Budapest - Part 1

One of the cities remaining on our list of places to get to before this period of European living comes to a close was Budapest. Time is evaporating quickly, so squeezing in our remaining destinations will be tricky, especially with people coming to visit. For Budapest as with several places we have visited, I spent a few extra days there making photographs before she arrived. My traveling habits are quite different than what they used to be, and don't match up with Radhika's (or most non-photographer's, I'm sure). For example, the sunrise was at 5am in Budapest, and I would get out early to make use of the morning light. Radhika would rather do any other distasteful thing imaginable than get up that early. I recall getting up even earlier than that on our visit to Bryce Canyon years ago, and putting in several hours before returning to the room where I would find her still snoozing. Being in the right location an hour or so before sunset is also critical for me. Of course that is usually when normal people want to be eating dinner. But we manage and enjoy ourselves on our travels.

I landed in Budapest on Wednesday right after noon, and the temperature was in the mid-90's (mid-30's Celsius). Not the best shooting conditions, so I scouted around a little making notes (sun positioning, its travel path, composition locations, city layout, etc), stocked the fridge in the room from the grocery store next to the hotel, and made general observations. One of the first things I noticed (starting at the airport) was the proliferation of visible bra straps! Not because I'm a guy (but I'll allow that probably has a little to do with it), but because it was just odd. I would react similarly if people were all wearing similar sunglasses! Seriously, it's the most bra straps I've seen outside a Victoria's Secret. I'm not offended, in support of it, have no real stance on the matter. Just found it highly unusual. Like the time 15 or probably more years ago, when a visiting friend and I went to Daytona Beach, and I hadn't been in a few years. It was spring break, and I immediately felt something was "wrong" and realized the guys on the pool deck had no body hair except what was on the top of their heads and even that was scant. Almost every dude had his chest, legs, underarms, everything, shaved clean as a whistle! We were both thinking WTF?!! And when did this start?! They have entirely too much time on their hands! Anyway...bra straps everywhere. When I saw my friend Thursday night, I mentioned it to her...wondering local or tourist. But before I finished my thought she said it was the local style. And the current heat wave brought out the least amount of material that could be legally worn.

The next day I decided to walk up Gellert Hill which has great views of Budapest. By the way, did you know that the city is actually the combination of two, separate cities, Buda and Pest? It's true! I didn't know that until about 6 months or so ago. Anyway, I was walking up this thickly vegetated, paved path, when I came upon a group of people up ahead of me just hanging out. They finally noticed me as I came closer, moving out of my line of sight, disappearing around the bend in the path. I became a little cautious, getting a good hold on my tripod. But as I got closer and curved left around the switchback, I saw they were all in position, 5 guys and a woman, playing the shell game! I marvel that people still play and think they can actually win! I had to smile to myself as I walked past their staged impromptu game of chance, hoping I would be drawn in. The noise and hubbub died down with each step I took away from them.

Budapest is a city well known for it's Turkish sulfur baths, and I intended to go to one before leaving. I read up on several, deciding on two. One is more "touristy" and the other more "local". I decided I would do the local one and save the other for when Radhika joined me. I went to Rudas Baths, which wasn't too far from where I was staying. I have never gone to one, so it was going to be a new experience. I read up on it, to make sure I went as fully informed as possible. This one had men’s and women’s days, and weekend days for both. I went on Friday afternoon, spending about 2 hours there. Online it said you could buy a 2-hour pass, but the guy at reception said I could only get a full day pass. Not the best start, but I got the ticket and went in. Had a cold Pepsi Twist as I waited for my massage time of 1:45 to roll around. Apparently no female masseuses in this place today, so I told the guy I wanted something like a sport massage. He wasn’t clear on what I requested, so I said I want a firm massage, not a gentle massage. Seems I had 2 choices, an aroma massage and something called a soap massage. He said the soap massage is more vigorous. While I've never had that flavor of a massage, I figured it couldn't be too foreign, and said "Sure. Let's do it." I was given what I'll call an apron. Apparel every one visiting the spa must wear. It's basically a square white cloth that when tied around the waist falls to the knees and ends at either hip. Yep...your backside is bare. I went into an area right outside the baths, and laid on a cushy table. A bucket was dipped under a water flow and the contents thrown across the table. This was done several times before I got up onto it, discovering the water warmed up the table nicely. On my stomach as I was soaped up, the massage was fairly vigorous, definitely more so than any aroma-type version. I flipped over and after 15 to 20 minutes was doused in warm water and thanked the gentleman and made my way to the baths. There was a main pool in the center that was quite big, with a dome over it with small porthole sized windows with colored glass in them, causing multihued shafts of light to cast their beams onto the pool surface and then reflected back onto the ceiling. It was a cool effect. That being the main source of light in the area, it was difficult to see the other 4 smaller pools on the perimeter much less the dozen or so men distributed amongst them. Each pool was a different temperature, the hottest being 42 or 45c (over 100f) and the coolest being 28c. There were wet and dry saunas that were much hotter, maxing out at 55c (131f). I could not stay in either longer than what was probably a minute or 2 before making a break for the cooler sections which were about 48c. There was a wooden bucket with a rope attached that you would pull on, spilling the chilly water onto your body. After exposing your skin to such heated temperatures, the shock of that initial contact was extreme. But after a couple of goes, it didn't seem so bad. Going into the 82f pool after a few minutes in the sauna had the effect of entering icy water like those northern lunatics do in winter who call themselves the Polar Bear Club. Anyway, after 2 hours of wearing a soaking wet white partially see-thru apron covering my anterior while my posterior was boldly out there without shame, going from relaxing warmth to unbearable heat to shocking cold, with other men mostly in their 50's to 70's in less then athletic condition, the fun wore off. Besides, I had a wife (that would be mine) to meet at the airport. So I went to the locker room, went into my private cubicle, dried off, put on my dry shorts, then realized I left my sandals inside, after I reminded myself every time I walked by them not to forget them. I quickly went back in, and headed straight to the room where I saw online the plane was running late. I left with what I measured to be plenty of time based on my travel time from the airport to the hotel. But it seemed to take much longer on the train and then the bus to the airport, and I ended up being 20 minutes late to meet Radhika. I welcomed her to Budapest and we headed straightaway back to the city after getting her 3-day travel card.