Greetings from Hungary

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 12 Sep 2004, 21:55

Hello everyone and greetings from Hungary. The remote parenting unit has established a temporary outreach station here amid the privations of the 8th floor of the Kempinski Corvinus Hotel.

The wonders of technology have also enabled us to bring you this photo album whilst still on holiday.....

http://www.edinburgh-east-ssp.org/dadaist/budapest/

We have had many adventures even though we only got here on Saturday. I will maybe relate some of them, but for now I must bid you all good night as the dada clan are somewhat fatigued!

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 12 Sep 2004, 21:59

Ive never even met anyone thats been to Hungary, At least as far as I know. Do you speak any eastern european langauges?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 12 Sep 2004, 22:02

You've met me and El Presidente who were in Budapest 2 years ago - and loved it!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 12 Sep 2004, 22:04

No, but by the end of each holiday I seem to learn the local language for "coffee" and "bill".

I've been lucky to have been to quite a few eastern european countries over the years - and can honestly say that it's not a cliche that Hungarians are warm and friendly. They absolutely adore babies and Emily has been treated like royalty - she has been turning heads and attracting loads of smiles and "aww"s, which is lovely for us and her!!

I really have to go now. Dada clan is most definitely turning in.

G'Night!!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 12 Sep 2004, 22:14

Dada, have you been on the Children's Railway? Great fun, I'd recommend it. And if it's as hot in Budapest as it was when we were there exactly two years ago, it's nice and cooling being up in the hills in open carriages!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Sep 2004, 07:04

We'll look into it - it's yer interactive holiday!

We're firmly ensconced on the Pest side but would like to have done something over the water before we go.

Today we are going to the enormous market hall and the Woodpecker toy shop which has loads of wooden toys - my niece (4) is in for a nice surprise!

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 13 Sep 2004, 10:41

Dadaist wrote:I've been lucky to have been to quite a few eastern european countries over the years - and can honestly say that it's not a cliche that Hungarians are warm and friendly. They absolutely adore babies and Emily has been treated like royalty - she has been turning heads and attracting loads of smiles and "aww"s, which is lovely for us and her!!

See Emily Play-Pink Floyd

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 13 Sep 2004, 10:42

Fuck-wrong thread.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Sep 2004, 13:37

Porty wrote:
Dadaist wrote:I've been lucky to have been to quite a few eastern european countries over the years - and can honestly say that it's not a cliche that Hungarians are warm and friendly. They absolutely adore babies and Emily has been treated like royalty - she has been turning heads and attracting loads of smiles and "aww"s, which is lovely for us and her!!
See Emily Play-Pink Floyd

Excellent!!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Sep 2004, 13:42

Saw this place this morning :

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 13 Sep 2004, 14:03

Whats Filatelia? Stamps?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 13 Sep 2004, 15:52

Dunno.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 13 Sep 2004, 15:57

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 13 Sep 2004, 16:23

Poppy wrote:Yes!

Seriously?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 13 Sep 2004, 18:42

Yes, I'm serious - googled it!

Would I dare try to fool you?

Beach Babe · Post by **Beach Babe** » 13 Sep 2004, 20:57

yes, we're having a lovely time

and Dadaist has thoroughly embarrassed me with his list of extremely trivial complaints that he decided to use in order to acquire free internet access

to set the scene, he had decided to take the laptop with him when he realised that the hotel had internet access. He was somewhat peeved to discover that the said internet access cost Ã‚Â£20 per day - he must have told me that at least 20 times

in order to shut him up, I suggested that he just paid the Ã‚Â£20 but that was far too simple. He concocted a list of extrememely pathetic complaints, filled 2 sides of A4 paper with them and then gave it to the manager, all with the intent of getting free internet access

to give him his due, he has been successful and he's most pleased with himself

but everyone knows us now - I went for a massage and the woman knew of us (and this is a huge hotel)

and what were his complaints I hear you ask. Well, I can't remember them all - indeed I think I stopped listening but they were along the lines of "I didn't get a coffee refill at breakfast - I had to help myself" and "there was walnut shell in my Esterhaze cake" and the fact that we had to remind the lady at the desk to give us room keys when we checked in

the other baby has been better behaved and at least she's asleep now

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 13 Sep 2004, 21:15

Beach Babe wrote:"there was walnut shell in my Esterhaze cake"

I quite understand. There is simply nothing more annoying than getting walnut shell in your Esterhaze cake. It's inexcusable really in this day and age. Just not good enough. Still, I suppose the free internet access just about makes up for it.

