THANKSGIVING IN BUDAPESHT

BUDPAEST - November 2010

Ben came and met up with us in Budapest for the Thanksgiving holiday. My parents got their first experience riding Easyjet! Allison and I played a fake game, but kind of serious, where if you do something to benefit the group, you get to shower first. Examples include: leading the group in figuring out directions, booking a good hotel, driving in Paris rush hour traffic with no gas left, finding a tasty restaurant, etc. I somehow found this awesome place called Nova Apartments with a living room, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, 3 bedrooms, decked out in IKEA furniture for only 144 euro for 3 nights, so I got to shower first!

Despite the 70's curtains, Nova apartments were awesome.

Also in a great location close to all the sights of Budapest!

Budapest was absolutely breathtaking! Compared to western Europe, it was so affordable because it was not on the Euro yet. We did a Free Walking Tour, where the guides were so knowledgeable about the city and history--definitely worth it and you just tip them at the end :) We got beautiful views of the city and got oriented. We also visited lot of the old Jewish historical sights...the 2nd largest synagogue in the world is here (the first being the one in NYC). Fun fact: Budapest is actually split in half by the Danube River, one side being "Buda" and the other, "Pest."

View of Pest from the Buda side.

Fisherman's Bastillon

St. Stephen's Basilica

We also came at a great time where they had just set up the annual Christmas Market! This was our first of many Christmas markets and I absolutely fell in love...so much better than washed out Santas at the mall! Vendors sell any and all types of meat, goulash, and other Hungarian foods including this really delicious hollow cylinder dessert served right from the grill covered in sugar and cinnamon.

This was also our first introduction to Hot Wine, which Lily and Spencer thoroughly enjoyed.

Hungarians freaking love paprika.

On Thanksgiving day, we somehow found a restaurant that actually served Thanksgiving dinner, and I got my fix of green beans, mashed potatoes, and turkey! Yummy!

One of my favorite experiences in Budapest was the Szechenyi Baths! Taken from the Turks, these bath houses have so many therapeutic benefits, and you can even get your health insurance to pay for it here! If you've seen pictures of Hungarian Baths with men outside playing chess, it's at this bathhouse. We sat in a few indoor baths at first after getting through the labyrinth that is the dressing room and finally discovered the amazing OUTDOOR baths! The weather was freezing outside, but these hot baths were the perfect temperature, with the outside air to cool your face. We later also got some random Thai massages (which are surprisingly popular) because they were so inexpensive.

On our ride to the airport, we got to ride in style because the only taxi they had available was a limo taxi...people must have been disappointed at the airport when it was just an Asian family and a Jewish dude coming out of the limo and not Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt (since they were just in Budapest the week before).

TOUR DE FRANCE

PARIS - November 2010

Paris was a lot different this time than when I went for my high school summer senior week in 2004, but still always an exciting cultural experience. It was very very cold, and we did a LOT of walking. Luckily, my mom's foot was better so my parents were up for it. And we really needed it to burn off all the Pain au Chocolat and crepes we ate. Our apartment was much smaller than anticipated (I had to sleep in a bunk or "loft"), but it was central and very close to the Pantheon (and lots of delicious food nearby). I never realized how rude the French actually are, despite all the stereotypes, until this trip, even when I tried to speak French! Oh well, there are too many beautiful things in Paris that semi-make up for their impoliteness. We went to the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Musee d'Orsay (my favorite), Notre Dame, Montmartre, and Versailles for a day. We ended up taking the wrong train to Versailles and ended up in the 'burbs of Paris, but you live and you learn :)

Me and mommy along the Seine in front of the Notre Dame.

There was an awesome Takashi Murakami exhibit at Versailles. I loved this mixing of old versus new. There was a Sailor Moon sculpture/statue right before the Hall of Mirrors.

The Louvre at night. Tip: You get reduced admission if you go after 6pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. The lines are shorter and you still have time to see most everything (if you are quick like me and get bored and overwhelmed easily of all the things in the Louvre).

Cafe time!

Trying to ask the guards how you get up to the Arc de Triomphe...they were a little intimidating since they were all armed but some of the friendliest French we met!

We had an assortment of French pastries every morning. I stuck with my go-to pain au chocolat...they even have MAXI pain au chocolat now (probably for Americans like us) which is twice the size of a regular one. I don't think any other country can re-create the absolute deliciousness of a fresh pain au chocolat in Paris that just melts in your mouth.

Pain au chocolat with some milk... breakfast of champions!

My parents missed Chinese food one day, so we stopped at a Chinese Buffet for lunch. The selection was very small and you even had to microwave your own food (how ghetto!) but the restaurant was entirely packed.

MONT ST. MICHEL (NORMANDY)

It has always been a dream of mine to visit the Mont St. Michel. After learning about it in high school French class, I never imagined that I would actually get to go see this beautiful monastery on the sea (especially when all the tours were all $300 a person just for a day trip!). Luckily, Allison came to the rescue with her amazing driving skills and rented us a minivan to make my MSM dreams come true. We had the biggest car in all of Paris and it even came with a built in air-freshner!

It was absolutely breathtaking, surrounded by green fields of mouton (French for sheep) which we later ate at lunch...we walked around the small quaint town below the actual monastery for a bit and left just as the sun set.

Token jumping photo.

On the drive back, the low gas signal popped up just as we hit rush hour Saturday night Paris traffic. It was one of the most stressful experiences ever (probably moreso for Allison), driving along the Champs Elysees with the crazy French and no gas and we also could not find a gas station for the life of us. Finally, after circling around the city maybe 20 times, we found one...whew! And then off to try to find a parking spot...the parking garage near our place was "libre" aka "open" but there were no spots to be found! I asked the operator working there, and he's like, "Yes, sometimes on the weekends, people come in and out of the garage so often that the machine can't keep up, so even though it says "libre" there may actually be no spots." WOW...REALLY?! Luckily he was nice and let us park in the handicap spot as long as I didn't tell anyone :)

THE LOIRE VALLEY

Another dream of mine come true by the driving skills of my sister, we went castle hopping for a day to Chambord, Chenonceau (the Lady's castle), and a drive by of Ambois (from Ever After!). These castles are absolutely breathtaking and really give you a feel of why the monarchy was overthrown. Chambord was my favorite--the inspiration for the castle in Beauty and the Beast! I also loved Chenonceau, which is surrounded by beautiful gardens and sits on top of a river.

We took some pretty spectacular jumping pictures here.

Family jump in front of Chambord!

Chenonceau, the "ladies' castle", as it was occupied by Henry II's mistress Diane de Poitiers until she was kicked out into a smaller castle by the queen, Catherine de Medici, after Henry's death.