Sometimes in life you have a moment of reaffirmation that puts a positive spin on personal characteristics to which you thought were flaws. I won't go into detail, but I'm sure you can relate.
A conversation during my first night in Budapest, opened my eyes and helped me to appreciate myself in a different way. Here's a word of advice. Just embrace your characteristics that make you unique. Life would be a bore if we were all the same. So stop worrying about what others may think. It's really just a waste of your time.
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My first time in Central Europe was an enlightening experience. I am simply amazed that more people don't speak about vacationing to Budapest (pronounced < Boodapesht >). The architecture in this city is reminiscent of the wealthy Austrian-Hungarian empire. The statues and Turkish baths add a unique history and flair to an already stunning city. And the nightlife is anything but dull.
I started Budapest with an expedition of Budai... the hilly side of Budapest. Elana and I were in awe at the brilliant landscape of the Danube River and Pest. We spoke with some Hungarian passersby, chased after an adorable basset hound, chatted with owners of a French bulldog and a very proud Hungarian breed. Then we had dinner at a lovely restaurant called Pierrot where I had the famous goulash for an appetizer and ended dinner with trout in goat cheese soup. Yeah, just say it... YUM. On top of it all, the waiters gave us a free aperitif and a live pianist set the mood with his delicate tunes. This was quite pleasant.. then we realized it was getting late and decided our venture down the hill to the Marriott where we were staying.
The streets were well lit, and in the little town of Budai, there was, thankfully, at least a few people still out. I was a little on edge since we were walking around a strange city at night, and while passing by the Office of the President was spooked by the dramatic swishing cloak of the security guard standing in the shadows. Creepy!
Before heading down the hill, we stopped for a glimpse at the beauty of Budapest at night. Each historical site is lit with a golden glow that is best seen from outside the Budai Palace at the top of the hill. It was after this stop that I started feeling really creeped out. Despite the few visitors lingering outside the palace, there was absolutely no one walking down the stone path that we would need to take down the hill to the Danube. The path was lit, but there were bushes alongside the path where someone could easily hide. You may ask, why didn't we just take a taxi.... I was asking myself the same question. I guess I just didn't want to be the scaredy cat... but Meow! That was me! I was keeping an eye out for my surroundings and keen ear... because obviously two girls walking down a stone path at night is never a smart idea.,.. I got really freaked out when we had to pass through a small round-like fortress area. To give you a little hint of what it looked like (or you can check it out on my facebook album), there was a wall with a balcony lining the path. My friend Masato and I had ventured up there in the daylight, but it seemed much more menacing at night. At this point I was being so anal about looking around that the previously calm Elana, was starting to feel uncomfortable too. (Good going, Pammi.) This definitely wasn't my intention. Infact it felt good to know that she wasn't creeped out about where we were, but after passing through this area and through two sets of giant doors, our pace quickened with the adrenaline rush we received of possibly being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The entire walk down the hill to a busier part of town was about 10 minutes. It was most definitely the scariest, and longest 10 minute walk of my life. Obviously we're fine, and my heart could finally settle once we got down to the bottom and next to the infamous Chain Bridge. I'm surprised I didn't faint with the constant feeling of regret I had while scurrying down that daggone path. (Fainting is a surprising tendency of mine. :) )
That was Day 1 in Budapest. Stay tuned for the rest!
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