#Budapest City Guide
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shockercoco · 1 year ago
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Little Do You Know
Austin Butler x reader
Warnings - none just fluff
Word count - 1144
a/n - request: "I have a request. I was think about when Austin was in Budapest filming Dune II and reader showing him or the whole crew (Timothee, Zendaya, Florence) around the city in their free time and Austin gets a crush on the reader and the crew teases him about it" - hopefully i fulfilled your vision :)
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“You need to get out of this place, you know, get some fresh air,” you tell Austin as you stand in front of him.
He was currently reclining on the lounge chair in front of you reading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. The book was literally centuries old, but somehow it caught his attention.
“I went out with you guys earlier,” he says referring to you and Florence, his eyes still attached to the book.
“That was for breakfast, and afterwards we came straight back here. I’m talking about just getting out and walking around to explore. This is your first time in Budapest, do you really want to spend your days off from filming surrounded by four walls all day?”
“It’s no use, he’s been stuck in that position all day,” you hear Florence say. Florence was sitting out on the condo’s balcony – it had been rented to the three of you for the duration of filming Dune. She swivels her chair around to join the conversation currently happening inside.
“I’m not taking no for an answer,” you glance at her before looking back at Austin. “This is unacceptable. You have plenty of time to read, the book isn’t going anywhere.”
“And Budapest isn’t going anywhere either, we’re going to be here for a while,” Austin looks up at you while he speaks, but immediately looks back down at his book when he’s done.
You scoff before you snatch the book out of his hands and hold it behind your back.
He lets out a big sigh and says, “really?”
Austin looks over at Florence as if he was silently asking for help, but she says, “I’m not on your side.”
He laughs at her statement before looking up at you. You raise your eyebrows, waiting for him to say something.
“I guess…I can take a break,” he finally says. 
You smile and hand his book back to him, before turning around and heading to your room to change. This causes you to miss the smile he gives you back and the way he stares at you as you walk away. Florence notices, though, but she already knew about his crush on you. It was the main reason he caved in so quickly.
What everyone doesn’t though is his reasoning for not wanting to go out – he doesn’t know how to act around you. When you look up at him he can’t help but smile, he also can’t help the way his neck turns red, but you don’t notice. When you asked him a question and he gave you an answer, he would end up overthinking for the next hour if his response was too long, or wonder if his answer was good enough, or even wonder if he made too much eye contact with you.
“Are you going to tell her, or should I,” she smirks at him as she comes inside from the balcony.
“Don’t you dare,” Austin points at her, and she laughs.
You took responsibility for being the tour guide around the city, this is what you do in all new cities. Anytime it was someone else, you just ended up being in charge in the end, but of course you took suggestions.
“Where to next?” you ask everyone behind you as you look down at the minimap on your phone. Timothee and Zendaya had finished filming for the day and ended up joining you guys on the sightseeing journey.
 The sun was setting and you all had just left St. Stephen’s Basilica, or as the locals call it Szent Istvan Bazilika.
“Oh, now you want to ask us?” Timothee jokes from behind you, causing you to turn around to see him smiling at you, Austin standing next to him with his hands in his pockets. You continue walking, but backwards to keep moving.
“Well I wasn’t going to, but I figured it was rude to not hear from the group,” you joke back with a shrug of your shoulders.
“I’m fine with you leading, you’re doing a great job,” Zendaya says from beside you, Florence hums in agreement from the other side of her. You look at Austin for his answer, and he just nods with a grin on his face
“Well thank you, I’m glad my service is appreciated,” you say to no one in particular and then look back at Timothee.
“Do you have a suggestion?” you raise your eyebrows at him.
“Well since I’m the only one that seems to have a problem, nope,” he laughs and you smile back.
Meanwhile, while you were talking to Timothee, Austin was watching you. He watched the way your face lit up as you joked with Timothee, the light from the sunset reflecting on your face. He watched how the whites of your teeth showed when you smiled and the way your lip gloss made your teeth look even whiter.
When you bumped into someone on accident from you walking backwards, he watched the way you immediately apologized and helped the person pick up their dropped belongings. He saw the embarrassment on your face when you turned back to the group to ask, “So no one was going to tell me that I was going to crash into someone?”
You easily brushed it off and turned around to continue walking, allowing Austin to stare at you as much as you wanted. When he heard you laugh at something Florence said, a grin instantly appeared on his face.
Austin felt Timothee nudge him in his side to get his attention. When he looked over, Timothee leaned in with a smirk to whisper, “you’re making it so obvious, just tell her.”
Austin playfully pushed him away. He did want to tell you, he just didn’t know how to tell you, which he knew was ridiculous because you wouldn’t be the first girl he admitted his feelings to. Another thing holding him back was the thought of you not liking him back and just seeing him as a friend.
What Austin didn't know, though, you had feelings for him too, but you were one of those people who would never admit their feelings first. You getting rejected? No. There was no way you could just move on and pretend like it didn’t happen. 
Florence and Zendaya both knew how you felt and kept asking you to tell him because according to them “It’s obvious Austin likes you.” You just thought they were saying that to try and convince you, not knowing it was actually true.
Eventually, Austin would admit his feelings to you when it felt like the right time, and of course you would say yes. When everyone found out that you were dating, you two would have to deal with the endless amount of teasing and ‘I told you so’s’ because little did you both know, the feelings were reciprocated.
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louisupdates · 1 year ago
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Sziget
7–12 August, Óbuda Island, Budapest
In the middle of the Danube River in Budapest is Óbuda Island, a 108-hectare strip of land that has played host to Sziget festival since its inception 31 years ago. Since then, the festival has grown from a showcase of local talent to a home for international superstars, while retaining its transgressive spirit. From Wednesday to Monday this August, the city is taken over by a line-up mixing pop and dance, with the likes of Four Tet, Fred again.. and Overmono rubbing shoulders with Becky Hill, Nia Archives, Yard Act and more.
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TICKETS
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Louis Tomlinson has been mentioned in Rolling Stone UK’s article on summer festivals.
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pandorasagents · 4 months ago
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Niko Petrović | Lifeweaver
Affiliation: P.A.N.D.O.R.A. (Status: Active Agent) Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (Leaning Dark/Evil) Specialty: Field Medic Known Side Effects: Severe exhaustion, addiction to power, and psychosomatic pain transfer
Niko Petrović was born into the turmoil of Budapest, where political unrest was more a way of life than an anomaly. The son of a Croatian father and a Hungarian mother, both renowned researchers in the field of bioenergetics, Niko was a child caught between worlds—torn between scientific ambition and the volatile shadows of power. From an early age, Niko's mind was filled with both curiosity and distrust, having learned too young that power can corrupt and turn even the brightest minds into pawns. His parents were brilliant, but when Niko turned sixteen, their work took a sinister turn, and they vanished. The official story was a car crash. But Niko knew better. They were taken.
Alone and adrift in a city brimming with crime and whispers, Niko quickly fell into the underworld. He honed his charm and wit, using his sharp tongue and calculating mind to rise quickly through the ranks of underground poker games, heists, and eventually, assassination. By the time he was eighteen, Niko had become a ghost—a name in the shadows, a person who could get close, get what he wanted, and disappear before anyone knew he’d been there.
