Day 33- June 27th: Tell me why logic doesn't exist in OZ, Wonderland and Budapest!!!

pic: chairlift gondola ride down
pic: teenage train station gang

My friend Attila invited me for an outing today and I thought it would be nice to go explore the maze-like cave systems on the Buda side. We took the bus to an out-skirt part of the city and had a very nice walk in the mountain and through dense forest. The view of the hills around with Budapest in the basin was amazing. We also saw some strange wild life and tons of interesting bugs. We must have walked about 45 mins and I kept asking him where is this cave located and he kept on saying 'almost there'.

When we finally reached the mountain top but there was no cave in-sight. Only thing was a chair-lift gondola ride down the steep hills. We were both very confused and I finally called Beata and asked her the Hungarian pronunciation for “cave”. Attila was way wrong.. he thought I meant a ride down the hill but I meant to walk down underground into a 'cave'; regardless of the mistake it was a nice time.

We had a nice lunch at Mammoth- a mall built on ancient mammoth habitat (like the La Brea Tar-pit), the mall interior is dotted with display boxes of fossils of mammoth bones found on constructing the mall.

I than went to Gallert bath (built in the 1800's) by myself and it was what I expected: grand and very ornate. I actually prefer the a little run down Turkish ones (built in the 1600's) because it felt more 'real' to me and it feels like you have been taken back in time.

I than decide to go get my train ticket to Bratislava, Slovakia. I arrived at 6:48pm and was #706 and they were on the #630 I almost pass out because only 2 windows were open and 100 people waiting for their # to be called. During the 1 hour an 45 mins of my wait, I have encounter, angry, frustrated tourists, menacing teen gangs, tearful mothers, tricky con- artists, and all sorts of colorful people. Did I mention all tickets are issued by hand and written by hand! How delightful!

Also since I will be going to Prague from Bratislava I asked for 1 one- way ticket but she issued a round trip ticket I noticed the mistake and told the ticketing lady immediately but silly me; apparently one-way cost 22 euros and round trip cost 16 euros. So everyone gets a round trip ticket and save money! I am sure this experience makes going through immigration in the USA like going for a free shopping spree!

Also one additional note on the post office trip a couple of days ago, I went back and mailed more postcards and they do have computers and postage printer they just prefer to lick the stamp and stick 3 stamps per postcard manually because it doesn't matter if you help 100 guests per 8 hour shift or 10 guests. It's a government job and they just don't care... this element of the old soviet socialist really sucks ass.

Another odd thing: lot of men here mostly guys under the age of 35 shave or trimmed their underarm hair but some of them are missing more than a few teeth; try this for logic.
I have come to realized logic doesn't really work in Budapest. No one runs this country and you are govern by cashiers, train station, subway and theater Attendants. As long as you have money and a ticket you are ready to rock!

Day 30- June 24th: same people, same behavior, different language, different country

I forgot to mention on yesterday's entry, the heat wave made me consumed 4 ice cream cones. It's the only way to stay cool. People young and old love ice cream here and I love seeing 70 year old lady licking an ice cream cone in swattering heat. That's just too adorable.

The heat continues and I immediately ran (took the train) to the Hungarian National Museum to escape the heat. I thought it was a cleaver idea but apparently the Hungarian treasure is used to the heat to and didn't need to be kept under a air conditioned building. The ancient artifact and antique were only minorly interesting and it covers the entire Hungarian history from AD1600 to AD1990. I think the museum has great potential they just need a good curator. There are just too many filler art pieces and reproduction in this massive space.

After the museum I just took a long walk around the city and my lord, people are really just the same as in LA and only different in forms. I saw people reading a book while riding a bicycle in traffic. I see people putting on make up while riding a bicycle. It's dangerous practice but people do it no matter where they are in the world.

Day 12- May 29th: Scary Adventure

It's been a interesting day and it started just as normal as any other day for me here in Budapest. I had 2 pieces of cake for breakfast, 2 cups of tea and some ham slices. I had to do some errands before attending Beata's art opening at 5pm so I rushed myself and get my web material uploaded and went to a frame store and talked to the owner about getting my doll heads framed.

I than hoped on the train and arrived Beata's opening. It was near Angal st. where I had wondered around before and the art work and installation are beautiful and a couple pieces reminds me of my work “How are you, my darling? (2005)” I hope I had a role of inspiring Beata's work.

Four of us met some local artists and talked to a few people and played with Beata's grandson Patti and dog Max; both adorable. We escaped the gallery from Megan's older gentleman suitor (who I affectionately called her long lost Hungarian father). We had dinner at Mexical (a Hungarian Mexican food restaurant) after dinner the fun began....


We were followed by a young man in his early 20th and clearly on drugs from his uncontrolled movements and blurred speech. Rudee had mistakenly strike a conversation with him and gave him some cigarettes and very much the pigeons she feeds in the park every morning, came back for more.

He followed us on the train and back to the hotel and on the way he verbally assaulted a young woman on the train and she left the train cursing at him in Hungarian. Megan, Lisa and I took a detour and hoped the guy doesn't find out where we are staying but Rudee end up spending more time talking to him in the park. Three of us felt a great deal of threat from this stranger and we also got a bit annoyed that Rudee had put us in this situation.
I alerted the hotel security and let's hope my head will still be attached to my body tomorrow morning, unlike my dolls.