Monkey Hat: Today I woke up first and got dressed and had breakfast. The day started when we went to the Parliament and took a tour of it. I saw a replica of the Parliament Building made out of matches. A Hungarian Family made it. We also visited a large room with a lot of desks called the “House of Lords”. I got Hungry (get it?). We went to TG Italiano and ate a healthy lunch of vegetables, pizza, pasta and fish. Dad and I climbed St Stephens Church and came back down in less than 20 minutes. Mom said we took the elevator, but we didn’t. It was time to go to the Opera House. We took a tour in Spanish and learned a bit about its past. It has a lot of gold decorations. Before electricity they lit the lights with gas. They kept the lights on during the opera so boys didn’t kiss girls. After that we went back to the hotel and had dinner and took a shower.
Mother Superior: Tengo Hambre! Tengo Hambre! This has been Princess’s unofficial motto since arriving in Hungary. The irony doesn’t escape us and we always end up laughing. This morning, she was especially vocal until we sat down for breakfast. A plate of scrambled eggs, a croissant with strawberry jam, and a bowl of cereal did the trick – for a while at least. We were off to the races! After hustling in and out of the metro, we waited on line to get tickets to visit Parliament. The line which looked more like a wedge, seemed to get longer thanks to the arbitrary system of advancing that the gate keeper employed. As the rain started to come down, we made it to the ticket window. The kids and I got in free as EU members, although Captain Grumpy had to pay. Somewhere along the line, we figured out that there was a Spanish tour at 11h30 and opted for the sounds of the mother land instead of waiting for the English tour at 13h00. With an hour to spend, we took cover at the Parliament Café. The hot chocolate and espresso warmed our spirits and we casually wandered about the area. We marveled at the magnificent 19th Century buildings that were all around us until we slowly started to realize that several of them were abandoned or in need of extensive repair. We quickly ran out of time and headed back for our tour. While waiting to pass security, our tour guide decided to ask if any of us were carrying knifes, rifles, or explosives. He quickly got more that he bargained for. “Tengo el cuchillo de jamon, pero ese no cuenta.” (I have the knife for the Ham, but this doesn’t count.) Everyone laughed. Captain Grumpy pointed out that he looked like Ricky Martin – personally, I didn’t see it. Once inside the symmetrical compound we saw a model of the building made of 30,000 matchsticks.; supposedly made by a Hungarian family. If you think about it, it’s a creative way to teach your kids how to play with matches and/or a therapeutic way to give up smoking. The size and attention to design details was magnificent. The House of Lords, which is not longer in use can be rented for 4.000 Euros. Some lady asked, “Eso incluye el uso de los banos?” (Does this include the use of the bathrooms”) Everyone laughed. The foolish guide stated that he didn’t know. As if not to miss a beat, the voice shouted back, “Lo podrias averiguar!” (Go find out!) Laughter once more. The tour turned out to be very enjoyable and we were only admonished twice for taking photos in restricted areas. In good health and spirits, we pulled out our handy tour books and picked a moderately priced French restaurant named La Fontaine. We located it on our maps and followed our fearless leader to the location only to find out when we got there it had already gone out of business. Unable to recover from the shock that our guide book had failed us, we meandered toward St Stephen’s Basilica until a stylishly fitted out Italian restaurant caught our eyes and lured us into TG Italiano. Seduced by the rich aromas eminating from the kitchen and the sharply dressed staff, we followed our waiter to the patio. The menu was extensive and our inability to decide became a 30 minute comedy show starring us and the unsuspecting waiter. On his fourth visit we gave him our order: grilled sole and shrimp, cavitelli in a cream sauce with peas and prosciutto, pizza margherita, and grilled vegetables. He asked if we were sure. I replied “no…but if I have a glass of Prosseco it will all be good.” He laughed and made some comment about women that despite the language barrier clearly conveyed the universal truth that all men should learn…”happy wife, happy life”. Lunch was delicious and the Prosseco was perfectly chilled. We should have quit after our entrées, but instead we decided to order dessert. I’m sad to report that the Tiramisu and the Profiteroles were unfortunate. Feeling guilty about the calories consumed, Captain Grumpy and Monkey Hat jogged over to the Basilica and raced to its duomo while Princess and I people watched from our strategically located table at TG Italiano. Twenty minutes later, our two sweaty boys returned to us. Our final stop of the day required us to stroll on the Andrassy. It’s a grand boulevard in the style of the Gran Via or Champ-Elysees. The neo-Renaissance architectures that line both sides of the avenue are spectacular specimens of engineering – rich in detail, uniformly sized, and uniquely personalized. They demand your attention block after block. When we arrived at the State Opera House we once again had to choose between a Spanish or English tour. Our earlier experience was so entertaining that we decided to join the Spaniards. The Opera is a precious jewel exquisitely designed and decorated. As you walk on the white and black mosaic floor you stare at the ceilings that are covered with majestic murals and allegories. According to our guide, it seats approximately 1,300 people. Prices range from 2 to 50 Euros. Extremely affordable if you compare it to the Met at Lincoln Center. Supposedly, Emporer Francis Joseph and his wife Sissi attended the grand opening of the Opera. Both loved it but only Sissi ever returned because Joseph did not appreciate that although smaller, it surpassed the Opera House in Vienna. Unfortunately, without her husband, Sissi was not allowed to use the royal box. Princess asked why, I replied “Sexism.” Hopefully we will be able to attend a performance before we depart back to the USA.
