Marcus the expat

The number of ex-patriots in Hungary surprises me. Well, perhaps not their presence here, but that I run into them so often. There is a camaraderie among foreigners who meet acquaintances from their homeland in Budapest. This is accompanied by a willingness to strike up conversations with anyone with fluency in English. Perhaps, all the perpetually displaced people crave a touch of home, so they talk to strangers who wouldn't get a second glance if they were back in the states.
For example, not only did I meet two groups of Texans this weekend, but I also met a man who went to CU today. I’ve been finishing up and article for Denver Life magazine (which debuts in January) and starting my next article for Business Hungary on this rainy Monday. Because I’ll go nuts from isolation if I try to remain in our apartment, I headed to my favorite coffee shop next to the Museum of Fine arts. It’s housed in this old Victorian-styled house, with many rooms, blue, bold flowered wall paper, comfortable lounge chairs and hard wood floors. It is lovely and peaceful. But, of course it takes about 30 minutes to get here and is the most expensive coffee locale that I have discovered in this land devoid of Starbucks; but I like it anyway. But, as I was sitting there, someone asked if he could take a chair from my table, and after he heard my accent, he struck up a conversation with me. Imagine his surprise, when he found out I was from CO, and was a CU alum – his alma matter as well. He’s been in Budapest for a year, and in Prague prior to that. These instances are amusing, but I try to avoid saying the cliché that it’s a small world. Not because I dislike the expression, but once it's spoken, the Disney World theme song will ring through my ears, and that’s just torturous.

This weekend, we went to Szentendre, a town north of Budapest known for colorful buildings, artisans and cobblestone streets. The picture at the beginning of this post is of its main square. While it was quaint, it provided nothing new, as the food and craft vendors are the same there as they are all around the city. But, I am sure it is a fun place for visitors, and not profession Budapest tourists like I have become. Mike and I dubbed the place the "Hungarian Estes." But, if it had the Rocky Mountains near by, I'd be more inclined to return. My next plan is to get to Hungarian wine country– that is supposed to be quite different from Budapest. Also, Mike and I are going to Frankfurt in mid-August to visit his dad, who’ll be there on business. I am really excited. Here's some pics I've taken lately:

This is the inside of the Jewish Synagogue in Budapest. It's supposed to be the most ornate one in Europe - it was gorgeous. And, here is Mike, perched outside a large church in Szentendre: