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Showing posts from February, 2009

Budapest Trip - Feb 9-12 2009

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My trip to Budapest, although short, has been incredible as it's the first time I've been this far east in Europe.  Budapest, one of the true capitals of Europe, is a fascinating reflection of history and the blends of culture that have crossed this land both over the past few millennia and in recent history. As part of a country which is now part of the European Union and set to adopt the euro shortly, Budapest is an incredible symbol of east meets west, in this case European east meets west, with recent history thrown into the mix.  Having emerged from Communism in 1989, the buildings have only slowly been restored to their original grandeur, with some edifices reflecting their original lustor while others are still black from decades of soot and pollution, with others still displaying facades that have continuously decayed over the years and have yet to be touched. That comparison can also be seen in the attitudes of the people here.  With English being spoken more prevalent