packing is the bane of my existence

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First of all, I am incapable of packing light. My fellow blogger and friend, Kelly has some great packing tips, but unfortunately she posted them after I had moved to Hungary for the summer, so now I’m stuck with all I brought here and then some…

13 pairs of shoes. That's how many I have with me here in Hungary. That's just ridiculous. I brought running shoes...and how many times did I run? One.

I also brought a yoga mat. How many times did I do yoga? Zero.

I need to seriously think about if I am going to use things before I lug them halfway across the world.

I can’t really remember how I packed all of my different bags on the way here, so I’m worried that I will make one too heavy and have to frantically repack at the airport check-in counter. Flying really stresses me out. And hurts my wallet- I’m doing all I can to avoid any sort of extra fees. Wish me luck!

Anyway, today is my last full day in Hungary. I have to finish packing and move out of my apartment. Beata flys out tomorrow as well, so we’re going to go out for our last night…probably, no, definitely, to Szimpla.

internship wrap up

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Friday was my last day at my internship. And I was not so sad to leave.

That’s not to say I did not enjoy my time at my internship, rather, it was time to leave. I will miss my co-workers, Kinga and Barbara, they made me want to go to work everyday (or most days at least). I'll also miss Budapest, but I will not miss the work (or lack thereof).

I really loved living/working in Budapest, but this internship was a bit of a disappointment for me. When I was offered the position the organization was still fully functional, but a few months later they were informed that the office would be closing in the fall, so there was limited work for me to do. The first two months were fine, but by the third month I really did not have much to do. Thankfully, Kinga was willing to spend a lot of time teaching me Hungarian- I'm a slow learner when it comes to languages.

Overall, it was a good experience. I learned a lot about what kind of work I do/do not want to do for a future career. I have another internship this fall, this time with a political consulting firm, so I will have a very different experience (I think). I'm just trying to find what type of career suits me best.

a visit to parliament

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Beata and I spent our last Saturday morning at the Hungarian Parliament. We woke up at 7 and were at the ticket office just after 8- we wanted to make sure we could get tickets for the 10 am English tour! Beata was able to go for free because she’s a EU citizen, but I had to pay! Although, I received a 50% discount because I’m student. Then we headed to Culinaris for cappuccinos and killing time.

Awkward in front of Parliament

Well, the tour lasted a whole 30-40 minutes…pretty short if you ask me. But, our tour guide, Marta, was great and overall, the tour was good. She was very clear and concise and told us lots of good little stories. The most interesting was about the cigar holders that line the windowsills outside the session halls. The representatives used to place their Havana cigars (which burn for 3 hours) into a numbered holder to go hear a speaker and when they came out they could tell how good/interesting the speaker was by how long the ash was. And so, the saying "it was worth a Havana" is part of the Hungarian language!

The cigar holders

Gala Staircase

Looking up into the dome

The session hall of the former Upper House

Here are a few quick facts I learned from the tour:

  • There are 691 rooms in the Parliament
  • The dome is 96 metres tall to commemorate 896 - the year when the Magyar people moved into the Carpathian basin and settled in what is now Hungary
  • Most of the marble in the building is not real - real marble would have been too heavy and they did not want the building to sink into the Danube...
  • There's a hair salon in the cellar so the representatives can look nice when they push the buttons
  • The construction was projected to cost 9 billion Hungarian crowns, it actually cost 36 billion crowns
  • It took 19 years to complete

printa

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My boss has the bad habit (not intentional, I’m sure) of introducing me to places that I find quite addicting. Sugar was the first, Printa is the second.

Printa is a gallery/café/design shop/silkscreen studio located, where else, but the Jewish Quarter! Rumbach Sebestyén u. 10 to be exact, right across from the synagogue.

(photo via pestiest.hu)

Look at the great pillow I bought for my apartment in Denver! It’s a map of district VII (well, part of it) and features some of my favorite places.

Okay, so I admit it, a pillow was not the wisest purchase considering I have limited space to bring anything back, but I was in love! What can I say? Love makes me do crazy things.

the sewing circles of herat

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I just finished reading The Sewing Circles of Herat. Scarlett left this book with me when she visited, the description on the back sounded interesting, so I read it. And overall, I have to say I was rather disappointed.

Written by British journalist Christina Lamb, The Sewing Circles of Herat recounts her personal experiences in Afghanistan during the late 1980s and in post-9/11 2001-2. While I learned quite a bit about Afghanistan, I knew very little to begin with, there was something about the way Lamb writes that really bothers me. At times I felt she was doing the people of Afghanistan, particularly the women, justice in describing their recent history, but at other times I felt that she was just boasting about her own experiences, and I did not care to read about that.

