Ariel Goes to Europe

Photos from Budapest! 

Once again I have let time pass too much without posting. I wish I had finished up abroad posting sooner, but my summer was exceptionally busy as was my fall. Better late than never I always say. I need to write this stuff down so I have it to remember. 

Let’s see…where was i? 

If I had to describe my weekend in Budapest in one word it would be AWESOME. 

But fortunately for me (and those of you reading this), I can describe my weekend in many words! YAY! So Nick, Leanne, Evan and I left to Budapest late on a Thursday night. We negotiated a cab/driver to the apartment that we had rented for the weekend (turns out it’s just as expensive as a hostel so we though why not!). 

The next morning as everyone slept in a bit I chose to get ready a little bit early and sat out on the patio to do a little reading. It was the morning and sunny and warm already which was wonderful. When everyone got ready we decided to take a little stroll around the city (we had already missed the free walking tours for the day). We came upon the Great Synagogue in Budapest. It was remarkably giant. The four of us headed inside and it was absolutely beautiful. We later learned the next day (during our tour) the reason for the Synagogue’s preservation during the Second World War. The Nazis chose not to destroy the building because the giant columns in the front of the building were used as radio towers to stay in contact with Berlin. During the war, however; the inside was desecrated, which was heartbreaking. Our time spent in the Synagogue was also kind of like a mini Judaism 101. My friends had questions for me and I was happy to answer them. So it was a bit of a lesson alongside sightseeing. After spending quality time in the Synagogue we headed off to the Turkish baths. There are still a few bath houses in Budapest that date back to the 16th and 17th century. So we thought why not get the traditional experience right. When we arrived we headed to our respective changing rooms, threw our things in the locker, and went outside. It was quite an interesting experience. The water was warm and people just hung around swimming and playing. Even centuries later the baths were a meeting place for family and friends. After a few hours we decided it was time to leave. We then headed to a delicious restaurant and treated ourselves to some fine Hungarian food. Literally we googled cheap eats in Budapest, and we just followed the recommendations on the interwebs. It was awesome! After eating we walked around the city a little bit more and then went back to the apartment to shower and get ready to go out. We had looked up bars and places to go but ended up just taking to the streets. We stumbled upon two separate outdoor gatherings which were really awesome. It was a perfect night to hang outside, have a few drinks, and enjoy the environment. The first place felt a little more touristy but we ended up having a great time. And of course we ended our night eating delicious doner from a place nearby that was open super late. 

The next morning I once again woke up early and got ready. When everyone else was finished we headed to our free walking tour. I’m telling you these are the best things you can do in Europe. Our tour guide took us to Buda and Pest (in reality Budapest is two cities spread across the Danube River). We hit all of the major tourist site on both sides of the river. Between our walking tour and walking around the city we saw incredible sites across the city. The Parliament building is beautiful. The inside apparently is rather boring, but the outside was awesome. On the tour we quasi-climbed a hill to look out over the whole city. It was great! We spent time in the major squares and after the tour we somehow managed to find our way back to where we started so that we could grab lunch. Although we had a really interesting experience crossing the bridge. Ask me about it sometime. I believe we ate at Castro that night. Unbelievable. Actually it doesn’t matter when we ate there. I just had to mention this restaurant. The four of us feasted on the freshest most delicious food. It was a jolly good time. We then attempted a second night out. There was a cool outdoor venue/party going on, but the line was too long. So we proceeded to walk along the river until we found this boat/club we heard about. It was not really what we expected. So we left and went to bed. 

Sunday morning, last day in Budapest. We went to the House of Terror, a museum dedicated to both Nazi and Soviet occupation of Budapest and the pain it caused people for decades. It was a very fascinating place and I highly recommend it. Budapest was really caught in a really terrible place in the 20th century. It had two incredibly fearful powerful forces take over. I’m amazed at how progressive the city felt after years of oppression. We then went to a Yiddish-Italian restaurant for lunch. It was delicious, but we were crunched for time. So we shoveled the food down, ran to the apartment, got into a cab, and headed to the airport. 

Oh Budapest, how I think of you fondly. Friendly people, beautiful city, and delicious food. What more could you ask for? 

Oh, and it was expensive either. Can’t wait to go back! 

Some Burro photos and Toledo!

Wow I have not posted in a really long time. However, I didn’t feel like being stuck in Paris in April forever (although come to think of it, that doesn’t sound so bad). Also I wanted to finish up my blog before I become old and forgetful. 

So my mom and aunt came to visit! They first ventured to Barcelona for a few days before taking the high speed train and met me in Madrid. I headed from classes to their hotel which was conveniently located on the Paseo del Prado. We grabbed a quick tapas snack and I then took them to flamenco class so they could watch all of my hard work. Or watch my partner Elisa because she is an amazing dancer. They very much enjoyed my class which was really nice. We then made our way to Elena’s for dinner. She made cocido which was delicious. And probably a bit too heavy  for dinner. But delicious nonetheless. It was then time for this girl to go to sleep. 

