Freaky Friday

The ride from Pest to Buda didn't take long.

The dock where we boarded the boat.

Today was perhaps our hardest day yet! After a quick breakfast, we had a short bike ride to the boat that would take us along  the Danube river. The boat ride was relaxing and long (Some slept, while others enjoyed the view). We quickly made up for our short break by biking fast and furiously for an hour and a half.

Andras hard at work during the boat trip up the Danube...

It was low tide on the Danube so travel was very slow on the river.  We traveled up river until the end station then rode the rest of the way to Szentendre.

The group on one of the terraces over looking the Danube

The view from the terrace.

After an exhausting ride, we finally made it to Szentendre. Szentendre is a small artistic village, just outside of Budapest. We got to visit a historical church belonging to the small population of Serbs in the town. By this time, we were all starving and we decided to eat at a nice restaurant near the Danube.  We were getting ready to ride to lunch when Jordan noticed she had a flat tire.  It wasn't just a slow leak.  It was a full blown flat tire.  We put Andras to work and he had the tire repaired in no time.

The small thorn which did significant damage.

Beyond the call of duty, Andras fixed the rear tire.

We worked off all that food by exploring the town and then visiting the Margit Kovacs museum. Kovacs was local artist whose medium of choice was ceramics. Not only did we see many of her pieces, but we also got to see her workshop and even a video that showed how she sculpted her art.

Tonight was Opera Night - The Flying Dutchman, at 7:00 pm at the Opera House. It was a mad rush to get to the opera on time: we biked to the train station, piled our bikes into the HEV, a small commuter train and rode it for 30 minutes. Next, we wizzed through the streets of Budapest to make it to the bike shop. We ran to the hostel, quickly changed and then rushed to the Opera House to get there on time. Unforunately, we arrived 40 minutes late, but still got to see a lot of The Flying Dutchman, even though it was in German with Hungarian subtitles. We saw 2 hours of the play and then headed to the market, just next door to the hostel. We cooked eggs and grilled cheese for dinner and then had our reflection.

~ Ayo and Lauren M

A Vast Array of Experiences!

Today we were able to make the decision to go back to the university's English class. [A few students did return to the classoom, which was very well and warmly received].  We then traveled to the three-story central market, where we had the opportunity to purchase souvenirs and immerce ourselves into the Hungarian culture. After that we were able to walk around independently and visit some of the more known, bigger stores.

We then went to Bonnie's Restro where we were able to enjoy burgers, salads, and traditional Goulash! [Service was fine, but this meal did take over an hour to oder, prepare and deliver to our tables].

After a hectic trip finding the cave [we were given bus information to the wrong "Barlang", which was only a part of the day's craziness], we set ourselves to test our limits of caving. Soon after we realized what an irreplaceable experience and opportunity this is.

Later in the evening we were treated to dinner by Rachel's family at Nobu. There was sushi on both tables, as well as exquisite desserts!

We then went to a local pub [Szimpla, one of the ~ 6 "Ruin Pubs" in Budapest], where we were able to experience the Budapest nightlife. It gave us a better idea of how young people live in Hungary. We anticipate tomorrow's activities including biking to Szentendre and going to the Opera!

~ Jordan and Charlotte

Poetic Ponderings

This evening for reflection, Lauren and Amanda invited all 14 Biking Through Budapest participants to work on a collaborative poem.  With limited instructions (basically which stanza each pair was working on), this is THE poem:

On the 22nd of March, 2014, we headed to Budapest.
Ms. Hehs and Mrs. Cuckovich told us we'd have to put our biking skills to the test.

Coming to Budapest start out as a mystery,
but we learned how to enjoy all of the history.

Although we are only half way in,
the Hungarian culture is in our skin.

We learned a lot at Heroe's Square.
Budapest's history was summed up there!

While biking around Pest,
We found that our experiences are limitless.

We still have many experiences which are new,
The Opera and Caving to name a few.

We are anxious to explore the caves deep underground,
and excited to enjoy the Opera and its fantastic sound.

Although we have loved and enjoyed our time spenet here,
The day our Hungarian adventur ends grows near.

Our wonderful Budapest experiences have been so fun,
we would like to thank our peers, moderators, Andras and everyone!

Wednesday's Wonders!

Hello all! Thank you for continuously checking up on our various activities in the beautiful city of Budapest! On this fine morning, we were all anxious to venture over the bridge and into the pristine hills of the Buda side of Budapest. After crossing the bridge, we soon realized that the biking would not be as leisurely as anticipated. We all switched gears as we struggled to surmount the unavoidable slope to our first destination. Huffing and puffing, we finally reached the Mathias Church (Matyas Templom). The church was brilliantly intricate, inside and out. The roof was crafted out of kaleidoscopic ceramic tiles. The inside of the church was equally colorful and detailed. After learning about the history and present uses of this religious landmark, we strolled through the Fisherman's Bastion, which is a castle-like walkway that overlooks the glimmering waters of the Danube. We were able to capture the moment with various photographs. Some of us were also able to hold a majestic falcon, which was thoughtfully photographed to capture such a unique experience. After this, we peddled further towards the massive castle, which resides on top of the rolling hills of Buda. From this, we were able to obtain a vast amount of knowlege on its past and present purposes. Soon, it was time for us to return to the Pest side of Budapest, where we reside.

