Thank you to all of those who have written to express their concerns and well wishes at this difficult time. The family here has been dealing with this loss very well. We are both very happy to have made it back in time for the funeral and to be apart of the grieving process. We have been busy with funeral preparations and going to the cemetery and temples for the past week.
We would have responded to each and everyone of you individually, but hotmail is really difficult to get into here in Vietnam, and we are unsure if our responses will even reach you all even if we do get on. We will try to email you all while in Germany, but if you don’t hear from us, we will see you all in July at home. We are looking forward to seeing familiar faces.
With love,
Chris and Rav
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Family Emergency in Vietnam
Hello everyone,
We will not be posting any posts or be able to check emails that often for the next couple of weeks as unfortunately we received some bad news from back home in Vietnam.
Grandma Bui passed away on the 19th of June. Chris and I were able to get Visas and fly to Vietnam but unfortunately not in time to say our goodbyes. We are with the family right now to attend the funeral which is to be held today (21st in Vietnam).
Wanted to let our family and friends know so you don't worry about us if we don't respond to you right away.
With love,
Chris & Rav
We will not be posting any posts or be able to check emails that often for the next couple of weeks as unfortunately we received some bad news from back home in Vietnam.
Grandma Bui passed away on the 19th of June. Chris and I were able to get Visas and fly to Vietnam but unfortunately not in time to say our goodbyes. We are with the family right now to attend the funeral which is to be held today (21st in Vietnam).
Wanted to let our family and friends know so you don't worry about us if we don't respond to you right away.
With love,
Chris & Rav
Friday, June 16, 2006
Budapest, a Pleasant Surprise!!
From mosques to bacilicas, from kebabs and donairs to goulash and schnitzels, from cay to bier, we have left Istanbul for Budapest, Hungary.
Budapest was not one of our “chosen” cities to visit on this trip therefore we were a little unprepared for it. We had heard from other fellow travelers that accommodation would be our main cost as everything else such as food and sightseeing were reasonable. We arrived at the teeny airport (smallest one we've seen thus far) in Budapest and found the tourist information booth to be of no help. It was difficult to ascertain information as to where we should be heading to and how to get there. Although the mini bus kiosk did offer transportation into the city as well as accommodation bookings, both were out of our price range unfortunately (minibus to city centre: 2,400 forints ($14 CDN) and cheapest hotel: $45 euros ($63 CDN)). Ibusz, a booking office for private rooms in apartments which we had read about in the travel guides was no where to be found. We later heard that it has not been in operation for a number of years. We decided to take matters into our own hands and made our way to the city centre via public bus and then metro for a whopping 740 forints for the both of us ($4.11 CDN). So this transportation thing was easy, finding a place to sleep on the other hand was our next challenge as it was nearing 6:30pm.
We found ourselves standing disorientated in the middle of Deak Ferenc Ter square as we had no clue of where to go. We tried to look for a book store in hopes of picking up a travel guide but all were closed and we then asked a local hotel booking office and their cheapest price was $35 euros/night for a room in an apartment where we’d be living with a Hungarian family (use of other facilities in the house were limited). As we were discussing our limited options, a stranger approached us out of nowhere. With a sign in one hand, he began to tell us about a private apartment he had available for rent where we would not have to share the space with anyone else, would have full access to all facilities and on top of that it was brand spankin’ new. It sounded too good to be true. I was left in the square to guard our precious “twins” while Chris went with this man to check out the apartment which was supposedly “4-5 minutes” away. I think the old man must have been on Jamaican time as 40 minutes had past and Chris still hadn’t come back. I was starting to get worried and wasn’t sure what to do next. Here I was in the middle of a square with two large bags, in an unknown city with no identification of the man who had taken Chris to see this apartment. I remained calm but at one point, I did start to imagine what Chris was wearing in my head just in case I had to convey this information to the police….my heart was pounding pretty hard. I was going to give them an hour to come back before I made my move but luckily they both showed up in time. Then the bargaining began. He started at $35 euros/night but with a little persuasion we were able to bring him down to $30 euros/night ($43 CDN)!!
Our new home for a week was fantastic. We had our own little apartment in a courtyard setting with a TV, mini fridge and a half ass kitchen to boot. After a six month hiatus, we were both looking forward to having the CHEF back in the kitchen but on this night, we decided to hit the local bar/restaurant next door for an authentic Hungarian dinner. We were delighted to find the rather LARGE (0.5L) beer for 330 forints ($1.83 CDN) and gladly hoisted a few to celebrate our good fortunes. Luckily for us, the beers weren’t the only good thing we had that night. We ended up ordering the “Alumni’s Favorite Dish on a Wooden Plate for two” which was listed as a Hungarian specialty and boy was it ever tasty. We were surprised at how much food came out but couldn’t complain. With roast rump steak, chicken breast stuffed with ewe cheese & dill and turkey on a skewer with courgette slices all served with rice, french fries and fresh garden salad, it was hard for the two of us to not be smiling!! The only sad thing about this evening was we witnessed the slaughter of the Edmonton Oilers in game 2 of the finals.
