Budapest, Hungary

This Mid-term break in February we were supposed to go to Sharm El Shiek & Cairo Egypt with new friends the Fikes. We had set up hotels at The Ritz Carlton and Mena House Oberoi at the base of the Pyramids - but as fate would have it, there was to be a historic revolution instead. Riots and chaos were abound and it wasn't safe for foreigners to travel. The US and the UK put warnings to citizens not to travel there. So we had to scramble and come up with a new game plan. At first everyone was worried about refunds - luckily I got back either all my money or got credit on the airline. No small feat I can say.

We wanted sun but the Canary Islands seemed iffy - our friends all ended up going to Dubai (about 6 families that were to go to Egypt) but since we had been there last year it didn't make sense (nor could we spare the cost to our pocketbook) to go again. I polled a bunch of friends and our good friends the Folan's were going to Budapest - I always wanted to go there anyway so we took our credit from our flights.

It was not disappointing in that it was so beautiful, even in the freezing cold. However you could really get a sense of the Eastern Block and what it might have looked like back in the day. Although it was very gray you could make out the pretty colors and amazing architecture of the city. Another place to tick off my very long list of places to see in this beautiful world.