Captain Grumpy: Today we slept in until 7am. By the time we left the hotel, we headed directly to the Parliament building. We got in the buy a ticket line. When it was your turn, you walked across the site to a small ticket office. Mother Superior and the kids were free (we found out if you flashed an EU passport, tickets were free or discounted. I on the other hand had to pay. It was 50% off since it was a holiday (Tengo Hambre Independence day – one of several throughout the year -- another anecdote could fit in hereabout the cycle of oppressive regimes and related revolutions). By the way, the currency of Tengo Hambre is the Forint (roughly 200 Ft to the dollar). After getting the ticket, you had to wait until your allotted time for the guided tour. Since the Spanish speaking tour was before the English speaking tour, we fuimos con Los Espanoles. It turns out, the Spanish and the Tengo Hambrians are cousins because some Infanta from Aragon was married to a former Hambrian King, at least that is what I heard 14 times from the tour guide. On a side note, not that I haven’t already made a few…the tour guide looked like the Tengo Hambrian version of Ricky Martin. Supposedly the Royal Crown and Jewels were a part of the tour. Mother Superior got after the kids because they were too busy messing around to notice them during the tour. Good thing I, er, ah, saw them. Yes, sure. After this, we decided to get lunch. The best meal we had so far. An Italian Ristorante called TG Italiano, not far from St Stephens Basilica (technically only a minor basilica), but the title was transferred nonetheless. Mother Superior and Princess passed on the tour, so Monkey Hat and I raced to the top of the 340 steps and the Cupola. At 96 meters its one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest (Parliament being the other). After this, we walked to the Opera House for a tour. I can confidently say that I am not immune to the power of the Tengo Hambrian House…I was nodding off during the tour several times…Good to know its not just the Met that has that effect (or the AMC movie theater simulcast either). We retired early to write these journals.
Princess: We ate in a café. There was a picture on the ceiling. Today we went to the Opera house.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Day Three: No Rest for the Weary
Captain Grumpy: Princess woke us up at 6 am. She had already made her bed, so who knows how early she woke up. We ate breakfast and were on the road prior to 8 am. The plan was to walk to the Buda part of the city and hit those sites before heading back to Pest. One block into this itinerary and Monkey Hat and I were in trouble. Apparently, we were walking too fast, even though the little old lady with the walking stick passed us like we were standing still. Oh well…and away we went. We walked across the Scheznyi Bridge, a suspension bridge across the Danube and took a ride on the Castle Hill Funicular to the top. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity (4 minutes and 37 seconds to be exact) for people to clear so Mother Superior could take a tourist free photo of a gate, we then started walking around the Buda Castle/Royal Palace. We visited the Art Museum and tried to go to St Mathias Church, but Mass was in session and we didn’t want to wait. We walked down the hill to the nearest Metro. Halfway down, the other three started complaining about being tired. We then went to have lunch at a Dutch Pub. It was a cool place, but the food wasn’t all that great. Afterwards we picked up some strawberries from a local market and headed to the Museum of Fine Art. I can now cross “See the mummified remains of a crocodile” off of my life to do list. We headed back to the night life area and had dinner at Boom and Brass and dessert at the Gerbeaud Bakery. All in all, 3 miles of walking, 40 minutes of waiting, and only 8 hours of whining. Tomorrow I will throttle back.