Although the apartment was very small, probably less than 120 square feet, it felt like a mansion compared to some of the other places we have stayed. The TV was an added bonus as Chris watched more TV in the last five days than he has the entire time I have known him. To his defence, he wasn’t the only one, as a billion other people were doing the same thing…watching the 2006 WORLD CUP!!! I, on the other hand was happy to get to watch 2 games of the Stanley Cup Finals….here’s hoping the Oilers were able to tie the series up?!?!
Home Sweet Home (for a week at least)
Chris in la la land…beer in both hands AND world cup soccer…
Thankfully the soccer games were not on during the day which enabled Chris and I to explore the streets of Budapest. The city is divided into two sides, the Buda and the Pest side with the Danube River running between them with 9 bridges connecting the two sides making it very easy to go back and forth. The Buda side is the green and hilly area whereas the Pest side is the lively and atmospheric urban area. We spent two days exploring the Pest side, walking through numerous pedestrian thoroughfares (Vaci Utca being the most popular and touristy walkway lined with shops, cafes and restaurants and the Danube Esplanade being a beautiful walkway alongside the river providing great views of the Buda side), visiting sites such as the Parliament, St Stephen’s Basilica, the Chain Bridge, Hero’s Square, Museum of Fine Arts, and many more interesting sites (see pictures below). We spent one evening in Budapest’s beautiful Opera House where we watched the Mayerling ballet with music by Liszt. We had a wonderful evening for an amazing 1,600 forints ($8.88 CDN) for the both of us!! Yup, you read right. It’s hard to believe but music performances, ballets, the opera and theatre plays are much cheaper in Budapest than back home. One of the things that Budapest is known for is its thermal baths, slated to have medicinal values and to rejuvenate one self therefore we decided to give it a go. Szechenyi Baths and Gellert Thermal Baths are two of the more prominent facilities in the city; we decided to visit the former for our thermal experience. The baths consisted of 5 mixed curative baths with water coming from almost a kilometer underground. The place was packed with locals and tourists, young and old alike, some enjoying the warm waters, others taking a dip in the cold swimming pool and a few passing the time by challenging each other to a game of chess while soaking in the pool. And all of this in a baroque setting. The cost was quite reasonable, 1,400 forints per person ($7.77 CDN); the only downside was NO CAMERAS!! :(
Parliament Building – so beautifully built that at one time Freddy Mercury asked if the building was for sale as it would make an excellent hotel…luckily the conversion has not been made and the Parliament Building is still in use for it’s governmental purposes
The Parliament Building by night
The Parliament Building from afar – an amazing 265 meter long building
St. Stephen’s Basilica stands out on the Pest side of town
A closer look at the basilica – the largest chruch of the capital which took over 60 years to build and is dedicated to King St. Stephen who was the founder of the Hungarian State and Christian Church in Hungary
Chain Bridge by night – the oldest bridge in Hungary
Hero’s Square – a spectacular square sited at the entrance to City Park and built for the 1896 millennium celebrations. It is dominated by the Archangel Gabriel who is surrounded by seven statues on either side representing the chiefs of the seven Magyar tribes who settled in this area in 896 AD. The large open space is dedicated to the Hungarian war memorial.
A close up of one of the statues standing on top of the Hero’s Square monument
Hungarian State Opera House – one of the most imposing opera houses of its day. Took nine years to build – a miracle in its own right.
An interior view of the beautiful Opera House..unfortunately most of our other pics did not turn out due to low lighting
Szechenyi Spa Baths – the interior was just as beautiful as the exterior
Gorgeous interior of the Szechenyi Baths..couldn’t take any pics but found this on the internet
The tram which still functions as public transport throughout the city centre with an example of the new and old architecture that Budapest thrives on
What you might see on one street and….
Just around the corner on the next, you get this!!
Inside a Catholic Church
Grand Market Hall – a bustling and vibrant three level market which reminded us of Granville Island
Where the heck are the apples??
