Budapest Part II

Today, our 'first' sightseeing day. We get up a little later than planned due to our lack of windows in our prison cell, excuse me, bedroom, and get started midday with our new band of six (me, tyler, john, eugene, nathan and ben). We decide to go for the Buda side. I guess I should explain. Budapest is actually 'two' cities together. On the east side of the Vltava river (same as in Prague), is the Pest side. And on the west side, obviously is the Buda side. So, sounds good to us. We first set off and find a church built literally into the side of this giant hill that leads up to their statue of liberty (i thought there was only one). I get a quick pretzel just outside, and we decide to hike our way up to the statue. Man the amount of stairs we hit that day still haunts me. Surprisingly I did better than I thought, and still managed to run to the top filled with excitement and vigor at being at the top of Budapest. I stopped several times along the way, 'making' pictures, because it was a tremendous view of the river and the Pest side of the city. It reminded me of hiking a 14er. No way was anywhere as challenging, just at every turn there was another cool site to see stretched for miles and miles. But after we all regroup up top we walk around and check out their little market area up there. Tyler even gets a little incense guy that blows incense out of his nose after you light his butt... yeah the thing is absolutely worthless but its funny looking. All of Buda was like, giant hill, endless valley, giant hill, endless valley, giant hill.... yeah up and down. So now, we go down, really fast, defying death down mud-drenched slopes covered in brush and getting whapped in the face by low-lying branches. Of course funny. I like people like this, that don't say no to things, despite any limitations they might have. people that don't know how to say no, not because they they feel pressured, just cause they want to experience everything, even if its as little as falling down a hill. Anyways, next to Buda castle... da da da. It was more castle like than the prague castle. Cause it was more beat up, cold, gray, barren and fortress-like. Even one of the walls there were all these bullets and small projectiles splattered into the walls from some war. Not sure which one, but cool to see the authenticity of the castle. Now again, we are getting hungry and tired. Every time I travel, I seem to starve myself until I'm forced to eat. Good choice idiot. But we somehow temporarily lose each other, and john and i head into the gallery inside the castle. It was cool to see, but also boring, you can only see so much art. And they were obsessed with King Matthias... which after googleing him, hes not that impressive. But we leave the castle, head back down and back up, and head to their glorified churches region. Cool churches, but the basilica was better, of course. But anyways, in short, we eat at a hungarian restaurant, head back, get some alcohol for the night, take naps and meet the newbies. There were four new girls and they were american going to school in vienna, but they really didnt know much about it. Cause i wanted to ask to see about the next week, yeah thanks for being worthless! But anyways, we all head to this club, Inside, together eventually afte drinking vodka's with cherry, and peach juice. Whew, but right away, I lose everyone. So I just go around looking for people, eventually finding some nice local flavor to dance with. Dance til 4, always the same, and then head home.