Mother Superior: Before and after pictures of my feet would be a great way to recount our second day in Budapest. Somehow Princess managed to get up around 5h30 and jumped on Captain Grumpy – what a wake up call. An hour and a half later, we were eating breakfast and had plotted out our day on the map. From Vorosmarty Ter we strolled to the Danube and crossed over the Chain Bridge. The slow pace we kept, allowed us to relax and be hypnotized by the river and skyline of the Pest bank of the Danube. From the foot of Castle Hill, we jumped on the funicular. Monkey Hat and Princess giggled all the way to the top. The birds eye view of Pest was thrilling and we were camera ready. According to our guidebooks, the Royal Palace of Budavari Palota has been destroyed by locals, invaders from the west AND east, at least a half a dozen times and yet it continues to rise from its ashes like the mythological phoenix. We decided to visit the National Gallery that is housed in the former palace. Although we had not heard of the Hungarian artists that formed the permanent collection, it was interesting to walk through the various galleries and be the only four people in the room. The lack of security cameras and other patrons made for a ghostly experience. Maybe ghostly is not the best word – unearthly, as if some of the statues were the only ones watching us. Eventually, a few people started to show up and we listened to five minutes of a choral concert of robust women. We hastened our departure and escaped the musical purgatory. The palace gardens became our safe haven. Once outdoor, we enjoyed a small snack as we put one foot in front of the other until we arrived at St Mathias Church. Luck was not on our side. Mass was in session and would not end for another 50 minutes. Kids were crank, the parents were even crankier, so we bypassed the interior of the church and set course for Fisherman’s Bastion. As we paraded through hilly Buda, I thought to myself, “I’m outta here. The next landmark I want to visit is the bath houses for a Hungarian foot massage, body soaking, and wine drinking experience. We crawled back to Pest and decided to visit a local Hungarian eatery for lunch. At the Amstel River Café, we rested the throbbing footsies and nourished our tummies. Captain Grumpy, the Brave, ordered goulash soup. For the developed palates (aka the risk averse), we ordered spaghetti carbonara and fried calamari. The service was great, the waiter was cute, the music was retro, and the clean bathrooms were priceless. Now a reasonable man who is traveling with a 5 year old girl, a 9 year old boy and a wife wearing 3 inch heeled, leather boots would have tried to improve troop morale, but not our Captain Grumpy! Immediately upon having polished off our chow, he forced march us to Heroes Square. We assaulted the Fine Arts Museum, clearing the building floor by floor, room by room. It was evident in the Egyptian gallery that the former regime had not been allowed to rest in peace. Surely, their mummified remains and those of their pets (crocodiles, baboon, falcon, cat and ibis) had been dragged out of the resting places by unhappy foot soldiers that found the tour of the Nile too treacherous. In an effort to avoid the same fate, Captain Grumpy allowed us to take a knee, drink water, and sketch unimpressive replicas of Goya, El Greco, and Velasquez Spanish masterpieces that were on display. Sensing his totalitarian grip on power slipping away and a mutiny close at hand, Captain Grumpy launched his ‘Hearts and Mind’ campaign: “Chocolate and Ice Cream For All.” Religion might be the opium of the masses, but the Traveling By Four family answers to a higher power: Chocolate! The days maneuvers required a double dosage of chocolate. Our first stop was at the Antique Café where the kids first hugged the large ice cream cone, and then gobbled it up. The second dosage came right after dinner at the institution that was established in 1870 – The Patisserie Gerbeaud. Although the Hungarian landmark is an architectural paradise, the desserts fell short of heaven and the service staff was equally dry – but we are snobby foodies from the Tri-State area. What do we know?
Monkey Hat: Today we woke up and got dressed. We had breakfast and we set off. I crossed the Danube River on the Chain Bridge. Then we got on a funicular and went up a hill. At the top was Buda Castle. We went inside and looked at painting and watched fat ladies sing. At last we left and walked to the metro station and got on a subway. On the way, we passed the St Mathias Church. We ate and went to a museum of fine art. After the museum, we had ice cream. I jumped on the metro to get to Boom and Brass. We also had dessert at Gerbeaud. P.S. I saw cool mummies.
Princess: I woke up first and jumped on Dad. Then we went to breakfast. We went on the chain bridge. It had two lions.
