From Hungary to Turkey for Thanksgiving

For fall break, I traveled with a few friends to Prague and Budapest, then continued on to Istanbul with a separate group.  Each city I visited was split into distinct parts by a river, which created an intriguing comparison between them. 

Budapest is my favorite city that I have visited on any of my travels thus far.  It is stunning in a less obvious way.  The history is tangible in the atmosphere, yet the city buzzes with an air of possibility for the future.  The weather was chilly, yet manageable (unlike Prague) and the leaves were fiery red and orange.  We explored castles and churches and went on a superb walking tour.  

Buda contained the famous castle, fisherman’s bastion etc, while we ate, went out, and stayed in Pest.   The ruin bars in Budapest were awesome.  Abandoned buildings are converted into bars without any renovations or improvements.  Each ruin bar is unique, with quirky artwork and vibes. 

Prague was pretty in a more obvious way.  The astronomical clock, Prague castle, and churches all reminded me of a fairytale town straight out of Walt Disney’s imagination.  We went -and added to- the Lennon wall.  It was so cold in Prague that we could only remain outside for about an hour at a time, before we needed to seek out a café to warm up.  This provided plenty of opportunities to explore the coffee, pastry, and café culture of Prague.  One day, we went to a wonderful old bookshop with art deco décor, plush couches, and fantastic hot chocolate.  

Istanbul was an exotic adventure.  Mosques replaced the churches I had grown accustomed to seeing on each block.  One mosque was more ornamental than the next, with the blue mosque standing out as the most famous and grand.  To me, the Hagia Sofia was the best aspect of Istanbul.  I have spent much of my college career studying the Byzantine Empire.  I therefore fully appreciated the importance of the site and its long history.  I stood, head back, in awe of the magnificent architecture and aware of all that had occurred within the space. 

The spice market in Istanbul was also incredible.  Dried fruit, nuts, spices, and teas stood in tall pyramids in every stand.  Men called out, attempting to attract our business.  They used dated references (calling us the Golden Girls) that were more humorous than irritating.  The colors, odors, and sounds of the markets were overwhelming in the best way.  I delighted in the sensory overload in the spice market, the market on the Asia side of Istanbul, and the Grand Bazaar.