Tuesday, August 13, 2013
One Year Later... Part Two
It's difficult to imagine that I left Glasgow and this blog close to one year ago. I believed I would keep writing but life, funnily enough, seemed to be a constant distraction. I received a few probing comments regarding my lack of writing (Hello you South Africans!) and continuously vowed to begin again. But, it just never seemed to happen. Now, a year and quite a few changes later, it's time to share with you all again. What exactly has happened in this year........
Richard and I left Glasgow on September 1st. We flew to the US and spent two weeks traveling and visiting with friends and family. I feel guilty about not sharing the stories from our time traipsing through Missouri and Kansas since they include a mirror maze, an exhibition on chicken bathing and of course a pig race. With no firm job offers in place and no visas in hand we decided to forge a cross continental relationship. A week after Richard returned to South Africa I was offered a job working with special education students. I was blessed to work with wonderful people and grew to love my students. If you ever need a plethora of party stories work with exceptional children! My job afforded me the opportunity to leave Kansas and spend Christmas in South Africa. I had the trip of a lifetime and was devastated to leave Richard once again.
Fortunately, our separation was for only two months as Richard visited in March. Before his visit he landed a job working as a research analyst and began rigorously studying for his CFA exam. Richard's trip was phenomenal and included a trip to the Rockies of Colorado and the arch of St. Louis.... It also included a proposal! I knew Richard was "the one" a month into our relationship and both of us were absolutely thrilled to make it official! Our engagement brought forward entirely new challenges, international wedding planning and the joys of immigration! We always joke that we have certainly earned our marriage with the many, many hoops we've jumped through!
In May I interviewed for a English/Language arts teaching position in a Kansas City middle school. The day after my interview I flew to South Africa to surprise Richard upon the completion of his CFA exam. For those of you that know Richard you may be asking how did he handle this surprise...... Exactly as I expected with a massive hug followed by "I'm just so confused!" A week into my visit I heard word that I received the teaching position! It then became official that our home would be in the United States. It was difficult decision and one we spent many, many hours mulling over.
The day after returning from South Africa I began training for my new job. It was wonderful to meet the teachers I would be working with throughout the year. My third week on the job I received the news that Richard passed his CFA exam! What an amazing accomplishment and how very much deserved.
Today was the first day for my seventh grade students. I have learned the truth in the statement "never say never." I always swore I would NEVER teach seventh graders, today I welcomed over 60 seventh grade faces into my classroom. And, let me tell you, it's already an adventure. I have learned the lesson all first year teachers learn.... the "to-do list" will just never be completed and eight hours of my day will be spent in total chaos. I will also hear "Ms. Garrett!" at least 500 times a day. I also have learned why I love teaching, because I love the students.
Where else would you get to experience the following conversation:
Tell me about your early years: "I was loud and I liked green beans"
Tell me about yourself today: "I'm still loud and I'm still liking green beans!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or the following:
"I will be getting married in November. That means after Thanksgiving I will no longer be Ms. Garrett instead I will be Mrs. Carter-Brown. We are all going to have to work together to learn my new name."
"DANG! Can I just call you Carter or Brown. That's like two whole names in one Ms. Garrett!"
"What about Mrs. C-B"
"YEAH I LIKE THAT. MIZZ C-B! C-B! Yeah, I could get used to that. Wait! You know Ms. Garret you are going to have to change ALLLLLL this stuff to say MIZZ C-B (while pointing at my name written on the dry erase board).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, in my first hour one of my student's molars fell out. What a way to begin the year!
So as Richard prepares to immigrate, we plan an international wedding and both begin our careers I will use this blog to keep you all updated. With our loved ones scattered across the Globe we once again rely on the blog to keep us all connected!
One Year Later Part Two
It's difficult to imagine that I left Glasgow and this blog close to one year ago. I believed I would keep writing but life, funnily enough, seemed to be a constant distraction. I received a few probing comments regarding my lack of writing (Hello you South Africans!) and continuously vowed to begin again. But, it just never seemed to happen. Now, a year and quite a few changes later, it's time to share with you all again. What exactly has happened in this year........
Richard and I left Glasgow on September 1st. We flew to the US and spent two weeks traveling and visiting with friends and family. I feel guilty about not sharing the stories from our time traipsing through Missouri and Kansas since they include a mirror maze, an exhibition on chicken bathing and of course a pig race. With no firm job offers in place and no visas in hand we decided to forge a cross continental relationship. A week after Richard returned to South Africa I was offered a job working with special education students. I was blessed to work with wonderful people and grew to love my students. If you ever need a plethora of party stories work with exceptional children! My job afforded me the opportunity to leave Kansas and spend Christmas in South Africa. I had the trip of a lifetime and was devastated to leave Richard once again.
Fortunately, our separation was for only two months as Richard visited in March. Before his visit he landed a job working as a research analyst and began rigorously studying for his CFA exam. Richard's trip was phenomenal and included a trip to the Rockies of Colorado and the arch of St. Louis.... It also included a proposal! I knew Richard was "the one" a month into our relationship and both of us were absolutely thrilled to make it official! Our engagement brought forward entirely new challenges, international wedding planning and the joys of immigration! We always joke that we have certainly earned our marriage with the many, many hoops we've jumped through!
In May I interviewed for a English/Language arts teaching position in a Kansas City middle school. The day after my interview I flew to South Africa to surprise Richard upon the completion of his CFA exam. For those of you that know Richard you may be asking how did he handle this surprise...... Exactly as I expected with a massive hug followed by "I'm just so confused!" A week into my visit I heard word that I received the teaching position! It then became official that our home would be in the United States. It was difficult decision and one we spent many, many hours mulling over.
The day after returning from South Africa I began training for my new job. It was wonderful to meet the teachers I would be working with throughout the year. My third week on the job I received the news that Richard passed his CFA exam! What an amazing accomplishment and how very much deserved.
Today was the first day for my seventh grade students. I have learned the truth in the statement "never say never." I always swore I would NEVER teach seventh graders, today I welcomed over 60 seventh grade faces into my classroom. And, let me tell you, it's already an adventure. I have learned the lesson all first year teachers learn.... the "to-do list" will just never be completed and eight hours of my day will be spent in total chaos. I will also hear "Ms. Garrett!" at least 500 times a day. I also have learned why I love teaching, because I love the students.
Where else would you get to experience the following conversation:
Tell me about your early years: "I was loud and I liked green beans"
Tell me about yourself today: "I'm still loud and I'm still liking green beans!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or the following:
"I will be getting married in November. That means after Thanksgiving I will no longer be Ms. Garrett instead I will be Mrs. Carter-Brown. We are all going to have to work together to learn my new name."
"DANG! Can I just call you Carter or Brown. That's like two whole names in one Ms. Garrett!"
"What about Mrs. C-B"
"YEAH I LIKE THAT. MIZZ C-B! C-B! Yeah, I could get used to that. Wait! You know Ms. Garret you are going to have to change ALLLLLL this stuff to say MIZZ C-B (while pointing at my name written on the dry erase board).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, in my first hour one of my student's molars fell out. What a way to begin the year!
So as Richard prepares to immigrate, we plan an international wedding and both begin our careers I will use this blog to keep you all updated. With our loved ones scattered across the country we once again rely on the blog to keep us all connected!