But no one, not even a man like Niko, can remain hidden forever. P.A.N.D.O.R.A. found him in the dark corners of Eastern Europe and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
P.A.N.D.O.R.A. had been watching him for some time. When they approached him, they didn’t ask for his consent. They didn’t need to. They had leverage his parents’ work, his family’s research. His only choice was to cooperate. What was worse though? Was after taking the serum and finding out that his parents weren't kidnapped by the big and bad evil organization like he had thought. They had left of their own free will. Abandoning a child and their family to focus on their research. But, unfotunately, by the time he realized that? It was to late. He was already a agent of P.A.N.D.O.R.A. all for his parents who now saw him as nothing but a weapon and a labrat.
When the serum took hold, it felt as if every nerve in his body was on fire. His skin felt raw, his veins felt as though they were boiling, and his mind split between predator and prey. He could hear the desperate, animalistic urges to feed, to devour, to consume life itself. His transformation into something more than human had begun.
In the beginning, Niko's powers were a source of pain and confusion. A mere touch could absorb the life force from anything, draining vitality from a plant, an animal, or a human being. But with that touch came a gift: the ability to steal the life force of something that he touches and can transfer it to someone else. He could heal wounds, both physical and mental, as long as there is a plant, animal, or person near him to drain the life out of. Of course, the more severe the injury the more life force energy that will take.
There was a darker side to the power, however. The more he used it, the stronger the pull to abuse it became. It felt good to drain life, to siphon energy from everything around him. A high unlike any drug. And once he tasted it, it was hard to stop.
The drawbacks soon became clear. Using his powers too much left him exhausted, a shell of his former self. Worst still, if he siphons too much life force at once, he may struggling to contain it which can cause physical pain or uncontrollable energy bursts. He became addicted to the rush, and the more he used his powers, the more he craved it.
Niko wasn’t a healer by nature. He was a survivor. He had no moral compass to guide him, no code of ethics. He didn’t care for the sanctity of life; he cared for power, for control, for the satisfaction of knowing he could give, and take, both life and death at will.
His role within P.A.N.D.O.R.A. was simple: he was a tool. An asset. When they needed someone to keep the team alive, he was the one they sent. With his unique abilities, he could reverse just about any damage done to them as long as he can touch them.
Yet, deep down, Niko felt the pull of the abyss. He wanted more. More power. More control. And he’d stop at nothing to get it.
Abilities & Drawbacks:
Lifeweaving: Niko can absorb the life force of any living organism—plants, animals, people—and transfer it to himself or others. This can heal wounds, cure illnesses, or rejuvenate energy which can increase someone's speed or strength. However, the longer he feeds, the harder it is to stop. He can even revive someone who has been dead briefly, however that requires him to drain a lot of life.
Power Addiction: Every time he drains life, it sends a rush through his system. A high. If he overuses his powers in a short span, he loses control, becoming reckless, desperate to feed. The worst part? He likes it.
Exhaustion: Healing too much, too fast, leaves him weak, feverish, and vulnerable. If he drains too much, he risks cardiac arrest or coma.
Personality & Morality:
Niko isn’t a hero. He isn’t here to save the world—he’s here because P.A.N.D.O.R.A. gave him a choice: serve, or never see his parents.
Charismatic but Untrustworthy – He has the charm of a man who has spent his whole life lying. He flirts like it’s breathing, talks his way into and out of trouble with ease, but trust? That’s a different story.
Sadistic Streak – There is a dark pleasure in taking life, in watching his enemies wither under his touch. He doesn’t kill for fun, but he won’t deny how good it feels when someone begs him to stop.
Loyalty is a Transaction – He doesn’t believe in love, or honor, or any of the fairy tales others cling to. Loyalty is earned through power, protection, and mutual benefit. If he is at your side, it’s because he sees value in you. The moment that changes, so does his allegiance.
Survivor Above All Else – Niko Petrović doesn’t die for anyone. He is adaptable, cunning, and ruthlessly efficient. When the world turns against him, he finds a way to win.
Relationships & Espionage Dynamics:
The “Dangerous Healer” – His teammates fear and desire him in equal measure. He is the man who can bring them back from the brink of death—or push them over the edge with a single touch. There is something intoxicating about a man who holds life and death in his hands.
Enemies Love to Hate Him – There is nothing more frustrating than a man who smiles as he takes your pain away—only to give it back tenfold. He is a nightmare with a good team, and when the blood starts flowing, he is unstoppable.
Final Words:
Niko Petrović is a monster in a lover’s skin, a villain wrapped in silk, a healer who revels in pain. Whether he is an asset or a liability depends entirely on who holds his leash.
And right now? That leash is looking dangerously frayed.
Proficient In:
seduction - Quite familiar with this tactic, Niko has used this on multiple occasions to aquire information before even joining pandora.
Investigation – Skilled at piecing together clues and uncovering hidden truths, making him a valuable asset for intelligence work.
Close Combat Mastery - Due to his power, he sometimes has to be up close and personal with people to use it to hurt and heal. So he's learned to help those that he's protecting either way.
Stealth & Infiltration – A natural at moving unnoticed, bypassing security, and blending into his surroundings especially with his time in the crime syndicate.
Marksmanship – While not a dedicated sniper, he has precise aim with firearms and thrown weapons.
Expert In:
vehicular  operations  :  He has been apart of many high speed chases long before becoming a agent of P.A.N.D.OR.A. And he's been both the chaser and the chased. While this skill may not seem as important as others, he likes to think that it can be quite useful any a good number of missions if need be.
hacking  &  cyber warfare -  during his training, he found that he's quite skilled in hacking and knowing how to handle online information and coding. and after finishing his training? He's become quite the expert.
biochemistry  &  medicine  :  knowledge  of  pharmaceuticals,  poisons,  and  medical  procedures  for  healing,  enhancement,  or  biochemical  warfare. Having two scientists as parents meant that these were all things that he was quite used too. When he got official training though? It turned out that his knowledge could be more useful than he thought it ever would be.
Substandard In:
Brute Force – He lacks raw physical power and struggles with strength-based actions like breaking objects or overpowering enemies.
Athletics – While he has endurance, he isn’t the best at feats of strength, swimming, or explosive movement.
Inspirations:
Baptiste (Overwatch), Moira when he's high off of his power (Overwatch), Bertha and Four Eyes from Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City.
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mariacallous · 9 months ago
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This summer, I traveled to Transylvania, on a Birthright-esque tour for young North Americans of Hungarian heritage. Almost everyone I told about the trip made some sort of Dracula joke. I rolled my eyes, knowing the region was much richer than this. But truth be told, I didn’t have too much yet to counter with. 
Here’s the history book version: Transylvania, now part of Romania, belonged to Hungary for more than a thousand years. It’s far larger than I had imagined – at around 100,000 square kilometers, the region is bigger than the whole of present-day Hungary itself, which ceded the region to Romania after WWI. There are currently around one million ethnic Hungarians who still live in Transylvania. The community speaks the language and passionately keeps their customs alive, from music to dance to crafts and, of course, food. 
And my version? It was easy to fall in love with Transylvania. From the moment I clambered off the small, tinny plane from Budapest at the small regional airport in Marosvásárhely, I was taken by its beauty. Rows and rows of golden sunflowers, framed by the verdant hills and rugged peaks of the Apuseni Mountains rolled by as we headed for our bed and breakfast. We spent a week learning about the Hungarian community in Romania, hiking, exploring cavernous salt mines and lakes, taking in medieval frescos and wandering cobblestoned streets.  
We also ate well — very well. 
Growing up, many of our cherished family recipes were very traditionally Hungarian (with a twist, to make them kosher), and the rich goulash, tender chicken paprikash and juicy stuffed cabbage we ate on the trip were familiar. Truth be told, aside from the dizzying assortment of wild blueberry and rosehip jams, I wasn’t really focused on dessert. 
