Budapest: The Land of Milk and Honey

Budapest was amazing! I got to stay for a full week with my old pal Dave and finally meet his family. So, granted, I did get a much different perspective hanging out in Budapest than I did living in Paris, but I have a feeling that even had I just been there as a tourist staying in a hotel, I would have enjoyed it more than Paris.

The biggest reason is that Budapest is a much more livable city--the weather is great, there are lots of parks and nice places to walk around, and the prices are more than reasonable. The food, by the way is amazing. I had some of the best meat in my  life here, and the produce is just as good. One day, we went to a massive building full of produce stalls, and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

In Paris, I was afraid to do much, because everything was so expensive, but in Budapest, I spent about the same amount, even though I was there for nearly twice as long, and I got two massages, went to the cinema, went to a poker room (lost $50), and went to the thermal bath.

Paris, does have it's charms, but Budapest is really has Paris licked in nine out of ten areas. To illustrate, I'll pretend I'm writing a break up letter to Paris:



Dear Paris,

This is never easy to say, but I think we both knew what was coming. I've met someone new. Her name is Budapest. We have only been seeing each other for a week, but I think it's fair to say that we are in love. 

Paris, I know you may be taking this hard, but our relationship had to many rainy days. For me and Budapest it's all sunny weather. I know you have a certain timeless beauty about you...but Budapest has a youthful vigor that, I'm sorry darling, but that you just lack. 

I know that you're practically world renowned for your cooking, but frankly I think you're cooking isn't that great. Budapest's cooking is much better and she always uses fresh ingredients. Can you say that? And she never skims off the top either. When I give Budapest twenty euros for a meal, she makes me a feast for kings. When I give you twenty euros...well, let's just say I don't feel so princely. 

And if after dinner, I want to walk around outside with a beer or two, Budapest doesn't mind at all. As long as I don't get drunk and start knocking things over, she's just happy that I come home in one piece. Of course she isn't quite as tolerant as you of smoking, but can you blame her? It's a terrible habit, after all. 

I know you may be heartbroken for a while, but take courage. You have plenty of suitors, and I have every confidence you will get on just fine without me. 

Best wishes,

Brady



Really, there is too much to tell in one blog entry, but I had a wonderful time thanks to Dave and his wonderful wife and daughter. I hope very much to make it back in August, and am even planning to invest in some real estate there. I love this city so much, I cannot say enough about it. For anyone planning a European vacation please go anywhere else, I want to keep Budapest a secret!

Le Temps de Vacances

One of the many benefits of my wonderful job is the vacation time. I have only been working for two months, but since we run on a trimester system, it's time for vacation. I got nearly two weeks off, and there was a snowball's chance in Riyadh that I was going to stay in Saudi Arabia, so I decided I would split my time between Paris, which I had long wanted to visit, and Budapest, where a friend of mine lives. Today, I'll write a bit about Paris, and in a few days, I'll write about Budapest and compare the two.

As fortune would have I was flying out about the same time as a couple of my colleagues, and indeed, the Brit and I were taking the same flight to Cairo where we would be connecting to our ultimate destinations. Contrary to my fears, getting out of the country was an easy and painless process, and getting through passport control on the way out was literally twelve times faster that it was for me coming in. Although, I did notice that while passing through the metal detector, someone had left a suspicious bag of organic green material near to where I was unloading my pockets. I just moved along quickly, and luckily no one noticed. Dave and I had a beer in Cairo, and I've seldom seen anyone so pleased.

I stayed at a hostel, so what? You get to meet interesting people, it's cheap, and there is free breakfast. Mine was close to the Gare de Nord train station--a major transportation hub, serving as both a railway station for trains going to northern Europe, and a metro hub for Paris subway trains. It wasn't so bad, despite the profusion of twenty-somethings and Americans, although most days I chose to break the rules and sip a beer in my room, rather than pay seven euros for a pint at the bar.

Having taught English to a group of French students last summer in Vancouver, I was lucky enough to have a guide in Paris. The student in question, Alex made his was down from Orleans on the Saturday, we met up with a couple of his friends and I was given the grand tour. That day, I saw Champs-Elysees, L'Arc du Triumph, La Basilisque du Sacre Coeur, and besides that we ate an authentic Brittany-style creperie, and bought absurdly expensive macaroons near the Eiffel Tower. It was a whirlwind tour, and a bit much to take in, especially since we were, at my insistence, speaking only in French. In the next four days, I would visit many of these places again.

The next day, I met a German named Thom, and I walked with him from the hostel to the opera house, then to the Louvre, and then on to the Sienne and got to see the Eiffel Tower the second time. I could go into great detail, but suffice it to say that my time in Paris constituted a lot of walking and a lot of looking at stuff. I think I averaged about ten kilometers per day of walking time. Paris is beautiful city with something to see around every corner. It's a gorgeous city--one that blends classical and modern styles seamlessly.

Despite it's beauty, I would not want to live in Paris--it's one big tourist trap, and it's expensive as hell. To give you and idea, a simple meal at a cafe costs just over twenty euro (about 32 dollars). The food I had in Paris, by the way, was forgettable...and I'm sorry to say, so was the coffee. One nice thing about Paris was that you could get a good selection of beer in corner stores for under two euro...but if you wanted hot food, you should be prepared to shell out at least seven euro for something cheap and greasy.

All in all, Paris is not very livable. Nothing much seems to be produced inside the city. Instead, it just seems to sustain itself by sucking up piles of cash brought in by tourists. I can only imagine would how much it would cost to rent. Although I enjoyed my time in Paris and was glad to visit, the next time I go to France, it's off to Tours or Toulouse, or Orleans. I think living in Paris would be much a kin to dating a high maintenance girl. Better to just have a fling.