A very nice thing we found entering Eastern Europe was the EXCHANGE RATE. Hungary uses the Forint, and while everything was so incredibly cheap (especially compared to the damn GB Pound), it was so hard to determine how much money you were actually spending because although I cannot remember exactly, I think 1000 Forints is something like 3.5 Euro? Crazy. Just using a new form of currency is hard enough as it is! This was probably the first and only time I will ever be holding a 10,000 note. On the bright side, virtually everyone spoke English and were very very helpful to the silly American tourists.
Because I am recently converted huge history nerd, I really loved hearing all of what the tour had to offer. There was a lot about the Nazi occupation as well as the later Communist rule. The city is so incredibly beautiful (more Barcelona-esque architecture!) which is surprising as 90% of it was completely destroyed during WWII. I think every stop on the tour ended with, "It was burned to the ground in the second world war." In only 60 or so years the whole city has been restored, which is pretty amazing. It is actually divided into a Buda side and a Pest side, separated by the Danube River - I had absolutely no idea.
The majority of our stay in Budapest was centered around two things: Medicinal baths & underground caves. Hungary is very well know for their 126 medicinal bath springs - the greatest concentration of them in the world. As we were on spring break, we left a day for the baths/therma spas! Apparently the best one to go to is the Szechenyi. While it was kind of strange at first to hop in a huge pool-sized hot tub with a bunch of people the water was AMAZING. The entire facility had something like over 30 different pools, all with different temperatures and purposes. Some extremely cold, while others extremely hot. They also had a lot of saunas - the highest temperature I saw was 100 degrees CELSIUS. Not fahrenheit - CELSIUS. That is DAMN hot. I don't even want to think about what it must be like in there. It must be nice to retire in Hungary!
While the baths were so relaxing, our afternoon adventure, while incredibly fun and thrilling, caving, was also the opposite. Did I ever think I would go caving? No. When we did decide to go did I think I would be risking my life? Still no. We met with a group in town and drove to the outskirts of Buda. Extremely beautiful! It actually looked a lot like the East Side of Prov, which was bizarre! The guide split us all into 3 groups - and at the time, I did not realize that we had been placed with 3 people who all had been caving before...regardless, I loved my "Team Epic".
We got dressed in jump suits (mine was HUGE) and helmets with lights. I looked like a clown with my Chuck Taylors, haha. Our guide Lars, who had of course been in this cave something like 4000 times was extremely helpful and great to listen to - 60 METERS down we were squeezing and sliding all over the place, down big drops and through little spaces. It really was so much fun - not to mention our group was GREAT. At the beginning I was all about trying new things and being fearless, I really had no idea how intensive it was going to be. About 2 hours in, this started to change. A few areas were a little scary, but nothing too awful until we reached THE BIRTHING HOLE. Now, let me tell you, any caving passage name "The Birthing Hole" is NOT to be taken lightly. I have never thought I was going to die so much in my life! It was truly terrifying - and I am never normally claustrophobic. The more times I tried to hoist myself through this hole, without success, the more scared I got. Especially since it's not like you could just go back the way you came through - your only choice was to make it through this hole. I was so close to absolutely FREAKING OUT. It's hard to even think now about how I was feeling, it literally gives me goose bumps. Turns out, after almost an hour of failed attempts within the group, Lars realized it was the height problem that girls were having - we couldn't properly push off the way the others could. Eventually I was so terrified and adrenalined-filled that I pushed myself as hard as I possibly could through the hole at the top of this awful spot. Once I barreled through, I have NEVER felt relief like this in my life (Think, Ace Ventura - Rhino scene hahahaha).
By this time, I was so worked up from before that I really couldn't wait to get out. There was about a half-hour left before we reached the end, but my muscles and head were endlessly spasming. When we did reach the surface again, I almost kissed the ground. I will never forget this experience - WHAT A RUSH. And while I am SO HAPPY I did this, I am not sure I could ever do it again unless I grew a few inches first. Yet, I highly recommend it if you find yourself in Budapest (:
I also got the absolute nastiest Jupiter-sized bruise. Thanks Lars!
Our last day (so sad!) was spent on the bus - we saw, Fisherman's Bastillion, St. Stephen's Basilica, Buda Castle, the Chain Bridge (designed by Adam Smith - a Scot!), the citadel park, etc. I LOVE BUDAPEST. It actually ended up being great that I went in having no idea what to expect, as I came out with an amazing experience - such a beautiful city.
Karma Police - Radiohead
Promise Ring - Tremolo
Do You Realize - The Flaming Lips
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