BUDA and PEST

So today as I was walking I thought, wow! i'm in Hungary! that sounds far, far away.
this is also a very nice city, not spectacular, but really nice. I haven't seen much yet except downtown. The Mellow Hostel is right in the center in a very good location. The day I arrived and went to sleep I woke up at around 2, had a shower and went for a walk downtown, ate a snack and decided I didn't want to see churches, museums or anything of the sort. So I went back to the hostel and took my stuff to go to the Thermal Baths. One of my roomates was there feeling a bit sick, so I asked her if she wanted to join me and she did, so we headed out to the Szecheny
Furdo thermal baths. Took the metro and got off and found the Vajdahunyad Castle complex that has the castle, the Agricultural Museum, the Hungarian Circus and the most beautiful ice rink. We walked around and finally made it to the baths. It's really something. We payed 2000 huf or $11 (1 CAN = 178.24 huf )and you get a magnetic chip, and then a locker that a lady comes to close for you, put on swim suite and then off to the thermal pools. Big beautiful pools surronded by the castle, it feels so luxurious. Under Budapest there are lots of thermal pools and caves, people can go caving right in the middle of the city. The pool was nice and hot but coming out was torture, it was cold! Heather and I stayed there for about 3 hours, just talking, looking at the people a lot of tourists but a lot of locals go to these baths, big families, couples, old peopel, kids. It's supposed to be therapeutic and you can get massages for $10, pedicures etc, I know Renee would LOVE it!!! From there we went back to the hostel, went for a fabulous hungarian dinner (about $20 with beer, dessert for 2), any very tasty curd cheese and potato dumplings with scallop chicken in paprika sauce. And from there to party to a bar that is open 24 hours with the other people from the hostel. So it was an action packed day! UUUUUU the thermal baths.

today I woke up and guess where I went....to the baths!! but this time to ones in Buda, called Gellent baths. I'm sure all that is on the net. It's forbidden to take pictures so I won't be able to do so. These baths were very different than the ones last night. Here, there is a beautiful main pool, with columns, and a fantastic art deco ceiling, on the side a hugh thermal "jacuzzi", co-ed. The other thermal pools are not co-ed. Women have their pools and men theirs. A lot of women go into these pools naked, some don't. There is a wicked steam bath, the hottest I've ever felt, and a few other pools. Here you can also get massages, mud baths, or any beauty treatement you like. I spent the afternoon there, soaking, and talking with an Italian couple from Torino, super nice, now I hae a place to stay there too!!! hihihi

Finally I have made contact with Cecilia and I guess we are really going to meet! I'm so psyched. So tomorrow after the baths will be a day of sight seeing. EVERYTHING closes at around 5 pm and apparently nothing opens on Sunday, so it will be a good time to walk around or perhaps take a walking tour.

Foooood, mmmmmhhh YUMMY, I'm so hungry. I must go and eat something now.