i like the way slow travel feels. waking up whenever. reading, studying maps, rifling through some travel books. shuffling around. wandering over to the windows. good morning budapest.
i make a cup of frothy milky espresso to drink while i read. so lucky to have one of these in the apartment!
by late morning i have usually left the apartment in search of some small adventure in which to lose myself, a vague idea of where i'm going. on this vacation the gentleman i'm renting the apartment from has provided a booklet with some suggestions that are about my speed. no lines to stand in.
i have been charged with hanging the budapest flag tomorrow at dawn. the flag pole for the building is on this balcony. i am taking my assignment seriously. tomorrow is hungary's biggest national holiday (st. stephen's day) marking the founding of the kingdom of hungary. it also marks the end of summer. st. stephen was hungary's first king. there will be throngs of celebrating hungarians all over the city and massive fireworks over the danube at nightfall. st. stephens mummified holy right hand covered in jewels will be paraded through the streets. right on! there will be air shows over the danube. i will try to catch the fireworks and hopefully will not be swept away by the crowd.
the ceramic stove in the corner is an old heating element.
i arrive back at the apartment in the mid-afternoon for a cold shower and a nap. then more reading, travel journaling, blogging, balcony sitting, hungarian wine tasting. perhaps a snack!
i leave the apartment again after dark in search of grub. i feel perfectly safe walking around. if i see anyone approaching wearing loafers with white socks i cross to the other side of the street. this following a tip received long ago from a greek friend.
late at night i watch a little hungarian news. such a puzzling and fascinating language! i know not one single word, much to the chagrin of the lady working in the pharmacy today. with equal parts charades and a rough sketch i was able to secure some lactose intolerant tablets and bandaids.
Imagine my shock at seeing a poster of my favorite performer-Leonard Cohen. There is no song like “Closing Time”. Wonderful snapshots. I wonder if I could be so brave to go where I do not know the language.
just catching up on posts.
thanks for clearing up the loafer and white socks. i also thought it was a fashion thing.
my vacations have always been too fast and scheduled. you vacation the way i have always wanted to.
thank you for sharing. Budapest looks simply amazing
MaryAnn, I was telling dh about your adventure on the metro. I have mentioned you enough now that he now knows “Mary Ann Moss” is someone I ‘know’ on line, and he’s been gracious enough to indulge me when I want to meet these people who live in the computer.
I am curious to the machine in the corner of the room in the last photo -dining room. Is that one of the portable a/c units? btw, that table looks awfully clean. “Lactose intolerant” Mime drinking while going MOOoOO and then shake head no no no. Perhaps gag. Or draw a cow with a cross through it as in No Cow.
Catching up…haven’t visited since you were floating above the clouds. What a wonderful time you are having! If you’re anything like me, though, you’re calling in at least once a day to make sure the kittehs are okay! I LOVE that you get to hoist the flag and can’t wait to see the pictures. Your snacks look delightful – and we all know the food is at least 50% of the awesomeness on any trip!
You are the consummate traveler; stay in one beautiful place and learn it well and slowly – savour each passing moment and fill the pages of your memory (and your journal)with delicious and enthralling bits of wonder.
Enjoy yourself – I know you are!
Erin in Morro Bay
Oh yes I really do love slow traveling with you. When Mr. C and I travel it is always on schedule and way too much agenda to see and do and I am forever exhausted. Relish in the moments…
This is perfection. I want to go to Budapest, which is really weird idea to me but it seems possible and perfect from your description. I will. one day.
Thank you, Mary Ann, for once again taking us along with you on your adventures! I love the easy way you travel.
Thanks for sharing photos of your wonderful days in Budapest. Your apt looks so inviting and peaceful. I am enjoying the photos of the city…..awesome! Looking forward to more!
Mary Ann, you can be my travel agent anytime.
Okay, you are in Budapest, Hungary and your apartment has a Leonard Cohen poster framed on the wall???? Marvelous and spectacular.
Sister!
don’t forget to rent the mopeds for Monday. Get me a helmet. I know you don’t like to mess your hair up, but you know I have that soft spot.
Fabulous apartment! Interesting bits of info. Happy St. Stephen’s Day! 🙂
I love the way you travel!
Okay…I wasn’t thinking thugs in loafers and white sport socks…
nope…I was thinking hopelessly inept at looking fashionable.
