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September 8, 2018 By Kristin Leave a Comment

Walking Budapest

Featured in Panorama: Journal of Intelligent Travel – Summer 2017

In this piece, I write about cruising with seniors, reflect on walking 26 miles in two days across Budapest, and consider how travel changes as we age.

A view of Budapest

Eső után köpönyeg. — Hungarian expression for “after rain comes raincoat”

Monday, Day One

1. The First Glimpse

When I think back to my trip to Budapest, I think, first, of her street signs. Hungarian street signs look like puzzles of Latin letters spilled out of a bag and rearranged into mouthfuls of consonants, vowels, and lots of extra dots. Signs with words and phrases like artand hataratkelohely, magyarorszag, eloszallas, and vigyazz gepjarrmu-forgalom narrate the city streets on corners, in roundabouts, at crossroads, and on highways. Among these wordy pieces of advice, however, there is one whose single word I could pronounce, whose letters did make some sense to my English-speaking brain: it reads, simply, lassits, punctuated with a single exclamation mark. The sign is simple—it is rectangle-shaped, framed in a red border, black bold text against a white background.

I remember my first glimpse of Budapest this way. If I squint my eyes and look closely through the rain drizzling down the window of my cabin, I can see the road connected to the port filled with buses. I can see that one sign, its single word directing cars and buses to breathe, to hit the brakes, to turn a little more slowly around each corner. Lassits!…slow down. Because the spires of the palaces and castles are covered in the early morning fog, because the rain is so thick and the traffic so heavy, because the view is blocked by so many tour buses, this is the first glimpse I have of one of the most magnificent walking cities in the world.

Now that I think about it, it fits.

2. Inside the Bus

It was early morning, under the pouring rain, when all 189 of us disembarked from the ship for the last time. Some of us exited with speed, some with languor, some with canes, wheelchairs, and the steady arms of sons and daughters. After gathering into groups of 50, we lined up and climbed, one after the other, onto a row of tour buses. For the rest of the morning, our tour went a little something like this: those of us who are able get on, get off, get on, get off. The rest stayed in their seats and marvelled the sights from the windows. Every 20 minutes, our guide, a Hungarian woman named Anita, clicked on her microphone and announced in a lovely lilt that we’d arrived somewhere important and that we should get off the bus, take the pictures, and get back on the bus.

This process wasn’t as easy as it sounds, as safely getting 48 elderly passengers on and off a bus isn’t something that happens quickly. As the last two passengers on the bus, Ryan and I waited each time, and we watched the raindrops pool into bigger raindrops on the window panes while men and women held onto the railing and made their way up and down the bus’s three big steps. As we’d done for the past 12 days, we chatted with our fellow passengers, men and women who are 30, 40 years older than we are, who’ve had more life experience under their belts than I can even imagine. Five stops and four hours later, we circled around the city one last time, sat in traffic on the Elizabeth Bridge, and inched our way up Buda Castle Hill, where the buses planned to drop us off for the next two days.

When we finally arrived at our hotel, I realised that I didn’t know where I’d been, what I’d seen, or even what route we’d taken to get there. I remembered horns beeping, traffic jams, pounding rain, and big rainy drops dissolving the castles and gargoyles into drizzly remnants of the strong, stoic architectural wonders they were. I couldn’t hear Anita as she led us around each stop because my headphones had started shorting out back in Croatia. I couldn’t appreciate the stillness of simply being in a place because I was tired of standing in queues. What kind of travel writing, I wondered, was this going to inspire?

Read the full story in Panorama: Journal of Intelligent Travel.

Filed Under: CNF, Featured Tagged With: Budapest, Eastern Europe, Hungary, Viking Cruises, walking, writers, writing

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Meet Kristin

I'm a writer, teacher, traveler, and a new mom living in the sunny Sonoran Desert! I write to share stories about our complex, beautiful world, and I teach to help others think more deeply about their words and their stories. Read More…

