Saturday bridging days

When public holidays in Hungary fall on Tuesdays or Thursdays, the custom is to make the day bridging the weekend an off-day too. This day has to be 'replaced' on a Saturday, considered a full working day. In effect, this means you work a 6-day week, and in return, get a 4-day weekend. Ideal, on the face of it, except for the morning on said Saturday i.e. today.

Still, I had it better than some, since I organised it in such a way as to finish at 1pm, just in time for lunch at Roma Ételbár on Csalogány. It's a simple lunchtime place with typical Hungarian fare, but what makes it are the tables under the trees in the summer and the prompt but friendly service. The menus are clipped onto the white tablecloth, and you're surrounded by families, bikers, foreigners, retired regulars. The best sort of restaurant in Hungary I reckon.

Then we headed, wind-whipped, to Vaci utca to do some window shopping. I trawled the kids sections, got chatted up by a creepy guy mentioning something about nice Filipinas and Thai women in the Middle East (not sure why he thought that would score him points), then had ice cream at Jégbüfé before catching the 15 bus home.

Watched some Lost, and going to Könyvtár tonight.

So not a bad bridging day in the end.

Budapest, tourist-style

Nothing like a visitor to give you some new experiences in Budapest.

First of all, a cafe latte in Gerbeaud is 750 forints (highway robbery). Service is far from swift, and then they add a 15% tax to the bill (the cheek!). But sitting on Vorosmarty ter on an awesome spring day like today, with the smell of freshly-made waffle cones undulating towards you from the ice cream stand while listening to a clarinet-violin duo, you can almost forgive it.

Before the Marriott hotel began its never-ending renovation (like Parliament nearby), I used to enjoy Sunday brunches there with the champagne and smoked salmon being highlights. So I was quite curious about the InterContinental's brunch. More expensive than the Marriott's was (6,900 forints), with cheaper champagne and very Hungarian-heavy (creamy, meaty, a salad bar that was more mayo than vegetable). However, there was a mini-hamburger booth and chocolate souffles hot out of the oven.

And I realised that the cabins upstairs in Szechenyi baths are really worth the extra 400 forints.

Two songs

One by The Cox family, singing "I'm Weary Let Me Rest" from O Brother, Where Are Thou?



And the other is somewhat different but equally compelling. Hard to play on Guitar Hero though:

Spring! Is here!

It is beeeeautiful outside. Days like these I'm so glad I don't live in a tropical country.

Other highs:
Yesterday at Kaiser's supermarket the cashier asked to see my ID to prove I was over 18 for the bottle of wine I was buying.

Jhumpa Lahiri's new book Unaccustomed Earth is out. Am going to two bookstores in a bit to see if I can get it.

Recorded a Rod Stewart (or rather Van Morrison) song - never thought I'd see the day that would be a high but it's for a very good reason.

Am about to buy plane tickets to Bangkok!

Low:
There's probably going to be an all-day public transport strike next Friday which will create a logistical headache for me work-wise. PLEASE BKV, work it out!!

Medium:
Am hungover. Warmer days brings outdoor cafes/bars/drinking dunes which doesn't help temperance.

Update: Have a new toy perched on the top of my laptop - a baby blue Webcam!

(My ladder/clothes rack and a tapestry from Dali in China)