Another example of old and new combined in one building – one of the train stations
Modern architecture
One of the more than 60 museums in Budapest – the Museum of Ethnography – a combination of Renaissance, Baroque and neo-Classical elements
A close up shot of the intricate detailing of the Museum of Ethnography
Another example of modern architecture in a city that is full of old
A great shot
Four Seasons Hotel by night – used to be the Gresham Palace before it was transformed into a hotel
Vajdahunyad Castle – an ecletic edifice that represents every kind of architectural style – castle was built as a temporary structure for the 1896 Millenary Exhibition but proved so popular that it was later rebuilt in stone and today houses the Museum of Agriculture
Our last few days in Budapest consisted of a mini trip to Margaret Island (central Island similar to our Stanley Park but on a smaller scale) and on the Buda side, visiting the Castle District, Royal Palace, Gellert Hill, Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion (see pictures below).
The Castle District from the Pest side of the river
Example of many of the romantic medieval streets in the Castle District
Castle District by night – quite the site
Royal Palace – symbol of Budapest which has witnessed wars and occupation from the 13th to the 20th centuries – today the Palace is home to several distinguised instituations such as the Hungarian National Gallery (a must see), Budapest History Museum and the National Szechenyi Library
The Funicular Railway which you can take up to get to the Royal Palace
Royal Palace at night, just as dominating at night as during the day
Gellert Hill – home to the Citadella, Liberty Statue and the Statue of St. Gellert
14 meter high Liberty Statue which was raised in 1947 in memory of the country’s liberation. The smaller statue at the foot of the female figure holding aloft the palm of victory is the fight against evil.
Statue of St. Gellert – a bishop who died a martyr in the 11th century stands opposite the Elizabeth Bridge – according to legend, this is the spot from where pagans pushed the missionary bishop, sealed in a barrel, down into the Danube
Gellert Hotel – an Art Nouveau spa hotel famous for its Gellert Thermal Baths
Matthias Church – named after King Matthias, the most famous king of Hungary
A powering shot
The interior of Matthias Church, beautifully painted
In the middle of it all: Matthias Church behind us to the right and part of Fishermen’s Bastion behind us to the left
Fishermen’s Bastion – some say it looks like the biggest wedding cake you have ever seen – it was sited on the place of the medieval fish market and the walls protected by the guild of fishermen, hence the name, a great place to look out over Pest
We were pleasantly surprised with the outcome despite the uncertainty at the beginning of our visit to Budapest. The architectural diversity and historical richness were good introductions into what lies ahead in central Europe. With small shops and cafes lining winding cobblestone streets, a sense of discovery lay at every corner. Although we found the people not to be the friendliest, it was still pleasant to meander through the streets of Budapest. Getting to and from anyplace was easy, the food and beer were fantastic and with the excitement of the World Cup in every bar and restaurant, it was hard not to be caught up in the frenzy of it all!! We can only imagine what it will be like in Germany...
Not sure who these crazy Hungarians are??!!
Budapest was not one of our “chosen” cities to visit on this trip therefore we were a little unprepared for it. We had heard from other fellow travelers that accommodation would be our main cost as everything else such as food and sightseeing were reasonable. We arrived at the teeny airport (smallest one we've seen thus far) in Budapest and found the tourist information booth to be of no help. It was difficult to ascertain information as to where we should be heading to and how to get there. Although the mini bus kiosk did offer transportation into the city as well as accommodation bookings, both were out of our price range unfortunately (minibus to city centre: 2,400 forints ($14 CDN) and cheapest hotel: $45 euros ($63 CDN)). Ibusz, a booking office for private rooms in apartments which we had read about in the travel guides was no where to be found. We later heard that it has not been in operation for a number of years. We decided to take matters into our own hands and made our way to the city centre via public bus and then metro for a whopping 740 forints for the both of us ($4.11 CDN). So this transportation thing was easy, finding a place to sleep on the other hand was our next challenge as it was nearing 6:30pm.
We found ourselves standing disorientated in the middle of Deak Ferenc Ter square as we had no clue of where to go. We tried to look for a book store in hopes of picking up a travel guide but all were closed and we then asked a local hotel booking office and their cheapest price was $35 euros/night for a room in an apartment where we’d be living with a Hungarian family (use of other facilities in the house were limited). As we were discussing our limited options, a stranger approached us out of nowhere. With a sign in one hand, he began to tell us about a private apartment he had available for rent where we would not have to share the space with anyone else, would have full access to all facilities and on top of that it was brand spankin’ new. It sounded too good to be true. I was left in the square to guard our precious “twins” while Chris went with this man to check out the apartment which was supposedly “4-5 minutes” away. I think the old man must have been on Jamaican time as 40 minutes had past and Chris still hadn’t come back. I was starting to get worried and wasn’t sure what to do next. Here I was in the middle of a square with two large bags, in an unknown city with no identification of the man who had taken Chris to see this apartment. I remained calm but at one point, I did start to imagine what Chris was wearing in my head just in case I had to convey this information to the police….my heart was pounding pretty hard. I was going to give them an hour to come back before I made my move but luckily they both showed up in time. Then the bargaining began. He started at $35 euros/night but with a little persuasion we were able to bring him down to $30 euros/night ($43 CDN)!!