That is, until I tried a pastry called somodi kalácsin a tiny village called Torockó. Lightly sweet and yeasted, with a cinnamon swirl, it’s as if cinnamon-raisin bread and babka had a baby. While every meal served by our grandmotherly hosts left us stuffed, I loved the folded bread so much that our guide got the inn to pack us a honey-glazed loaf to go. 
Transylvania was home to a sizable Hungarian-Jewish population. In 1910, according to The Museum of the Holocaust in Northern Transylvania, the Jewish population numbered above 64,000. By World War I, Hungary itself had the second largest Jewish population in Europe at almost one million. By this time YIVO’s Encyclopedia of Eastern European Jews notes Jews were “fervently assimilated” to the language and culture (and, rather sadly, looking back now), “passionately identified with Hungarian nationalism.” 
Upon my return home to Los Angeles, I made it my mission to find somodi kalács. I knew that Jewish immigrants to the U.S. and Israel popularized other classic pastries from Hungary, such as chimney cakes and monkey bread (aka aranygaluska), and was hopeful I’d succeed.
While I haven’t (yet) found somodi kalácsin my city, I discovered that it’s available at Zingerman’s Bakehouse, the iconic Jewish bakery in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Like me, the Zingerman team tried somodi kalács for the first time in Torockó. The recipe, they found, dates back 400 years, when the village was a flourishing mining town, whose residents could afford the luxury of cinnamon and sugar. It’s typically served for Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, and until the 20th century, Zingerman’s notes, somodi kalács was the customary wedding cake. Theirs is a pretty traditional version. However, like my own great grandmother would do often, they sub the traditional lard for butter when greasing the pans, explained Managing Partner Amy Emberling.
At Zingerman’s, Emberling told me, it’s a beloved special item that they only bake a couple days each year. “Customers order many loaves of it and stock them in their freezer,” she said. And it’s not uncommon for customers to “let us know that they have not seen this since their childhood days in Hungary.” 
It’s also not uncommon to see patrons shed happy tears. I may have felt like shedding a couple happy tears myself when she shared their recipe.
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spacesummerchronicles · 1 month ago
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Space’s Summer Chronicles #10: June 10th
Heyooo, it’s the TENTH day of summer today WOAH this is crazyyy! So remember how the sun burned me yesterday? Yeah I’m still sunburned fuck this shit. Anyways, we have reached the part of the trip where I’m dangerously getting low on money so now I have to…. *gulp* th*nk and *shudder* b*dget. I HATEEE RESTRICTING MYSELF but i gotta be #smart with my money so what did I do? If you guessed bought limoncello from a store so I can get drunk in the following days for cheaper you get a pat on the head! Also I got a strawberry wine for like $6, delicious but I overate at dinner with this super cheap pizza and the combo of pizza and wine is making me super bloated but also sleepy.
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Anyways! Today we explored the park around the Széchenyi Thermal Baths cause we didn’t do it yesterday, we saw a really cool castle and then we went to Buda Castle to attend a tour of it and St. Stephen’s Hall. Out tour guide was amazing and we learned a lot - also it was super fun that I knew a lot of the things she talked about cause I learned them in the previous days as we were exploring the city. Love that!
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After that we went to have traditional Hungarian Goulash for dinner but an electric box next to the restaurant had caught on fire (just our luck….) and the firefighters were there when we arrived and the restaurant was closed so we went to have some unimpressive pizza.
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For people following this series, you might recall me telling y’all about Budapest being my grandma’s favorite city. As the tour guide told us about the reconstruction of Buda Castle and the halls, the different eras it has lived through, it getting partly destroyed during WW2 then even more destroyed and clumsily renovated and disregarded as offices for the party during the Soviet occupation, I had to wonder: exactly how different is the city to what my grandma saw and loved. How different will it be in 30 years? I think I’ll come back in 30 years just to see what has changed. The concept of me pushing 50 in 30 years is crazy to me. I’m planning on getting alll the plastic surgery I can in Turkey once I hit 50 so I’m one of those freaky old people trying to look young, like Madonna.
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Also we had horrible service at breakfast, I could tell the waiter didn’t like us from the start which is crazy cause I’m so cute and lovable.
My hair is fading from purple to blue and I’m not really feeling it but I think it will get better over the following days. It’s kinda like losing my identity but I’m probably being overdramatic.
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Anyways tomorrow me and my friend are gonna visit the highest peak in Budapest with a chairlift, go see some things at Margaret Island and then some more! It will be cool but I need to watch my wallet UGH.
Honestly I’m scared that I’ll be broke once I get back but I’ll be fine somehow, I always am!
Summer progress bar: 9.3%/100
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windandwater · 1 year ago
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in this town we roast ourselves
*meaning, opposite-gender of the one you would typically use, or, the one you would be embarrassed to look up and find yourself in if you were in Budapest
if you're none of these or more than one, no option for you, you have to reblog and tell me which ones, or tell your story that's close but not quite.
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blba3 · 4 months ago
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Vienna - Day Two
To quickly preface this - I am currently writing about day two whilst already in Budapest. I've been working on documenting every single day, but this one just fell through the cracks. I'm surprised I somehow missed it given that it was my first full day on the continent. I know I haven't posted any other blogs at this point other than the first one, but I think I can make a decent case for myself. Okay, with that being said, here's my recap of my second, and first full, day in Vienna.
I woke up well rested at around 8:30 A.M. or so. Although the bed sheets came pre-stained, the nine straight hours of sleep I got was very restorative. According to my smart watch it was 99/100 in overall quality (my average is 75-ish). It was sort of surreal waking up in Vienna, not Pulaski or UMW. I then threw on my Sunday best (my new green shirt with a white collar, bought last minute specifically for this trip) and went downstairs for breakfast. I ate a small loaf of bread, some meat, a little cheese, a few slices of cucumber, and honey oats with milk. Everyone then met in the lobby at 9:30 A.M so we could travel to the Kunsthistorisches (Art Historical) Museum. To get there we took the "bim" which is slang for Vienna's tramway. This was my first time riding a street car, something I had only seen in San Francisco - which I still have yet to visit. Seeing the city while rushing by rail alongside regular cars was beautiful. There was always somewhere interesting to look at, even if you had already looked at it! If I only had a few words to describe Vienna, one would most certainly be "ornate."
I got to see lots of different architectural styles, many of which are not common back home. The contrast between old and new was interesting, but makes sense given the destruction from WWII. It was still wild to hear strangers conversing in German; having entire conversations that I couldn't eavesdrop on, even if I wanted to. We eventually reached our stop, hopped off, took a headcount, and walked towards the museum. The Kunsthistorisches is across from another museum, Naturhistorisches (Natural History). In between was a massive statue of Maria Theresa, the ruler of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1740-1780. (Apparently she was productive, but also a prude). It was incredible seeing so much without even having to turn my head.
Dr. Rotter went and got our tickets while we waited out front, where I hurried around looking for good pictures to take. Soon after we made our way inside to the museum's lobby - which was gorgeous. After the hustle and bustle settled down, we all were handed earpieces. After some short crackles, I heard the sound of our tour guide introducing himself and giving a brief orientation to the museum. He was a good guide and our hour-long tour was very informative. He also provided context which made items you might otherwise brush past much more interesting. Take a salt holder (one valued at €50 Million) for example, he told us the "Saliera" was once stolen and found buried in the woods by a thief. That small bit of context changed my entire perception of that artifact. Same as when he showed us how otherwise stationary automatons functioned in a brief video. For relics from the late 1500s, it was very impressive.
