Sorry about the tram electric lines in the picture, I'll attempt to get a better one tomorrow when we have a FREE DAY, yessss. Inside the parliament, I met Chinese people who were on the tour as well, chatted with them for a while, and saw the amazing cigar holders that are numbered for easy reuniting of cigar with owner. 
Also, the building itself is quite elaborate. Apparently the gold leaf on everything turns brown every thirty years so the government is constantly in the process of replacing it so as not to go bankrupt by doing it all at once.
After visiting the Parliament building, we walked across the Danube on a beautiful day to the Gellért baths. Here is what the day looked like:
Hungary has a tradition of large bathhouses, a leftover from centuries of Ottoman Turk rule. Sometimes your Hungarian doctor will prescribe visits to such baths, and these visits will be completely covered by your Hungarian insurance. Sweet. The Gellért baths are the swankest baths in the country with a wave pool that dates to the 1920s and porcelin tile everywhere.
In between all this, we do a lot of eating. This is a typical meal for the Flinn folk...these meals involve very long tables and much 'ok, now who's a vegetarian again?'
And look! I'm here!
That night, after the baths, I headed out to the suburbs with a few of the group to a two-violin and piano concert, which was absolutely amazing! The musicians rearranged the progam at the last minute to let the pianist play two Liszt pieces, which was appropriate considering Liszt is Hungarian and that the pianist was very talented!
And after that...out dancing! And it was 'Classics' night at Club Cha Cha Cha on Margit Island. Yeah! This meant that we got anything from 'Pretty Woman' to Hungarian stuff that everyone else knew to the grand finale...'I Love Rock and Roll!'
4 comments:
YOU WENT TO CLUB CHACHACHA!!!
Awesome.
Was it fantastically seedy? Did you see a man the size of a house? Was it 70% male? Did you get full Flinnlet participation, or are some of them still clinging to inhibition?
Remind me to tell you my AMAZING Club Chachacha story. It involves being propositioned by an Olympic silver-medalist, among other adventures.
For a less seedy and just as fun adventure, you must try Holdudvar. For a more youthful seediness, head over to Zold Pardon.
Lucky you, going to the Gellert this year instead of Szechenyi! It's expensive!
Are you getting an ENTIRE free day? Amazing. I recommend a day trip... maybe to Vienna.
OH, and you can't get a good picture of Parlament from Pest. But for an amazing shot, go over to Buda -- I want to say Bathyany Ter, which should be on the red line, if the red line is open -- it's breathtaking. Or, hope a boat to or from... the adorable town a quick daytrip south whose name I just forgot (to get there faster and cheaper, take the HEV).
Liz: Club ChaChaCha was less seedy than promised, actually, but definitely not, how shall we say, classy. But it rocked! I did not see a man the siye of a house, but it was 70% male as to night wore on, and there was definitely cries of 'nem, NEM!' Haha. I tried to ask about Holdudvar, but no one knows where it is. As for Zold Pardon, this may be tonight's adventure...
E-C: I know! It's not freaking freezing here!
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