Day 251: Goodbye, Budapest

This morning started off okay overall. Maddie woke up in a pleasant mood but she was very tired. While sitting on the couch, she fell back to sleep on me. I slid out from underneath her, got dressed, and then helped pack up for check out. 

I was finally able to get Maddie dressed and ready for the day. However, she refused to be put down and continued to fall asleep on me. 

We walked down the street and found a place for breakfast. We were able to chat a bit more, play a game as we waited on our food, and then plan out our afternoon. 

Alayna was leaving by train to Prague a few hours before us. We rode with her to the train station and made sure she was able to safely get on. We had heard from various news articles that the station was overrun with migrants from Syria and there could be various issues. 

When we arrived to the station we had a very humbling experience. There was a group of Syrians going through piles and piles of clothes. It appeared that donations had been delivered to the area and people were able to take what was needed. Seeing women look through items with children who were Caleb's age and younger was absolutely heartbreaking. These people have nothing and are basically stuck in Hungary. 

Here you can see the clothes and also a makeshift tent area. Under the bridge across the way there were so many people just surviving. 

When we entered the train station there was a large group of people waiting in the middle area. It seemed as though they were waiting to go somewhere, but I'm not sure if they get to go anywhere else. There were multiple police officers located in front of the crowd and also in other areas. It was very intimidating, but also great to see after reading about various riots/protests that had taken place there just last week. 

In this photo you can see the stairwell filled with migrants. The police are at the top standing in front of the line. 

We walked Alayna to her train and then walked back through the station. There was clearly an area designated for migrants and areas where tourists could move freely (see above photo). It was sad to see the mass camp outside underneath the stairwells and lower parts of the train station. From what I've read, it appears the migrants are trying to make their way to Austria and ultimately Germany. I'm not sure if/when they'll be able to leave but I hope they find something they can call home sooner than later. 

We made our way back to the city near the Hungary Eye (a ferris wheel) and got a coffee. Maddie was still asleep at this point. She had slept through everything (for the most part) up to this moment. She was acting as though she didn't feel very well and wouldn't speak much even if she was awake. She finally woke up enough to eat a granola bar. She would not get down and did not want to run and play. It was pretty cool and windy so we made our way to the metro and then bus towards the airport. 

We arrived a little early so we ate an early dinner and Maddie played a little in the kid's play area. We eventually boarded and flew an hour back to Warsaw. The flight was great but very cramped! 

We got off the plane to even cooler weather. The summer is no more. The wind was blowing and we all bundled up as we waited on the bus. 

We finally made it home and the kids ate dinner and then showered and went to bed. Maddie fought her sleep, likely because she wasn't tired from sleeping all day. 

We are happy to be back home, and we are looking forward to our routines starting back up tomorrow. 

Goodnight!

Day 250: Touring Budapest, Hungary

This morning the sun greeted our windows and we woke up in happy moods. We got dressed, found what we needed for the day, and embarked on a longer than planned journey to find breakfast. 

We walked towards the St. Stephens Bascilica and found a place that served breakfast. We ate our eggs and drank our coffee. We then went to the area where the hop on hop off bus was and decided to wait on the next one to. We walked to Starbucks and got a souvenir mug and another coffee. We made it back to the bus with plenty of time and got front row seats for our tour. The kids piled up beside me and before long Maddie was fast asleep. 

We toured Budapest and learned that Buda is hilly and Pest is not. That's how you figure out which side you are own. We also partook in a river cruise tour. That one was quite chilly! It lasted for an hour and we were able to see some great views of the Parliment and more. The kids loved it. 

After the boat ride we visited the local market. Here, we viewed all of the fresh meat and produce and then went upstairs to do a bit of souvenir shopping. We found some great items and topped of the market fun with a European funnel cake. It was sweet dough covered in cinnamon and powdered sugar and it was delicious. It's definitely a great alternative to the real thing although it's still very unhealthy. 

We made our way back to the apartment and regrouped for the evening. The kids went ahead and showered and then we found a place for dinner. We ate at a nice Italian place and played a fun game while we waited. Caleb suggested the game "chain game" which is where you mention a word and the next person says a different word but it has to be connected to the word given. For example: red could be the word given and apple, car, or a multitude of other words could be used, you keep going until you decide to stop. We had fun going around the table and it was a great way to pass time as we waited on dinner. 

After dinner, we stopped by a hotdog place and got two sweet dogs. A sweet dog is a candy bar on the inside of a dough "wrapper" (made of sweet dough) and then deep fried (I think). The boys ate that for dessert and then we browsed through more souvenirs. 

We made our way back to the apartment and got the kids ready for bed. They lasted for a while and I finally gave up and decided to turn in for them. We've all had full days so everyone should sleep great tonight. 

Goodnight! 

Day 249: Hello Budapest

Alayna made it in late last night, so we all slept in just a little this morning. We eventually made our way downstairs and began cooking breakfast. The kids loved seeing Alayna and competed for her attention. 

We spent the morning chatting, eating, and planning our day. A little while later we loaded up our backpacks and took the bus to the airport.  

We had a few problems with getting checked in but made it through with tickets eventually. Security was pretty simple, so that was nice. 

We bussed to the plane and then fought to get to the correct seats. It was insane. Maddie took a small nap on me as we walked through the airport. Just enough to put her in a grumpy mood. She almost fell asleep on me while the plane took off, but she fought it well. 

When we landed we made our way to the bus and then to the metro. We finally got to where we needed to be in the city and we found the place we'd be staying over the next few days. 

Maddie was calling Cinderella. 

We dropped our stuff off at the apartment and then made our way down to the parliament building. We took a few photos and then found a place for dinner. 

The food was great, but we spent a long time waiting on things. It was very European. 

We made our way back to the apartment and Maddie went to bed. Caleb introduced Alayna to "Bad Lip Reading" with the NFL players, so they enjoyed that for a while. 

Overall we had a great day and we're excited to see more of Budapest tomorrow. 

Day 249: Hello Budapest

Alayna made it in late last night, so we all slept in just a little this morning. We eventually made our way downstairs and began cooking breakfast. The kids loved seeing Alayna and competed for her attention. 

We spent the morning chatting, eating, and planning our day. A little while later we loaded up our backpacks and took the bus to the airport.  

We had a few problems with getting checked in but made it through with tickets eventually. Security was pretty simple, so that was nice. 

We bussed to the plane and then fought to get to the correct seats. It was insane. Maddie took a small nap on me as we walked through the airport. Just enough to put her in a grumpy mood. She almost fell asleep on me while the plane took off, but she fought it well. 

When we landed we made our way to the bus and then to the metro. We finally got to where we needed to be in the city and we found the place we'd be staying over the next few days. 

Maddie was calling Cinderella. 

We dropped our stuff off at the apartment and then made our way down to the parliament building. We took a few photos and then found a place for dinner. 

The food was great, but we spent a long time waiting on things. It was very European. 

We made our way back to the apartment and Maddie went to bed. Caleb introduced Alayna to "Bad Lip Reading" with the NFL players, so they enjoyed that for a while. 

Overall we had a great day and we're excited to see more of Budapest tomorrow.