Day 13- May 30: Caught and a Rent boy!

I was riding on the street car without a ticket today and got caught!!!!!

I cant believe it because i have taken it at least 50 times now and never once seen anyone checking! The ticket inspector asked for 6,000 forints but i did the "i don't understand what you are talking about and why is one ticket cost 6,000 forints, i want to speak to the American citizens assistance, blah blah blah) and she got so frustrated with me and walked away! I bullshitted myself out of that ticket, thank god!

I than run down to to the ticket counter and got myself a 7 day pass for 4,000 forints. heheheh. Today was all about hardware stores and getting the last of materials so i can make my art and things are finally looking up after countless trips and research. It's wonderful that it's finally paying off! I do have to work hard and catch up on my work next week.

I made my way to venci st. which is very touristy it was not that great. Old Town Pasadena has better shopping and restaurants! I left quickly and than walk a couple blocks to the Danube for another wonderful sunset. After one hour sitting there on the bench a guy approached me and started a conversation and i later found out that he is in the sex trade, locals called "rent boys" he wanted 5,000 forints for some sexual service. I told him he should pay me 200,000 forints for the same service because i am from California and hot, i don't need to pay anyone for sex!!! LOL

He said sorry he only had 1,000 forints and we laughed. He is actually pretty nice, 26 and i feel terrible that he has to do this. We talked some more and walked to the subway station together. he was a perfect gentlemen and a nice person.

The last couple of days had been very interesting is it full moon?

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.

Day 11- May 28th: Modern vs. Classical

I had a somewhat earlier start today. After yesterday's misadventure I feel confident on finding my way today. I took the train and even stopped at the Market place for a refreshing fresh hand- squeezed orange juice; a great relief in this high heat and humidity.

Upon on looking over at Hungarian architecture students work I realized how the training in our field is so much the same and yet so different. A good amount of the students here presented their final thesis on designing classical buildings and some worked on a hybrid of the two and the rest, modern designs like what we did in the States. I have never seen students or schools that actually taught students to design or even attempt to work on classical architecture other than learning them in history classes.

Is classical architecture dead? Or are we just too ignorant to have it as part of of our lives?

After meeting with some faculty member and got the information I needed; I said goodbye to the university and continued my search. After going to both stores they recommended I did find a very thick Plexiglas sheet, a 8ply basswood pressed board, glue and color films. I hope it will work and if not than I am out of luck. I feel very lucky to have had studied in the U.S. and didn't have to worry about not having materials to work with. We have the best materials, and selection possible and even pricing.... non necessities items are very expensive here, no matter how cheap they might be in Target back in the States.

Day 10- May 27th: Wild goose- chase and chopping off doll heads

Hot, hot, hot! It's been so hot the last few days and today is no expection; if not it's even worse. I got ready and made on my way to the university in search of the model making materials. It took me a while to find the “dot” on the map but on the way I discovered a wonderful market place and spent sometime there. I arrived at the university and from what students told me it's an Economic University and the Architecture University is across the river. Beata had sent me on a wild goose- chase. I walked over the bridge and realized that most faculty and student are gone for the day and I was asked to come back the next day. One positive note, I did stumble on the wonderful cave church and the beautiful Buda hills and park the church is in. I spent sometime there climbing the hills and looked at the wild flower bloom in this almost unbearable heat.

I feel like as if I am Alice in Wonderland looking for the curious rabbit in a strange but fascinating land of the unknown. Even though the process of material searching has been difficult but this also helped me on learned and see the city in whole new different light.

Later in the night I started making my art work by sawing the dolls head off!!! It's completely insane of me sitting in a hotel room alone holding a saw and cutting the dolls head off in the darkest of the night. What happened to the sophisticated designer from LA? This is such a unreal experience.

Day 9- May 26: The real Fleas of The Flea Market

I am getting a little uneasy about finding the right material for my art work so today, I must go to the flea market. It was a 30 mins bus ride away from downtown Budapest. The bus was pretty easy to find and the ride there was interesting. This is the real Hungary that must tourist won't see. It's mostly poor and a little it rundown; factories, big box stores, residential buildings and abandoned structures lined the Highway.

It was about 1130am when I arrived there and according to their business hours they are open from 7am-4pm weekdays and weekend with shorter hours. A completely surprised : the place is 90 percent closed with only a few shops opened and even fewer shoppers. I later was told y a shopkeeper that people come early in the morning it was almost a completely wast of time but I did manage to find some bizarre dolls in a basket from a vendor, they are made of rubber, soiled, missing body parts and dusty to the touch.

She wanted a lot of money for such garbage did purchased the dolls after a it bargaining. The final price is 3800Forints about 24 dollars- a complete rip off but only she knew I would have paid even more due to my desperation for the dolls for my art work. The dolls would of cost no more than 5 dollars in most thrift stores in LA. I also got a mink stow for the frame of my art work for 15 USD which is very reasonable. I will have to to back to the flea market this Saturday to search for other materials and hope this time I won't get rip off.

The afternoon was filled with running around to the art stores, the mall and walking around the city and had a very nice dinner alone.

Day8- May 25: Memories of Western restaurants

Didn't wake up until 2pm... got ready and went to my friend's restaurant on the Buda side. It was nice to see this none tourist neighborhood. His restaurant is called “Nevada Bar” and the interior decor is country western very much like “Brother's Restaurant” my mother had in Taipei years ago.

At the Nevada they serve both American and Hungarian food. I must say the food was only ok even my friend is the chef. He treated me and I didn't have to pay and he told me to come back tomorrow for another free meal, I told him I have to go to the flea market and he said come after the flea market for dinner; it's free! I laughed and thank him. Maybe I should tell him if the food is better I might. No no no I am very thankful he is so generous. I know he wouldn't be reading this because he really doesn't understand English.

Day 7- May 24: Being Dramatic... oh

Our residency host and coordinator Beata invited us to see her work at her house so all of us took the trains and a bus over to her house. She is such a great story teller, she lives a very interesting life and have so many intriguing stories to tell. She bursts into life (even more) when she tells stories about her ex marriages, old communist days, and her family drama. I can really relate to her pain but I decided not to share with everyone in the group so I kept it to myself.

Beata is such a wonderful artist, she did work in many different medias and had shown in some major museums in the world. I feel she is able to understand my work. I wish to be like her one day but I do feel bad that she still struggles financially, the life of Artists sigh....

I wanted to do something fun tonight so decided to go to a bar and next thing I know it's 6am... made my way back to the hotel and had breakfast and went to bed.