Richard and I left Glasgow on September 1st. We flew to the US and spent two weeks traveling and visiting with friends and family. I feel guilty about not sharing the stories from our time traipsing through Missouri and Kansas since they include a mirror maze, an exhibition on chicken bathing and of course a pig race. With no firm job offers in place and no visas in hand we decided to forge a cross continental relationship. A week after Richard returned to South Africa I was offered a job working with special education students. I was blessed to work with wonderful people and grew to love my students. If you ever need a plethora of party stories work with exceptional children! My job afforded me the opportunity to leave Kansas and spend Christmas in South Africa. I had the trip of a lifetime and was devastated to leave Richard once again.
Fortunately, our separation was for only two months as Richard visited in March. Before his visit he landed a job working as a research analyst and began rigorously studying for his CFA exam. Richard's trip was phenomenal and included a trip to the Rockies of Colorado and the arch of St. Louis.... It also included a proposal! I knew Richard was "the one" a month into our relationship and both of us were absolutely thrilled to make it official! Our engagement brought forward entirely new challenges, international wedding planning and the joys of immigration! We always joke that we have certainly earned our marriage with the many, many hoops we've jumped through!
In May I interviewed for a English/Language arts teaching position in a Kansas City middle school. The day after my interview I flew to South Africa to surprise Richard upon the completion of his CFA exam. For those of you that know Richard you may be asking how did he handle this surprise...... Exactly as I expected with a massive hug followed by "I'm just so confused!" A week into my visit I heard word that I received the teaching position! It then became official that our home would be in the United States. It was difficult decision and one we spent many, many hours mulling over.
The day after returning from South Africa I began training for my new job. It was wonderful to meet the teachers I would be working with throughout the year. My third week on the job I received the news that Richard passed his CFA exam! What an amazing accomplishment and how very much deserved.
Today was the first day for my seventh grade students. I have learned the truth in the statement "never say never." I always swore I would NEVER teach seventh graders, today I welcomed over 60 seventh grade faces into my classroom. And, let me tell you, it's already an adventure. I have learned the lesson all first year teachers learn.... the "to-do list" will just never be completed and eight hours of my day will be spent in total chaos. I will also hear "Ms. Garrett!" at least 500 times a day. I also have learned why I love teaching, because I love the students.
Where else would you get to experience the following conversation:
Tell me about your early years: "I was loud and I liked green beans"
Tell me about yourself today: "I'm still loud and I'm still liking green beans!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
or the following:
"I will be getting married in November. That means after Thanksgiving I will no longer be Ms. Garrett instead I will be Mrs. Carter-Brown. We are all going to have to work together to learn my new name."
"DANG! Can I just call you Carter or Brown. That's like two whole names in one Ms. Garrett!"
"What about Mrs. C-B"
"YEAH I LIKE THAT. MIZZ C-B! C-B! Yeah, I could get used to that. Wait! You know Ms. Garret you are going to have to change ALLLLLL this stuff to say MIZZ C-B (while pointing at my name written on the dry erase board).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, in my first hour one of my student's molars fell out. What a way to begin the year!
So as Richard prepares to immigrate, we plan an international wedding and both begin our careers I will use this blog to keep you all updated. With our loved ones scattered across the country we once again rely on the blog to keep us all connected!
Friday, August 24, 2012
One Year Later
In one week my time in Scotland will officially come to an end.I didn't know it was possible for a year to pass so quickly, yet when thinking back to the beginning of the year it seems more like five years ago rather than one. There is no way to express in words how much this year has meant to me or how much it has changed me. I will forever be grateful for this experience and all the opportunities it has afforded. I came to Scotland in the hopes of adventure and in the meantime uncovered travel, education, friendships, history, tea kettles, big cities, the countryside, famous monuments, pretty things, scones, umbrellas, the Loch Ness Monster and even love.
While I love Glasgow and all that the city has to offer, it is not the city that has made my experience. Rather it is the people I have found in Glasgow that have made this experience such a definitive one. While I may never forget standing atop the Arc de Triomphe or boating down the canals of Amsterdam, it is the memories I have with my friends and classmates that hold the most significance. I am so greatly indebted to each and every person who has not only made this year possible but such a success. And, while I can never thank each and every one of them enough I will do my best below:
The "Hey You have Made My Scottish Adventure All That it Could Be and More" List:
--First to my parents. Pretty sure they thought this was the most ridiculous idea I have ever come up with (And trust me there have been quite a few). Your love and support throughout the year, and of course the years leading up to this experience, have enabled me to take full advantage of an amazing opportunity. Thank you for all the care packages and words of encouragement... the themed parties wouldn't have been quite the same without them!
--To my brothers Kevin and Michael who have always encouraged my sense of adventure and inspired me through their own. Your skype sessions have been a great source of entertainment this year and no one else can quite keep me up on the current events of America like you both.
--To Stuart who was my friend before I even arrived in Glasgow. It was of great comfort to arrive in Scotland already knowing a Scot! Your advice and our adventures around the city helped me to learn so much about Glasgow quickly, I got to play expert on Glasgow many times because of all that I learned from you.
--To the other Americans studying in Glasgow. You were the first people I met in Glasgow and it was like having a bit of home in a foreign place. While we all went our separate ways throughout the year it was always a lot of fun to reconnect with you all and compare experiences. It was also a blessing to have people in my life with similar vocabularies... sometimes you just need to use the word crock pot, sidewalk, Popsicle, etc.
--To my American Studies Classmates or Really Four of the Best People I have Ever Met. It is not often when you find yourself in a class in which you like every single individual and even more rare to find yourself in a class where you all become good friends. I am so lucky to call you all my classmates and my friends, you have taught me more about America than I have learned over my 22 years of actually living in the country.
Joe- Your academic writing prowess inspires me immensely. Especially seeing how late you start all of your assignments. I am so happy to have found someone that challenges my procrastination abilities and does so with impeccable marks. I also want to thank you for showing me the greatest shortcut in Glasgow.. in which I had to scale a fence in a dress in the middle of the night after a Thanksgiving feast.
Jamie- Attending the first lecture of American Studies I was terrified that I would know less about America than all you non-Americans. And, thanks to you that theory was proved correct when within five minutes of meeting me you asked me a question that I had absolutely no idea how to answer. In all seriousness, your intelligence regarding America is impressive and I have enjoyed our many in-depth conversations regarding my homeland. Thank you for always being so kind and taking our jokes regarding your dating life in stride.. Jodie really is one lucky girl!
Sandy- As I have told you numerous times, thank you for being the most Scottish person I know. I will always remember attending a movie screening with the American Studies group and you partaking in a massive box of chips. I will greatly miss our lunches in the Fraser building and late night facebook chat rants regarding our lack of progress on the dissertations. In addition to being the most Scottish person I know you are also one of the kindest and I must say that I not only greatly admire this about you but aim to live up to your example. But, I am sorry to say that I will never appreciate Kid Rock on any sort of level.