I suppose I wouldn't tell you to not read this book, because quite a bit of it is informative, but perhaps there is a similar book that is better written?

delving deeper into the jewish quarter

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My time in Budapest is coming to a close and there are just a few things left on my to do list. And today I was able to check another item off my list! Oliver and I visited the Great Synagogue (Dohány utca 2). I've walked by the synagogue several times since this summer, but I've never gone inside. I think the high entrance fee (2050 HUF with a student discount) deterred me. Although, after going I have to say it was it was worth it.


The synagogue is huge and the inside is very ornate. There were so many different things to see and look at!

Behind the synagogue is the Memorial Garden. The focal point is the Tree of Life (paid for by Tony Curtis- who would have thought?). It's a weeping willow, and also an upside down menorah, and etched upon each leaf is the name of a Hungarian Jew who sent to a concentration camp and never returned. I think it is a really excellent memorial and honors the memory of those who perished during the Holocaust.

The Jewish Museum is just four rooms, but those four rooms are very informative. Three of the rooms cover Jewish traditions and culture, something that I don't know nearly enough about, and the fourth touches on the Hungarian Jewish experience during the Holocaust.

After the synagogue we stopped at Fröhlich Cukrászda (Dob utca 22) for some cake and coffee. We shared a slice of Dío torta and a slice of Csokis torta- both were delicious! Founded in 1953, Fröhlich is a wonderful, little kosher pastry café- there are not many left in Budapest. I highly recommend a stop here if you are in Budapest!

We ended the day with dinner at Köleves, one of the best restaurants (that I've been to) in the Jewish Quarter.

celebrating king st. stephen

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Budapest, and Hungary in general, is full of statues, streets, churches, and so on, dedicated to Szent István, the first Christian king of Hungary. He's basically credited with founding the Kingdom of Hungary back in the early part of the eleventh century. He's an important guy, to say the least. He was canonized on August 20, 1083, thereby becoming King St. Stephen! Woohoo! And since that day, August 20 has been a national holiday, replete with festivities and celebrations across the country.

This past Friday (August 20, of course), I had the day off work so Beata, Oliver, and I spent the day walking around the city, checking out what was going on.

The promenade along the river was lined with stalls selling strudel, corn on the cob, and other Hungarian treats

Dancers headed to the river for a performance

Unfortunately we missed the part where the Holy Right (aka King St. Stephen's shriveled and petrified right hand) is paraded around in front of the Basilica.

St. Stephen's Basilica decked out for the holiday

That evening, Oliver and I went to watch the fireworks display by the Danube. Here's a portion of it from where we were sitting in Roosevelt tér.


(The fireworks were set off simultaneously from several locations along the river, so this video does not do the display justice)

We ended the night with drinks at gödör. I've discovered my new favorite drink, a fröccs- a wine spritzer with elderberry syrup- so tasty. If I can find elderberry syrup I will be making these at home!

Correction: it's elderflower, not elderberry syrup- my mistake!

the mighty boosh

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I'm not sure how or when I first came across the Mighty Boosh, but I remember that as soon as I saw the Old Gregg video I was hooked.

The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe that developed a television program on the BBC from their live tours and radio shows. The plot is very loose and quite nonsensical, but I love it. I think it's hilarious and Noel Fielding and Julian Barrat work so well together.


This past week iTunes was offering season 1 for $7 and so that's been my entertainment for the past week. So good!

If you haven't watched the Boosh before, you need to start. Here's a little bit to get you started:


traditional hungarian sweets

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In order to justify eating obsence amounts of pastries and cakes I tell myself, “It’s a traditional Hungarian sweet!” Who knows when I’ll be in Hungary again? Maybe I won’t be able to do eat an authentic dobos tortá or esterházy torta for years.

Yes, that is a giant slice of cake and yes, I did eat it all- it was delicious. Be jealous.

Just two weeks left, I better start sampling!

cold fruit soup

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Cold fruit soup? Really, Hungary? Really?

At least that’s what I thought at first. It sounded horrendous. And as a starter! Who wants that? And then I tried it. I’m not a convert. World’s biggest cold fruit soup fan right here. Okay, so maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it really is quite delicious!

Cold fruit soup (Hideg gyümölcsleves), like so many things here, is a Hungarian tradition. It’s a traditional peasant dish, typically made from whatever fruit is in season (during the various parts of summer, that is). Like I said, it’s usually served as a first course, followed by a savory entrée. So odd, but like I said, I love it now.

