Eurotrip 2009!!!

Well, clearly I haven’t updated my blog in a while and MUCH has happened: the days on Pine Ridge, the drive through the western states, and three weeks in San Francisco. I will try my best to go back and fill in the blanks, but at the moment, I’ll just have to move on from the gap and write about what’s happening right now.

What is happening right now, you ask? I am in Hungary!!! Eurotrip 2009 has officially begun!! Chloe’s mom drove her and I to the Charlotte Airport the day before yesterday morning. We checked in and spent the afternoon using free wireless internet and searching for plugs to power our laptops. Finally, we boarded at 5:00 pm, a little late, but we made up the time in the air. We spent our time in the air watching the latest and worst in romantic comedies: Bride Wars and He’s Just not that into You. Both offensively stereotypical views of men and women, but this is a blog about my trip, not the decline of the film industry, so we’ll move on.

The next morning, we arrived in Frankfurt, collected ourselves at the airport (including a very appropriate first European breakfast of coffee and a croissant), and headed out to meet the Petrillos at about 11:00. Meanwhile, Ann was making her own pilgrimage to the airport to pick up her boyfriend (Dean). We took the metro to the hotel where the kids were waiting, and we went out for a walk. Their hotel, the Leondardo, was right downtown so there was plenty to do. We saw a lot of cute little shops and there was a whole block filled with street vendors selling food. Chloe was enthusiastic about purchasing some bread. At first, I didn’t understand, but after trying a bit of her delicious potato bread with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and spices, I have been converted. The kids, craving something familiar, declared Starbucks to be our next stop. I made what I believe was my only overpriced, impulse buy of the trip so far: mango and maracuya (passion fruit) juice. At 3 Euros for a relatively small bottle, it was admittedly a bit much, but I will always have a soft spot in my heart for maracuya juice.

We went back to the hotel to see if Ann and Dean were back and relax a little bit. After about an hour, we headed out again. This time, the kids took us for a tour to some of the sights nearby. We strolled along the Main River until we got to a cute little square with historical German buildings, including the mayor’s house. From there, we were just feet away from the Frankfurt Cathedral. Just outside, we passed an old Roman bath and were reminded of all the baths that await us in Hungary. Saint Bartholomew greeted us at the door. The cathedral was, of course, massive and majestic in its gothic architecture, and the organ is a sight to behold. We received a call from Ann; Dean was sleeping soundly and she was ready to go see the sights. We headed back and met her at the hotel, where we once again relaxed and waited - this time for Steven, the family’s 21-year-old cousin who had been taking them on tours of the city for the previous few days. At 6:15, Steven arrived. We walked a few blocks to what I believe is the second tallest building in the city, passing the building where decisions about the Euro are made (it had a huge blue Euro with yellow stars outside it). We went to the top floor where we saw many sights including the river and the fair rides that dotted a portion of its shores, the hotel, and the train station. By then it was time to go, so Chloe and I bid farewell to the family, picked up our stuff from their hotel, and walked across the street to our train station.

We shared a 6 bed room with two Belgian travelers, making their way to Romania. They had originally planned to go to Iran, but given recent circumstances, that fell though. Then they considered Turkey, but decided they didn’t feel like going that far after all. So it was Romania; I’d like to go there too one day. Esther and Jurghis and Chloe and I relaxed in the dining car. Chloe and I shared a very simple yet high quality tomato salad, and they shared what seemed to be a very small bottle of champagne (that or a beer that tasted like champagne). Jurghis, it turns out, is a consultant for migrant-related non-profits, and we chatted a little bit about the difference between the US and European NPs. After they made our beds at 10:00, we collapsed in the bed, exhausted.

We woke up with an extra person in the compartment. Lili, who had been traveling to many places (the only one of which I can remember was France) and was returning to her home outside Budapest. The five of us proceeded to have a conversation.

Here’s the line up:

Lili: Hungarian, French, and some English.

Esther and Jurghis: Flemish, German, English, and French (and probably some I forget).

Chloe: English and some Hungarian.

Me: English and Spanish.

The conversation took place largely in French with Chloe and I occasionally chiming in in English, or Hungarian. Flemish and German asides were occasionally included from our Belgian buddies. Topics included: Lili’s travels, Jurgis’s stay in the Congo and the virtues of ethnography, and Harry Potter. Turns out, Elise, Chloe, and I all went to see the premiere of the 6th movie. It’s a small world after all.

After disembarking, our car-mates headed out, off to explore with Lili as the tour guide. Chloe and I had arrangements to make at the train station so we bid our farewells and got down to business. It would have been fun to go with them, but I think its for the best that we didn’t: 5-language conversations give me a bit of a headache in large doses.

Chloe and I exchanged money, made reservations, etc. We also ate delicious falafels. It included yogurt sauce, hot red sauce, that purple stuff. So spicy!! I do declare, Hungarians do falafels right. We arrived in the hotel just in time for an afternoon nap (one does not sleep exceptionally well on trains and when jet-lagged that is just unacceptable). We woke up at 7:00 this evening and went on a wireless pilgrimage. It was found at the Gabi Cafe. There we emailed and updated and met some new friends. The waitress spoke not a word of English, but she is one of my favorite people I’ve met so far (same for the porter on the train although his vocabulary was a wee bit larger than hers). Chloe and I shared two glasses of pear juice and a delicious sandwich (we’ll be back for more). We were entertained/annoyed by an older Norwegian psychologist who told us his opinion on, well, just about everything. In the midst of all this, we met two French boys who are road-tripping around Europe. Willy is landscaper. David certifies pluming (and no, I’m not sure exactly what that entails). Willy’s English is not that great, which made it very difficult to explain that my mom’s partner was into landscaping. Really, it was the edible landscaping part that tripped up the conversation, but he eventually got it (I think). After trying out one of Hungary’s beers, we strolled around the city. Our 18 block round trip walk took us past a shopping district, across a nearby bridge, and too one of the medicinal baths Chloe and I plan on checking out during our stay (which is apparently a nightclub on Friday night). After noting that our bath is currently ending a 15 day hiatus (will open again on the 27th), we circled back to our hotel. We bid farewell to the boys (and yes, they are rather cute).

As soon as we entered our hostel, it began too pour down rain (the poor boys had to walk back to their campsite in this). Chloe and I chatted for a bit as I typed. It’s a large hostel (its a college dorm during the school year) and its a lively one. I’ve been typing to the sounds of my fellow guests raucously celebrating the sounds of American music. Chloe and I were happy to note that “I Got a Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas has made it to Hungary. We were sad to find out that “Right Round” by whoever-came-up-with-that-nonsense did too. Our Belgian friends are here somewhere, but I have a feeling we won’t see them again. Which brings us to when I am right now: nearly 4:30 in the morning on Saturday, July 25. Yes, I know it’s terribly late, but I had to document these events. I’m in my bed, which is squished against Chloe’s. She’s sleeping, as I will be in a moment. Goodnight everybody.