Sanne- Oh Sanne. As the only women in the American Studies group we had quite a lot of work to do. Thank you for completely frightening me on the first day of class by marching up and asking if I was in fact "Kate Garrett." While this terrified me it opened the door to many coffee dates, lunches, films, quiz nights, parties, cocktail evenings, feminist rants, matchmaking, political discussions, travel talk and all the other millions of things we have done together this year. I am so lucky to have you as a friend and your support and love throughout this year has been not only much enjoyed but much needed.
---Richard's Economic Classmates-- Thank you for showing me that economics people are actually quite exciting! I have enjoyed getting to know each of you and feel as though you are an extension to my own class. I also enjoy knowing that out of all of you I am the only one certified to teach economics.... that's a scary thought to many!
And, finally... Richard. While I can't say much at the risk of you becoming terribly embarrassed.. I will say this much... I came to Scotland looking for adventure and you have made each and every day the adventure of a lifetime. Everyone should be blessed with knowing someone like Richard at one point in their lives. I plan on keeping him around.
Again, I will never be able to thank you all enough and will forever be indebted to each and every one of you. While I am terribly sad to be concluding this chapter in Glasgow, I am looking forward to all that this next year has to offer and will be always anxious to hear how the wonderful friends I made in Glasgow are doing, as I am sure they will be doing great things.
I have truly loved creating and sharing this blog. It has been such a wonderful way to organize the many stories and photos I have from this year and to share them with everyone both in Glasgow, at home and even further afield. I plan on writing about Richard's trip to America and my planned trip to South Africa or the United Kingdom over Christmas. Otherwise, I am not too sure how exciting the ins and outs of me finding a job will be to write about! But, I promise to update this on occasion, I love it too much not too.
Thank you sharing in this year with me, it has been everything I hoped for and more.
While I love Glasgow and all that the city has to offer, it is not the city that has made my experience. Rather it is the people I have found in Glasgow that have made this experience such a definitive one. While I may never forget standing atop the Arc de Triomphe or boating down the canals of Amsterdam, it is the memories I have with my friends and classmates that hold the most significance. I am so greatly indebted to each and every person who has not only made this year possible but such a success. And, while I can never thank each and every one of them enough I will do my best below:
The "Hey You have Made My Scottish Adventure All That it Could Be and More" List:
--First to my parents. Pretty sure they thought this was the most ridiculous idea I have ever come up with (And trust me there have been quite a few). Your love and support throughout the year, and of course the years leading up to this experience, have enabled me to take full advantage of an amazing opportunity. Thank you for all the care packages and words of encouragement... the themed parties wouldn't have been quite the same without them!
--To my brothers Kevin and Michael who have always encouraged my sense of adventure and inspired me through their own. Your skype sessions have been a great source of entertainment this year and no one else can quite keep me up on the current events of America like you both.
--To the other Americans studying in Glasgow. You were the first people I met in Glasgow and it was like having a bit of home in a foreign place. While we all went our separate ways throughout the year it was always a lot of fun to reconnect with you all and compare experiences. It was also a blessing to have people in my life with similar vocabularies... sometimes you just need to use the word crock pot, sidewalk, Popsicle, etc.
--To my American Studies Classmates or Really Four of the Best People I have Ever Met. It is not often when you find yourself in a class in which you like every single individual and even more rare to find yourself in a class where you all become good friends. I am so lucky to call you all my classmates and my friends, you have taught me more about America than I have learned over my 22 years of actually living in the country.
Sandy- As I have told you numerous times, thank you for being the most Scottish person I know. I will always remember attending a movie screening with the American Studies group and you partaking in a massive box of chips. I will greatly miss our lunches in the Fraser building and late night facebook chat rants regarding our lack of progress on the dissertations. In addition to being the most Scottish person I know you are also one of the kindest and I must say that I not only greatly admire this about you but aim to live up to your example. But, I am sorry to say that I will never appreciate Kid Rock on any sort of level.
---Richard's Economic Classmates-- Thank you for showing me that economics people are actually quite exciting! I have enjoyed getting to know each of you and feel as though you are an extension to my own class. I also enjoy knowing that out of all of you I am the only one certified to teach economics.... that's a scary thought to many!
Again, I will never be able to thank you all enough and will forever be indebted to each and every one of you. While I am terribly sad to be concluding this chapter in Glasgow, I am looking forward to all that this next year has to offer and will be always anxious to hear how the wonderful friends I made in Glasgow are doing, as I am sure they will be doing great things.
I have truly loved creating and sharing this blog. It has been such a wonderful way to organize the many stories and photos I have from this year and to share them with everyone both in Glasgow, at home and even further afield. I plan on writing about Richard's trip to America and my planned trip to South Africa or the United Kingdom over Christmas. Otherwise, I am not too sure how exciting the ins and outs of me finding a job will be to write about! But, I promise to update this on occasion, I love it too much not too.
Thank you sharing in this year with me, it has been everything I hoped for and more.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Olympic Fever
There's a video currently making the rounds on youtube documenting the "Happiest Olympic Worker" (Look it up if you haven't seen it, although I wouldn't reccomend watching the entire clip, it's not massively entertaining after the first minute). The video shows a woman perched high above an Olympic crowd doing her absolute best (albeit the monotone voice) to enthuse the Olympic viewers. The best line of the entire video is blared through the volunteer's bullhorn as she proclaims:
"I can not contain my excitement, everybody. Today is a special day. We are going to be telling our children’s children’s children’s children’s children about this day."
And, that quote accurately describes my Olympic experience. I have always had an extreme love affair with the Olympics. I remember celebrating the Olympic Committee's decision to split the Summer and Winter Olympics.... Now the Olympics would come every two years rather than every four! In 2005 London heavily campaigned for the 2012 Summer Olympics. I was actually in London during the summer of 2005 and got to experience those campaigning efforts at their very height. Finishing my trip I returned home to the news that London won the bid and felt as though I had lived in a tiny part of Olympic history. Little did I know that I would be living in the UK during those very games won through the campaign efforts I had witnessed. As mentioned in a previous post, I was thrilled upon discovering that a few Olympic soccer matches would take place at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Fortunately there were plenty of tickets available and Richard and I were able to secure tickets for not one but two full days of Olympic soccer action. The first match we would be attending was a women's match and featured the US and France. Having just celebrated the Fourth of July there was plenty of Americana garb to outfit our soccer experience. While trapsing across Glasgow to get to the stadium a mother pointed out our American support to her daughter by saying "Oh look that woman has a American flag she must be cheering for the US, who are you going to cheer for the US or France?" The little girls response was absolutely perfect "I'll cheer for whoever's winning!" While Richard claimed this was a "girl" answer I think it was brillant, why not walk away from a soccer game completely happy.. when you are five and from neither country?
As a part of our tickets we were able to take free transportation to get to the stadium. This meant that we were part of a massive shuttle bus service out to the venue. Thankfully, Glasgow did a wonderful job in organizing this service and we were shuttled back and forth relatively comfortably and quickly. Once at the park we had to pass intensive security proceedings. Reading the back of the ticket I had uncovered that Olympic officials "highly encouraged" women to not bring handbags to the game. Security passed out clear plastic bags into which everything that was being held in pockets, purses and hands was to be put inside... meaning our phones, wallets, keys, sunglasses. After all was deposited in the mentioned clear plastic bag each ticketholder was patted down. This wasn't like the airport where searches are random or done on suspicion, everyone was patted down by hand. After the pat down items could be collected from the searched plastic bags and one could finally make their way inside the stadium. My American Flag was almost confiscated as the wooden staff it was flying on was seen as a possible danger. Richard, the flag and I made it through security and were actually at the Olympic games!!