Once the tour concluded, we were given less than an hour to explore for ourselves - and there was a LOT to explore. Sadly we didn't get to everything. I wish I could've spent more time taking in what I was seeing (and using Google translate to figure out the non-english interpretive texts). Seeing the Roman/Greek exhibition also reminded me of "The Holdovers" which I recommend watching. The mummified crocodile in the Egyptian room was gnarly as well. It was fun exploring with everyone! The art upstairs was stunning as well, specifically the Tower of Babel painting by Pieter Bruegel (which I got a magnet of). We eventually met in the lobby, hit the gift shop, and then got moving to our next stop: The Dorotheergasse (Jewish Museum).
Dr. Hansen-Glucklich led us to the museum, where we had time for a brief snack before getting a tour. Natalia and I went to the cafe, but my appetite wasn't great. So, we decided to split a lemon-y dessert, which was really yummy). Chinyere shared some of her hot chocolate with me too, which started my hot chocolate kick that lasted quite a while. After a while we met our tour guide, Walter - the same gentleman who showed us around Vienna on day one. He did a good job and the museum was fascinating, but I was really tired and didn't fully appreciate it. It would be nice to go back refreshed. After the tour Natalia and I had a nice long talk about art and I saw Orion, a cool acquaintance who while not technically part of the trip, travelled generally adjacent to us. Some folks ate at the museum cafe afterwards, so Natalia and I - already full - hung out in front, enjoying the city's ambiance. It was a good experience to just hang out on the sidewalk, like a fly on a wall, while people went about their days.
From the Dorotheergasse, Walter led us to Judenplatz where we saw a stone library memorial for Austrian holocaust victims as well as another museum, Misrachi-Haus. We didn't spend a crazy amount of time at the museum, but learning about the square and its history was interesting. However, the basement of the museum was the most fascinating - fairly well preserved lie the ruins of a medieval synagogue.
We said farewell to Walter for the day, and then split up for free time. Natalia, Chinyere, and I walked to "Cafe Central" one of, if not the most, famous Viennese coffee houses ever. I had watched a YouTube video about it from my dorm room at UMW, so being there in person was surreal. In case I haven't already covered the Cafe Central's history, it's been around since 1887 and has quite the number of famous guests, including Hitler, Trotsky, Stalin, Lenin, Freud, and Kafka - just to name a few. I was most enthralled with Kafka, as I love his works such as “The Metamorphosis.” For food, I enjoyed "schoßohupf mit schlagobers und vanilleeis" (hot chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream) and "heiße scholade" (hot chocolate) - both delicious. The hot chocolate specifically might have been the best I've ever had. Ever.
Once we were finished I went to the "WC" which stands for "Water Closet" where the restrooms are housed. After washing my hands, I was attempting (and failing) to get some paper towels from the dispenser. A man beside me at the sink made some sort of friendly joke in German, to which I responded by looking blankly at his face as I had no clue what he had just said. I was going to try and say "Ich spreche kein Deutsch" (I don't speak German) but kept stuttering like a fool, unable to get past the first syllable). I was embarrassed, but he just pointed at my paper towel dispenser and said "empty" and then pointed at his saying "full" - Whoops. That was probably my first one on one interaction with a German speaker (as I normally rely on Daniel's German speaking talents). It wouldn't be my last.
Then the waitress took forever to bring us our check, despite making eye contact and asking for it multiple times. Daniel and Gwen had been waiting for us outside for quite some time, so it was slightly frustrating. At least I was able to get my picture taken in the cafe! That was one check on my Vienna bucket list.
We finally made it out and then embarked on a leisurely stroll. Unfortunately most shops were closed, as it was a Sunday (and in Vienna that means almost everything is closed all day). We still saw some cool knick knacks in the store windows. Once we worked up an appetite we decided to grab dinner at Sura, a Korean food restaurant. I already like Korean food, but Viennese Korean food was extra delicious. They only gave us chopsticks too, which would've once been an issue for me (an issue solved by getting sushi a lot at the Eagles Nest). Overall it was a fun meal and everyone seemed to be having a good time.
Before heading back to the hotel we went on another small walk. The day before, while observing St. Stephens, I had mentioned how I'd like to see how it looked at night - My wish was granted. As we entered the cathedral, I held the door for an older lady who said "danke schön" (thank you) - to which I replied "bitte" (meaning 'you're welcome' in this context). I had my first fully German interaction with someone! It may have been only one word, but I'm proud of the exchange.
We then accidentally got on the wrong train in Vienna's U-Bahn (subway). However, it wasn't a huge setback or anything as we just got off at the next stop. While a minor inconvenience, the thought of getting "lost" in Vienna honestly sounded pretty fun.
We soon after made it back to the hotel, ready to get some rest. Before hitting the hay I stayed up working on my first blog post. I finally published it at 1:56 A.M., phew. It wasn't until the next morning, when I rechecked my Tumblr page, that I realized how many grammatical errors the post had... Luckily I quickly fixed them (or at least the ones I noticed). I'm happy with my summary of that first day, but I wish I had gone more in-depth like I am today. The large amount of writing I'm doing, both physically in my journal as well as digitally (like now), can be draining at times. You'd be surprised how much time it takes. I still haven't been able to fully capture the essence of things thus far, but I'm trying. Vienna, regardless of my literary abilities, is still incredibly fascinating.
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umichenginabroad · 15 days ago
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Week 3 - Excursions and Prague Immersions
Čau! (Starting to get informal since I consider you good friends now)
Pato here, and welcome back to this week’s blog about my study abroad experience here in Prague! So far, I’ve loved everything about this program and the country overall – and what better way to show my appreciation than to stay in and dive even deeper into Czech culture! From program-provided excursions to neighboring cities, to exploring Prague’s unique buildings and lifestyles – I almost feel like a local by the amount of Czech-related things I’ve done this week. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Plzeň
This week, we had our first program-provided excursion to a neighboring city: Plzeň (pronounced “Pilsen”)! What made this city so special is that it’s the birthplace of the famous Pilsner Urquell beer – a must-try Czech drink. The excursion included a visit to the Pilsner Urquell brewery, a guided tour of the city, and even… a tasting of the Pilsner beer straight from the brewery where it’s made! This beer was one of – if not the – most delicious beers I’ve had during my time abroad. Learning how the most famous Czech beer is made was really interesting, especially since I went in not even knowing what ingredients are needed to make a regular beer. The city itself was beautiful, with incredible architecture all around, like the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew right on the central square. From the history to the sights, I definitely recommend taking advantage of these excursions. They give you insight into different parts of the country where you’re living for the summer – and the best part is, they’re already included in the program, so you don’t have to pay extra!
Fun Fact: Plzeň has the second largest synagogue in the whole world, only beaten by the one in Budapest.
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Deep Dive into Prague
All I can say is that there is never a dull moment in Prague. The amount of architecture, activities, and overall experiences still shocks me – who knew a city could pack such a punch! This week, I went on another program-provided event: a trip to see a ballet performance at the National Theater. Although I was skeptical at first (I’m not known to be a big ballet fan), I ended up really enjoying the show and honestly started thinking about going back to see another performance. Not only was the performance top-notch, but the theater itself was stunning. It was truly one of the most elegant theaters I’ve ever seen – I felt like I’d stepped back into the 1900s just by walking in. I highly recommend seeing a theater performance to anyone. Even if you don’t think you’ll enjoy it – trust me, you will!
