Birthdays

Sarurday, August 23, 2025

Today is our friend Jack’s birthday, so we found the appropriate place to celebrate him. Next year, we will have a double birthday because Erick and Lindsay’s baby arrived early. Three year old Mac had suggested he should be named Paper, so we have been calling him Paper. His parents are now calling him Lucas Michael. I’m so excited for them!

We had a semi weird breakfast at the hotel today. The people before us got a big story about the ala carte menu you can order from and this and that is on the buffet and we got a table. The waiter seemed confused when Keith asked what kind of juice they had. (The pineapple juice was terrific, apparently) We enjoyed the buffet offerings. Keith had a waffle from the piles of waffles under the heat lamp. I took one when they added some more, and it was frozen. I was so confused. I went to put it in the toaster. The toaster was new. It had 6 spots for bread/waffle and two timers and a lever. I turned the timer and it started warming up, so I put the waffle in. It just went in and down. After a while, I pulled the lever up and the waffle came up. Huh. I got some butter and headed for the syrup. Nope. All gone, We asked for more. Okay. After about 10 minutes, the waiter came over to say that the syrup would be a little bit longer. They brought some out just before we left. That is also when the waiter asked us if we wanted to order anything. After we had been there for 35 minutes, refilling our plates so many times. No, thanks. The best part was that the honey was just dripping out of a honey comb. Cool.

After breakfast we went back to the room. I didn’t sleep well last night because my nose was stuffy and because I had about 97 cramps in my feet and calf. My foot would cramp, I would stretch, the side of my leg would cramp and I would have to hop out of bed to help it. Oh, so many times! I sat down and played Wordle, then said I would rest a little while Keith showered. I woke up at 2 in the afternoon. Huh.

We set out on a walk. We saw a fountain that drops water that makes pictures or words. So great.

We saw several of these signs. What does it mean? What does it say? Does it say run away if a coyote chases you? Mad dog? Beware! Wolves! I do not know. Keith said we would be fine. We were fine.

Pretty buildings with tile on their roofs

We walked to the Hospital in the Rock. There were a series of caves that formed naturally in the rock that is castle hill. They started enhancing them and built a hospital that opened in 1944. It was built for 60 patients, but somehow held 600 during the bombing and seige of Budapest. It was not a happy place with such overcrowding, no water, no supplies, and the bombing going on above, but better than just getting hit with a bomb. In the 50s, it was a hospital again after the failed 1956 uprising. Later in the 60s, the Soviets built a “secret” nuclear bunker out it. We were not allowed to take pictures, but as we were walking out, the guy in front of me did, so I did.

As we walked, I took a few pictures under the category “people just live here”.

We found somewhere to shop for the first time this trip. It closed while we were on the hospital tour., so I shopped with my camera.

We finally ate Langos, a local fry bread covered with sour cream and cheese (traditionally). We had it “hungarian” style with ham, bacon, red onion, and tomato on the sour cream and cheese. We shared it and couldn’t finish it, because it was large. We tried to have chimney cakes, but the ice cream was gone and we wanted it with ice cream. And we were full.