Quick morning in Budapest

We wandered around admiring the architecture (and trees, and garbage cans, and man holes – my parents don’t seem to get out too much) of Budapest and happened on the Spring Market in one of the squares. We were able to look at a lot of kitschy stuff (none of it really screaming “I’m a Hungarian craft”) and tried the kulacs bread (the picture is of my mom and the bread) that I have been describing to my mom for months. I was really pleased that they were able to try it. We got to bed early since they were tired from traveling, and we had to get up and do it again the next morning. Saturday morning, we were up and on a train to Tata by 9:30. We managed to get the luggage in and out of the train station, up and down escalators, on and off a train, and up and down the Tata station stairs. It was quite a haul. Once we were in Tata, we relaxed at my apartment for a while – though Boo didn’t really get a chance to relax since my dad was there – and then headed to lunch. We ate at the pirate bat – for those of you who are diligent readers, I have mentioned the pirate bar both with affection and distaste before several times. We met my friend Megan, and two new friends, Justin and Riley (John) there for lunch. Justin and Riley are two of the American soldiers stationed in Tata until their deployment to Afghanistan in July. It was nice – my dad got to talk army, my mom got to talk with Megan and we had a nice meal. It's early to be saying this, but I think Justin and I are hitting it off - he told me after meeting my parents that he wanted to have dinner with just me if I had time. It was cute how nervous he was to "ask me out." After that, we headed to my choir performance at the castle in Tata. We were singing for the opening of an art exhibit in the castle, beautiful wood carvings done by a man who is inching up on 80 years old. The place was packed – and it was really warm. Thank goodness I’d scored one of the “choir scarves” earlier in the year so I had it to wear! At any rate, it went well – though long – and mom and dad got to meet the choir.