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Aside from the spectacular performance, I spent a lot of time with new friends checking out different places around Prague and just having fun! From the famous rotating Kafka head, to the John Lennon Wall, to the vibrant nightlife, to the grooving jazz clubs – many nights this week were full of new adventures and unforgettable experiences. I might've even done a little karaoke singing... let's just say I'm glad Broadway recruiters weren't there to listen.
Now, I know some of you are wondering, “But Pato, how are the nights when you don’t go out and you spend your time studying and cooking?” And to this, I say… very relaxing. It’s nice to have a chill night in—studying, cooking, and giving your body some much-needed rest. I usually head to my nearby shopping center, Lidl, grab some groceries, and cook myself a nice meal like pasta or homemade chicken tenders. Mix that with some homework time, and I’m all set for a successful next day. Not every night needs to be about going out—having a good balance is what makes for a healthy and fun time abroad.
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Class Field Days
Don’t think classes are boring – on the contrary, my classes provide field days that are both informative and fun! For my cross-cultural management class, we’ve already had two field days to interesting spots around Prague! The first one was to the Mucha Museum, which honors Alphonse Mucha, a famous Czech artist known for his distinct, decorative theatrical posters. I genuinely enjoyed his art, and even though I hadn’t planned to go to this museum originally, after I did, I told my friends they had to go see what I saw. The second field day was to the EU Parliament Experience, where we participated in a workshop that recreated the conditions of parliamentary negotiations. It was super cool because we got to act like real members of the EU Parliament! It also made me realize just how much work goes into being a parliament member… and that it’s probably not the job for me. These experiences let us step outside of the traditional lecture format and immerse ourselves in a totally different way of learning.
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That’s the end of this week’s blog! Spoiler alert for next week: we’re planning to go to Budapest! Every week, I fall more in love with Prague, and I hope that by reading these blogs, you’re feeling a bit of the joy I’ve been feeling too. Thanks for your time, and I’ll see you next week!
Patricio Sandoval-Sanchez
Mechanical Engineering
IPE: Engineering in Prague, Czech Republic
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seabreeze2022 · 8 months ago
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Danube River Cruise, Part 4
Still in Budapest
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Still doing walk about. So much to see and do in Budapest. This is their “Funnel Cake.” This is common street fare.
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It is dough wrapped around a metal form and then turned over a charcoal fire. As it cooks it is periodically moved closer to the heat. Two different shapes. The one becomes a cone and can have ice cream placed in it. Mine was the “classic”, which is tube shaped, with Nutella chocolate smeared on the inside. They forgot the coconut on the outside. I think they all go through a sugar bath after cooking.
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We were looking for this “Street Market” which was next door to the little food truck stop where I bought the funnel cake. The Street Market was not a Farmers market which we were expecting. Save your money on a “Bad acid trip” and visit this place.
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Multiple bars and a couple of open air shops. Two floors of what you would expect to see in an opium den. A cross between Bourbon Street and Key West. I am sure it is wild at night.
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This is the “Great Synagogue” in the Jewish District. Surprisingly we only saw a handful of Hasidic Jews in the district. Second largest synagogue in Europe. Lots of history and not all good. It did survive WW 2 fairly unscathed. But its people did not.
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This is inside with our English speaking guide giving his talk. Very ornate. All men had to wear a yamaka. So they gave us a paper yamaka with a bobby pin. With my short hair, I more or less balanced it in place and held it on when outside in the wind. The bald guy really had problems.
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This is a reminder of the Jewish hostages held in Palestine. We have seen much graffiti starting in Zurich and here of “Free Palestine” with some fighting back by the Jews. It has now been a little over a year of captivity for the hostages.
The Jewish faith forbids bodies to be buried near the synagogue. Yet there are over 2,000 bodies buried in the courtyard here. All were killed and left in the street at the end of the WW 2. Allied forces quickly buried these here in mass graves. Only half have been identified. It is also forbidden in the Jewish faith to exhume or move a body. So they are a grim reminder of what has transpired in the past.
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From the Jewish synagogue we visited St. Stephen’s Cathedral. I need to specify it is St. Stephen Cathedral in Budapest. We visited several others with the same name in different cities. The largest Cathedral in Budapest. I would like to formally post my objection to the building of such tall Cathedrals. I can not get them in the photograph without it warping the image. I also have to strain my neck to see the spires and the ceilings inside.
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Pictures just do not do these houses of worship justice. So much symbolism and artistry everywhere.
The Cathedral is named after King Stephen founder of the state. He died in 1038 and was later Canonized.
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Before heading back we stopped by for a pint of Guinness. Which reminds of us Neil and Beverly and our trip through Anglesey, Wales.
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Having a traditional Hungarian dish of pork knuckle. I can highly recommend it for meat eaters in the crowd.
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Desert of caramelized strudel.
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This is the after dinner drink of the local moonshine “Palinka”, no open flames please.
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Next morning we toured the Parliament Building. It is so big you can not get it all in the photograph from street level. You will see the whole thing lit up when we depart on the ship the next night.
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This is looking back at the front door. Unfortunately there are very few places where we can take photos inside. We saw the gold Crown studded with gems, protected by two soldiers at all times.
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This is equivalent to the Senate floor. With students receiving a lecture at the time.
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This is a monument of 60 pairs of shoes. Symbols of the 15,000-20,000 Jews who were required to remove their shoes, prior to being shot and their bodies dumped in the Danube. This happened during 4 months in WW 2. The shoes were considered valuable at the time.
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After checking out of the “Hampton by Hilton” we took the subway to the ship. Budapest boasts about it being the second oldest electrified subway in Europe, opening in 1896. The strange thing is after buying your very small ticket above ground and riding the subway. It is not until you try to leave that you have to find the very small paper ticket in one of many pockets. Two very tough looking women, probably prior East German border guards, caught the women behind us.
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We find our ship Avalon Illumination (warned: don’t call it a boat) at Dock 6. The cruise line is Avalon, which has been in tourism for 100 years. They supply us with an app that gives us all the information we need. Including the time and quickest way to find the ship if we are walking around town.
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This is our sea cabin. We drop our bags and head back into the city.
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We cruise through the large market two blocks away. Food stalls are on the first floor. Souvenirs and such on the upper floor. I buy some pork rinds.
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Nancy finds a man with a chicken. He would not answer which came first, the chicken or the egg.
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These are small pastries filled with different fillings. Walnut paste was the classic. It was a bit dry but very popular. The meat shop next door had every part of a duck on display.
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This shows just how big the market is. So many people selling the same souvenirs or food, you wonder how they survive.
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Back to the ship for our first night onboard. We get our safety brief and meet the Captain and crew. In an emergency we are all supposed to meet on the top deck. The Danube is so shallow there is a good chance the boat would sink to the bottom and we would still be 10 feet above the water drinking our beer and wine.
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Nancy and I passed up the tours that the ship set up since we had already toured the city for two days. Instead we did a walking tour with a local woman who was passionate about history. The walking tours can really get into the specifics. This courtyard had just about all the architecture styles: Baroque, Gothic, neoclassical and neo-ugly. The far building was bombed and replaced with bland architecture, which our guide aptly labeled as neo-ugly.
This is the last day of us walking 5-7 miles a day with quick stops by the hotel room. Tours on the cruise are much less. Definitely trying to walk off as many calories as we can. So much to eat and see!
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This is the “Chain bridge.” The chain refers to the links between the vertical columns. The chains are like huge bicycle chain links. Very ornate and the only bridge from Buda to Pest for years. Originally open in 1849 and one of the largest bridges in the world at the time. The bridge was destroyed by retreating Germans in 1945 and reopened 1949.