Mother Superior: Before and after pictures of my feet would be a great way to recount our second day in Budapest. Somehow Princess managed to get up around 5h30 and jumped on Captain Grumpy – what a wake up call. An hour and a half later, we were eating breakfast and had plotted out our day on the map. From Vorosmarty Ter we strolled to the Danube and crossed over the Chain Bridge. The slow pace we kept, allowed us to relax and be hypnotized by the river and skyline of the Pest bank of the Danube. From the foot of Castle Hill, we jumped on the funicular. Monkey Hat and Princess giggled all the way to the top. The birds eye view of Pest was thrilling and we were camera ready. According to our guidebooks, the Royal Palace of Budavari Palota has been destroyed by locals, invaders from the west AND east, at least a half a dozen times and yet it continues to rise from its ashes like the mythological phoenix. We decided to visit the National Gallery that is housed in the former palace. Although we had not heard of the Hungarian artists that formed the permanent collection, it was interesting to walk through the various galleries and be the only four people in the room. The lack of security cameras and other patrons made for a ghostly experience. Maybe ghostly is not the best word – unearthly, as if some of the statues were the only ones watching us. Eventually, a few people started to show up and we listened to five minutes of a choral concert of robust women. We hastened our departure and escaped the musical purgatory. The palace gardens became our safe haven. Once outdoor, we enjoyed a small snack as we put one foot in front of the other until we arrived at St Mathias Church. Luck was not on our side. Mass was in session and would not end for another 50 minutes. Kids were crank, the parents were even crankier, so we bypassed the interior of the church and set course for Fisherman’s Bastion. As we paraded through hilly Buda, I thought to myself, “I’m outta here. The next landmark I want to visit is the bath houses for a Hungarian foot massage, body soaking, and wine drinking experience. We crawled back to Pest and decided to visit a local Hungarian eatery for lunch. At the Amstel River Café, we rested the throbbing footsies and nourished our tummies. Captain Grumpy, the Brave, ordered goulash soup. For the developed palates (aka the risk averse), we ordered spaghetti carbonara and fried calamari. The service was great, the waiter was cute, the music was retro, and the clean bathrooms were priceless. Now a reasonable man who is traveling with a 5 year old girl, a 9 year old boy and a wife wearing 3 inch heeled, leather boots would have tried to improve troop morale, but not our Captain Grumpy! Immediately upon having polished off our chow, he forced march us to Heroes Square. We assaulted the Fine Arts Museum, clearing the building floor by floor, room by room. It was evident in the Egyptian gallery that the former regime had not been allowed to rest in peace. Surely, their mummified remains and those of their pets (crocodiles, baboon, falcon, cat and ibis) had been dragged out of the resting places by unhappy foot soldiers that found the tour of the Nile too treacherous. In an effort to avoid the same fate, Captain Grumpy allowed us to take a knee, drink water, and sketch unimpressive replicas of Goya, El Greco, and Velasquez Spanish masterpieces that were on display. Sensing his totalitarian grip on power slipping away and a mutiny close at hand, Captain Grumpy launched his ‘Hearts and Mind’ campaign: “Chocolate and Ice Cream For All.” Religion might be the opium of the masses, but the Traveling By Four family answers to a higher power: Chocolate! The days maneuvers required a double dosage of chocolate. Our first stop was at the Antique Café where the kids first hugged the large ice cream cone, and then gobbled it up. The second dosage came right after dinner at the institution that was established in 1870 – The Patisserie Gerbeaud. Although the Hungarian landmark is an architectural paradise, the desserts fell short of heaven and the service staff was equally dry – but we are snobby foodies from the Tri-State area. What do we know?
Monkey Hat: Today we woke up and got dressed. We had breakfast and we set off. I crossed the Danube River on the Chain Bridge. Then we got on a funicular and went up a hill. At the top was Buda Castle. We went inside and looked at painting and watched fat ladies sing. At last we left and walked to the metro station and got on a subway. On the way, we passed the St Mathias Church. We ate and went to a museum of fine art. After the museum, we had ice cream. I jumped on the metro to get to Boom and Brass. We also had dessert at Gerbeaud. P.S. I saw cool mummies.
Princess: I woke up first and jumped on Dad. Then we went to breakfast. We went on the chain bridge. It had two lions.
Day Two: Planes, Planes, and Taxis
Captain Grumpy: Woke up as we landed in Germany. After taking the family on a tour of Terminal A, it was decided best for all of us to rest while we waited for the plane to Budapest. Like I said, it was decided, which means Mother Superior was mad at me…and so were the minions. Who would have known that they couldn’t accompany me into the Lufthansa Senator’s Club and we needless walked twice as far through a hot airport for nothing...oh well. The flight to Budapest was uneventful. Monkey Hat and I played “War” with his Yugiyoh cards and the other two slept. Our hotel’s driver was waiting on us and brought us to the hotel. Not the Waldorf, but not the Barcelona hotel either. We took the evening to explore the restaurant area of Pest, near the Danube River. All of us were asleep by 9 pm.