God I love that you share your travels with us..I really like how you see things and I smile and laugh enjoying your time there in that far away land. I look forward to your entries as everyone here does too. You know how to truly enjoy adventures such as this. I was a air force brat born in Scotland, lived in Germany for 9 years and Japan for 4 years..I miss traveling so much and am unable to do much right now. You are such a treasure and gift…keep smiling and party on with the celebrations there!
peace & namaste
denita
Mary Ann, yours is such an intelligent way to travel. Thank you so much for taking us all along! And suddenly I’m craving cheese-y biscuits 🙂
I love reading about your daily adventures and seeing Budapest with you! What an awesome apartment too! Thanks for the fun sightseeing tours!
I thought the same thing… “how in the world do you explain lactose intolerant”! Too funny!
Love your method of travel. Great apartment. Love the high ceilings and solid doors, so European. My family and I rented an apartment in Rome in 2008 and that was a fabulous way to do it. We got to know the neighborhood (and the gelato guy got to know us!). Makes the day seem so much longer when you have a real place to hang out in during the mornings and evenings. Sort of like renting a cottage for the week. Can’t wait to hear more of wonderful Budapest.
ha ha ha ha
the white socks and loafers is a reference to eastern european mafia thugs
Thanks, Mary Ann, for allowing us to come to Budapest with you…I’m curious about the white socks and loafers thing, too!!!
I look forward to these posts of yours, I feel good inside knowing you are tromping and wandering new streets, stopping now and again and taking it all in and then taking time to share the experience. Even so many miles away to where I am, for just a brief few minutes I get to be someplace else. Thanks for taking us along for the stroll. It feels so good to move slow!!!!!!
I just realized from reading this post that when foreigners come to my country their diary would be about the same in terms of trying to be understood.
Tell us why we cross streets from loafers and white socks?! Are they loathsome as tourists or criminals?
gotta love any house with Leonard on the wall!!!! You always manage to see your travel venues thru remarkably creative eyes…interesting adventures so far; let’s see what happens when Carol descends from the blue???
How exciting to hang the flag and be there for the festivities! I need to order more capsules for my Nespresso machine, you’ve made me long for it after getting used to not having any! You are so brave for going to a country with such a language barrier- I’m inspired to be a little braver in my life! Again, thank you for taking me along, I really needed a vacation.
And another opportunity to remember my favorite Cohen lyric – I once based a painting series on same – “Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.”
Budapest is lovely, apartment lovely, lovely to be completely bewildered by the language and somehow manage. Need I say “enjoy!” to you? You hardly need encouragement!
I can only imagine what you had to draw/pantomime to express “lactose intolerant.”
joan – an unbelievable 90 euros/night. i will let you do the math to convert to dollars.
dirt CHEAP is what i think!
about the decor. it is fun to stay in a place that is unlike your own home. this place feels palatial compared to cozy moss cottage. i do wish a cat would jump up on the balcony though…
i will be in this spot the entire 2 weeks. taking my slowpoke time to see budapest.
Slow and easy would be my way of traveling these days. Done enough of the hurry and wait scene. Thanks for taking us along with you.
That apt is nice. And the espresso machine kicks it up a notch. May portend purchasing one of your own. I use mine several times a day. Me, I’m traveling a couple hundred miles down the West Coast in search of my BFF and plenty martinis. And a respite from home’s routine and chores. Vacation!
Did you rent this apt. because it has a Leonard Cohen poster on the wall? It all looks fab. Keep an eye out for St. Stephen’s arm while you’re out on the balcony hoisting the flag. I emailed my number as requested – call me & speak in Hungarian so I know it’s you. xo,s
Slow is the perfect way to vacation. the apartment is wonderful. you sure know how to choose them.
What a lovely apartment. I’d feel very cosmopolitan and chic living in such a place. I love the stark, minimalist decor. The expresso maker look like it does a grand job, unlike the wimpy faux jokes I’ve purchased here to make my lattes at home…HA…not even close. I’m forced to stick with Starbucks.
If I’m not being rude, would you mind telling me how much the apartment rents for? I’d love to go to Europe on a slow visit. How long will you stay in this spot? For the duration of the trip? Or on to other cities?
Loving your adventure, its so nice to visit Budapest. Thank you for sharing and enjoy this day.
I have been trying to figure out what it is that I enjoy so much about your travel posts and you just gave me the answer – “slow travel”. That is what I want to do! Instead of a vacation where you rush about seeing and doing everything and then come home more exhausted than before you left!!
P.S. Glad to see a little Canadian content where you are staying – Leonard Cohen is in the house! 🙂
Thanks again Mary Ann! I get up anxious each morning to see Budapest again, but through your eyes. What a joy for us. Thank you!