I’ve searched high and low on the internet to bring you, what looks to be, an excellent recipe for cold fruit soup. I haven’t made it yet since I don’t really cook here, but if you’re willing to take a chance, I recommend you try it!

Hungarian Cold Sour Cherry Soup (hideg meggyleves)

6 cups water

1 pound fresh sour cherries, pitted

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar

In a large saucepan, cook cherries with water and 3/4 cup sugar until done, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix sour cream with flour, salt and confectioners' sugar until smooth.

When cherries are done, temper the sour cream mixture with a few ladles of hot cherry liquid, whisking until smooth. Transfer to the pan with the cherries and whisk until smooth. Simmer 5 minutes, but do not boil.

Cool to room temperature in an ice water bath. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the soup (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate until cold. Serve cold as a first course as they do in Hungary or as a dessert with a dollop of sour cream or whipped cream

Makes 6 servings

I'll definitely be trying this when I get home! If you try it before I do, make sure to tell me how it turns out and what you think of the oddity that is cold fruit soup!

wamp

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The weather today is pretty horrendous- hot and muggy. I wish it would just rain already! But it did not stop me today! Armed with umbrella in hand I headed off to Erzésbet tér for WAMP- a monthly design fair featuring Hungarian artists, most of whom work in Budapest. I'd walked past it once before, but it was later in the evening and they had been closing up. Today I arrived early enough to stop and take a look at all the stalls.

And there were so many things that I wanted to buy, but I refrained! But the thing I wanted most was a fanny pack. Hip pouch, to be exact, but who's kidding who here, it's a fanny pack. I've seen it before at other shops around the city. It's made by Balkan Tango, a local designer who makes bags out of used bicycle innertubes. All of their products are really great and each one is named after a Balkan/Central European city (i.e. the Budapest bag, the Sofia purse, the Skopje shopping bag).



The Beograd Belt Bag

I really, really want it, but I think the fact that it's a fanny pack held me back. It would be fully acceptable in Europe, especially here in Hungary, but what about when I get back to the US? I think Hungary has officially brainwashed me if I am seriously considering a buying this.

What do you think? Should I do it? I do kind of love it, but maybe it's a forbidden love.

saturday at sziget festival

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I spent all of Saturday at Central Europe's largest music festival- Sziget. The week long festival held on Budapest's Obudai Sziget (Obuda Island) and fills most of the island. This year's headliners included Iron Maiden (no comment), Muse, and Mika, amongst others (although I didn't see any of these bands!).

I was able to go thanks to Scarlett! She really does seem to know everyone. Her friend, Isabel's band, Rupa & the April Fishes were playing at Sziget and she was able to get me a free ticket and backstage pass! The best thing about a backstage pass? The bathrooms. The regular bathrooms at Sziget weren't that awful, they had flushing toilets and running water, but on the fifth day of a festival...well, they're not so great anymore.

There was a slight misunderstanding with my ticket situation and I ended up waiting for my pass for 2 hours, even though it was taped to the wall probably a half hour into my waiting...oh well! Better late than never!

My co-worker, Kinga, was at the festival for a dance flash mob. I was only able to catch the very end of it because of the whole ticket situation, but it looked liked a lot of fun! It was the only thing I saw at the main stage all day. Sorry Iron Maiden, you just weren't my top priority. Maybe next time...

(I never knew there were so many Iron Maiden fans left in the world...weird!)

Kinga had been to the festival several years in a row, so she knew a bunch of people and all sorts of events that were going on that I would have never found on my own. One such thing was a contact dance workshop. At first I was just standing on the side (big surprise) watching Kinga and others dance. They finally convinced me to join in, and I'm really glad I did! It was a lot of fun- basically it involved me falling down and rolling on the ground and over people...


And then we climbed to the top of the Merrell tower. It's a giant climbing wall/zipline thing. Really awesome if that's your sort of thing. My fear of heights/lack of upper body strength keeps me away from climbing walls (although I have tried). Kinga worked at the tower for seven years and still knows most of the people who were working, so were were able to go in for free.

The views from 26 meters were great, but the festival is so huge I could only see a small number of the venues.

One of the coolest things, that I didn't get a chance to do, was the 'Dreher in the sky' bar. Basically, 20 or so people sit around this bar (pictured above) and then it gets lifted up by a crane. So cool! You get to enjoy an ice cold beer and look out over the entire island!

In exchange for the ticket and pass, I sold CDs during the Rupa & the April Fishes set. They're a really great band I suggest you check them out as soon as possible, you'll probably like them! They're from San Francisco (although a lot of the band members are originally from all over the world) and they sing in English, French, and Spanish. Their music is an eclectic blend of world genres and many of their songs touch on human rights issues- music with a message, if you will.