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Here’s the scoop: having a baby changes a lot of Here’s the scoop: having a baby changes a lot of things. It changes your daily rhythm, your space to think, your ability to throw stuff in a backpack and just go somewhere, the solitude of a writing life. I’ve been working on figuring out who I am in this new life, so I decided to take a baby step this weekend and hop back - slowly! - into my travel writing self 🙌 So tonight, I’m out exploring Cat Mountain Lodge, a super-cute boutique hotel right at the foot of the Tucson mountains 🏔 This pic is from the entrance ☀️ Ryan and Riley came for dinner and toured the property with me - and they’ll be back in the morning for a sunrise breakfast ☕️ Everything still feels weird and unknown, but it also feels messy and new. I’m glad for baby steps...I’m glad to be here❤️ Gladly taking advice from mamas who are also travelers!
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I know that babywearing has been a custom around t I know that babywearing has been a custom around the world for centuries (probably millenia?). Today, I see why ❤️ I finally figured out how to put on the Moby wrap and snuggle little Riley into it! When we’re feeling a little more brave, I might even take him out of the house and walk with him around the neighborhood 🥰 What a wild ride...so far, we’ve made it six weeks together!
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My morning view, a little different than what I’ My morning view, a little different than what I’m used to! ❤️ Our little Riley James, seeing the world for what always feels like the first time 🥰
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#momtraveler #babywinet #newmom
Hi world, I’m Riley! Nice to meet you 🙂 My mom Hi world, I’m Riley! Nice to meet you 🙂 My mom’s been a little busy lately, but she’s back (and promises not to post a million baby photos). **Happy one month birthday to our newest adventure!**
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#babywinet #newbaby #baby #newmom
A man, his fish, and four hungry travelers 😂 An A man, his fish, and four hungry travelers 😂 And, omg, his fresh ceviche!!! *swoon* @abedhabush @viasabra
Our next day started off with a stroll down 2,000 Our next day started off with a stroll down 2,000 year old tile in the ancient ruins of Caesarea....I have to say, it's looking pretty good! 🤣😍 @viasabra
I love texture 😉😀😁 We don't get enough of I love texture 😉😀😁 We don't get enough of it here in the states...we always want to cover up every ding, dent, peel, or crack. I like this. Walking the streets of Tel Aviv 😍
Yummy vegetables! 🥑🍆🥔🥕🍄 Yummy vegetables! 🥑🍆🥔🥕🍄
On our #foodtour through the illustrious #Carmelma On our #foodtour through the illustrious #Carmelmarket with our first guide, Anat from @viasabra! Tel Aviv seriously has some of the best street markets you could ever imagine 😍 I'll try not to inundate you with food pics 😉
One of Israel's biggest controversies: whose hummu One of Israel's biggest controversies: whose hummus is the **best** hummus? If it's from #Abuhasan, then it's chunky and topped with fava beans. Ryan adored it...me...? Well, it did have beans on top, and they kind of looked like Mexican refried beans. I think I'll keep looking for my favorite hummus 🤣@viasabra
One of my FAVORITE things ever came at the end of One of my FAVORITE things ever came at the end of Day 1, and guess what? It starts with a pita!! 😂 This is an Iraqi Jewish food called #sabich. It's fabulous. And I love the chef who makes it - he told us he was an architect because everything is layered precisely inside the pita (namely fried eggplant and hard boiled eggs, among other things) 🥙🥙🥙
Yes, this is a carbonated water with plants in it. Yes, this is a carbonated water with plants in it. And we got to drink it (eat it?) while sitting in an old pickup truck in Levinsky Market (They have no seating in the market, so the owner drives his truck around and keeps parking it in different spots!) @visit_israel #levinskymarket
Starting our first morning off right - with a food Starting our first morning off right - with a food tour of Carmel Market, which is one of the best street food #markets I've ever been to. Here, we got to taste this thing called #burika, which is a Lebanese street food. Basically, it's a fresh #pita stuffed with mashed potatoes and fried egg and smothered in this spicy harissa red sauce. Never have I ever had something like this!! @viasabra @deliciousisrael @visit_israel
I didn't mention this in my first pic, but we are I didn't mention this in my first pic, but we are here with @rollinscollege as part of an #RIG grant to explore a question: Is there such a thing as an Israeli cuisine? 🌿🌱 We are working with @viasabra on our journey!

