Budapest Festivities

I woke up healthy the next day since I had no alcohol the night before! I was still sleepy, and took my time getting out of bed. It was so big and comfy, so I wrote for a little while before getting up properly (as you can see I am trying to stay updated this time!). I eventually decided to get up and get some stuff done. I had decided on going to Serbia the next day in hopes it would be warmer, so I wanted to get the usual stuff: postcards, patch for the bag, and see if I find anything else. I found some postcards etc on the main tourist street (it's always easy) and started wandering down towards a street that had interesting stores from my memory. I browsed a few stores but nothing stuck out as a must-buy. In my wandering I ended up in this area I had never seen before, full of disintegrating buildings and boys on bikes whistling to their friends in abandoned lots etc. Looked like gypsy land.

I randomly took a picture of this one on the way out, it's nowhere near as decrepit as the others, but oh well! I don't like taking my camera out in places like that with lots of ppl around, seems disrespectful somehow...



Jon got a hold of me post-postcard purchasing, and we were both feeling like a beverage and sunshine and possible card writing. We were agreeing to meet at the market again when I ran into this temporary local market thing. It had local food, wine, cheese, and goods. It also had a stage with children singing in Hungarian dressed up old style:



This experience was well timed - I had just decided I was ready to go, and now I go to this local thing that really made me feel like I was a part of the city. It was a good random find. Jon and I met up here instead and walked around the stalls eating cheap food and cheap hot chocolate in the sun.

I saw a fox that looks like a relative of one back home!! What is he/she doing in Hungary?!?!



Well we finished at that place and found a bench by the water to write postcards. There was one pen between us so I wrote while Jon power napped with FOX.



FOX got impatient after I finished writing though and decided to put the pen in Jon's ear. It didn't do much though as you can see hehe



I was wondering what had happened to my old roommate Jonas, who was supposed to show up in Budapest today. As I was wondering, I got a call from him. Jonas and Beata would be at a square at 8pm, so I let others know and went to stop by the train station first to buy my ticket to Serbia. It was close to the square so I had time.

The ticket was super easy to buy, and from a very friendly lady. Believe it or not, the 8 hour train journey only cost 15 Euro! It was valid for a month, so I didn't haveeee to leave on Sunday too.

We went for food quickly then off to meet up with Adam and his friend. We went to a cute little cellar bar and met with Jonas and Beata there. From there we finished one beer and went to a Balkan dance band! I bounced about for a while; the music was really really good :)

It was a good transition for my upcoming trip south. Everyone was there, and it was an excellent time all around :) Even FOX got some love!



FOX also got in on the beer drinking...



I consumed too much beer at this point though... I remember talking to some Hungarian guy about Vancouver sitting on the side of the road, then had to go back in and get all my stuff to take off. Everyone was taking off, so I walked Lisa (she had showed up later) to a bus stop on my way to where I was staying. It was good to be guided to somewhere I recognized so I could walk home confidently. I was not doing well for catching that train though....

... predictably, I missed it for Sunday. I woke up rough, and with a headache. Benny was fine with me staying an extra night, so I slept some more and eventually got up to at least move to the couch. This is when I had a moment of panic. I was picking up my clothes and noticed that my wallet pocket was empty on my belt!! I never take it out though! I looked through everything and it was nowhere.

Crap.

I have never done this in my entire life! Not to my memory anyhow. Definitely never ever ever while traveling. It has it's pocket and that is where it stays safely double snapped in. How did I even do that?!?!!

Well it looked like my hung over ass was going for a walk. I put on my smelly clothes and walked back to the bar. My stomach was not happy about this, nor my head but I had to go. I found the place surprisingly easily. I walked in and one of the girls seemed to know me right away. I said wallet and she went straight for the cupboard. She said it was on the floor under some chairs hard to see. I looked inside and to my disbelief...

Every single thing was still in there! All my money, ID, cards, everything. I was relieved! I left a 500HUF bill for the girl that found it (in retrospect it should have been way more, that's not even 2 euro but I wasn't thinking fast through my headache!) and walked back.

I was hoping the walk would cure my shitty feeling, but it was doing nothing for it. I went straight back to veg on the couch. Benny was very kind and made pasta. It took me over an hour to slowly eat, but once that was down I was doing much better. We went out for take-out Chinese and water then watched a show on how to improve your memory. I felt normal after the food, and packed up for the next attempt at catching the train.

I made it an early night...