We have had a great week here in Hungary, a mix of sightseeing and hanging out with Kyle and Lynnette...the holiday seems to be lasting a long time which is how I like it!!! On Wednesday we went into Budapest to complete our sightseeing and meet K&L and a bath house later in the afternoon. We started our day at the Jewish Synagogue, the second largest in the world. I don't think I have ever been in a synagogue before so it was an entirely new experience! We had a very nice guide who tols us all about the Jewish people before World War II and how the community functions today. We also visited a memorial garden which pays tribute to the Jewish and Gentile people who risked their lives to save others during the Holocaust.
We then went back to our favourite square where the Spring Festival is taking place, we had coffee and lunch, accompanied with some people watching, of course! We made our way down Andrassy Ut which is a lovely boulevard lined with trees, regal houses, and the occasional doggie turd! We walked to the House of Terror which is a museum focused on the the torture by the Nazis and the Secret Police during and after WWII, housed in their former headquarters. It was an extremely well done exhibition...interactive and very moving. Particularly chilling was the elevator (very slow moving) ride down to the basement complete with a man describing an execution by hanging...my skin was crawling by the end.
Kyle and Lynnette met us at Heroes Square and we made our way to the Szechenyi Bathhouse. Don't fret....suits were definitely required! A sigh of relief! Now not all the suits were required to fit so there were a few unpleasant surprises! Budapest is built on top of thermal springs so the baths (pools) are all naturally heated. At Szechenyi there are inside and outside baths, ranging in temperatures and sulphur smells! We spent close to 3 hours going from pool to pool...whipping around in a whirlpool...we didn't think we would be able to spend that long there but we did! We emerged prune-like and relaxed! These baths are said to be 'healing' so we will have to see if they work!
We went for dinner at a Hungarian restaurant close to Kyle and Lynnette's house. I had chicken kiev with croquettes (which I have been taking a liking to)....my dinner arrived looking like one giant turd surrounded by little baby turds...this led to great dinner conversation and a lot of laughter!
Yesterday and today we are halping K&L out with some of their work. We went with them to Ofalu, where the OM (Operation Mobilization- the missionary organization they serve with) has a 'club-house'. Ofalu is a predominately gypsy community and K&L teach English, hold clothing bazaars, coach baseball....and so much more. We were helping with the clothing bazaar, setting it up and taking it down. OM received a semitruck FULL of clothes from some Swedish missionaries. We sorted boxes into one room and then had some lunch. The sale started about 2:30 and it was pandemonium! People rummaging up a storm and getting some great finds! One lady was having a great time...running around in a toque and a wraparound skirt and randonly calling out 'Sexy Mama!' and 'Opa!'
Came home and had a tasty dinner and then went for gelato even though it was minus minus outside!
Today I think we are helping with some painting at the OM Centre and then going to baseball this afternoon. Lynnette and I are just about to leave for the post office. Tomorrow morning we head to Vienna!!!
We then went back to our favourite square where the Spring Festival is taking place, we had coffee and lunch, accompanied with some people watching, of course! We made our way down Andrassy Ut which is a lovely boulevard lined with trees, regal houses, and the occasional doggie turd! We walked to the House of Terror which is a museum focused on the the torture by the Nazis and the Secret Police during and after WWII, housed in their former headquarters. It was an extremely well done exhibition...interactive and very moving. Particularly chilling was the elevator (very slow moving) ride down to the basement complete with a man describing an execution by hanging...my skin was crawling by the end.
Kyle and Lynnette met us at Heroes Square and we made our way to the Szechenyi Bathhouse. Don't fret....suits were definitely required! A sigh of relief! Now not all the suits were required to fit so there were a few unpleasant surprises! Budapest is built on top of thermal springs so the baths (pools) are all naturally heated. At Szechenyi there are inside and outside baths, ranging in temperatures and sulphur smells! We spent close to 3 hours going from pool to pool...whipping around in a whirlpool...we didn't think we would be able to spend that long there but we did! We emerged prune-like and relaxed! These baths are said to be 'healing' so we will have to see if they work!
We went for dinner at a Hungarian restaurant close to Kyle and Lynnette's house. I had chicken kiev with croquettes (which I have been taking a liking to)....my dinner arrived looking like one giant turd surrounded by little baby turds...this led to great dinner conversation and a lot of laughter!
Yesterday and today we are halping K&L out with some of their work. We went with them to Ofalu, where the OM (Operation Mobilization- the missionary organization they serve with) has a 'club-house'. Ofalu is a predominately gypsy community and K&L teach English, hold clothing bazaars, coach baseball....and so much more. We were helping with the clothing bazaar, setting it up and taking it down. OM received a semitruck FULL of clothes from some Swedish missionaries. We sorted boxes into one room and then had some lunch. The sale started about 2:30 and it was pandemonium! People rummaging up a storm and getting some great finds! One lady was having a great time...running around in a toque and a wraparound skirt and randonly calling out 'Sexy Mama!' and 'Opa!'
Came home and had a tasty dinner and then went for gelato even though it was minus minus outside!
Today I think we are helping with some painting at the OM Centre and then going to baseball this afternoon. Lynnette and I are just about to leave for the post office. Tomorrow morning we head to Vienna!!!
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