Gedge · Post by **Gedge** » 14 Sep 2004, 12:43

I spent two very very happy years teaching English at the international house language school in Budapest from around 1990. First elections were taking place. Burgerking had just opened. I remember fantastic cakes, bean stew (bableves), deep fried cheese, dreher beer 25p a bottle, surly waiters, ludicrously cheap monthly travel pass, fantastic communist statues (if you're there they've been put together in a statue park on the outskirts - a must visit), going to watch Ujpest Dozja, going to the ballet, spectacular moustaches, the Danube freezing, Lake Balaton, travelling to Slovakia, Bulgaria....oh the memories. Lovely place. Lovely people.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 14 Sep 2004, 12:48

Oh we can't wait - although we're coming home on Thursday so it won't be long. Having a lovely time. Weather is nice. Wish you were here.

Today we went to "Statue Park" (szoborpark) which is where they have corralled all the old commie statues and built a big wall round them so hopefully they won't get out again. They caused enough trouble last time!!

Then we came back, lunched at the Gerbeaud (very old coffee house in the centre of town - full of elderly american tour parties and cost daddy a fortune although our open sandwiches were quite nice)

This afternoon we shall mostly be at a bizarre asian flea market in the west of town - if it still exists. Guide books go out of date as soon as they are printed, and eastern europe has a whiff of anarchy about it, so we always have a back up plan.

Er....

Honey, what's the back up plan?

cornerboy · Post by **cornerboy** » 14 Sep 2004, 15:52

Like Gedge my first trip to Budapest was in 1990 just before the first post-communist elections. There was a great atmosphere of anticipation, which combined with the residual benefits of the old regime (fantastic public transport at low, low prices, full employment, universal pre-school childcare) made for an interesting mix. I was back again about four years ago, when the city (Pest in particular) was looking less like Kilmarnock on a wet Tuesday night and more in keeping with its status as a capital in the new, re-configured Europe. Prices on the Metro and the trams had gone up a bit, but it is still a great system, which puts the midden in Edinburgh to shame. Try to get to a tanchas (dance-house). There's one called Fono, which is particularly good. Gerbeaud's is the fanciest among many excellent coffee houses. And I'll echo Gedge again: lovely place; lovely people.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 14 Sep 2004, 16:27

cornerboy wrote: full employment .

That's one of the main reasons the "old regime" didn't work. Economically speaking full employment is not particularly desirable. Its basically unworkable.

Sounds like a great place now tho.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 14 Sep 2004, 18:07

Point taken on the economics, Porty. My main reason for supporting the new system over the old is my utter hatred and contempt of any system which needs a secret police network and the rest of the nastiness which follows. So whilst there is no way you could describe me as a capitalist (says the guy sitting in a nice hotel room) I would concur with the guy who gave me a lift here - rather than saying it's a great place now - it's a great place now for those who have money.

Hungarians concur - which is why you see the old school commies, albeit repainted under a reformist flag, actually getting voted in to government and on more than one occasion. It's a complicated issue but I feel that it must be possible to say no to the Gulag but to say no to the inequality which laissez-faire capitalism brings also.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 14 Sep 2004, 18:09

Dadaist wrote:Point taken on the economics, Porty. My main reason for supporting the new system over the old is my utter hatred and contempt of any system which needs a secret police network and the rest of the nastiness which follows. So whilst there is no way you could describe me as a capitalist (says the guy sitting in a nice hotel room) I would concur with the guy who gave me a lift here - rather than saying it's a great place now - it's a great place now for those who have money.

