BUDAPEST HOTEL - BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - DAY 18

Today we dropped our clothes off for laundry, and walked around to the remaining sights. We passed by Parliament again. Parliament I think is Budapest’s most beautiful attraction- It’s certainly where everyones’ taxpayer money goes. I wanted to go inside, but we didn’t have time. We also walked to the opera house, the Vajdahunyad Castle, and we tried to get into the famous Szechenyi Thermal Bath House, but it was $8 just for a tour. At the bathhouse, I was under the impression that half of it was outside and viewable to the public. Half of it IS outside, but it’s surrounded by the building walls, so no luck there. Kay was so funny, she said “This whole country needs Prozac”. I don’t know the history of Hungary very well, but my guess is that at one point it was occupied by Soviet Russia- They have a strong hatred for Lenin, and the Terror Museum dedicated to the victims of the Iron Curtain and Communism...Or it could just be because it's winter and everyone has seasonal depression.

The architecture is very beautiful here in Budapest, but aside from that it still seems like a depressing country- Exactly like an extension of Russia and / or what I experienced in Poland; poverty stricken, and a country that never fully recovered after its Communist occupation and war.

It flurried here, so we ate more Hungarian Goulash soup. It was a ton of walking today! Tomorrow, we’ll likely see the famous synagogue, the inside of Parliament, and then take our night train to Prague. I tried to FaceTime you Mom, but I'll try again in Prague.

Love and miss you all!

-eM

Xoxoxo