Budapest

It is hard for me right now to grasp the fact that, in less than two months, I will be gone from Budapest, and probably not be back for a long time. A part of it will always live on inside me – this is my first experience living in a European city, and this is where I’ve had a small glimpse of what life looks like in a large metropolis. To Dhaka, of course, I reserve my unconditional love, but no city in the world can be compared to Dhaka, and comparing my daily life there to the daily life in a Western city would be similar to comparing the Hungarian language to the Slovakian.

Why am I in love with Budapest? “Oh, because its so lovely, and oh, there are sooo many cool clubs and places to party, the beer is so cheap and oh, the people are so so friendly…….omg, it is a city to die for!!!!” Really? Some of us who study abroad tend to get attached to the various cities we live in for the reasons mentioned above, and/or a host of similar ones. I’m not criticizing this at all – would you rather be living in an ugly city, where booze is expensive, clubs and bars are sketchy and daily chores take forever due to inaccessibility or red tape? Haven’t really lived in any such city, but if I had to choose between the ones I have, I’d ask Detroit to plead guilty here. Budapest is, in fact, absolutely stunning, even more so if you have the slightest interest in history. My commute on the #2 tram goes along the Danube and every morning, I remind myself that it is highly likely that I’ll never again have such a picturesque commute for the rest of my life. And yes, if you’re a heavy drinker, the beer is cheap, but I’d strongly recommend going with the splendid wine. And yes, there are many many cool places to go out and have a good time.

However, I love Budapest because I think it can provide an intriguing middle ground between the lifestyle in a chaotic Third World metropolis and what you would be likely to see in a developed country, say London. It has many of the finest advantages of a modern metropolis – a fast and reliable public transport system (its fantastic, seriously), a very modern and trendy consumer culture and diverse and sophisticated modes of entertainment. At the same time, there is chaos, homeless people, riots, but also the warmth that naturally exudes from people whose lives are not perpetually ruled by time and money. It is difficult to describe, but quite easy to experience.

why I started this, and travel thoughts

In my eternal quest to find newer and better forms of procastination, I’ve decided to enlist the help of the international, previously predominantly liberal, juggernaut called the blog. Its also apparently something which is “hip”, and a “must do” for all travellers, but c’mon, I’d never succumb to peer pressure….

Just got back from Krakow and Oswiecim, perhaps better to known to most as Auschwitz. Krakow is an absolutely fantastic city, and since it wasn’t razed by the germans nor severely mutilated by soviets, it still retains much of its stunning architecture, not to mention a genuinely intellectual and culturally stimulating vibe. The Wawel Castle and Jagellonian University deserve a special mention in the my list of cool places in central eastern europe. The Poles have established fantastic eating institutions called jadlodajnias, budget eateries which offer wholesome meals for ridiculously cheap prices. I ate at a place called Kuchnia O Babci Maliny – ox tongue with mashed potatoes and cucumber, with mushroom soup and assorted pierogis stolen from Larissa and the beckster – and it ranks in the top three meals I’ve had this fall. Honestly, mind blowing stuff.

The Auschwitz-Birkenau experience was tremendously overwhelming and unreal. I did not grow up around any Jews, and was remarkably uneducated in Jewish history and culture before arriving at Bowdoin. I’ve learnt more since then, and I genuinely believe that my visit to the old Nazi concentration camp has given me a new perspective on the terrors faced by the central eastern european jewry during Hitler’s reign. It is one thing to throw out names and watch video clips and even to say that it was horrible, but to stand on the very grounds and the very buildings -it was much more moving than I had anticipated. It is also eerie because the town of Oswiecim is extremely picturesque, and we visited on an absolutely stunning autumn day. Larissa & the beckster accompanied me on the entire trip, and the latter held up very well indeed under the circumstances. Larissa is a great travel buddy, very low maintenance and tons of fun.

Note about Polish border guards – not the most pleasant people you’ll ever meet, very unlike their Hungarian counterparts. I found ordinary Poles to be cheerful and friendly, and everybody spoke english. Somebody told me that was just Krakow, but hey, I only believe what I see.

Okay – I really need to study for this crazy midterm tomorrow. Attila promised a hard exam, and of course you dont mess with a man called Attila.