Back to the ship for our embarkation at 5:30 and sailing upstream to Vilshofen, Austria.
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They dock up to 3 boats side by side. This is the bow of a second ship tied along side. We left first. So they untie from us and they move back and out a little. Then we untie from the shore, and pull ahead. They immediately retie to shore at the same dock. These guys make it look easy.
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roomchailimited · 6 months ago
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Budapest’s Thermal Bliss: Unveiling Hungary’s Dual Capitals
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Straddling the banks of the Danube River, Budapest stands as one of Europe’s most captivating cities. Known for its grand architecture, thermal baths, and vibrant culture, it seamlessly blends the historic charm of Buda with the lively pulse of Pest. For Bangladeshi travelers seeking a mix of relaxation, history, and scenic beauty, Budapest offers a gateway to Central Europe that feels both luxurious and affordable. This dual capital city is a treasure trove of experiences, perfect for those who want to bask in its old-world charm while indulging in modern comforts.
When to Visit Budapest for the Best Experience
Budapest’s beauty shines throughout the year, but the experience varies with the seasons. Spring (March to May) sees the city come to life with blooming flowers and outdoor festivals, making it one of the best times to explore. Summers (June to August) bring a bustling atmosphere with lively riverside events, though temperatures can rise. Autumn (September to November) offers cooler weather and fewer crowds, ideal for strolling along the Danube or visiting the city’s famous baths. Winter (December to February) transforms Budapest into a magical destination with Christmas markets and the warm allure of thermal spas, perfect for escaping the cold.
For Bangladeshi travelers unfamiliar with European climates, spring and autumn are highly recommended for their mild weather and vibrant city life. Roomchai Limited, along with other travel agencies like ShareTrip and Gozayaan, provides tailored travel packages to ensure the best seasonal experience, making it easy to plan a trip that aligns with personal preferences.
Exploring Budapest’s Architectural Marvels and Landmarks
Budapest’s architecture is a captivating mix of Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical influences. No visit is complete without standing in awe of the Parliament Building, an iconic structure sitting elegantly along the riverbank. Visitors can enjoy a guided tour to witness the grandeur of its interiors, complete with intricate frescoes and historic artifacts. Just across the river, Buda Castle sits atop Castle Hill, offering panoramic views of the city. Walking along the cobbled streets of the Castle District feels like stepping into a medieval fairytale.
Another unmissable landmark is the Chain Bridge, which beautifully connects Buda and Pest, especially enchanting when illuminated at night. The Fisherman’s Bastion nearby provides postcard-worthy views of the Danube and Parliament. For those who enjoy religious architecture, St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Matthias Church offer stunning examples of Hungary’s rich artistic heritage.
Roomchai Limited offers well-curated tours that cover all these landmarks with ease, ensuring travelers skip the hassle of long queues and maximize their time in the city. Their packages often include knowledgeable local guides who provide rich insights into Budapest’s history, adding depth to the experience.
The Famous Thermal Baths: A Soothing Experience
Budapest is known as the “City of Spas” for a reason. The city sits atop numerous thermal springs, giving rise to an array of luxurious bathhouses that date back to Roman times. The Széchenyi Thermal Bath, one of the largest in Europe, is a must-visit. Its outdoor pools, filled with steaming thermal water, provide a perfect blend of relaxation and socializing. The Gellért Baths are another popular choice, offering Art Nouveau interiors that make bathing feel like a regal experience.
For Bangladeshi travelers, visiting these baths offers not just relaxation but also a cultural experience, as thermal bathing is deeply ingrained in Hungarian life. Roomchai often includes thermal bath visits as part of their packages, ensuring that visitors can unwind in style after a day of exploring the city.
Hungarian Cuisine and Dining for Every Palate
Hungarian cuisine is hearty and flavorful, with dishes that reflect the country’s rich agricultural heritage. Goulash, a savory meat and vegetable stew, is the national dish and a must-try for any visitor. Langos, deep-fried flatbread topped with sour cream and cheese, makes for a delicious street food snack. For those with a sweet tooth, chimney cakes (Kürtőskalács) are a delightful dessert commonly found at markets.
Recognizing the needs of Bangladeshi travelers, Roomchai Limited highlights restaurants that offer halal options or vegetarian dishes, ensuring a smooth dining experience without dietary concerns. Additionally, several local eateries cater specifically to international visitors, blending traditional flavors with modern twists.
Where to Stay for the Ultimate Experience
Choosing the right neighborhood can elevate the entire Budapest experience. Buda offers a more tranquil and historic atmosphere, ideal for families and couples seeking quiet charm. In contrast, Pest is vibrant and energetic, with nightlife, cafes, and shopping districts that appeal to younger travelers. Popular areas like District V (Belváros) place visitors close to major landmarks, while District VII (Jewish Quarter) is known for its ruin bars and artistic flair.
Roomchai collaborates with a range of hotels and boutique accommodations, providing packages that cater to different budgets and preferences. Whether travelers seek luxury or budget-friendly options, Roomchai ensures a comfortable and memorable stay.
Getting Around Budapest with Ease
Budapest’s efficient public transport system makes navigating the city a breeze. The metro, trams, and buses connect all major tourist spots, allowing visitors to move around conveniently. For those who prefer to explore on foot, many attractions are within walking distance of each other. A scenic river cruise along the Danube offers a unique perspective of the city, particularly during sunset.
Roomchai often includes transport passes and river cruises in their packages, ensuring travelers have everything they need for seamless exploration.
Day Trips and Excursions Beyond the City
Budapest’s surroundings are rich with history and natural beauty, perfect for day trips. Esztergom, known for its impressive basilica, offers a glimpse into Hungary’s religious heritage. Szentendre, a charming artist town along the Danube Bend, is ideal for leisurely strolls and souvenir shopping. Additionally, the Lake Balaton region provides a refreshing escape from city life, with its tranquil waters and vineyards.
Roomchai Limited organizes guided day trips to these nearby attractions, allowing Bangladeshi travelers to experience more of Hungary’s diverse landscape without the hassle of planning logistics.
Conclusion: The Allure of Budapest Awaits
Budapest’s timeless elegance, rich cultural tapestry, and soothing thermal baths make it a destination like no other. Whether exploring historic castles, indulging in local cuisine, or simply soaking in a thermal bath, the city offers an unforgettable experience for Bangladeshi travelers. While agencies like ShareTrip and Gozayaan provide competitive options, Roomchai Limited stands out with personalized services and deep cultural insights, ensuring every journey to Budapest is as seamless as it is magical.
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beardedmrbean · 8 months ago
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BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Family members of a 31-year-old American tourist who was killed while on vacation in Hungary’s capital mourned their loss while a 37-year-old suspect was in custody Saturday.
The victim, Mackenzie Michalski from Portland, Oregon, was reported missing on Nov. 5 after she was last seen at a nightclub in central Budapest. Police launched a missing person investigation and reviewed security footage from local nightclubs where they observed Michalski with a man later identified as the suspect in several of the clubs the night of her disappearance.
The man was detained on Nov. 7 and questioned by police, and later confessed to the killing.
Before the confession, Michalski's family and friends had launched an effort to find her, starting a Facebook group to gather tips on her whereabouts. Her parents traveled to Hungary to assist in the search, but while en route learned that she had been killed.
At a candlelight vigil in Budapest on Saturday night, the victim's father, Bill Michalski, told The Associated Press that he was “still overcome with emotion" at the death of his daughter.
“There was no reason for this to happen,” he said. “I’m still trying to wrap my arms around what happened ... I don’t know that I ever will."
