Journey to Pecs (pronounced paych)

The pictures are the table I sat at, the other - much more decorated tables- "Fraggle Rock" and my pants after I spilled on the train.  Jojj.

Megan and I traveled to Pecs this weekend to see the World Heritage sites and the 2010 Cultural Capital of Hungary.  We met up with Hanna and Alvin, but not until after I had already had several experiences that could ONLY happen to me. 

I took Friday off of school – I have been subbing a lot, and decided that I was due for a free day.  Also, it’s about a 5 hour journey to Pecs, so it made more sense to me to make Friday a travel day and enjoy the full day Saturday before returning on Sunday.  Of course the actual train journey to Pecs was not without adventure.  I shared a car with a nice (pimped out whore) lady who had a bright purple outfit on, and boots and jewelry to match.  I was alone for the last half hour, and I was watching intently out the window.  My mom says the best way to travel is by train so you can see the landscape – so I did that.  With about 5 minutes until we arrived to the Pecs station, I wanted a swig of Sprite to hydrate me for the journey to the hostel.  Little did I realize that I had jostled the Sprite quite a bit en-route, and when I opened it (I know you’re all picturing what happened next as you are reading) – it exploded onto my lap.  It wasn’t a small spill either, it literally exploded as if I had peed my pants after holding it for three days… you could ring it out – I swear.  So, now I was disembarking from the train with visible wet sticky spots on my pants into a new city.  Hooray.  I found the bus and headed out towards the center of town. 

When I finally found the hostel – and by hostel I mean sketchy converted apartment run by pot-smoking party animals- I dropped my things off and headed out to explore.  My first stop in a new city is always the “TourInform” (tourist site with maps etc.) and then either the McDonalds or the mall if there is one.  I waited for these two excursions until I had meandered around a bit – but of course I hit them up.  While I was wandering around – and Pecs is a nice place to wander- the weather couldn’t make up its mind.  It rained, then there was sun, then rain, etc.  At three different points in my wandering, I had a Hollywood level “bus driving by pedestrian spraying her with water” experience.  Great, now my pants were a combination of Sprite and street runoff.  Crap.  After my afternoon, I returned to the hostel, made small talk with one of the workers we affectionately called “Fraggle Rock” (as a result of his hair), changed and headed out for dinner.  I’m not one who is usually comfortable eating out by myself, but whatever.  I’m in a new city and I had read some nice things in the tour book about different places to eat – so off I went.  I decided on a cellar restaurant that had it’s own winery that was near by the hostel.  I got to the doorway of the place, and realized initially that there were several stairs that lead down to the eating area.  After all, it was in a cellar I suppose.  I descended into a virtually empty restaurant and asked one of the workers if they were open.  He said yes, and as he looked around at the tables that were decorated with cloth napkins, plates and silverware, wine glasses and candles- he sat me at a table directly in front of the entrance that had only a white table cloth on it.  No napkin, no silverware, no candle – just a white table cloth.  Hmph.  In addition to the barren settings, it literally was in the entrance to the restaurant, so everyone who came in noticed me initially, and two sets of people even asked me questions as if I were the host.  Hmph.  I had a fabulous meal of pork, turkey and beef strips with French fries and a salad, and white wine.  I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, though all I could do while there was giggle at my situation.  After my meal, I decided that I would give palinka (the national alcohol that they drink as frequently as possible) another try.  My students insisted that I would like it if I had the “good” kind- I had assured them I had tried many kinds (though all in the same sitting, so maybe that wasn’t my best plan).  I ordered a shot of raspberry palinka determined to be objective and decide once and for all if I like the liquor that Hungarians were so proud of.  I didn’t -  I really didn’t… but I gave it another try anyway.  After I had finished, it was still early and instead of returning to make small talk with fraggle rock, I decided to get a beer at an Irish pub on my way home. It was a typical Irish pub, but there wasn’t much action – UNTIL a band showed up (meaning two guitar players) to perform.  I thought that surely they would be singing Irish songs, and I was eager to compare their performance to that of my choir peers and their Irish band.  However, the first song that they played was “Layla” by Eric Clapton – followed by numerous other American soft rock songs  Interesting!  I decided to call it quits after two beers and no conversation from strangers.  I returned home to an empty hostel – except for fraggle rock – and wondered where my 5 roommates were.  At 3:48 am, I found out.  They had been out wine tasting and returned with all the oomph of a victorious football team after a big match.  Good thing I had earplugs, because that kept out about 1/18^th of the noise they were making.  Oh well, whatever – it’s hostel life right?