe and I didnt wake anyone up when we came home at such an obscene hour in the morning, and the rest of our roomies liked hearing about our stories from the night before.
We got up by 11 and were out the door and headed to the Terror museum. We met up with friends who were staying in the other hostel at the Opera house. The Terror House is a museum dedicated to the Communist movement. It was three stories full of historical information and accounts of people who survived what happened in Budapest from 1930-1960. I really was unaware of what had happened there. The museum was set in a house that was used during that time as a house of torture. The bottom floor of the museum was a dungeon. It was used to house prisoners, torture, and kill them. We walked through the rooms they lived in, saw the tools used to torture them, and the gallows they used to kill them. It was really difficult to make it through the last part, so we all went a bit faster.
Thankfully when we got outside the sun was shining so it helped to pick up our moods. We decided to go to the Tropicarium. Unfortunately, it was farther and much more difficult to reach than we had thought so we never made it there. It wasnt for nothing though, we saw so much of the city in our attempt to make it there. I left the group around 4 to go and meet up with others to go to a Jesuit Mass. Unfortunately no one else was inclined to go. Father Brian had left early because he was saying mass, so I had no one to walk with. I was extremely bummed, but there was a church nearby so I went in there. Unfortunately there was no mass, but I enjoyed spending some quiet time sitting there and praying (chatting with God as we say). It was relaxing and something I feel as though I really needed.
I decided to go exploring. I found a street near the hostel full of Hungarian shops, markets and live music. I was so excited to say the least and had a ball roaming around by myself. Which is surprising because I usually hate being alone. I got postcards, a bracelet for my little sis (in Delta Gamma) and a traditional Hungarian vest. I am so excited about the vest. It is black with colorful embroidered flowers on it.
Eventually I made my way back to the hostel where the whole group went on a riverboat cruise down the Danub River for about an hour or so. it was beautiful to say the least. The parliament, palaces and Liberty hill were all lit up and shining over the water. We got Thai food on the river after the cruise. It was delicious. The lady serving us was an old woman who was so kind and made some amazing Thai food. I got Phad Thai, as always, and it was amazing. All four of us really enjoyed our meals.
We met up with the rest of the crew after dinner (who had decided to eat at McDonalds) and went to the bars for a little while.
Brian Russel and I came home early and when we got home Father Brian was awake. We ended up staying up till about 3 in the morning talking with Father Brian about life. We got into some really great conversation about the Church, Cannon law, our lives and our beliefs. It was amazing. i learned a lot not only about the Church and Cannon law, but about Father Brian and my friend Brian Russel.
The next morning a group of us headed over to Liberty Hill to climb it. It is on the opposite side of the river, the Buda side, and the top of the hill is the highest point in Buda and gives an amazing view of all of Pest. We climbed the hill, stopping along the way to take pictures. At the top we stayed for a long time. Talking, hanging out, enjoying the view, and loving the life we are living.
After we went to a traditional Hungarian lunch, where I once again got the onion soup - I love it there - and then returned to the Hostel to collect our belongings and head home.
We didnt arrive back to our Pensione in Firenze until about 3 am, but it was well worth the amazing weekend we got to have. Our teachers on Monday were informed of our late arrival, and therefore were a bit more kind and lenient on late arrivals and sleepy faces.

The sun is shining today and their is plenty of blue sky. I am about to head out on a run!
Love love love