Viszontlátásra Budapest!

I'm writing this last entry from my small couch in Chicago. I've been home for about a full day now, and so far I have felt exactly in place. I have seen the skyline, heard the El rolling on the tracks in the background, and had a full conversation (in my native tongue!) with my cashier at the grocery store on Sedgwick and Division. So far, all these things have made me feel relieved, comforted, and damn happy to be home.

But for the first time since I've left Budapest, I'm looking at this photo of the sun setting behind the Buda hill. I'm standing on the Pest side right near my university on the bank of the Danube with the Liberty bridge right in front of me. Now, I can't help but feel like I'm connected to Budapest, like a part of me belongs there. When I look at this photo, it's hard to believe that I'm not just taking another weekend trip to a new European city and that I won't be back there in just a few days. I'm gone from Budapest for good, at least until I decide to visit there again.

Budapest is the city that really confirmed my sense of purpose and identity. I learned that a person like me (maybe Capricorns in general) needs something to be responsible for. Besides my classes, which is such a regular part of my life now that it's hard to consider education as just temporary, I never had any commitments; I never had to be anywhere on a certain day at a certain time. It was this type of relaxation that at first was great, but after time made me want to pull my hair out. I'm not the type of person that deals well with too much free time. Without question I will be traveling in the future, and likely for long periods of time. Now I know it's my goal to have a job or be on assignment while doing so.

I can also credit this city to making me feel less American. For many reasons I am extremely proud to be from the country that I am, but for many of our stereotypes I'm embarrassed. As we all know, Americans have the tendency to be loud, complain when their meal is too salty, sue someone when the bus your riding on gets into an accident, and talk about people from other countries as if they don't understand or don't know any better. In Budapest, this doesn't happen. And that's the way it should be. Everyone should have an experience like this and learn these things about themselves. It would make the world a better place.

St. Vitus' Cathedral

The exterior of St. Vitus' Cathedral.

The entrance into the area of the cathedral, which was built above the tomb of the martyred St. Wenceslas. The walls are encrusted with jasper, amethysts, and agates.

But first, a photo shoot in front of one of the doors.

And we're in!

The most extravagant organ I've ever seen.

It's the biggest Gothic church in the country.

Original stained glass by Alphonse Mucha. Yes, THE Alphonse Mucha!!!

Somebody doesn't take sinning seriously...

There are over 21 busts in this triforium, and they all have an unbelievable amount of detail.

Finally a Blue Sky! (Sort of...)

Here is the St. Nicholas Church, finished in 1737. It stands out like a bright white dove in an otherwise neutral grey common square.

Making our way up to the green tipped building up there, St. Vitus' Cathedral.

A woman on Radnicke Schody enjoying a smoke break.

It was a steep climb up to the Cathedral.

But we didn't make it up before stopping for some absinthe first.

Prague by Day

This is Prague from the Charles Bridge. This bridge, lined with statues of saints, was originally built in 1357.

I've come to accept and love this season in Eastern Europe for it's plethora of overcast and gray days. If you can ignore all the North Face jackets and digital cameras, you can almost feel like you were there five hundred years ago.

When I visit these cities, it's so hard to come to terms with the fact that people actually live in them and aren't just there to visit.

We must have looked like a group of famous people with all the big cameras.

Easter-egg looking houses on one of the main strips.

The architecture and design in this city was incredible - here is a door to a church.

And of course, a great backdrop for a photo shoot!

This was after we left the Museum of Contemporary Art, which was... very phallic.

Prague is probably the most ornate city I've seen.

Yet another awesome church door!

There really isn't even a need for cars in Prague, I think only a very small amount of people actually own them.

And then it was time to eat again! We went to a place called Svejk, which is a small tavern that pays homage to a hero, named Svejk, from a novel by Czech author Jaroslav Hasek.

Onion soup.

Chubby wieners and pickled vegetables.

Schnitzel!

At night we went to the Old Town Hall, which has been witness to the executions of Wenceslas in 929 and the Hussite chiefs in 1621.

The Old Town Hall also has the astronomical clock, which parades small statues of the 12 apostles on the hour every hour. However, it is really just an anticlimactic glorified coo-coo clock, so I wouldn't recommend waiting around for it.

We spent some time at the Christmas Market, and then went back to the hostel to bed. Not! Then we went out, but my camera did not join us...

First Night in Prague

After a very uncomfortable eight hour bus ride my friends and I arrived in Prague at night. After settling into the hostel, we went into the Old Town Centre and did some walking around. Here is the Old Royal Palace from the other side of the Danube. It was once home to the Habsburgs and the kings of Bohemia.

Now, Budapest has its fair share of cobblestone streets, but Prague really has cobblestone streets - everywhere! They're exactly how you would imagine cobblestone streets to be: uneven, slippery when wet, and impossible to walk on in heels (even though most of the local women do).

Naturally, our first stop was to sit down and get some food.

There is a Czech beer called Budweiser, and (thankfully) it's not the same Budweiser that we have in the States, but it is a sure surprise when you see it on the menu!

Ham, sauerkraut, and potato pancakes - delicious.

Polariods

I took a few sets of expired Polaroid film with me on my trip. Here, I have some photos I took in Budapest and Vienna. From left to right, there is: Parliament in Vienna, a building on the ring road in Budapest, the back of St. Istvan's Basilica in Budapest, a sculpture in Museumsquarter in Vienna, Mozart's grave in Vienna, Parliament in Vienna again, Beethoven's grave in Vienna, the sunset in the cemetery in Vienna, and an old car in Budapest.

Stephansdom

A few from Vienna after a 343-step climb up the tower of the Stephansdom.

This is Stephansdom's 390 foot tall spire.

Inside the 13th century Riesentor exterior, there is a beautiful cathedral with countless marble statues.

The flamboyant Gothic decor has been here since 1515. 1515!

Halfway up the climb to the top of the spire. Surprisingly enough, the architects of this building didn't plan for having hundreds of people climb up the winding stairs 500 years later, so the staircase is small, cramped, and not suitable for two-way traffic.

However, the view was worth it!

Back at the bottom again, here is another view of the Stephansdom from Graben, which is one of Vienna's most elegant thoroughfares.