more hungary

Today I bought a Budapest card which is an all inclusive tourist card for riding subways, and busses. I recuperated this morning by taking it easy and showering and unpacking but by after 12, I was ready to go out and see the city, esp because it was warm-ishoutisde. I needed to buy the card and thankfully they had it at the desk here but cash only and I hadn’t yet been to an ATM machine. So I hopped on the 7 bus which was like a relic of the 1980s, industrial sounding and looking and I thought you had to swipe or something but no such deal, then I was standing on the side and trying to get by some woman who was walking in my direction and as I slip past her she starts elbowing me, so first and foremost bus experience here was intimidating, then I went into the train station to find an ATM but naturally there was not one so I thought I had to go to the metro. Finally I asked a lady in the currency exchange and there were several ATMS across the street. The denominations are crazy here. 1 euro = 275 Forint, so I took out like 30,000 forint, that sounds huge when in fact it really isn’t, just crazy what they do, so I walked back to the hostel it’s about 1km because I wanted to pick up some bananas at the 24  hour shop because there is no fruit at breakfast. I paid for the Budapest card  and then was on my way to my room to start making up my bag for the day. I had wanted to go to Kiraly baths because of the architecture but I was forewarned that it is a gay hang out. I had read though online that on Sundays every kind of person goes, so at 1:00 I finally walked out the door and took the 7 bus to Astoria square, from there because I had missed the tour earlier today, I referenced my what to do in day 1 table. It mentioned szenchenyi baths which I plan to make it to at some point. I was going to go to Oktogon to have a lunch like it said is good do to there, from Deak square I took the subway in the wrogn direction and ended up at Vorosmarty, where there is a very prolific restaurant and coffee shop I am blanking on the name now but it starts with a G, I went in sat at a window table  (had wanted to sit outside but I guess too chilly and windy) and read while eating a piece of Esterhazy tTOrta cake and a cappuccino, very yummy, after a 30 minutes I was ready to go again, from here it says to go walk over Libery bridge, I figured Id make it to the river this was good as I did not have any big plans just to take it easy on the first day, starting late, I wanted to go to bath, so I picked out Lukacs as recommended by the front desk guy, it was a bit far but much worth the walk. A coffee shop, the bridge, and the baths wouldn’t be a bad day. So the baths was a trip, first had to ask directions, then went to the window and the lady wrote 2600 HUF, I wasn’t sure if that was right, but I gave the amount anyway, this is because online I just read it should be a lot lower like 1700. It is a confusing experience to say the least, there are a million hallways, 2 floors, mens and womens locker rooms, changing areas, and showers. I was told I needed a bathing cap to go to the pool, I thought that was for the baths, I just assumed the word pool was used for a body of water. In actuality it turned out there were 2 large pools separate from the tubs. I really had no interesting in going just swimming, so it turned out you didn’t need a bathing cap for the baths. Some people spoke English, some did not, in the locker room, you are given a bracelet which electronically locks and unlocks lockers. I could not figure out how to unlock it, and I wanted to know if I should bring my soap with me downstairs because I read online you need to shower before you enter the water. I was not sure how much a shower was necessary so I brought soap and shampoo as if I was taking a regular shower. The guy at the locker a few down from me spoke not a word of English so I conversed with him through gestures and showing him my shampoo, he signaled me to follow him downstairs so I did  and he lead me to the guy who gave me  bathing cap, I bid him thanks and farewell, I am not sure where he went after.  I found the shower room and it was kind of strange, you had stalls like urinals in a bathroom but no cover or curtain so it was either shower with your suit on or bare all. Fortunately, this particular bath house had normally dressed people, while it was a bit of a mix and some older, everyone was wear normal bathng suits, albeit a few speedos interspersed. I finally figured out where the baths were and I don’t think I actually had to take a full shower, I think its kind of implied the way you ‘supposed’ to take a shower before entering the pool to go swimming at an athletic club, basically just rinsing yourself. The baths were nice, one large room with a few tunnels interspersed. AS it was a former Turkish bath, they retained part of the exterior wall as an exhibit of archaeology, you enter through this ankle-deep puddle, not sure if it is just for runoff or what not. There