For all of you who leave comments...THANK YOU. It is so nice to read them, I look forward to it everytime I am at a computer. Although, Joe knows I will become teary eyed everytime I read them. How am I going to survive in the Peace Corps in the middle of Africa, I am afraid I might not, less alone the next 2 months. I am looking forward to meeting up with our Kiwi friends in Barcelona and also with Joanna(Joes sister), just to have some comfort.
Secondly, I am no longer going to number the days b/c I am completely off and totally confused as all of our days are running together. When we go to buy our train tickets we always have to ask the teller what day of the week and date it is, so needless to say we have lost track.
I must say training into Bucharest I was a bit sketched(is that really a word) out. Joe and I described it as driving into Mexico. The houses were unrecognizible, no grass, just dirt, and everywhere is completely filthy with trash. Again, it is in a poor state b/c of the dicatorship control. I am really beginning to realize that Freedom is so precious. I think that in the US we really dont think about this at all, but in these cities just looking around is a daily reminder of what these people went through. Our hosts talked about the food rations, how elecricity was cut off for about two hours in the dead of winter each day to "conserve" energy, ummm...they explained that the TV was only on for about an hour a day and it was mostly all political shows, to convince the people that Dicator(Nicolae Ceausescu) was a good man....so interesting. Ceausescu was put to death in the Romanian Revolution of 1989, or murdered after a 3 day political trial. I love FREEDOM!!!!!
They had also explained how communism lowered the moral of the people, bc you did what ever you had to do to get what you needed, for instance you the grocery stores would not distribute the food equally, only if you had something to give them back...it was one man for himself to survive.
Our hosts are great, they have only been married for 5 months and are in their early thirties. We are so greatful to be staying with locals. It is enriching.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
why i like budapest by joe wollersheim
the 9 reasons why i like budapest
1. a scoop of gelato in a cone only costs 13O Forint (about 65 cents).
2. the second scoop of gelato in a cone only costs 13O Forint.
3. even on our tight budget i can have three gelato cones a day.
4. when i take out money at the ATM i get 1O,OOO Forint bills.
5. budepest has turkish bath houses (yesterday we went to the most famous one in Budapest). Most of the bath houses are just for men so we had to go to 4 bath houses before we came to this one that allowed woman. it had a swimming pool. a steam bath room where the water was 36 C (about 96 F) hot. a steam bath room where the water was 38 C (about 1OO F) hot. a steam room that the air was 5O C (about 12O F)hot. and then if you got too warm they had a cooling off pool that was 9 C (about 48F).
6. the people in budapest have been very friendly to us.
7. the communists are not in control of hungary any longer.
8. the castles on the buda side of the river are beautiful.
9. when i am done with this blog entry i will go have gelato.
1. a scoop of gelato in a cone only costs 13O Forint (about 65 cents).
2. the second scoop of gelato in a cone only costs 13O Forint.
3. even on our tight budget i can have three gelato cones a day.
4. when i take out money at the ATM i get 1O,OOO Forint bills.
5. budepest has turkish bath houses (yesterday we went to the most famous one in Budapest). Most of the bath houses are just for men so we had to go to 4 bath houses before we came to this one that allowed woman. it had a swimming pool. a steam bath room where the water was 36 C (about 96 F) hot. a steam bath room where the water was 38 C (about 1OO F) hot. a steam room that the air was 5O C (about 12O F)hot. and then if you got too warm they had a cooling off pool that was 9 C (about 48F).
6. the people in budapest have been very friendly to us.
7. the communists are not in control of hungary any longer.
8. the castles on the buda side of the river are beautiful.
9. when i am done with this blog entry i will go have gelato.
a boring blog: Day 12, 13, 14
Joe and I decided we must apoligize for the slightly boring blog of daily diaries...it is more for the sake of our moms and pleasing them as they love to read the detailed iternaries. We love you moms.
Our travels to Vienna were great, although we only got to stay one night we felt as if we had walked the whole city. I can describe it as Grand. Every building was built with such detail and beauty. We stood and just marveled at each building and the churches.
Then on day 13 we were off to the capitol of Hungary, which is Budapest. As we were entering the city on the train we knew we had crossed over in Eastern Europe. It was a bit dreary and it didnt help that we arrived at dark. We bused to our host families house and made it safe and sound. We walked into a house with 2 naked kids running around bc they had just finished their baths. They are a younger couple with 4 children. This is very unheard of in Hungary. The children are Margarot 11, Tomas 9, Mikki 5, and Honey (such a cutie) 3. We have had a couple great dinners together and good conversation with Mom (Ildiko) and Dad (Peter) afterwards. The first night they told us all about Hungarys time during WW1 and WW2 and then how is was to be under Communist control until 1990. It was very fascinating.
The second night we met Grandpa and I helped Ildiko cut fabric pieces for a quilt she was making, while Joe put on and American Idol contest with the children. We laughed alot. Grandpa had asked Honey(3), why she wasnt speaking to her guests, she replied, "because the speak Hungarian" and then grandpa replied,"well then what do you speak?" Honey innocently said,"normally." Too funny.
With Servas it is customary to only stay 2 nights with a family unless they invite you to stay more, and last night the family asked us if we wanted to stay another night, so we will. Then we will move on to Bucharest, Romania tommorrow on a over night train. This time we did not book a seat. We booked a train car that has 6 beds, so we will see how this goes.
Miss you all, I have been feeling a bit homesick lately and Joe has had to deal with me. He is a good husband.
Ashley
Our travels to Vienna were great, although we only got to stay one night we felt as if we had walked the whole city. I can describe it as Grand. Every building was built with such detail and beauty. We stood and just marveled at each building and the churches.