Along the way, we stopped briefly at the picturesque Margaret's Island (Margit Sziget). This island was named after the Princess Margaret, who was forced into nunnery by her father after winning a monumental war against the Turks. While we were there, we came across some 13th century Mideval ruins of Margaret's cloister. Unfortunately, the time came to return our bikes, and get some well-deserved lunch.

After lunch, we visited the Dohany Synagogue, which was elaboratly embellished and architectually influenced by Muslim and Oriental styling. The history of the synagogue was incredibly eye-opening. We learned in-depth details about the hardships and violence faced many Hungarian Jews in the 1940's. We also learned about the synagogue's use in modern days. We also toured the courtyard, which featured many memorials, one of which being a metal statue of a weeping willow tree. On each leaf, a name of a decesaesed Jew is engraved in rememberance. After this, we returned to Maverick Hostel for some free time. Soon, it was time for dinner. Shortly after, we hopped on a bus and rode back to Buda, where we saw the city lit up across the river. We were able to visit an underground hospital and powerplant which were used during World War II. The tour was eerie and life-like, but very informative. We all enjoyed it thoroughly. By this point, we were all exhausted, and were ready to reflect upon our day thus far. We all contructed a poem together, which ilustrated our wonderful endeavors experienced throughout the past four days. Thanks for checking in! There will be more updates coming your way! Have a blessed evening.

-Christine and Shannon

Teaching on Tuesday

What a day it has been!  After rising very early this morning, and eating a wonderful breakfast from a plethera of options, we raced off to the University to speak with the Hungarian students who are attending English classes with our wonderful guide Andras.  We split off into small groups, generally consisting of four Americans and two to four Hungarians.  We exchanged cultural information, as well as fun facts about our respective lifestyles... the Hungarians discovered that Americans are (for the most part) unlike the advertised Hollywood moviestars, and the Americans discovered that our moviestars and musical artists are very popular in Hungary (especially Eminem and Kanye West!).  We were also fortunate enough to learn a few Hungarian words along the way, including how to say "I like your socks" and "Hello"!  After conversing for a while, we ate a Hungarian lunch in the University's cafeteria, and proceeded to the Danube River for a leisurely stroll.  The sun was shining all day, which was a welcome weather change after an overcast day yesterday!  We took lots of pictures during our walk, even in the beautiful and brand new Olympic Park which opened last week.  Ironically enough, Hungary has not hosted the Olympics yet, however the installment of the Olympic Ring structure in front of the park is in hopeful anticipation of hosting the summer Olympics in the near future (Hungary always does well during the summer Olympics, especially in water polo!).  Along the Danube River we saw a memorial erected in 2005 as a reminder of the victims who were killed during the Nazi invasion and takover of Hungary.  There were bronze shoes scattered along the edge of the walkway next to the Danube, symbolizing the last steps of the victims before being shot into the Danube.  On a brighter note, we toured the Parliament building, which was decorated to perfection, with arching ceilings and golden embroidery.  We saw the royal crown which is said to have been inspired by the Angel Gabriel who spoke to the Pope asking, for the crafting of a crown for the first king of Hungary.  The crown is 2 kilograms, which equates to about 4.8 pounds... rather heavy to be wearing for any extended period of time!  After walking for the entire first portion of the day, we returned to the hostel where we were able to relax for about an hour and a half before continuing our Budapest adventures by taking the trolley to a gourmet dinner at Pomo D'Oro, an Italian restaurant.  Then, dessert was at Gerbeaud's, which was absolutely amazing.  Macarons, chocolate cake, homemade ice cream, hot chocolate with mountains of whipped cream, and a few capuccinos later, we are all ready to go to bed to prepare for our next day in Budapest!  Goodnight!

We DID bike in Budapest today!

Today was a very fun, eventful, and busy day! By exploring the city, we were able to learn the history behind the beauty. Starting with our bike tour, Heroes Square and The City Park were only a couple of historical landmarks out of the many we learned about. We also had the privilege of touring the Basilica and Opera House. Both were beautiful and the view from the top of the Basilica, after 302 stairs, was breathtaking! Finishing the day with a boat tour on the Danube River was not only relaxing and interesting, but the perfect way to end the day as well.
 Love, Nina and Claire!

Recap of Sunday's Adventures

Our first day in Budapest was a success! After what seemed to be an endless night of travel, we arrived and got settled in our hostel. We also explored the streets, enjoying the beautiful parks around where we are staying. So far, we have all been having a great time and can't wait to bike around the city early tomorrow!
- Hannah and Rachel