were 4 pools, one longer one in the back, one in the middle and 2 on the sides. They ranged it temperature from 24 to 40 celsius. I went in the 30 one first, it was good. Just sitting on the steps of the wall taking in the air, the chatter, the sounds, moving my arms about in the water, they are really just small pools that you just sit in. After a bit of meditating, I transferred to the 24 degree one, and that was freezing so I didn’t spend much time there, There was one that was 36 and I like that, it was sort of small though. Men and women were all together in th e baths. I cant really figure out a better way to describe it, it’s just a couple of rooms of bodies of water ranging in various temperatures, it’s humid, and you just sit. The more time-exhaustive part is figuring out how it works. I think I spent an dhour and a half altogether, as when I returned to my locker it was about 5:45. When I was about to go into the changing room, some lady was going in to a nearby doorway and slipped, I asked her if she was okand she said yes, and proceeded to ask me something I don’t know so  I said en nem beszelek magyarul, I don’t speak Hungarian, and she like someone would in charades, imitated someone walking up stars and said second floor and pointed to the door, and I said we were on the 2^nd floor at least I though it was because I had to climb1 flight of stairs to get to it. After I returned my bracelet it was dark out. I decided to walk because it was nice. I had read in my tour papers of some place with a terrace at the foot of Elizabeth bridge that was good to have a drink at and ‘watch the world go by’ so I decided to make my way there and have a pre-dinner drink. I had to take the 4-6 to the 18, so I ended up at Moszkva Sqaure, the post-communist square,  and hopped on the 18 tram down Kristzina Street to Elizabeth bridge, after some walking in circles and taking the 18 one stop too far, I found the place but sadly because of the weather the terrace was closed, at this point I decided to make my way to Nador or Zoltan street for a good dinner as I had read about, as I was at the bridge, I decided to walk it and then pick up the metro to go north, I walked the bridge and was able to see the classy chain bridge. Once on the Pest side, I had to cross under the bridge and made my way to a pedestrian area with many lights, there was a small bakery making some sort of Hungarian roll, it claimed it was good and unique. I was tempted to get one but at more than a few hundred forint, I did not want to spoil my appetite, I walked and saw some nice restaurants but I was curious to see about this Nador and Zoltan streets. I was staring to get really hungry so after I got off the metro, I walked a side street to head north, and saw a corner restaurant that had Hungarian folk music, I was still a bit apprehensive about the sitting at a table alone part, so I passed upon seeing many people at many tables. Eventually I found a small Indian restaurant called Kashmir in a very non-descript block, the lights were on, there did not appear to be anyone inside but I saw movement in the back, seeing something I liked on the menu, I went in, asked the host if he spoke English and requested a table. It turned out at 8:15 on a Sundy night I was the only person in the restaurant, I did not mind this, the quiet ambiance was nice, and I had personal service. I ordered a Tikki Masala, and the whole experience reminded me of eating at Sona in Maplewood in 2009 probably the last time I had Indian food out. I also had a soup which was good. I wanted to try Unicum some sort of Hungarian liquor but they were out, he asked me if I’d go with jagermester instead, I said yes but soon retracted my choice, saying I wanted a beer instead, I ordered a Hungarian typical beer called Dreher, but I was brought jager anyway. It was good as uaual but not really what you think of as having with dinner. I suppose I could have made a jagerbomb witth the beer I had. The dim lighting, the filling food, the long day, the fact I had barely slept the last few days, and everything like that, probably even the alcohol too, resulted in me feeling so sleepy. When I got the bill, I wasn’t sure if tip was included so I added my own 10%, and if I tipped 20% (since 10% is sometimes built in before) then so be it, the place was empty and the service and food were excellent. I went outside and was going to find Godor Club but decided instead just to find the 70 bus to take back in the direction of the hostel, found it at its starting point and took until before City Park, walked home about 10 minutes, went to figuring how the internet works here, I thought it was my comp, It turns out internet is only usale in the lobby as it does not travel as far as the rooms in the back. While typing the first half of this entry I must have closed my eyes and fallen asleep with everything still all over the placr, the next thing I knew it was 8:30 am and I was not sure if I would make the 10am tour in the morning. Read on.