After their set I met up with Kinga and Nikki and we saw Los de Abajo, another great band from Mexico. Their set was a lot of fun and really great to dance to.

I was dead tired after being at the island for 12 hours so I headed back home just after midnight, but the party was far from over. The music never stops playing at Sziget. Most of the concerts end around 11 and then all of the tents turn into dance parties. I would have loved to stay, but I could barely keep my eyes open, let alone dance.

There is so much to much to see and do at Sziget. I was there for an entire day and I barely scratched the surface. Maybe next year! (Here's hoping)

i'm practically fluent in hungarian (nem!)

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My co-worker has been giving me Hungarian lessons in our spare time. Oy! It’s such a difficult language. There are seven short vowels and seven long- crazy. I feel like I’m making progress, but at a snail’s pace.

Will I ever be able to speak Hungarian? Probably not, but a girl can dream. (Yes, I am serious- such are my goals and ambitions in life). I’m not so great with foreign languages. In fact, I’m not so great with my native language in case you have not noticed.

Perhaps one day I’ll be able to read this poem. For now, I’ll try to be content with just the cake (and the English side of the page).

mumford & sons

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Mumford & Sons is my summer music obsession. I heard their song “The Cave” on an NPR Music podcast and was instantly hooked. After purchasing that song and listening to it repeatedly, I decided to check out the rest of the album.

It was quite possibly the best purchase of the summer. So. Freaking. Good.

Now I’m a sucker for good lyrics and a little banjo, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but I think they’re fantastic. They sound a bit Americana, but are actually from Britain!

Take a listen:

bruno bourel

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I headed to the Jewish Quarter after work today to see a photo exhibit by Bruno Bourel. Bourel was born in Paris but moved to Budapest in the 1980s and soon after began taking photographs of the Jewish community.

The exhibit was inside the Rumbach utca synagogue. The synagogue is not functional, and the only way to go inside is for special events like this. It really is a beautiful building and it’s a shame that it’s no longer in use. I’d like to learn more about the history of the building…



I really enjoyed the exhibit. The titles and related short stories/poems were in Hungarian, French, and English, so I was not left out in the cold. I think Bourel did an excellent job capturing people in their everyday lives. Although, this exhibit really just made me want to live in the Jewish Quarter even more...

Unfortunately, it closes Sunday and it's not open tomorrow (it being Shabbat and all). So if you're in Budapest, which you're probably not. I suggest you go! But if you can't, at least take a look at Bourel's website- a lot of the pictures are posted in his online gallery.

the selected works of t.s. spivet

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I had never heard of The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen before Scarlett arrived in Budapest with a copy in tow. It took me a grand total of five days to read it, thanks in part, to the dreary weather during our first day in Révfülöp.

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet is the story of a 12-year old boy genius- Tecumseh Sparrow Spivet, hence the T.S. He’s also a cartographer, he makes maps of everything, his sister shucking corn, the location of all the McDonald’s in North Dakota, drainage ditches…you name it, he’s mapped it. The story begins when T.S. receives a phone call from the Smithsonian inviting him to Washington, D.C. to accept a prestigious award. And so, T.S. heads off to D.C., riding the rails like the hobos of days gone by. It is a story of adventure, growing up, and learning about where one comes from (and, more specifically, how to deal with coming from a crazy family).

I highly recommend this book. To everyone. It’s a great story with a wonderful protagonist. I was left with a few questions, but they did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. There are lots of great lines in there that will, I hope, make you laugh out loud (or at least chuckle under your breath). Read it and get back to me with your thoughts!

I just doubled the number of books I read this summer. That brings me to a grand total of two. I just started The Sewing Circles of Herat by Christina Lamb (also from Scarlett) the other night. If I can read that and another book before I leave, I will be happy. Unfortunately, Budapest does not have the best selection of books in English, and understandably so.

gödör klub

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Now that I’ve run out of visitors I have two options for evening activities: sit alone in my apartment and stare blankly at the wall or go out and do things.

If you know me at all, you know that I really, really hate doing things alone. It gives me serious social anxiety. But sitting at home alone every night for the next three weeks (unless Beata is in town) is not a feasible option. And so I decided to grow up, get over my silly fear, and go out!

I perused the pages of Time Out Budapest magazine, looking for any sort of interesting events and what did I find? A klezmer band (Dávid Klezmer Band) scheduled to play at Gödör Klub, 8 p.m., Thursday night! Good music at a good venue- I could handle that!