The next morning I woke up and made my way to the hotel again and it was time to do a little tour of Madrid. So we took one of those hop on hop off tours of the city which was really fun. When we got to the stop closest to Elena’s it was time to hop off and walk home for lunch. Once again a delicious meal was served including pisto and tortilla de patata. I then had my English-French exchange with Noemi so my mom and aunt went and did their own thing for a little bit. After my exchange I met up with the fam and we had a lovely evening. 

On Friday we made our way to Toledo for the day. It is a really lovely small town. It’s full of history and the architecture is very impressive. We went into the cathedral which was stunning. We also walked through the nave with the orange trees. Afterwards we went to the two synagogues in the town and walked around a bit more. We then made our way back to Madrid where I took a nap and my mom and aunt went to the museum. The three of us then went out for delicious Italian food. I hate to say it, but a break was needed from Spanish cuisine. 

Saturday was burro day. Oh yes. Burros. My mom and aunt joined GW Madrid as we mad our way into the mountains and rode burros. Due to the rain and cold they decided to hang out in the house while the rest of us rode our burros. It was so much fun. Even though it was rainy it was awesome. But we all smelled like wet donkey. We were then treated to a delicious feast at the home of the people who owned the donkeys. After smelling of donkey and smoke and with full bellies we made our way back to the city. It was time to shower and relax before meeting up with Elena one last time for dinner. She took us to this little place she enjoys and it was wonderful. She then took my mom and aunt on a ride around the city while I went home and did work. It was such a fun weekend! 

The conversation the entire weekend was very interesting. See, my host mom is fluent in many languages as I’ve mentioned before. Although she and I have only spoken in Spanish with the occasional French to one another. She has heard me speak English before when I’ve had to make an important phone call or when I’m skyping my family/friends. But we’ve never spoken to one another in English. So I would still speak to her in Spanish because it felt weird not to. She’d speak in English with my mom and aunt and I would speak to them in English as well. My mom told me later that she and my aunt loved when Elena and I were prepping in the kitchen because we’d be back in Spanish and she thought it was so impressive and enjoyable to hear. 

Some Paris photos. Most of them got lost on my memory card. I’m pretty upset about this. I guess I’ll just have to go back to Paris. :)

Let’s go back shall we? To the release of the Titanic movie in 3D. I went with Stephanie and Dana and it was wonderful! We found a theatre that had the movies in English with Spanish subtitles, which was perfect considering we wanted to actually hear Kate and Leo. Not their Spanish counterparts. Once the movie was over Stephanie and I said goodbye to Dana and headed for the metro, where we were planning on making the last train to the airport. It was quite the success. We made it to Barajas with ease and that’s when my problem started. We got all the way to security when the guard noted my tickets. I had booked the wrong flights. On the discount airlines the flight times are the same everyday. I must have picked the wrong days. I chose a day earlier to get to Paris and a day later to leave for Madrid. The guard said that Easy Jet opens their counter at 4am. So Steph and I sat by their counter. She slept a little, I of course couldn’t. So when Easy Jet opened up a very panicked Ariel explained her problem. The lady was able to get me on the flight with all of my friends. The one I was originally supposed to take. Naturally there was a price which was really unfortunate. Part of the reason I was even going to Paris was because I managed to do it without paying a ton. Yet there I was, and I sickly paid for a new ticket. We got through security and then it was time to board and time to go to Paris! 

When we made it to CDG we found the RER B (the cheapest way to get into the city). It was a solid journey and then I got off at Luxembourg and waiting for me a top of the stairs was the one and only LILY GREEN! Super excited to see her, I immediately asked if I could stay at her place an extra night. Fortunately, I could. It’s a good thing I had a place to stay in Paris or it would have killed me financially. So we went back to her home stay for a bit and she headed to class. I took a nap since I hadn’t slept at all. When Lily got back from her second class, she woke me up and we began our adventure. It began with a stroll through Le Jardin du Luxembourg, the very beautiful gardens right by her house. Everything was super green and beautiful. So many people were out! We then strolled to the cafe, Les Deux Magots for coffee/hot chocolate. Basically this was one of the two cafes that many expats and important writers and thinkers would hang out at in the past. So I wanted to check it out. We then went to Laudree and got macarons. They were so yummy!!! So we snacked, and walked, and talked, and then it was getting close to dinner. We found ourselves at my friend’s hotel and went to dinner with Jen and Mariel at a place nearby. It was absolutely delicious. Tired, we went back to Lily’s a hung out for a bit more before going to sleep. 