Our new home for a week was fantastic. We had our own little apartment in a courtyard setting with a TV, mini fridge and a half ass kitchen to boot. After a six month hiatus, we were both looking forward to having the CHEF back in the kitchen but on this night, we decided to hit the local bar/restaurant next door for an authentic Hungarian dinner. We were delighted to find the rather LARGE (0.5L) beer for 330 forints ($1.83 CDN) and gladly hoisted a few to celebrate our good fortunes. Luckily for us, the beers weren’t the only good thing we had that night. We ended up ordering the “Alumni’s Favorite Dish on a Wooden Plate for two” which was listed as a Hungarian specialty and boy was it ever tasty. We were surprised at how much food came out but couldn’t complain. With roast rump steak, chicken breast stuffed with ewe cheese & dill and turkey on a skewer with courgette slices all served with rice, french fries and fresh garden salad, it was hard for the two of us to not be smiling!! The only sad thing about this evening was we witnessed the slaughter of the Edmonton Oilers in game 2 of the finals.Although the apartment was very small, probably less than 120 square feet, it felt like a mansion compared to some of the other places we have stayed. The TV was an added bonus as Chris watched more TV in the last five days than he has the entire time I have known him. To his defence, he wasn’t the only one, as a billion other people were doing the same thing…watching the 2006 WORLD CUP!!! I, on the other hand was happy to get to watch 2 games of the Stanley Cup Finals….here’s hoping the Oilers were able to tie the series up?!?!
Thankfully the soccer games were not on during the day which enabled Chris and I to explore the streets of Budapest. The city is divided into two sides, the Buda and the Pest side with the Danube River running between them with 9 bridges connecting the two sides making it very easy to go back and forth. The Buda side is the green and hilly area whereas the Pest side is the lively and atmospheric urban area. We spent two days exploring the Pest side, walking through numerous pedestrian thoroughfares (Vaci Utca being the most popular and touristy walkway lined with shops, cafes and restaurants and the Danube Esplanade being a beautiful walkway alongside the river providing great views of the Buda side), visiting sites such as the Parliament, St Stephen’s Basilica, the Chain Bridge, Hero’s Square, Museum of Fine Arts, and many more interesting sites (see pictures below). We spent one evening in Budapest’s beautiful Opera House where we watched the Mayerling ballet with music by Liszt. We had a wonderful evening for an amazing 1,600 forints ($8.88 CDN) for the both of us!! Yup, you read right. It’s hard to believe but music performances, ballets, the opera and theatre plays are much cheaper in Budapest than back home. One of the things that Budapest is known for is its thermal baths, slated to have medicinal values and to rejuvenate one self therefore we decided to give it a go. Szechenyi Baths and Gellert Thermal Baths are two of the more prominent facilities in the city; we decided to visit the former for our thermal experience. The baths consisted of 5 mixed curative baths with water coming from almost a kilometer underground. The place was packed with locals and tourists, young and old alike, some enjoying the warm waters, others taking a dip in the cold swimming pool and a few passing the time by challenging each other to a game of chess while soaking in the pool. And all of this in a baroque setting. The cost was quite reasonable, 1,400 forints per person ($7.77 CDN); the only downside was NO CAMERAS!! :(
Our last few days in Budapest consisted of a mini trip to Margaret Island (central Island similar to our Stanley Park but on a smaller scale) and on the Buda side, visiting the Castle District, Royal Palace, Gellert Hill, Matthias Church and the Fisherman’s Bastion (see pictures below).
We were pleasantly surprised with the outcome despite the uncertainty at the beginning of our visit to Budapest. The architectural diversity and historical richness were good introductions into what lies ahead in central Europe. With small shops and cafes lining winding cobblestone streets, a sense of discovery lay at every corner. Although we found the people not to be the friendliest, it was still pleasant to meander through the streets of Budapest. Getting to and from anyplace was easy, the food and beer were fantastic and with the excitement of the World Cup in every bar and restaurant, it was hard not to be caught up in the frenzy of it all!! We can only imagine what it will be like in Germany...
Images of Turkey
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