Police detained the suspect, an Irish citizen, on the evening of Nov. 7. Investigators said that Michalski and the suspect met at a nightclub and danced before leaving for the man's rented apartment. The man killed Michalski while they were engaged in an “intimate encounter,” police said.
The suspect, whom police identified by the initials L.T.M., confessed to the killing, but said it had been an accident. Police said that he had attempted to cover up his crime by cleaning the apartment and hiding Michalski's body in a wardrobe before purchasing a suitcase and placing her body inside.
He then rented a car and drove to Lake Balaton, around 90 miles (150 kilometers) southwest of Budapest, where he disposed of the body in a wooden area outside the town of Szigliget.
Video released by police showed the suspect guiding authorities to the location where he had left the body. Police said the suspect had made internet searches before being apprehended on how to dispose of a body, police procedures in missing person cases, whether pigs really eat dead bodies, and the presence of wild boars in the Lake Balaton area.
He also made an internet search inquiring on the competence of Budapest police.
Crime scene photographs released by police showed a rolling suitcase, several articles of clothing including a pair of fleece-lined boots, and a small handbag next to a credit card bearing Michalski's name.
According to a post by an administrator of a Facebook group called “Find Mackenzie Michalski,” which was created on Nov. 7, Michalski, who went by “Kenzie,” was a nurse practitioner who “will forever be remembered as a beautiful and compassionate young woman.”
At the candlelight vigil in Budapest on Saturday, Michalski's father gave brief comments to those who had gathered, and was wearing a baseball cap he said he had received as a gift from his daughter.
Michalski had visited Budapest before, and called it her “happy place,” her father told the AP.
“The history, she just loved it and she was just so relaxed here," he said. "This was her city.”
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masakrivokuca · 1 year ago
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School trip🎡
🎡Activity title: Going on a school trip
🎡Duration and date: 5 days, 15.5-19.5.2023.
🎡Type of activity: Action and Creativity
🎡Activity description: Visiting Budapest, Prague, Dresden and Vienna as a part of a organized school trip and exploring cities with a guide and on our own while meeting other customs, cultures and traditions
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Learning outcomes🎡
🎡Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively
🎡Identify own strengths and develop areas for personal growth
🎡Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance
🎡Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
🎡Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process
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Reflection🎡
Exploring 4 different cities in only five days was an exhausting, but amazing experience. Visiting Budapest, Prague, Dresden, and Vienna on a school trip with guides, we learned about the rich history and breathtaking architecture of each city. But what made it special was having time to explore on our own. We gained understanding of these cultural hubs, unearthing hidden gems and authentic local experiences, but most importantly my school mates and I formed a stronger bond which made the whole experience more memorable.
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My favorite moment of our school trip was sadly the shortest one-day trip to Dresden, where we hade the most time to explore on our own. We climbed up the Dresden Frauenkirche and dived into the city from a bird's perspective, getting to know its buildings and settlements. This day was a rite of a passage for me because it was the pivotal point of friendship for my friends and I and out of all these cities I would like to visit Dresden again the most. In conclusion the memories made during this school trip will be etched in my heart forever, making it one of the most beloved and remarkable trips I've had in my life.
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budapestbug · 1 year ago
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Szentendre is a small town on the Danube's bank, located about 40-minutes from Budapest by public transport. Best known for its Mediterranean vibes and Serbian history, Szentendre also offers Baroque architecture, Hungarian folklore stores, and lots of art, both old and modern.
True, you can find all of those in Budapest, so Szentendre isn't a must-visit for short-term visitors. But if you enjoy a break from big-city life, you can spend an adventure-filled half a day here with some advance planning. Szentendre's food scene has a long way to go, but I’ve included below a few cafés and restaurants that won’t disappoint.
Note that Szentendre is a popular tourist destination, which means the typical symptoms of mass tourism, especially mediocre gift shops, abound here. This guide will help you steer clear of the commercial traps and try to reveal the side of Szentendre worth the journey.
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mariacallous · 1 year ago
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This summer, I traveled to Transylvania, on a Birthright-esque tour for young North Americans of Hungarian heritage. Almost everyone I told about the trip made some sort of Dracula joke. I rolled my eyes, knowing the region was much richer than this. But truth be told, I didn’t have too much yet to counter with. 
Here’s the history book version: Transylvania, now part of Romania, belonged to Hungary for more than a thousand years. It’s far larger than I had imagined – at around 100,000 square kilometers, the region is bigger than the whole of present-day Hungary itself, which ceded the region to Romania after WWI. There are currently around one million ethnic Hungarians who still live in Transylvania. The community speaks the language and passionately keeps their customs alive, from music to dance to crafts and, of course, food. 
And my version? It was easy to fall in love with Transylvania. From the moment I clambered off the small, tinny plane from Budapest at the small regional airport in Marosvásárhely, I was taken by its beauty. Rows and rows of golden sunflowers, framed by the verdant hills and rugged peaks of the Apuseni Mountains rolled by as we headed for our bed and breakfast. We spent a week learning about the Hungarian community in Romania, hiking, exploring cavernous salt mines and lakes, taking in medieval frescos and wandering cobblestoned streets.  
We also ate well — very well. 
Growing up, many of our cherished family recipes were very traditionally Hungarian (with a twist, to make them kosher), and the rich goulash, tender chicken paprikash and juicy stuffed cabbage we ate on the trip were familiar. Truth be told, aside from the dizzying assortment of wild blueberry and rosehip jams, I wasn’t really focused on dessert. 
That is, until I tried a pastry called somodi kalácsin a tiny village called Torockó. Lightly sweet and yeasted, with a cinnamon swirl, it’s as if cinnamon-raisin bread and babka had a baby. While every meal served by our grandmotherly hosts left us stuffed, I loved the folded bread so much that our guide got the inn to pack us a honey-glazed loaf to go. 
Transylvania was home to a sizable Hungarian-Jewish population. In 1910, according to The Museum of the Holocaust in Northern Transylvania, the Jewish population numbered above 64,000. By World War I, Hungary itself had the second largest Jewish population in Europe at almost one million. By this time YIVO’s Encyclopedia of Eastern European Jews notes Jews were “fervently assimilated” to the language and culture (and, rather sadly, looking back now), “passionately identified with Hungarian nationalism.” 
Upon my return home to Los Angeles, I made it my mission to find somodi kalács. I knew that Jewish immigrants to the U.S. and Israel popularized other classic pastries from Hungary, such as chimney cakes and monkey bread (aka aranygaluska), and was hopeful I’d succeed.
While I haven’t (yet) found somodi kalácsin my city, I discovered that it’s available at Zingerman’s Bakehouse, the iconic Jewish bakery in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Like me, the Zingerman team tried somodi kalács for the first time in Torockó. The recipe, they found, dates back 400 years, when the village was a flourishing mining town, whose residents could afford the luxury of cinnamon and sugar. It’s typically served for Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, and until the 20th century, Zingerman’s notes, somodi kalács was the customary wedding cake. Theirs is a pretty traditional version. However, like my own great grandmother would do often, they sub the traditional lard for butter when greasing the pans, explained Managing Partner Amy Emberling.
At Zingerman’s, Emberling told me, it’s a beloved special item that they only bake a couple days each year. “Customers order many loaves of it and stock them in their freezer,” she said. And it’s not uncommon for customers to “let us know that they have not seen this since their childhood days in Hungary.” 
It’s also not uncommon to see patrons shed happy tears. I may have felt like shedding a couple happy tears myself when she shared their recipe.
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hydralisk98 · 1 year ago
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16^12 Angora Civs "Roadmap" (0x12/?)
