My first caving experience was one I will not soon forget. I
expected to be guided around a cave simply admiring stalactite and stalagmite
formations. Wrong. When I saw the
condition of the seemingly tank-proof clothing the tour company provided, I realized
we were going to actually experience the cave, not just view it.
Our tour guide was a ten-year veteran (fanatic really) of the caves. He would explain something in a rushed, inaudible English, let out a scream, then disappear into a hole in the rocks like a mouse through a hole in the floorboard. There were passageways where the only option was to pass through with one arm lifted over your turned head and shimmy on you back the several meters until you could look up again. I got slightly claustrophobic early in the adventure, but I quickly dismissed these thoughts before I truly digested the bleakness of the situation if something were to go wrong.
Budapest is an amazing city—one of my favorites. The communist architectural influence is unfortunate though. Many city blocks contain 60% elegant buildings and 40% monstrous, communist buildings that were erected in the place of war-destroyed ones. These irregularities and the wretched communist buildings that were plopped into any gaps are sad.
Budapest is a meat with a side of meat kind of place [definitely not in Turkey anymore]. The approach is similar to Louisiana; very potent seasonings, enormous portions, very tasty and super inexpensive. Ordering food is generally fairly easy. Most restaurants either have a waiter/waitress that speaks enough English to communicate or the menus are written in two or three languages (English usually the bottom language written). Pointing to a picture and saying "ummm...this one" has worked well when all else fails.
Budapest is a beautiful, lively and inexpensive city; one that should definitely be added to your list.
And if you made it this far, I barely stopped laughing long enough to record the view. And the music...
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