If we hadn't been so eager to go to the games we may have secured our tickets for free. The women's soccer games really struggled in pulling a large crowd and many tickets were given away at the last minute to try and fill the stadium. While there was a lot of support for the first match the stadium was far from full and by the second match it had almost entirely cleared out. The first match was exciting, full of goals and fast paced ball movement, the American team ended up winning with a score of 4-2. Wanting to stay for as much Olympic action as possible we stayed for the second match. I am so happy that we stayed because we were able to witness the first piece of Olympic drama! Waiting for the second match we watched the players from Colombia and North Korea run their warm up drills. As the players were warming up the teams were introduced on the stadium's big screens. The players left the field and the stadium prepared for the playing of the National Anthems and the kick-off. But, 10 minutes passed and no players...20 minutes passed no players...30 minutes and still no players. Finally a voice filled the stadium announcing "We are sorry for the delay but a behind the scenes issue is currently being addressed." As a curious person this excuse was not enough and suddenly Richard and I found ourselves on the case. After trolling news websites, google and twitter we uncovered the issue. While introducing the players the national flag featured next to the North Korean players' name was not the North Korean flag but rather the South Korean flag. The players were so offended that they refused to vacate the locker room and begin their match. After profuse apologies by Hampden park officials and the reintroduction of the North Korean players with the correct flag by each of their names, the match began. It was pretty exciting to see the story all over the news the next day knowing that we were two of the few people to witness the event!
The US Women's Soccer Team!
The day after our Hampden Park Olympic experience was the Opening Ceremonies. While it was disappointing that I couldn't quite afford a ticket to the actual opening ceremonies, considering the tickets were close to 2,000 pounds a piece, it was still exciting to watch the ceremonies live.I am always a fan of the opening ceremonies, no matter how strange they may be. My favorite part is of course the parade of nations.. and I watch the entire parade. I once went to watch the opening ceremonies at a friend's house and was absolutely appalled that they wanted to fast forward the Parade of Nations.. you can't do that! It's so much fun to see all the different countries especially the tiny little countries with one athlete that is so proud they cry while carrying the flag. With the Opening Ceremonies the Olympics officially started and I have become completely hooked. I now have so many countries to cheer for ..... USA-- I LIVED THERE FOR 22 YEARS!! GREAT BRITAIN-- I LIVE THERE NOW!!! SOUTH AFRICA--I DATE SOMEONE FROM THERE! BELGIUM---ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IS FROM THERE!! LUXEMBOURG--I'VE BEEN THERE!! CUBA--THE ULTIMATE FRENEMY!! EASTER ISLANDS--.....................THAT'S UNIQUE!
In addition to my rampant cheering efforts, I have become an expert in obsecure sports. Synchronzied diving is on every single day during my gym workout.. I could officially be a judge for this sport. I know what a 2 1/2 pike is, I know when your legs are supposed to cross, I know how high the splash is supposed to be and I also know that divers are no experts with motion sensors and the showers should not have employed such high brow technology (Although it's pretty hilarious watching divers doing such an intricate dive and then fail at turning a shower on). I've watched gymnastics, archery, track and field, diving, handball, dressage and a whole host of other sports. I am also smug with the fact that I see all these events live and must keep results secret from my family who has been suffering a six hour time difference. I receive texts from my brother updating me on his olympic watching so we can compare notes, I discuss such issues as US athletes being taxed upon winning medals at the lunch table, I've even taken the quiz which Olympic body do you most resemble. I believe its safe to say that in Glasgow we are all swept up in Olympic fever....or at least those of us working diligently to avoid disseration work! I will certainly be telling my children’s children’s children’s children’s children about these Olympic Games.
Happy Olympic Viewing!!
"I can not contain my excitement, everybody. Today is a special day. We are going to be telling our children’s children’s children’s children’s children about this day."
And, that quote accurately describes my Olympic experience. I have always had an extreme love affair with the Olympics. I remember celebrating the Olympic Committee's decision to split the Summer and Winter Olympics.... Now the Olympics would come every two years rather than every four! In 2005 London heavily campaigned for the 2012 Summer Olympics. I was actually in London during the summer of 2005 and got to experience those campaigning efforts at their very height. Finishing my trip I returned home to the news that London won the bid and felt as though I had lived in a tiny part of Olympic history. Little did I know that I would be living in the UK during those very games won through the campaign efforts I had witnessed. As mentioned in a previous post, I was thrilled upon discovering that a few Olympic soccer matches would take place at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Fortunately there were plenty of tickets available and Richard and I were able to secure tickets for not one but two full days of Olympic soccer action. The first match we would be attending was a women's match and featured the US and France. Having just celebrated the Fourth of July there was plenty of Americana garb to outfit our soccer experience. While trapsing across Glasgow to get to the stadium a mother pointed out our American support to her daughter by saying "Oh look that woman has a American flag she must be cheering for the US, who are you going to cheer for the US or France?" The little girls response was absolutely perfect "I'll cheer for whoever's winning!" While Richard claimed this was a "girl" answer I think it was brillant, why not walk away from a soccer game completely happy.. when you are five and from neither country?
As a part of our tickets we were able to take free transportation to get to the stadium. This meant that we were part of a massive shuttle bus service out to the venue. Thankfully, Glasgow did a wonderful job in organizing this service and we were shuttled back and forth relatively comfortably and quickly. Once at the park we had to pass intensive security proceedings. Reading the back of the ticket I had uncovered that Olympic officials "highly encouraged" women to not bring handbags to the game. Security passed out clear plastic bags into which everything that was being held in pockets, purses and hands was to be put inside... meaning our phones, wallets, keys, sunglasses. After all was deposited in the mentioned clear plastic bag each ticketholder was patted down. This wasn't like the airport where searches are random or done on suspicion, everyone was patted down by hand. After the pat down items could be collected from the searched plastic bags and one could finally make their way inside the stadium. My American Flag was almost confiscated as the wooden staff it was flying on was seen as a possible danger. Richard, the flag and I made it through security and were actually at the Olympic games!!
If we hadn't been so eager to go to the games we may have secured our tickets for free. The women's soccer games really struggled in pulling a large crowd and many tickets were given away at the last minute to try and fill the stadium. While there was a lot of support for the first match the stadium was far from full and by the second match it had almost entirely cleared out. The first match was exciting, full of goals and fast paced ball movement, the American team ended up winning with a score of 4-2. Wanting to stay for as much Olympic action as possible we stayed for the second match. I am so happy that we stayed because we were able to witness the first piece of Olympic drama! Waiting for the second match we watched the players from Colombia and North Korea run their warm up drills. As the players were warming up the teams were introduced on the stadium's big screens. The players left the field and the stadium prepared for the playing of the National Anthems and the kick-off. But, 10 minutes passed and no players...20 minutes passed no players...30 minutes and still no players. Finally a voice filled the stadium announcing "We are sorry for the delay but a behind the scenes issue is currently being addressed." As a curious person this excuse was not enough and suddenly Richard and I found ourselves on the case. After trolling news websites, google and twitter we uncovered the issue. While introducing the players the national flag featured next to the North Korean players' name was not the North Korean flag but rather the South Korean flag. The players were so offended that they refused to vacate the locker room and begin their match. After profuse apologies by Hampden park officials and the reintroduction of the North Korean players with the correct flag by each of their names, the match began. It was pretty exciting to see the story all over the news the next day knowing that we were two of the few people to witness the event!