So, naturally, we start by exploring hummus. And when the famous #Abuhasan hummus spot in Jaffa is packed to the brim for lunch, you get the hummus as takeout and sit in the street 😉😉
Welcome to our Tel Aviv food tour!! I don't always Welcome to our Tel Aviv food tour!! I don't always post #food pics, but this trip kind of necessitates it 😄 Here we are, Tel Aviv, and first up? Falafel, of course 😁
Before we head off on our newest adventure, I need Before we head off on our newest adventure, I need to wrap up my #Mardigras series!! This pic is from the Dragons Ball, which we were invited to after interviewing the King! #alabamaroadtrip #kwalabama #alabama
Never a place without beads during Mardi Gras 👍 Never a place without beads during Mardi Gras 👍 @tweethomeal @inbirmingham @city_of_mobile @visitalbeaches #alabamaroadtrip #mobile #joecainday #mardigras #mardigras2018
Mardi Gras wouldn't be complete without a visit to Mardi Gras wouldn't be complete without a visit to Church St Graveyard. Joe Cain, the man responsible for reviving carnival after the civil war, is buried here.  Plus? It's full of cherry blossoms! 🌱🌿 @tweethomeal @inbirmingham @city_of_mobile @visitalbeaches #alabamaroadtrip #mardigras #mardigras2018 #mobile #kwalabama
If it can be fried, it will be fried. The mantra a If it can be fried, it will be fried. The mantra around here 🤣 @paninipetes @tweethomeal @inbirmingham @city_of_mobile @visitalbeaches #alabamaroadtrip #mardigras #mardigras2018
Peanuts are a very big thing here 😍👌 @tweeth Peanuts are a very big thing here 😍👌 @tweethomeal @inbirmingham @city_of_mobile @visitalbeaches #alabamaroadtrip #mobile #alabama #sweethomealabama #kwalabama #mardigras2018 #mardigras #mobilemardigras #deepsouth #alabamatourism
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I'm a writer, teacher, traveler, and a new mom living in the sunny Sonoran Desert! I write to share stories about our complex, beautiful world, and I teach to help others think more deeply about their words and their stories. Read More…

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kristinwinet

Here’s the scoop: having a baby changes a lot of Here’s the scoop: having a baby changes a lot of things. It changes your daily rhythm, your space to think, your ability to throw stuff in a backpack and just go somewhere, the solitude of a writing life. I’ve been working on figuring out who I am in this new life, so I decided to take a baby step this weekend and hop back - slowly! - into my travel writing self 🙌 So tonight, I’m out exploring Cat Mountain Lodge, a super-cute boutique hotel right at the foot of the Tucson mountains 🏔 This pic is from the entrance ☀️ Ryan and Riley came for dinner and toured the property with me - and they’ll be back in the morning for a sunrise breakfast ☕️ Everything still feels weird and unknown, but it also feels messy and new. I’m glad for baby steps...I’m glad to be here❤️ Gladly taking advice from mamas who are also travelers!
.
.
.
#whyilovewhereilive #tucson #mountains #catmountainstation #travelwriter #travelmom #visitarizona #catmountainlodge #arizona #southernaz @catmountainstation5520 @visittucson
I know that babywearing has been a custom around t I know that babywearing has been a custom around the world for centuries (probably millenia?). Today, I see why ❤️ I finally figured out how to put on the Moby wrap and snuggle little Riley into it! When we’re feeling a little more brave, I might even take him out of the house and walk with him around the neighborhood 🥰 What a wild ride...so far, we’ve made it six weeks together!
.
.
.
#babywinet #mobywrap #babywearing #travelmom #newmom #newmomlife
My morning view, a little different than what I’ My morning view, a little different than what I’m used to! ❤️ Our little Riley James, seeing the world for what always feels like the first time 🥰
.
.
.
#momtraveler #babywinet #newmom
Hi world, I’m Riley! Nice to meet you 🙂 My mom Hi world, I’m Riley! Nice to meet you 🙂 My mom’s been a little busy lately, but she’s back (and promises not to post a million baby photos). **Happy one month birthday to our newest adventure!**
.
.
.
#babywinet #newbaby #baby #newmom
A man, his fish, and four hungry travelers 😂 An A man, his fish, and four hungry travelers 😂 And, omg, his fresh ceviche!!! *swoon* @abedhabush @viasabra
Our next day started off with a stroll down 2,000 Our next day started off with a stroll down 2,000 year old tile in the ancient ruins of Caesarea....I have to say, it's looking pretty good! 🤣😍 @viasabra
I love texture 😉😀😁 We don't get enough of I love texture 😉😀😁 We don't get enough of it here in the states...we always want to cover up every ding, dent, peel, or crack. I like this. Walking the streets of Tel Aviv 😍
Yummy vegetables! 🥑🍆🥔🥕🍄 Yummy vegetables! 🥑🍆🥔🥕🍄
On our #foodtour through the illustrious #Carmelma On our #foodtour through the illustrious #Carmelmarket with our first guide, Anat from @viasabra! Tel Aviv seriously has some of the best street markets you could ever imagine 😍 I'll try not to inundate you with food pics 😉
One of Israel's biggest controversies: whose hummu One of Israel's biggest controversies: whose hummus is the **best** hummus? If it's from #Abuhasan, then it's chunky and topped with fava beans. Ryan adored it...me...? Well, it did have beans on top, and they kind of looked like Mexican refried beans. I think I'll keep looking for my favorite hummus 🤣@viasabra
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