Hi everyone, have a few minutes to use up on my Internet pass so I thought I would let you all know that I am having a wonderful time in Budapest. Found a wonderful internet cafe on Vaci Utca, close to the big market that sells 5 hours of internet service for $3. You buy a card in advance and use the time in 15 minute increments.<BR><BR>Arrived on Friday afternoon, and had dinner with Fodorites, Gil and Grace from Florida. It has either been brightly sunny or a bit on the gray side, but the temperature has been consistently about 64 degrees. Met Eva Tokody on Saturday and she gave me a wonderful tour of Budapest. Went up to the castle district, St. Matyas Church, Fisherman's Bastion, Hero's Square, Vaci Utca (main shopping street), Parliament, and many other places. Budapest has about 50 museums to choose from, so I only have gone to the biggest ones and to the Dohany Synagogue, which is the largest synagogue in Europe. Went to Statue Park to see all of the communist statues (thanks Art). Even went into a church that was built in a cave in the Gellert Hills.<BR><BR>Food is extremely cheap here, and you had best be hungry as the portions are enormous. Staying at an absolutely wonderful bed and breakfast behind the Gellert Hotel. Can't say enough nice things about the B&B, and the owners have been marvelous. Budapest is very easy to get around, but you need to save your legs, so take the trams, metro and buses.<BR><BR>By the way, if anyone is wondering whether the Europeans wear jeans and sneakers, the answer is YES. People of all ages wear jeans, and that includes the Hungarians, Italians, Spaniards, British and Americans. There are so many different styles of jeans -- I particularly like the ones with the buttons at the bottom of the leg. And they all wear sneakers too. There are all types of colored sneakers on peoples' feet. Nike and Adidas are very popular here, and there are tons of shops that sell sneakers. So dress for comfort. Even the shopkeepers are dressed in jeans and sneakers.<BR><BR>Sorry, but I haven't seen any women wearing capri pants, but it might be cold, but there are a lot of women wearing very short skirts and stilletto heels.<BR><BR>Hope all is well.<BR><BR>Best regards,<BR><BR>Leslie

HAVE A GREAT TIME, LESLIE!!!!<BR><BR>Bob

Enjoy, indeed.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Hi Leslie,<BR><BR>Please continue with your updates, as we are planning on going to Budapest later this year.<BR><BR>Especially if you go to any outlying areas.<BR>Thanks!

Hello Leslie from NYC. Post updates when you can. Enjoy....<BR>

MMMM...be careful..this poster may be a fake..and may be sitting in downtown Cleveland rather than in the Gellert Hills!<BR><BR>It can't be that the Euros are wearing jeans and sneakers....as all readers of this board know, in Euros they only get dressed up for everything..NO SNEAKERS, NO SHORTS, NO BASEBALL CAPS, NO JEANS.<BR><BR>American are very rude to wear such items.<BR><BR>As as for the poster reporting no capri sightings...HOGWASH. They are very "in" this year....particularly on the Danube embankment and in, yes in the Gellert baths.

Replying to Mr. or Ms. Ho<BR><BR>Hi, "Hi". You remind me of an ol' Ho that I once knew. And I think I knew your brother "a**"<BR><BR>I believe that Leslie is in Budapest.<BR><BR>And that you are up your a**.<BR>

Dear anon<BR><BR>In the alphabet I use, there is no letter that looks like this *<BR><BR>So, I do not understand your post. I would suggest you refrain from using words that require *<BR><BR>Very ticky tacky.

Thanks, Leslie. Glad to hear you're having a great time.

I'm pretty sure that a** was supposed to mean @ss.<BR>

Amen to the comeuppance dished out on hiho. I have never liked any of those seven dwarves.<BR>

Hey Hiho, <BR>Leslie is not FAKE! Maybe you are!! But, I do know that I have Never ever saw a Hungarian woman wearing Jeans over say age 25. And not once did I see a woman wearing sneakers for that matter, and believe me I looked real hard too. I did notice older men wearing Jeans and sneakers and lots of younger people too. Not too many school age children wore them either, sneakers yes, jeans no I should say. I have been to Hungary in March a few times it never went above 40 degrees it seemed, it was mostly so freezing cold I had to wear a winter coat!! But that shouldn't make Leslie a fake poster! She is real and she is in Hungary as I write this. My uncle for one, Who was born and has always lived in Hungary, lives in Jeans and sneakers, and he is over 60 years old. I didn't see any ladies wearing Capri's in Hungary either. Every year I go back to Hungary, I notice how much things have changed! Well, maybe the way people dress there did change too. Alice

Alice, when you look for elegance you find it when you look for lower class you find that too

Hey, Leslie! I am so glad to hear you're having a good time. I read thru your travelogue, made notes, and now I have a few questions. We have till May, of course, but your travelogue made me so anxious to get going!!

Hi Leslie; So glad to hear that you are having a great time in Budapest. I look forward to receiving your travelogue. Continued Bon Voyage and Best Regards to you, Rebecca.

Dear Alice -<BR><BR>Your cold personality must bring a chill wind to Budapest. You say you ahave been there a few times in March and it was never over 40 degrees. Leslie, who may or may not be in Budapest, reports that it was 64 at the time of her post. As I write this, it is 48 in Budapest, with an expected high of 53 today. Dear Alice, it is often over 40 in Budapest in March.

Well, unless Leslie has been telling fibs for the past month or 2 (which I doubt), she is most certainly in Budapest and I for one, am looking forward to reading her journal about this trip, when she returns and has the time to collect and/or collate her thoughts & memories.......I'm heading in that direction Sept this year.

Hi Leslie- I'm so glad you're having such a great time in wonderful Budapest! I finally remembered the name of a small restaurant that should be very near you--it was just about two blocks from the Gellert. I think the name is Kis Rablo--our group of eight had a great dinner there, and the other diners seemed to be locals. Have fun and keep us informed about your trip!<BR>Byrd

It has been overcast in Budapest today, but I had a private guide take me to Szentendre. Saw all seven churches, and a wonderful exhibit of ceramic art. Had apple strudel and coffee at a cafe. Returned to Budapest and rode the number 19 tram to take pictures of the Parliament from the Buda side of the Danube. Tomorrow, I am off to Godollo to see Princess Elizabeth's summer palace. My guide, Thomas, has promised me better weather -- today it is in the 50s.

Oops, forgot to mention that if you ever get to Szentendre, go to the Marzipan Museum. It costs 250 florints (about 84 cents), but there are the most marvelous statues made out of marzipan -- the Parliament, the castle, Hero's Square, lots of Disney stuff, and even a 6' Michael Jackson. Some of it is kind of hokey, but I had only seen fruit made out of marzipan. Watched an artist work on a whole Easter display out of marzipan.