Bath Number 2

Monday in Budapest. We had a slow start to the morning. Of course, I was up at 5 and blogging at 6. We didn't leave the hotel until 11:30.

We went to a yarn store! Well, really a fabric store with a little bit of yarn (I almost said wine!) There were very few colors with more than one skein! There were several Red Heart labels I have not seen in the states (it was Red Heart who gave me the addresses) I saw one skein of yarn that looked like it was from somewhere other than England. So not a great source for yarn but it got us off the main tourist streets and saw a bit of "normal" Budapest.

We stopped for a pop -- and to study the map on how to get to Heros Square from the yarn shop, we got our first Pepsi Light and it had ICE! Three beautiful cubes. We hated to not linger long enough for them to completely melt.

I took a picture of the pop AND of the computer screen that was used for the sidewalk cafe. It was an old Compac big monitor. However, the keyboard was one of those "indestructable" flat keyboards.

We saw the Millennium Monument. It is amazing how much land is used with the monuments to history. Granted they have a LOT of history. Since it was Monday, the museums were closed so we walked through the park.

We had lunch at Robinsons. The restaurant is on a small lake in the park. We both had the children's meal of grilled chicken (we could have had fried) and smiling potatos. French fry type potatoes with a happy face cut into them. They were similar to the potatos I had the first night. Sort of deep fried mash potatoes.

After that we had to take a bath! This time we went to the Szechenyi Gyogyfurdo es Uszoda baths in the park. We went past the zoo and the circus to get there! Still confusing as all get out to get in and get a towel but well worth it! This time we EACH got a changing cabin. However when the woman let us in she did not remind us that we had to remember our cabin number. We were given a token we had to keep on our person the whole time but it does not have the number of the cabin on it! In fact there is no relation to the cabin whatsoever! In the future, I think we will just get the lockers. We control the key to them so you do not have to find an attendent each time you want in.

I had brought a towel -- or so I thought. Fortunately, I discovered BEFORE going into the baths that the towel is the size of a SHAMWOW! but not as absortant. So I rented a towel. That was how I discovered I had NO idea what my cabin number was! I had to have the attendant open 3 cabins before I found mine! 482 if you are interested! I may never forget the number now!

The BATHS. We actually opted for the Swimming pools. It was WAY too hot for the thermal baths. This is the baths with the whirly thing in one of the pools. When it is going, you are moving so quickly, you just have to lift your feet up and "go with the flow" It doesn't run all the time so we were very lucky it was going when we first got there and then again before we left.

They were right about all shapes and sizes being there. I can't believe I have walked around in my swimming suit TWICE in public! The suit I have I bought over 5 years ago and this is the first time I have gone in the water.

There was the cutest little girl in th whirly water. She had her little water wings on and her mother was with her. She had the curliest, deep copper hair I have ever seen. She was having the time of her life whirling around in the water.

We managed the metro all day but decided we would take a taxi to dinner with Carmen since we were not sure where it was and Rick Steves (the god of travel!) mentioned it was a bit out of the way and there was nothing else around there but worth it. So of course, we get in a car wreck with the taxi!!!!

Some assholes decided our driver had cut them off so first they went up beside us and shouted some words that I suspect were not very nice and then they swerved right in front of us and jammed on their brakes! Our driver almost breaked in time but there was not much room. We told him we would write a statement that it was the other car's fault even though it was a rearending.

Fortunately, he called another taxi for us and we were able to make it to dinner in time with Carmen.

We had originally planned on going to Spoon (turns out also owned by the people who own Robinsons where we had lunch). However, the hotel had made the reservation for only 2 instead of 3. When they called the restaurant back, we could not get a view table. Rick has said the only reason to eat there is for the bathrooms and the view. We figured we would wait.

So we went to the New York Cafe instead. It is beautiful inside. However, when you first enter the restaurant there is a sign that says no cameras. Unfortunately, we were seated right by the hosts table so it was not possible to take very many pictures. Of course, I had to try! I turned my flash off, set the camera on the table and tried taking pictures of the ceiling above us.

The entire restaurant is as ornate as many of the palaces/churches we have visited. Murals on the ceilings, sculpture everywhere and ornate gold fixtures. Carrie had a cheeseburger (a much better choice than mine!) of course, it was about $18. I had a fried goat cheese salad with berry ragout. We have been trying to figure out what ragout means but I think it is "sauce". So my salad had a sweet/tart dressing of currents and cherries (I think!). Carmen ordered a "snack" of mozzarella cheese, tomatos and basil and one long skinny bread stick. Fortunately, they had brought a big bread dish. The bread dishes have been large at most of the restaurants who have served them. And great bread.

I tried the real unicum --yuk. This one I can really see why it is called a digestive -- it tasted like 'tussin! We had a sampler plate dessert -- Apple Pie, Dobo's layer cake and another one. They were all pretty good. The Dobo's had spun sugar on top of it. It is always so pretty. Of course, I have pictures...

We managed the tram and then metro to get home -- felt safer then a taxi!

We found a small shop on the way home that actually had 2 ltr bottles of Coke light. It was only 500 ft (2.50) while Carrie paid 830 ($4+) for a POINT .02 ltr. bottle at dinner. .02 ltrs of pop is about 3 sips or one good thurst quenching gulp. I have to admit I have been tempted to go into a Burger King (they are everywhere) to see if they have larger drinks...

Not sure what we will do tomorrow. It is 10:00 so I will close -- at least until 6 am when I wake up! I hope you are all doing well!