Mother Superior: We arrived in Budapest on time – Luftansa ever punctual! Our driver was waiting for us and swept us to the hotel. Checking in took almost no time and we decided to make our way to the Danube River. We found the metro and took it to Vorosmarty Ter. Now I’m aware of the globalization is causing cities to look increasingly similar, but does TGIF really need to set up shop in Budapest? We kept our distance from the global franchises and sought out local character. We were not disappointed by tiny coffee houses on the back streets. By 19h30 we were done eating and decided to frequent Patisserie Gerbaud, but they were already in the process of closing down for the night. I wonder if the early curfew is a remnant of the Communist era? A rain check will be required. The patisserie was exquisitely put together. I cannot wait to indulge my taste buds.
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up on the plane above Europe. We landed in Frankfurt and hopped on a bus to the terminal. I now have, in my passport, a stamp from Frankfurt. Then we got to our gate and had lunch. We finally got on the plane and they gave me a snack. It was cream cheese in a pretzel. At last we landed in Budapest. A taxi guy picked us up and took us to the hotel and then we went to tour Pest. At the end we had dinner.
Mother Superior: We arrived in Budapest on time – Luftansa ever punctual! Our driver was waiting for us and swept us to the hotel. Checking in took almost no time and we decided to make our way to the Danube River. We found the metro and took it to Vorosmarty Ter. Now I’m aware of the globalization is causing cities to look increasingly similar, but does TGIF really need to set up shop in Budapest? We kept our distance from the global franchises and sought out local character. We were not disappointed by tiny coffee houses on the back streets. By 19h30 we were done eating and decided to frequent Patisserie Gerbaud, but they were already in the process of closing down for the night. I wonder if the early curfew is a remnant of the Communist era? A rain check will be required. The patisserie was exquisitely put together. I cannot wait to indulge my taste buds.
Monkey Hat: Today I woke up on the plane above Europe. We landed in Frankfurt and hopped on a bus to the terminal. I now have, in my passport, a stamp from Frankfurt. Then we got to our gate and had lunch. We finally got on the plane and they gave me a snack. It was cream cheese in a pretzel. At last we landed in Budapest. A taxi guy picked us up and took us to the hotel and then we went to tour Pest. At the end we had dinner.
Day One: Pack and Go!
Captain Grumpy: Today was a day like any day...or was it? Of course it was. The kids were at school, the wife was working, I was supposed to be working...but in between teleconferences and emails and briefings, I was doing my "honey-do" list and taking care of last minute arrangements for our trip. Not to mention getting Mother Superior's car looked at by a mechanic and getting the quarterly treatment for the BMSB at our house...which is another story altogether. I had a short to do list: pick up food, drop it off at our friends' house, pick up wife's shoes from the cobbler, pick up kids, pick up wife, eat dinner, pick up cousin, go to the airport, give car to cousin, and get on a plane... Nothing to it. Except the flood in Denville; Except the extra side trips to get items we've forgotten; Except the traffic. Anyway, we made it to the airport and were on the plane. Wait...there was also the iphone left in the President's Club that we realized after we were on the plane. No worries. They let me get off the plane to fetch it. No security alarms were sounded...yet. Off to Hungary, or as we are referring to it…Tengo Hambre.
Mother Superior: Today we started our vacation to Central Europe. Our enthusiasm was dampened by the horrific Tsunami and quake that struck Japan. Will the search and rescue efforts be successful? How will they distribute drinkable water to all the victims? Will the nuclear reactor have a meltdown? Will our humanity allow us to help beyond borders and political interest? I finished teaching and we gathered in the parking lot. Captain Grumpy and I consolidated our suitcases into one car before heading to an early dinner. Kyoto was closed, so no sushi for us. We settled for Nonna's Ristorante. The airport was uneventful and the flight was very smooth. Earlier though, I spoke with Sister Superior while waiting at the President's Club. Her husband was not doing well. Once again, his fever was up. I'm worried about my sister. The weight of his medical situation is draining her emotionally and physically. I'm thankful my parents went to visit them at the hospital. I want to make my way to Ohio when we get back from Budapest, Vienna, and Prague.
Monkey Hat: Today, Dad came to our school and picked us up. Next we went to N.A. and Mom joined us and we ate at Nonna’s. We then picked up our cousin and drove to the airport. We walked to the club and got snacks. At last it was time to go. We got on our plane and took off. P.S. Mommy forgot her phone in the club and Dad went back to get it.
Princess: Dad picked me up. We picked up our cousin. I ate pasta and cucumbers. Then we went to the airport. We went to the plane. On the plane I colored. I watched TV.
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