The next morning I woke up super early to meet Elisa, Steph, Jen, and Mariel at the Musee d’Orsay. Since the weather was wonderful and Paris is such a fantastic walking city I decided to walk to the museum from Lily’s place. And it was quite the walk! I saw the Pantheon, the Sorbonne, and Notre Dame! I also passed the lock bridge along the Seine and saw beautiful buildings lining the river. I made it to the museum with time to spare and waited. The girls still weren’t there as I was being let in. I figured I’d run into them eventually. So I went through the Impressionist exhibit and saw the works of Degas, Manet, Monet, and was super happy. Finally my friends met up with me. We enjoyed the museum a bit more then it was time to head to Les Invalides. We walked there from the museum since it was still so lovely out. I was waiting for Lily so they all went ahead. Lily and I got tickets to the tomb and museum. So we ran into Mariel, Jen, and Steph, who claimed they couldn’t get tickets but saw the tomb. We said we were going to check it out and the be right back out. Turns out they were wrong. They saw the wrong tomb. But Napoleon’s, man was that thing GIANT. Talk about a complex! When we got outside they were gone! But I knew they were headed to L’Opera Garnier. So Lily and I took a nice walk, had sandwiches and arrived at the Opera. It’s such a gorgeous building. After hanging around for a bit we ran into Elisa. The others eventually filed out and we went to this restaurant called Chartier, which is a well known spot in Paris. Then Lily and I said our goodbyes and we headed towards Montmatre, to meet her roommate Anna, and Anna’s mom for dinner. The four of us had a lovely dinner and then it was time for Lily and I to head back. This was the first time we used the Metro ALL DAY! But it was getting dark and it was time to head home. 

The next morning we woke up relatively early and headed towards Le Marais, where we’d be meeting my friend from high school, Daria, for lunch. On the way however we stopped by the famous bookstore, Shakespeare and CO. I wish I had more time there, oh well, I guess I will have to go back! We then crossed the river, passed Notre Dame, and headed through Le Marais, or the Jewish Quarter, to get to L’as du Falafel. IT WAS DELICIOUS! So excited that I finally made it! Lily, Daria, and I then walked around the neighborhood a bit and caught it. It had been so long since I’d seen Daria. We passed the Centre Pompidou, crossed the river yet again, and ended up at the Pantheon. After a drink at MacDo, we said goodbye to Daria who had to catch a train back to where she was living. Lily and I then went inside the Pantheon. Which was so cool! All of the great thinkers are now buried there. I felt surrounded by greatness. Zola, Voltaire, Curie, etc…it was awesome! That night Lily and I went back to her place and napped for a little. When we woke up we decided to eat at her home stay. I made us some homemade mac and cheese and we just chilled out. We were really tired. 

Monday Lily had things to do, and since accidentally it was my extra day in Paris, I got out of her way. I left her house early and made my way to the Cimetiere du Montparnasse to chill with Jean-Paul Satre and Simone de Beauvoir. Then I took the metro to Ile de la Cite to go to Le Conciergerie and Sainte Chapelle. Both were stunning. Especially the stained glass windows at Sainte Chapelle. I was in complete shock and awe. I then strolled through the Jardin one last time and had lunch. I finally made my way back to Lily’s and it was time for me to head back to the airport. I had such an incredible trip. This trip was filled with totally new things. It just goes to show that you can visit Paris a million times and always have something fun to do. Most importantly, it was wonderful seeing my friend Lily. VIVE LA FRANCE! 

Vienna Photos! 

On the Wednesday morning Juliana and I began part three of our magical spring break journey. This time we headed to Vienna Austria. We took the same bus company, Student Agency, and they were absolutely wonderful. We seriously didn’t feel like we were on a bus for 5 hours. It’s incredible. It was a wonderful opportunity to see the Czech and Austrian country sides. 

Upon our arrival, we made our way to the hostel via public transportation. It was really easy to get to. After checking in we shoved our faces with pretty mediocre Chinese food and then decided that it was time for siesta. Afterwards we walked around Vienna a little and grabbed a quick bite before venturing off to one of the bars we read about. In theory it was going to be really cool, but when we got there the building was vacant. No more cool bar. So we got back on the U-Bahn and went to a different bar that we saw listed on our hostel map. I think it serves as a dog and cat groomer during the day. Or it used to be a grooming shop. Regardless it was a really lovely, chill evening. 

