Chloe and I finally made it to the medicinal baths today. The Szecsenyi Bathhouse is one of the largest in the city. A huge yellow collaboration between the Turkish and the Magyerok, it is a site to behold. The best part is the people watching here! Cultural note - HUGE age gaps in couples are not uncommon, and many women have chosen to die their hair a particular shade of freakishly bright maroon which Chloe and I both find very appealing (don’t worry, we won’t pick up the trend for ourselves).
The pools and hottubs are filled with mineral water. It is incredibly easy to float here. I actually believe that it takes more effort to hold your hands down than to let them rest on the surface as you relax in a hot tub. The water is said to have healing properties, and I must say I do feel quite relaxed after a day at Szecsenyi.
We left the bathhouse and wandered over to Heroes Square. This bit of accidental sight seeing was fun not only for the majestic columns and statues but for watching other tourists. We took pictures of Korean tourists at their request, and then took some candid pictures of other members of their tour groups without their knowledge. There was an adorable little boy dancing around with a cowboy hat who will be forever memorialized in our trip photos. I find that if you have the urge to take candid pictures of strangers, the best place is always large tourist attractions - they never see it coming.
The rest of our day was spent drinking coffee and shopping at Tesco. Have I described Tesco yet? Tesco is the European version of Walmart. Started in Britain, it is taking over the continent (and parts of Asia). Much like Walmart, there are locals who are anti-Tesco (but shop their anyway for its convenience and low prices). This of course begs the question: does a trip to Tesco count as a cultural experience? I don’t know, but we are certainly becoming very familiar with Walmart’s continental cousin.
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