The next day were the men's soccer matches. The first match featured Honduras v Morocco and the second match Spain v. Japan. The stadium was much fuller for the first match than it had been for either of the women's games and by the time Spain and Japan took the field the stadium was almost full. While the games weren't quite as exciting as the women's games the crowd made it much more entertaining.
It was actually sunny and clearly by our squinty eyes we have no idea how to handle sun.
The day after our Hampden Park Olympic experience was the Opening Ceremonies. While it was disappointing that I couldn't quite afford a ticket to the actual opening ceremonies, considering the tickets were close to 2,000 pounds a piece, it was still exciting to watch the ceremonies live.I am always a fan of the opening ceremonies, no matter how strange they may be. My favorite part is of course the parade of nations.. and I watch the entire parade. I once went to watch the opening ceremonies at a friend's house and was absolutely appalled that they wanted to fast forward the Parade of Nations.. you can't do that! It's so much fun to see all the different countries especially the tiny little countries with one athlete that is so proud they cry while carrying the flag. With the Opening Ceremonies the Olympics officially started and I have become completely hooked. I now have so many countries to cheer for ..... USA-- I LIVED THERE FOR 22 YEARS!! GREAT BRITAIN-- I LIVE THERE NOW!!! SOUTH AFRICA--I DATE SOMEONE FROM THERE! BELGIUM---ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IS FROM THERE!! LUXEMBOURG--I'VE BEEN THERE!! CUBA--THE ULTIMATE FRENEMY!! EASTER ISLANDS--.....................THAT'S UNIQUE!
In addition to my rampant cheering efforts, I have become an expert in obsecure sports. Synchronzied diving is on every single day during my gym workout.. I could officially be a judge for this sport. I know what a 2 1/2 pike is, I know when your legs are supposed to cross, I know how high the splash is supposed to be and I also know that divers are no experts with motion sensors and the showers should not have employed such high brow technology (Although it's pretty hilarious watching divers doing such an intricate dive and then fail at turning a shower on). I've watched gymnastics, archery, track and field, diving, handball, dressage and a whole host of other sports. I am also smug with the fact that I see all these events live and must keep results secret from my family who has been suffering a six hour time difference. I receive texts from my brother updating me on his olympic watching so we can compare notes, I discuss such issues as US athletes being taxed upon winning medals at the lunch table, I've even taken the quiz which Olympic body do you most resemble. I believe its safe to say that in Glasgow we are all swept up in Olympic fever....or at least those of us working diligently to avoid disseration work! I will certainly be telling my children’s children’s children’s children’s children about these Olympic Games.
Happy Olympic Viewing!!
Monday, July 23, 2012
A Two for One Special: Buda and Pest!
Ryanair produces quite a few "good deals." In fact, they create deals that are so tempting people lose a bit of their sanity in pursuit of said deals. And this is exactly what happened with the trip to Budapest. Worried about finances and academic pursuits the scheduling of a massive summer trip was put on hold. Once it was decided that a trip, of some form, needed to be taken some of Ryanair's fabulous deals had been snatched away by other budget travellers. Somehow, don't ask me how, it was uncovered that it was possible to fly from Manchester to Budpast for a mere £ 12.99... never mind that one had to travel from Glasgow to Manchester... this deal was simply too good to pass up!
Our Eastern European travel began with a Megabus ride down the country into Manchester. A tram and train ride later we arrived at the airport. Making our way to the Ryanair check-in station we were met by an insanely long line of holidayers antsy to board a flight to...well anywhere. Having spent quite a fair chunk of time in airports this year I have begun to take notice of travelling trends. Yes, just like any sector there are fads in travelling that include must have luggage, must see destinations and much desired travelling luxuries (stuffed neck pillows, travel blankets etc). This summer's must have travel accessory is for the kids. Standing in line children whipped around the corners, flew across the tiles and crashed into the back of their parents legs on rideable luggage.
If you are a child and you travel you MUST get one of these, they are all the rage. They are also very useful when crashing into a Ryanair sign making the entire airport jump. After proceeding to security we waited in yet another massively long line. Upon our arrival at the head of the line we asked the head of security if Manchester airport was normally so busy. "Always is this time of day" he replied as a child whizzed past on their ever so trendy luggage.
I will spend a bit more time focusing on all the beauty that is Ryanair later on in this entry when I talk about the epic journey back to Glasgow (I was planning on doing so but the entry became so long! If you want to hear the ridiculous story of our Ryanair flight home I will be happy to share!). However, I will admit that something was missing from our flight to Budapest. Something that all this European travel has made me come to love about Ryanair, the ever so tacky on-time celebration music. In his book "Ruinair" Paul Kilduff chronicles his journeys with the airline and discusses this on flight trait.
"Shortly after we land, a loud trumpet fanfare is broadcast through the cabin, followed by a 'Congratulations, you've arrived at your destination ahead of schedule!' I look at the crew members in disbelief and they are evidently mortified at having to play such a tacky announcement but it's company policy".... Apparently, the Budapest cabin and crew was so embarassed by this Ryanair tradition that they rejected it all together opting not to play out the trumpet fanfare even though our flight had arrived early. It also left Richard and I perched on the edge of our seats awaiting our opportunity to celebrate the Ryanair way. Sad over the lack of trumpets we disembarked and my passport, as per usual, was scrutinized as Richard breezed through customs. I think we should check passports at state lines just so EU members can understand the pain of being examined while their travelling companion receives a warm welcome embrace into the country.
Arriving at the airport quite late we arranged for an airport shuttle and were dropped right at the doors to our hotel...so much luxury! Having snagged an amazing deal we were staying four nights for the price of two, bargain hunting at its finest!
Budapest Day One:
After a quick breakfast it was time to leave Pest and explore Buda. Before merging into Hungary's capital the city was actually two distinct cities, Buda and Pest. The hilly Buda is on the west side of the Danube and the flat Pest on the east. The Danube is spanned by a number of beautiful bridges and provide fantastic views of both Buda and Pest.
Upon spotting the Danube we also realized that it was actually quite warm and shockingly sunny. Living in Glasgow we were unprepared for any sort of warmth so we begun to peel off our layers as we hunted for sunscreen and sunglasses. The average summer temperatures of Kansas City and Durban are quite high. Therefore, one would be believe the two travellers could handle the heat. However, Glasgow seems to have broken us and the heat was a bit of shock and a desperate search for liquids ensued. But before partaking in a cappy juice we decided to climb a hill and were rewarded with stunning views.
At the top of the hill...both of us with the beginnings of a sunburn.
Richard took the ever practical advice of my brother Michael slightly too far... "Suns out Guns out!"