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Welcome to the 16^12 referee guide...
Civilizations / cultures
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Starting point in Azgaar (From their maximum of 32 vanilla cultures at once...) [Super, Major, Minor tier ranks for Civ & City-States prioritization for Civ 5 scenarios-sake]
Utchewn (Shoshone Super Civ, Moson Kahni)
Marsch (Austria Major Civ, Wien)
Chunhau (Yue / Cantonese? Minor Civ, Guangzhou)
Samas (Samoa Super Civ, Apia)
Talyian (Persian Iran Major Civ, Persepolis)
Cao (Vietnam Super Civ, Hanoi)
Hwatcha (Korea Super Civ, Seoul)
May (Mayas Super Civ, Palenque)
Eqalen (Inuit Super Civ, Ivvavik)
Matwa (Swahili / Carib? Major Civ, Zanzibar)
Zebie (Carthage Super Civ, Carthage)
Mersuit (Sweden Major Civ, Stockholm)
Hugues (Scotland Major Civ, Edinburgh)
Aberku (Aremorici Super Civ, Darioritum)
Eyn (Sumer Major Civ, Ur)
Tabar (Morocco Super Civ, Marrakesh)
Tersun (Poland Super Civ, Warsaw)
Ibrad (Huron / Blackfoot / Basque? Major Civ, Ossossane)
Temu (Angola Super Civ, Luanda)
Sasson (Burgundy Major Civ, Dijon)
Treano (Italian / Netherlands Major Civ, Amsterdam)
Ishtar (Babylon Major Civ, Babylon)
Turchian (Turks? Major Civ, Edirne)
Medran (Spain Major Civ, Toledo)
Arela (Portugal Major Civ, Lisbon)
Hangzhou (Manchu? Minor Civ, Shenyang)
Palche (Incas Major Civ, Cusco)
Mangapu (Indonesia / Indian? Minor Civ, Jakarta)
Rzhev (Czech / Moravian / Slavic? Minor Civ, Prague)
Troporea (Minoans Major Civ, Knossos)
Lueur (Nubia / Mongolia? Minor Civ, Meroe)
Syrus (Assyria Super Civ, Ashur)
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To the 48 cultures excluding the future's otherkin sapient clades...
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Hittites (Hattusa, Minor)
Byzantium (Constantinople, Minor)
Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Minor)
Hungary (Budapest, Minor)
Myceneans (Mycenae, Minor)
Argentina (Buenos Aires, Minor)
Dene / Cree (Mikisiw-Wacihk, Minor)
Croatia (Zagreb, Minor)
Prussia (Konigsberg, Minor)
Hanseatic League / Mecklenburg (Rostock, Minor)
Chile (Santiago, Minor)
Kazakhs (Almaty, Minor)
Lithuania (Vilnius, Minor)
Two Sicilies (Naples, Minor)
Oman (Muscat, Minor)
Songhay (Songhai, Minor)
Just noting down that the map fully wraps around the X-axis, like a globe. ;-)
Religions
Pohakantenna (Shoshoni pantheon, quirky thanks to their "Daughters of Utchwendira" communion with the divine)
Angakkunngurniq (Inuit pantheon)
Confucianism / Shinto tradition?
Al-Asnam (serving as Aremorica's Celtic druidic-like pantheon over there, inspired by the classical era Galatians)
Ba'hai (monotheistic non-exclusive syncretism)
Arianism (iterated from the defunct Christianity dialect)
Chaldeanism (Mesopotamian pantheon)
Calvinism (derived from the Protestant Reformation’s Huguenot Southern French, monotheism)
Tala-e-Fonua (Samoan pantheon)
Hussitism (central slavic dialect of monotheism)
Jainism (communal humility & individualized Ki monks culture)
Buddhism (inner way reincarnation & large monasteries)
Judaism (the theological foundation of which most of the monotheistic faiths in this world agree upon nowadays)
Zoroastrianism (Iranian religion)
Ibadiyya (their Ba'hai like Islam is a very minor religion with a outsized impact here, just like Judaism is in our world)
Canaanism (Carthaginian belief system)
Pesedjet (Numidan Hieroglyphics belief system)
Mwari (Carib religion)
Intiism (Inca pantheon)
Tzolk'in (Mayan pantheon)
Have a great day ppl!
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brookstonalmanac · 1 year ago
Text
Events 2.13 (after 1940)
1945 – World War II: The siege of Budapest concludes with the unconditional surrender of German and Hungarian forces to the Red Army. 1945 – World War II: Royal Air Force bombers are dispatched to Dresden, Germany to attack the city with a massive aerial bombardment. 1951 – Korean War: Battle of Chipyong-ni, which represented the "high-water mark" of the Chinese incursion into South Korea, commences. 1954 – Frank Selvy becomes the only NCAA Division I basketball player ever to score 100 points in a single game. 1955 – Israel obtains four of the seven Dead Sea Scrolls. 1955 – Twenty-nine people are killed when Sabena Flight 503 crashes into Monte Terminillo near Rieti, Italy. 1960 – With the success of a nuclear test codenamed "Gerboise Bleue", France becomes the fourth country to possess nuclear weapons. 1960 – Black college students stage the first of the Nashville sit-ins at three lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee. 1961 – An allegedly 500,000-year-old rock is discovered near Olancha, California, US, that appears to anachronistically encase a spark plug. 1967 – American researchers discover the Madrid Codices by Leonardo da Vinci in the National Library of Spain. 1975 – Fire at One World Trade Center (North Tower) of the World Trade Center in New York. 1978 – Hilton bombing: A bomb explodes in a refuse truck outside the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, Australia, killing two refuse collectors and a policeman. 1979 – An intense windstorm strikes western Washington and sinks a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) long section of the Hood Canal Bridge. 1981 – A series of sewer explosions destroys more than two miles of streets in Louisville, Kentucky. 1983 – A cinema fire in Turin, Italy, kills 64 people. 1984 – Konstantin Chernenko succeeds the late Yuri Andropov as general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 1990 – German reunification: An agreement is reached on a two-stage plan to reunite Germany. 1991 – Gulf War: Two laser-guided "smart bombs" destroy the Amiriyah shelter in Baghdad. Allied forces said the bunker was being used as a military communications outpost, but over 400 Iraqi civilians inside were killed. 1996 – The Nepalese Civil War is initiated in the Kingdom of Nepal by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre). 2001 – An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter magnitude scale hits El Salvador, killing at least 944. 2004 – The Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics announces the discovery of the universe's largest known diamond, white dwarf star BPM 37093. Astronomers named this star "Lucy" after The Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". 2007 – Taiwan opposition leader Ma Ying-jeou resigns as the chairman of the Kuomintang party after being indicted on charges of embezzlement during his tenure as the mayor of Taipei; Ma also announces his candidacy for the 2008 presidential election. 2008 – Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd makes a historic apology to the Indigenous Australians and the Stolen Generations. 2010 – A bomb explodes in the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India, killing 17 and injuring 60 more. 2011 – For the first time in more than 100 years the Umatilla, an American Indian tribe, are able to hunt and harvest a bison just outside Yellowstone National Park, restoring a centuries-old tradition guaranteed by a treaty signed in 1855. 2012 – The European Space Agency (ESA) conducted the first launch of the European Vega rocket from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. 2017 – Kim Jong-nam, brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, is assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. 2021 – Former U.S. President Donald Trump is acquitted in his second impeachment trial. 2021 – A major winter storm causes blackouts and kills at least 82 people in Texas and northern Mexico.
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