Then on day 13 we were off to the capitol of Hungary, which is Budapest. As we were entering the city on the train we knew we had crossed over in Eastern Europe. It was a bit dreary and it didnt help that we arrived at dark. We bused to our host families house and made it safe and sound. We walked into a house with 2 naked kids running around bc they had just finished their baths. They are a younger couple with 4 children. This is very unheard of in Hungary. The children are Margarot 11, Tomas 9, Mikki 5, and Honey (such a cutie) 3. We have had a couple great dinners together and good conversation with Mom (Ildiko) and Dad (Peter) afterwards. The first night they told us all about Hungarys time during WW1 and WW2 and then how is was to be under Communist control until 1990. It was very fascinating.
The second night we met Grandpa and I helped Ildiko cut fabric pieces for a quilt she was making, while Joe put on and American Idol contest with the children. We laughed alot. Grandpa had asked Honey(3), why she wasnt speaking to her guests, she replied, "because the speak Hungarian" and then grandpa replied,"well then what do you speak?" Honey innocently said,"normally." Too funny.
With Servas it is customary to only stay 2 nights with a family unless they invite you to stay more, and last night the family asked us if we wanted to stay another night, so we will. Then we will move on to Bucharest, Romania tommorrow on a over night train. This time we did not book a seat. We booked a train car that has 6 beds, so we will see how this goes.
Miss you all, I have been feeling a bit homesick lately and Joe has had to deal with me. He is a good husband.
Ashley
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sorry.
I know that the first few pictures did not show up on the last posting, but just click on the link and you should be fine. I cant read german on the computer so i am unable to fix it. I need to learn another language!!!!
ash
ash
Pictures of host families
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Joe and I cruising on the trains. Each train is different, so it is kind of fun to see what type we will be on next.
ps. this is for our friend chad, who requsted more pictures....hope you appreciate it chad!!!!!!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Day 10, 11-a beautiful train ride and a wonderful host
Day 10- Sorry it has been such a long time since we posted anything on the blog, somtimes it is hard to find a computer or internet cafe. Our ride from Zurich, Switzerland to Salzburg, Vienna, was absolutely georgeous. Joe and I sat and marveled at the mountians for seven hours, while playing cards.(phase 10 to be excact, we have an ongoing competition and it is tied as of right now). The Alps are breath taking. It made us feel a little more at home, being in a more cozy atmosphere in the mountains. We arrived at our guest home that night around 8.30 and were met by our host, Gerlinde, and another Servas traveller Matthew from France. It was very nice. Gerlinde, remindes me of my Tia( for those of you who dont know my tia, she is my moms aunt, and tia is aunt in spanish, she is a fun, loving, person). We all had great conversation over toasted cheese sandwiches and pictures of Gerlindes time in the US. She took two helicopter rides, one over NY and one over the Grand Canyon, we thought this we kind of funny. She had traveled to alot of national parks too, oh and dont forget LA. She also had made homemade syrup-this is a drink that is made with lemons, mint leaves, citronela leaves, and sugar, which makes a syrup that you pour into water....very tasty, i am going to get the recipe!
Day 11- We all had breakfast together and then Joe, Matthew(who was our age and cool) and I went to the Eagles Nest, or the tea house that was built for Hitler in 13 months for his 50 birthday, it is high in the Alps just over the Austrian border to Germany. Although the view was amazing, the teahouse was quite disappointing, it had been turned into a resturaunt(why anyone would want to eat there, i dont know) and there was not even a museum in the place, so we left there a bit disappointed and broke, b-c it cost so much to get there....a bit frustrating.
We then went into town and had lunch along the river. It was a beautiful day, everyone keeps telling us that we are very lucky with the weather, praise God, I dont think this would be quite as fun if it was cold and rainy. We then ended our day at a beer garden (yes jag and jenn we found it). This was a fun experience, it is a monk run brewery, with chesnut trees in the garden where you go and drink and eat. You could wash your own mug and pour your own beer for a cheaper price than being waited on. Kind of fun....it said that this garden holds around 1000 people, there was a live band also, who were singing classic American songs. At one point, all of the local Austrians in the packed garden, were singing the song "take me home, to the place where I belong, West Virgina, Mountian Mama, take me home, country road"(gotta love it, right jess, I was thinking of you the whole time). Although, we did think that this would have been fun with a bunch of our friends(who we miss), it was also fun for joe and i.
We are now headed to Vienna for the night and then onto Budapest, Hungry.
Day 11- We all had breakfast together and then Joe, Matthew(who was our age and cool) and I went to the Eagles Nest, or the tea house that was built for Hitler in 13 months for his 50 birthday, it is high in the Alps just over the Austrian border to Germany. Although the view was amazing, the teahouse was quite disappointing, it had been turned into a resturaunt(why anyone would want to eat there, i dont know) and there was not even a museum in the place, so we left there a bit disappointed and broke, b-c it cost so much to get there....a bit frustrating.
We then went into town and had lunch along the river. It was a beautiful day, everyone keeps telling us that we are very lucky with the weather, praise God, I dont think this would be quite as fun if it was cold and rainy. We then ended our day at a beer garden (yes jag and jenn we found it). This was a fun experience, it is a monk run brewery, with chesnut trees in the garden where you go and drink and eat. You could wash your own mug and pour your own beer for a cheaper price than being waited on. Kind of fun....it said that this garden holds around 1000 people, there was a live band also, who were singing classic American songs. At one point, all of the local Austrians in the packed garden, were singing the song "take me home, to the place where I belong, West Virgina, Mountian Mama, take me home, country road"(gotta love it, right jess, I was thinking of you the whole time). Although, we did think that this would have been fun with a bunch of our friends(who we miss), it was also fun for joe and i.
We are now headed to Vienna for the night and then onto Budapest, Hungry.
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