We wound our way to Budapest's Castle and I slowly began to realize that something was missing from Budapest. There was not a single Starbucks in sight. I once heard a comedian talking about the differences between British imperialism and American imperialism. He stated that while the British were very forward and simply seized places, Americans slowly addict the population of a particular place using skinny vanilla lattes. I find this statement to be true. But in Budapest swap the latte for a whopper... there were literally Burger Kings on every single corner!
After touring the castle it was time for a lunch break. I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and kind the people of Hungary were throughout our stay. Having been fortunate enough to visit a few Eastern European countries before, I had always found the people to be a bit reserved. Some countries in the East believe that a smile is an intimate gesture and not to be shared with strangers on the street. As a girl from Kansas where strangers randomly approach you to give you compliments, I found the extremely reserved nature a bit unsettling. The people were lovely once you got to know them but of course that took time. However, Hungary was very different and we were greeted very warmly each and every place we visited. The Hungarians English was also extremely impressive. I always have great respect for bilinguals and know how fortunate it is that so many speak English. While Richard and I are truly in awe of this multilingual ability we did get a bit of a laugh from the menu offering us "Chicken Stripes and Mushed Potatoes."
Following a delicious and stripey meal we made our way back to the castle taking in some more impressive views before heading underground into the Castle's Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth is said to have been the dungeon for Dracula and the rooms classified as the dungeon were quite eerie. While the dark, damp maze like structure was creepy it was a great escape from the heat and we spent quite a bit of time exploring with the aid of a cellphone flashlight.
Budapest isn't a top tourist destination, which was really to our benefit. However, tourism is becoming quite a budding industry and there were many a tourist to be found. As per usual we were able to delight in the ever so entertaining American tourist banter. Throughout this post I will share a few of the gems heard throughout Budapest.
Comment Number One: After emerging from the labyrinth the castle had a working water fountain. Many tourists were gleefully filling up their water bottles with the fountained water the Hungarians had been drinking for years. While filling up my bottle one American woman stated loudly to the other...
"Do you really think that these people should be drinking from this THING. I don't think it's safe... it's just not safe! You could get a disease!"
While bringing my bottle to my lips Richard grabs my arm yanking the bottle from my mouth shouting "Did you not hear them! You might get cholera and die!" Fortunately, I drank the whole bottle and am cholera free (to date). Although Budapest's water will forevermore be known as cholera water.
The rest of the day was spent trying to find a place to have some dinner. As simple as this task may sound it was actually quite a feat. As mentioned tourism is becoming quite a booming industry and the Hungarians would like to keep it this way. For this reason they do everything in their power to attract tourists. While walking down a fairly busy street we were attacked by restaurant hosts and hostesses begging us to look at their menus. This tactic seemed to have the opposite of the desired effect, as both Richard and myself became so overwhelmed with the throng of restaurateurs that we had to take a break to recollect ourselves and make a strategic plan for selecting a place to dine. Once seated at our restaurant of choice we noticed a violinist and guitarist making their rounds to the various tables. Having read the guidebook we knew we did not want these musicians stopping at our table. The only way to make them leave? Pay them. Although I have terribly fair skin my dark hair helps me blend ever so slightly more into various cultures than Richard. The violinist strolled past our table looked at me and kept walking. However, Richard caught his eye and we were immediately deemed tourists and the violin playing started and of course did not end until we produced some cash.
Budapest Day Two:
Day two was spent exploring the Pest side of the river. The morning began with a visit to the House of the Terror. This building was the occupational headquarters of first the Nazis and then the Soviet forces. As we wandered through the museum we witnessed the horrors that occurred during these occupied sections of Hungary's history. It is unbelievable that the country was oppressed for so long by two such extreme regimes and that the end of this occupation occurred in my lifetime.
Following the House of Terror we made our way to Hero's Square and the surrounding areas.
Close to Hero's Square is Vajdahunyad Castle. This area was designed to high-light the four distinct architectural styles of Budapest: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Vajdahynyad Castle was originally built for the Millennial Exhibition and was made from cardboard and wood. The model was so popular that the actual building was built as public interest soared.
Anonymous Statue-- The first full documentation of Hungary's history was penned by an anonymous author. This famous statue is in homage to the author and his work.
Hungary is famous for it's baths and spas. This building houses one of the historic baths that still functions today. Fortunately for the Hungarians but unfortunately for us the baths are still in full use and not open to tourists.
We have no photographs of the Opera House's interior due to our lack of a "photo pass." Yes, Budapest has really capitalized on their infantile tourist industry. In the other European cities we have visited a select number of places would sell "photo passes" generally churches or other locations that were free to enter. But Budapest decided to employ the photopass in each and every tourist venue. Most shocking of all? The number of people who actually purchased these passes at each and every location.
The Opera House gave us some more time to interact with my countrymen who had an absolutely impossible time figuring out why our tour guide referred to the opera house as having three tiers when it really had four. The tour guide tried explaining to these tourists that the first floor is not referred to as the "first floor" but rather the "ground floor." After a lot of pointing and counting the American tourists finally settled on the fact that it REALLY had four floors but three upper levels. These same tourists then asked our tour guide where she was from because she "really didn't sound Hungarian at all." After the girl explained that she had an American instructor and studied abroad the Americans decided to offer their assistance in her language training "Well your English is amazing! But you say opera and ballet wrong." While I literally melted to the ground in embarrassment, Richard stood by shaking his head and murmuring "oh your countrymen"....I would have loved for some horrific South Africans to pop up on the tour. No such luck.
Next, it was off to Margaret Island (You can imagine at this quick pace I was really missing Starbucks!). The Island is located between Buda and Pest. The isolated location made the perfect place for religious practice and a group of Monks established upon it. The island is now easily accessible by foot and tram. (although Richard would argue that it always was seeing as he believes he could easily swim the "shallow waters" of the Danube to reach the island. I was frequently asked "what was wrong with these people couldn't they swim" over the course of the trip when discussing how isolated the two sides of the river were.) The heat of day brought many tourists and locals to the island to enjoy lounging in the sun, drinking and walking.
Richard's insanely massive cotton candy/candy floss.
After some more wandering and during our dinner something amazing happened... a thunderstorm! Here in Glasgow we get rain constantly but we don't have storms. Rather it is a constant drizzle, sometimes a bit of a pour, but no lightening and no thunder. Thunderstorms are something that I actually miss greatly. We sat outside to have dinner and were able to see the storm slowly roll in over the city and finally experience the thunder, lightening and heavy rain both of us had been missing so much.
Budapest Day Three:
Instead of the quick grab and go breakfast we had become accustomed to we began this morning with an actual meal. Having researched a bit in the guide book we uncovered a cafe just down the street from our hotel. The cafe was opened in 1887 (Older than much of the US and the entire country of South Africa!) and played a significant role in the literary history of Budapest. The cafe also served amazing food and had fantastic indoor and outdoor eating areas. In fact, we loved the cafe so much we ate there once more the next morning. After our breakfast we made our way to St. Stephen's Basilica.
Following the signs we believed would take us to the actual church we found ourselves paying a sum and climbing hundreds of stairs... we had mistakenly entered the panoramic climb entrance. Fortunately, this mistake was incredibly serendipitous and our climb granted us fantastic views over all of Budapest and we exceeded our personal stair record by climbing 303!