Gödör Klub early on a Saturday...that's why no one is there yet!

A note about Gödör : Gödör is a really great place, plain and simple It is located in Erszébet tér, in what was supposed to be the foundation for the national theatre, that is, before the government stopped construction and moved the theatre to Outer Pest. The terrace at gödör is a series of wide steps leading to a covered, underground section with more seating and performance spaces. There is usually some sort of performance or event every night, and in the summer the terrace is always packed in the evenings and well into the night. There is also a gallery inside with rotating exhibits. And! It opens up at 10 a.m.! So you can bring a book or your laptop (there is free Wi-fi) and enjoy a mid-morning cappuccino on the terrace. If you come to Budapest this should be at the top of your list! (At least in the summer, I can’t really say what it’s like in the winter).

Well I almost wussed out, but I gathered the courage to leave my apartment and venture out. When I got to the top of the stairs and saw that there were a few open tables, my courage was rallied again, and I headed to the bar to buy a beer. Once the beer was purchased I knew I was committed. Well, at least for 0.5 litres committed. I found a table not too far from the stage. It was past 8, but the band wasn’t set up yet, so I sought refuge in my notebook, jotting down my thoughts on drinking alone and life in general, but I was slowly becoming (somewhat) comfortable sitting there.

Finally! The music started. The band was really quite good, but it wasn’t what I expected. I apparently missed the part about it being dancing with the Dávid Klezmer Band. Two girls were teaching anyone who was willing how to dance. They would introduce the steps and then dance along to the music so there several minutes in between each song. It looked like fun, but I did not join in the dancing- I’m not quite that confident. I stayed for just over an hour and then headed home.

Dávid Klezmer Band at Gödör from Lauren Stackpoole on Vimeo.


My number one problem with drinking alone, at least last night, was that if I got up to get another drink someone would probably take my table and then I would have been in a pickle! I had to make my one beer last. Other options include buying multiple drinks at the start of the night and lining them up in front of me. This wouldn’t make me look like an alcoholic at all…

And so, going out alone wasn’t quite the terrifying experience I thought it would be, but it is not my favorite activity. But, now I know that I can do it! Perhaps I will have more solo adventures in the future.

veg-iversary

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I have been a vegetarian for exactly six months today.

I decided to go veg after reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be. For those of you who have been vegetarian for years, I know six months doesn't seem like a long time to you, but it is to me!

And somehow, I've been able to stay veg (at least to my knowledge...) in Hungary, a fairly unfriendly country toward vegetarians.

So, happy six month vegetarian anniversay to me! (Does Hallmark make cards for this sort of thing?)

men in speedos

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There is something special about a man in a speedo (and perhaps a bit disturbing). It’s more than likely that said man should not be wearing said speedo, but hey, when in Europe…

I guess my number one rule about speedos is that if your beer belly is so large that no one can tell your wearing a speedo, then you should probably invest in some swimming shorts.

I came to this conclusion just last night (although I had pondered this topic numerous times prior) when Scarlett and I went to Széchenyi fürdo for a little thermal bathing.




We saw lots of men in speedos and all sorts of interesting swimsuits. It was good fun. I think one of my favorite things is the old men playing chess in the water. They’re pretty much a permanent fixture in the baths.


There was also a man painting. In a speedo…


I had to work today so we didn’t get to the baths until just before six. The indoor baths (mainly medicinal) were closing at seven so we just went to the outdoor ones, which are open until ten. It wasn’t the best for getting a tan (not that I’m capable of tanning), but the weather was great and the water felt great! There are three baths outside, one is 30 degrees Celsius, another is 37-38 degrees Celsius (quite toasty!), and the third is 28 degrees Celsius and more of a lap pool. We stayed until our fingers were prunes and then headed back to our favorite vegan restaurant for dinner.

Scarlett left for Berlin this afternoon to continue her grand European tour so I’m left all alone! Dear friends, would anyone like to come visit me? I’ll give you a tour of one of the best cities on earth!

ellátó kert

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Emily and I first stumbled upon Elláto kért (VII., Kazincy u. 48) two weeks ago during her visit. I had walked by there several times on my way to Szimpla, but had never gone in, but we were feeling adventurous. Well, let me tell you, it was an excellent idea. They have tacos! Bean tacos! 3 for 700 HUF – so cheap and so delicious. We liked them so much we went twice during her visit.

Tacos. Delicious taco-y goodness.

I took Scarlett there the other day because bean tacos are veg friendly and too tasty to pass up!

Ellátó kert is one of the many ruin pubs in Budapest – one more down, many more to go!

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