The next day we woke up early to grab breakfast at the Nachsmarkt for breakfast. It’s this really old market that was literally right next to where we were staying. So we dined on fresh strawberries and mozzarella. We then caught the free tour leaving from Wombat’s. It was a really large tour group so at times it was difficult to hear our guide. However, he did take us on a really nice walk around the city and pointed out very important buildings. And we learned a little about the history of Vienna as well. Most importantly, he pointed out where to get the best Strudel and Sachertorte (this will be explained in just a moment). So when the tour ended, Juliana and I decided to retrace our tour steps. We first went to Demel for absolutely delicious Sachertorte. What is this treat you may ask? It is chocolate cake with a bit of apricot jam. It’s also topped with a chocolate ganache. Basically it’s amazing. So that was our appetizer. Then we made our way to Cafe Tirolerhof for the best apple strudel in Vienna. After our filling lunch we went back to the Nachsmarkt and shoved our faces with doner kebab. We needed something savory okay? As we were eating this girl approached us. She recognized us from the tour earlier in the day. So after naptime Christine, our new friend, joined us for dinner. I wanted schnitzel. When in Vienna right? So we went to a restaurant known for their schnitzel called Figlmueller. We sat Carnegie Deli style with a mom and her two kids from LA. The girl was studying abroad in Madrid and knew one of Juliana’s best friends from high school. Small world. The three of us then headed to the Bermuda Triangle region of Vienna to grab a few drinks. 

The next day Christine, Juliana, and I headed to another market across Vienna. We treated ourselves to Turkish coffee and treats. Not finding something perfect for lunch we wandered around until we found something. Then we said our goodbyes to Christine and got showered and ready for the Passover Seder we were going to. It was the first night of Passover and I had found a Temple that was having a Seder. So Juliana and I went. It was absolutely lovely. Even though it was conducted pretty much only in German and Hebrew we felt right at home. We were put at the English speaking table, and one of the ladies sitting with us was our translator. The Rabbi is English, so when he stopped by our table we were able to chat with him for a bit. It was a yummy dinner and it was just a lovely dinner in general. Full and exhausted Juliana and I went back to the hostel and went to bed. The next day we’d be heading back to our respective semester homes. 

Saturday morning we traveled to the airport together where we said our goodbyes. Then it was back to London for Juliana and back to Madrid for me. What a break! We came, we saw, we conquered. 

Prague Photos!

On Sunday morning bright and early part two of Juliana and my great spring break adventure began! With a 5-hour bus ride from Berlin to Prague. But naturally we faced a few challenges getting to the bus station. We woke up and made it to the U-Bahn; however, it decided to stop working and after struggling a little bit and stressing we just grabbed a cab. After making it to the bus station we checked in. To be honest this was a great company we traveled with. You can find it under Czech Transport or Student Agency. It was rather inexpensive and a super comfortable way to travel. A really nice coach bus and we had a flight (bus) attendant. There were in-bus movies and we took a pit stop. The time honestly flew by. There was some napping involved too because we took the 8 am bus. When we got to Prague we followed the directions and bravely took the public transport to the Czech Inn. Our room wasn’t ready quite yet so we grabbed lunch. It was so delicious! Afterwards we went back to the hostel, got to our room and took an awesome nap. Later we got dinner and drinks and went back to the hostel. So far the room was only ours which was kind of nice. We didn’t have to worry about waking anyone up in the morning. 

Our next day in Prague started off with a lovely walk tour. The Prague Walking Tour to be exact. It was a slightly shorter tour, but still really informative. It began with a van ride to the top of a hill where we saw the Prague Castle and the many additions that had been made to the structure since construction began. We’re talking centuries of additions. Other buildings included a museum and the home of the Archbishop. The view from the hill was lovely. We then began our descent into Prague. Max, our tour guide, definitely knew what he was talking about. He took us all over the city and showed us all of the important sites to see in Prague. We went to the Old Town, the New Town, the Jewish Quarter. It is such a beautiful city! The view from the Charles Bridge was magnificent. It was also interesting to learn about the history of Prague. The Old Square and the Astronomical Clock were really cool. Prague in a sense feels Disney-esque. It is unbelievably clean and colorful and full of friendly people. That night we decided to go on a Prague pub crawl. Which was really fun. We were taken to all of these local bars around the city and met some really cool people. It ended up being a really late and fun night. I really enjoyed this bar called Propaganda. Check it out! 

The next morning, or should I say afternoon, we ventured back to the Old Town Square. There was an Easter Market that we had enjoyed the day before and decided to go back for more. Specifically for more Trdlo, a delicious pastry rolled in sugar and almonds. It’s then slowly cooked over coals. It’s absolutely magical. I dare you to try and pronounce it. I will be in pursuit of these tasty treats when I return to the US. There was also a stage where adorable children danced in traditional clothing. Afterwards we wandered around the city and Jewish Quarter a bit more. We had dinner at this delicious restaurant and had one last drink in Prague. In the morning we’d be heading to Vienna. 

I was so happy that I finally made it to Prague. It had been at the top of my list for a very long time. Despite the interesting currency it was really great. Our hostel roommates were bunch of cool guys. The city was easy to navigate. We survived without knowing a word of Czech. Yay for Prague!