Finishing up at the museum we took a walk to Budapest's Jewish Quarter before settling down at a cafe. The cafe was in a very quaint part of the city completely surrounded by alleyways and streets and was quite a popular place for locals. We ended up talking and drinking for over three hours and I have to say it was one of if not my favorite part of the trip.
Budapest Day Four:
Our shuttle was leaving the hotel in the early hours of the afternoon which meant we had one final morning in Budapest. After a large breakfast at our new favorite restaurant we spent a few hours walking the streets of Budapest a final time.
The boy standing was the oldest of three French brothers. He decided all the brothers needed to put their hats on the lions heads. We stood and watched the older brother dictate to the younger ones for quite a while.
Our trip had come to an end but our travel had not. After a shuttle ride to the airport and a three hour flight we arrived in Manchester. After a layover we boarded the Megabus for a four hour ride into Glasgow, finally reaching the flat at a little past 3 AM.
But, the travelling was made much, much better because after months of waiting I finally received something I have been really wishing and hoping for. Yes, after months of waiting Richard finally bought me a Ryanair scratch ticket! Every single flight we are asked at least five times if we would like to support children's charities and have the chance of winning a million Euros.. this is excellent deal but I must turn it down every time. But, not this time! I got my scratch card and... did not win anything.
It is a bit sad to be ending this post as this trip was our last European trip. No more Ryanair flights or foreign cities in the immediate future. However, while we may not be tackling Europe again anytime soon we will be venturing on to America in a month!
Our Eastern European travel began with a Megabus ride down the country into Manchester. A tram and train ride later we arrived at the airport. Making our way to the Ryanair check-in station we were met by an insanely long line of holidayers antsy to board a flight to...well anywhere. Having spent quite a fair chunk of time in airports this year I have begun to take notice of travelling trends. Yes, just like any sector there are fads in travelling that include must have luggage, must see destinations and much desired travelling luxuries (stuffed neck pillows, travel blankets etc). This summer's must have travel accessory is for the kids. Standing in line children whipped around the corners, flew across the tiles and crashed into the back of their parents legs on rideable luggage.
I will spend a bit more time focusing on all the beauty that is Ryanair later on in this entry when I talk about the epic journey back to Glasgow (I was planning on doing so but the entry became so long! If you want to hear the ridiculous story of our Ryanair flight home I will be happy to share!). However, I will admit that something was missing from our flight to Budapest. Something that all this European travel has made me come to love about Ryanair, the ever so tacky on-time celebration music. In his book "Ruinair" Paul Kilduff chronicles his journeys with the airline and discusses this on flight trait.
"Shortly after we land, a loud trumpet fanfare is broadcast through the cabin, followed by a 'Congratulations, you've arrived at your destination ahead of schedule!' I look at the crew members in disbelief and they are evidently mortified at having to play such a tacky announcement but it's company policy".... Apparently, the Budapest cabin and crew was so embarassed by this Ryanair tradition that they rejected it all together opting not to play out the trumpet fanfare even though our flight had arrived early. It also left Richard and I perched on the edge of our seats awaiting our opportunity to celebrate the Ryanair way. Sad over the lack of trumpets we disembarked and my passport, as per usual, was scrutinized as Richard breezed through customs. I think we should check passports at state lines just so EU members can understand the pain of being examined while their travelling companion receives a warm welcome embrace into the country.
Arriving at the airport quite late we arranged for an airport shuttle and were dropped right at the doors to our hotel...so much luxury! Having snagged an amazing deal we were staying four nights for the price of two, bargain hunting at its finest!
Budapest Day One:
After a quick breakfast it was time to leave Pest and explore Buda. Before merging into Hungary's capital the city was actually two distinct cities, Buda and Pest. The hilly Buda is on the west side of the Danube and the flat Pest on the east. The Danube is spanned by a number of beautiful bridges and provide fantastic views of both Buda and Pest.
Upon spotting the Danube we also realized that it was actually quite warm and shockingly sunny. Living in Glasgow we were unprepared for any sort of warmth so we begun to peel off our layers as we hunted for sunscreen and sunglasses. The average summer temperatures of Kansas City and Durban are quite high. Therefore, one would be believe the two travellers could handle the heat. However, Glasgow seems to have broken us and the heat was a bit of shock and a desperate search for liquids ensued. But before partaking in a cappy juice we decided to climb a hill and were rewarded with stunning views.
At the top of the hill...both of us with the beginnings of a sunburn.
We wound our way to Budapest's Castle and I slowly began to realize that something was missing from Budapest. There was not a single Starbucks in sight. I once heard a comedian talking about the differences between British imperialism and American imperialism. He stated that while the British were very forward and simply seized places, Americans slowly addict the population of a particular place using skinny vanilla lattes. I find this statement to be true. But in Budapest swap the latte for a whopper... there were literally Burger Kings on every single corner!
After touring the castle it was time for a lunch break. I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and kind the people of Hungary were throughout our stay. Having been fortunate enough to visit a few Eastern European countries before, I had always found the people to be a bit reserved. Some countries in the East believe that a smile is an intimate gesture and not to be shared with strangers on the street. As a girl from Kansas where strangers randomly approach you to give you compliments, I found the extremely reserved nature a bit unsettling. The people were lovely once you got to know them but of course that took time. However, Hungary was very different and we were greeted very warmly each and every place we visited. The Hungarians English was also extremely impressive. I always have great respect for bilinguals and know how fortunate it is that so many speak English. While Richard and I are truly in awe of this multilingual ability we did get a bit of a laugh from the menu offering us "Chicken Stripes and Mushed Potatoes."
Following a delicious and stripey meal we made our way back to the castle taking in some more impressive views before heading underground into the Castle's Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth is said to have been the dungeon for Dracula and the rooms classified as the dungeon were quite eerie. While the dark, damp maze like structure was creepy it was a great escape from the heat and we spent quite a bit of time exploring with the aid of a cellphone flashlight.
Budapest isn't a top tourist destination, which was really to our benefit. However, tourism is becoming quite a budding industry and there were many a tourist to be found. As per usual we were able to delight in the ever so entertaining American tourist banter. Throughout this post I will share a few of the gems heard throughout Budapest.
Comment Number One: After emerging from the labyrinth the castle had a working water fountain. Many tourists were gleefully filling up their water bottles with the fountained water the Hungarians had been drinking for years. While filling up my bottle one American woman stated loudly to the other...
"Do you really think that these people should be drinking from this THING. I don't think it's safe... it's just not safe! You could get a disease!"
While bringing my bottle to my lips Richard grabs my arm yanking the bottle from my mouth shouting "Did you not hear them! You might get cholera and die!" Fortunately, I drank the whole bottle and am cholera free (to date). Although Budapest's water will forevermore be known as cholera water.