Hungarians concur - which is why you see the old school commies, albeit repainted under a reformist flag, actually getting voted in to government and on more than one occasion. It's a complicated issue but I feel that it must be possible to say no to the Gulag but to say no to the inequality which laissez-faire capitalism brings also.

Hey, you are on holiday. I totally agree with what you say, at least for today.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 14 Sep 2004, 19:50

Hahahaha nice one dude.

For dinner today I had goose crackling to start and fried goose liver for my main course.

Yesterday I had goose leg.

I hope it was all the same goose so there was no undue suffering.

Apart from her usual preferred diet of milk, neo-dadaist spent the evening meal trying to eat my shoulder.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 14 Sep 2004, 21:35

Dadaist wrote:
Apart from her usual preferred diet of milk, neo-dadaist spent the evening meal trying to eat my shoulder.

Emily must have been very Hungary! Boom Boom!!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 15 Sep 2004, 09:09

It's just been a knockout here because everyone loves Emily - we can't walk for more than a couple of minutes without people cooing round the buggy - obviously her proud mummy and daddy are pleased as punch but it's started to reach epidemic proportions :

1) We have had Japanese, Vietnamese, Italian, American and Hungarians at some point or another. Language has not been a barrier as it's been easy for them to use sign lanuguage to point out that she looks quite like her old man (hopefully she'll be more like her lovely mummy in years to come) and for us to say "she's 3 months old" back.

2) By the time we were done with the Great Market Hall - especially the lace bit which was like running the gauntlet - imagine a very narrow walkway populated with people every few feet who all wanted a peek at the baby - and the restaurant where an entire debate in Hungarian was sparked at one table over exactly how old Emily was, together with much smugness on the lady who had guessed nearest - even Emily's daddy, not one for shying away from attention or limelight, was red faced and embarrassed.....

3) There is obviously a gossip network at our hotel. I'm sure I haven't helped with my complaints at the start, but everyone seems to know who we are as "the people with the baby".

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 15 Sep 2004, 10:00

no to the inequality which laissez-faire capitalism brings also

and say NO to the resulting football team too...

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 15 Sep 2004, 12:02

Er.....what? Did we get beat off them or something?

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 15 Sep 2004, 12:33

Beat?

Thrashed

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 15 Sep 2004, 17:00

Ah. Shows how much I know about football.

Beach Babe · Post by **Beach Babe** » 16 Sep 2004, 17:13

so, we're home

unfortunately our luggage isn't

the flight from Budapest to Prague was a bit late, leaving us a generous 15mins to get off one plane, go through security again and get on the next plane. The cases are supposedly arriving late tonight at the airport and will be delivered to us tomorrow morning. Dadaist is more optimistic about this than I am lol

Post by **wangi** » 16 Sep 2004, 18:14

Did I mention last time we were in Italy when we got a bag didn't... And it ended up at the wrong number on the worng street when delivered. hmm BA.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 16 Sep 2004, 18:41

Reminds me of the guy who goes up to the checkout and says:

"I want to fly to Dublin but I would like my luggage to go to Istanbul."

"I'm sorry sir, that isn't possible."

"I don't see why not. You managed it last week."

Boom boom!

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 16 Sep 2004, 18:47

wangi wrote:Did I mention last time we were in Italy when we got a bag didn't... And it ended up at the wrong number on the worng street when delivered. hmm BA.

You stopped off at the New Yorker on the way home, didn't you Wangi?

Post by **wangi** » 16 Sep 2004, 21:37

ecm wrote:
wangi wrote:Did I mention last time we were in Italy when we got a bag didn't... And it ended up at the wrong number on the worng street when delivered. hmm BA.
You stopped off at the New Yorker on the way home, didn't you Wangi?

I wish - been "off" all week decorating! Blame the fumes... Oh, and food was ready!