The rest of the day was spent trying to find a place to have some dinner. As simple as this task may sound it was actually quite a feat. As mentioned tourism is becoming quite a booming industry and the Hungarians would like to keep it this way. For this reason they do everything in their power to attract tourists. While walking down a fairly busy street we were attacked by restaurant hosts and hostesses begging us to look at their menus. This tactic seemed to have the opposite of the desired effect, as both Richard and myself became so overwhelmed with the throng of restaurateurs that we had to take a break to recollect ourselves and make a strategic plan for selecting a place to dine. Once seated at our restaurant of choice we noticed a violinist and guitarist making their rounds to the various tables. Having read the guidebook we knew we did not want these musicians stopping at our table. The only way to make them leave? Pay them. Although I have terribly fair skin my dark hair helps me blend ever so slightly more into various cultures than Richard. The violinist strolled past our table looked at me and kept walking. However, Richard caught his eye and we were immediately deemed tourists and the violin playing started and of course did not end until we produced some cash.
Budapest Day Two:
Day two was spent exploring the Pest side of the river. The morning began with a visit to the House of the Terror. This building was the occupational headquarters of first the Nazis and then the Soviet forces. As we wandered through the museum we witnessed the horrors that occurred during these occupied sections of Hungary's history. It is unbelievable that the country was oppressed for so long by two such extreme regimes and that the end of this occupation occurred in my lifetime.
Following the House of Terror we made our way to Hero's Square and the surrounding areas.
Close to Hero's Square is Vajdahunyad Castle. This area was designed to high-light the four distinct architectural styles of Budapest: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Vajdahynyad Castle was originally built for the Millennial Exhibition and was made from cardboard and wood. The model was so popular that the actual building was built as public interest soared.
After a brief stop at the Museum of Fine Arts it was on to satisfy yet another cultural pursuit, opera. Budapest's opera house was built with the funding of the Austrian King. He allocated funds to the Budapestians with one stipulation, the opera house must not exceed Vienna's in size. While Budapest's opera house may be smaller in size many Hungarians argue that it is much more beautiful... of course. While I can't compare the two, I can say that Budapest's opera house was beautiful.
We have no photographs of the Opera House's interior due to our lack of a "photo pass." Yes, Budapest has really capitalized on their infantile tourist industry. In the other European cities we have visited a select number of places would sell "photo passes" generally churches or other locations that were free to enter. But Budapest decided to employ the photopass in each and every tourist venue. Most shocking of all? The number of people who actually purchased these passes at each and every location.
The Opera House gave us some more time to interact with my countrymen who had an absolutely impossible time figuring out why our tour guide referred to the opera house as having three tiers when it really had four. The tour guide tried explaining to these tourists that the first floor is not referred to as the "first floor" but rather the "ground floor." After a lot of pointing and counting the American tourists finally settled on the fact that it REALLY had four floors but three upper levels. These same tourists then asked our tour guide where she was from because she "really didn't sound Hungarian at all." After the girl explained that she had an American instructor and studied abroad the Americans decided to offer their assistance in her language training "Well your English is amazing! But you say opera and ballet wrong." While I literally melted to the ground in embarrassment, Richard stood by shaking his head and murmuring "oh your countrymen"....I would have loved for some horrific South Africans to pop up on the tour. No such luck.
Next, it was off to Margaret Island (You can imagine at this quick pace I was really missing Starbucks!). The Island is located between Buda and Pest. The isolated location made the perfect place for religious practice and a group of Monks established upon it. The island is now easily accessible by foot and tram. (although Richard would argue that it always was seeing as he believes he could easily swim the "shallow waters" of the Danube to reach the island. I was frequently asked "what was wrong with these people couldn't they swim" over the course of the trip when discussing how isolated the two sides of the river were.) The heat of day brought many tourists and locals to the island to enjoy lounging in the sun, drinking and walking.
Walking back to the mainland we were once again presented with amazing views.
After some more wandering and during our dinner something amazing happened... a thunderstorm! Here in Glasgow we get rain constantly but we don't have storms. Rather it is a constant drizzle, sometimes a bit of a pour, but no lightening and no thunder. Thunderstorms are something that I actually miss greatly. We sat outside to have dinner and were able to see the storm slowly roll in over the city and finally experience the thunder, lightening and heavy rain both of us had been missing so much.
Budapest Day Three:
Instead of the quick grab and go breakfast we had become accustomed to we began this morning with an actual meal. Having researched a bit in the guide book we uncovered a cafe just down the street from our hotel. The cafe was opened in 1887 (Older than much of the US and the entire country of South Africa!) and played a significant role in the literary history of Budapest. The cafe also served amazing food and had fantastic indoor and outdoor eating areas. In fact, we loved the cafe so much we ate there once more the next morning. After our breakfast we made our way to St. Stephen's Basilica.
After a brief recovery from a dizziness spell brought on by counting the number of stairs while climbing down we headed inside the Basilica. The Basilica was by far one of the most beautiful churches I have ever stepped in. So beautiful in fact that we were sidetracked on our direct route to see St. Stephen's hand. The Basilica is famous for it's relic of St. Stephen's entire hand.. This was a must see. While pushing our way into the chapel we heard yet another glorious American comment.
American Man to other American Man: "Well you've been to those big churches they have in Rome right... so you know they must have some of these things as well. Big churches like the ones in Rome have saint stuff"... These Americans also shook hands in front of the hand.
Wrong American Man. All Catholic churches have relics, just not as gory and appealing as the hand. Our excitement was cut down when it was discovered that seeing the hand was pretty difficult. The ornate box kept the hand fairly disguised. But, the Budapestians knew that they must appeal to a tourist market, so you could light up the hand by inserting some money and pressing a button... we avoided the great temptation!
As we exited the Basilica a miracle happened. To the left of the basilica was none other than a Starbucks!! We should have known to look in the city's holiest of areas. This miracle was so overwhelming that we ended up skipping out on Starbucks and rather heading on to our next destination an indoor market. The walk to the market gave us the chance to explore a different section of the city.
After a lunch stop we made our way to the Hungarian National Museum. As with each museum we visited we were wildly impressed at the extensive and elaborate collections of the museum. The exhibits were highly detailed and absolutely packed with artifacts and information all housed in an absolutely gorgeous building.
Finishing up at the museum we took a walk to Budapest's Jewish Quarter before settling down at a cafe. The cafe was in a very quaint part of the city completely surrounded by alleyways and streets and was quite a popular place for locals. We ended up talking and drinking for over three hours and I have to say it was one of if not my favorite part of the trip.
Our shuttle was leaving the hotel in the early hours of the afternoon which meant we had one final morning in Budapest. After a large breakfast at our new favorite restaurant we spent a few hours walking the streets of Budapest a final time.
Crossing the Danube one last time we decided to venture down to the water's edge and get a close up look of the river and stick our hands in the water.
Our trip had come to an end but our travel had not. After a shuttle ride to the airport and a three hour flight we arrived in Manchester. After a layover we boarded the Megabus for a four hour ride into Glasgow, finally reaching the flat at a little past 3 AM.
But, the travelling was made much, much better because after months of waiting I finally received something I have been really wishing and hoping for. Yes, after months of waiting Richard finally bought me a Ryanair scratch ticket! Every single flight we are asked at least five times if we would like to support children's charities and have the chance of winning a million Euros.. this is excellent deal but I must turn it down every time. But, not this time! I got my scratch card and... did not win anything.
It is a bit sad to be ending this post as this trip was our last European trip. No more Ryanair flights or foreign cities in the immediate future. However, while we may not be tackling Europe again anytime soon we will be venturing on to America in a month!
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