flew and flew and flew. through mountains of cloud where i saw faces. frozen expressions. changing land below first organized farm land. circles and perfect squares, rectangles.
to a new continent where the land is like a crazy quilt with curves. embroidered with shades of blue, grey, green, gold. tiny houses below made of stone and slate roofs. verdant summer lands.
all the way here to my new outdoor resting space. so much flying left me stunned. i sat and stared at all the big-leafed trees. it is quiet in my neighborhood in the 9th district. no tourists in the other apartments.
i drank milk from a carton and enjoyed a plate of cookies left out for me. santa has arrived in budapest. thanks for the welcome!
lots of windows letting in balmy mild air.
the apartment is gleaming white & pale blue walls. lovelier than anticipated.
i napped then grabbed the map and went for money. no euros here. the currency is FORINTS. 50,000 = 264 buckeroos.
my apartment is down the street on right at the corner. churchyard on left. peaceful. haven't heard any english yet. i am perfectly cocooned in a foreign world.
in a daze. walking around and around. looking up. turning in circles in the middle of the street.
hello new world. i've just been born. it's good to be here.
fruit so fresh you can smell the sweetness as you pass by. i will return tomorrow for peaches, melons, berries.
i saw copper streetlights!
an old bookstore beckoned. i carried my provisions home.
back home to the balcony. and gothic night sky full of portent and drama.
Welcome to your brand new world, Hungarian baby!!! I am glad you have landed safely.
Posted by: Olivia Rose Lee | Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 10:04 PM
yay! so happy you have arrived and are sharing it all with us! it looks so delicious there, and those clouds--amazing.
Posted by: sara berry | Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 10:09 PM
WOW!!! This looks really good. thanks for sharing.
Posted by: colleen darling | Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 10:52 PM
So, so BEAUTIFUL!!! Thanks so much for sharing. What fun to visit vicariously!
Posted by: Sally Edmonds | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 12:50 AM
ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY!
Posted by: Elizabeth | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 03:08 AM
Safe travels wild woman! You deserve it!
Posted by: Brian Kasstle | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 03:17 AM
Wow! That looks like an amazing apartment! Wishing you a wonderful time in Budapest. I was there many years ago and loved it.
Posted by: Caatje | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 03:29 AM
Any place that welcomes you with a plate of cookies is surely a perfect place to be!! Glad to hear you arrived safely. Are you travelling alone this time? Great photos (love, love, love the ironwork bird), looking forward to the next dispatch.
Posted by: Cynthia | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 04:04 AM
Thanks for sharing your travels! I'm so excited to be along for the ride. Have a glorious experience!
Posted by: Barbara S. | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 04:20 AM
Beautiful. Breathtaking. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Kim | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 04:48 AM
Glad to hear you traveled safely and that the accommodations are superlative. I saw a mans face in your clouds and celebrate your new Hungarian birth. Happy travels. Say hi to sister :)
Posted by: Leslie J. Moran | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 04:49 AM
Looks wonderful MaryAnn. Raising a glass of iced tea to wish you a wonderful vacation! (oh those florint translations though...)
Posted by: Maureen | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 05:07 AM
So glad to see you are in your brand new world safe and sound! Notice, I did not say sane! LOL! Soak it all in every day you can. Relax!
Posted by: Sharon Bennett | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 05:24 AM
Oh its lovely!
Posted by: Cora | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 05:28 AM
I was enchanted by Budapest too and always hope to return for another visit. So thankful you arrived safely!
Posted by: kas | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 05:35 AM
Oh yay! "We" have arrived! Looking forward to all the adventures!
Posted by: Janet Ghio | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 05:42 AM
You are with sister or solo?
Posted by: susan w | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 05:55 AM
holy freaking blissfulness!!!!!!!!!!!!! I gasped when i saw that balcony photo...and had to immediately print it out to put in my FTB journal! So i can live vicariously through you! What an awesome apartment and awesome country. Enjoy it to the fullest! xo natalea
Posted by: natalea | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 06:08 AM
enjoy. thanks for the tour. hoping to follow in your footsteps..........
Posted by: Uma Borden | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 06:12 AM
Mary Ann, I was abroad in June but your post and your gorgeous photos make me want to sell all my possessions and return to Europe!
Posted by: Laurie J.M. | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 06:28 AM
Wow!!!! I remember seeing beautiful iron gates decorated with birds! I photographed one that had peacocks designed into them! Simply beautiful, such a beautiful city!!! Thank you for giving us a peek!!!
Posted by: Liza_kjs@hotmail.com | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 06:43 AM
It is beautiful! I could live on that balcony forever. Have a wonderful time.
Posted by: kelley | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 07:11 AM
It all looks so wonderful. Thanks for taking us along with you on this beautiful and relaxing vacation of yours. I am so happy for you. Hurray, you have WiFi.
Posted by: Nancy Lynn | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 07:17 AM
So happy to see that you arrived safely!
Looks like your kind of place, Mary Ann ... beautiful everywhere you look ... every detail looks beautiful!!
Thanks so much for sharing all the loveliness!!
You are making me hungry for Hungary -- ha! -- sorry, just had to say it :-)
Delightful days to you, Mary Ann!
Posted by: CC | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 07:22 AM
absolutely beautiful. Love the photos and it must feel like a little slice of heaven. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.
Posted by: Sherry Eckblad | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 07:37 AM
oh! gasp!! soooo beautiful!!! wow! thank you for allowing us to "travel" along with you!
Posted by: amy | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 08:07 AM
Is that a FTB travel journal? I'd love to know what supplies you took with you this time! Looking forward to your posts!
Posted by: Lynda | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 08:16 AM
I love that first photo. I remember as a child lying on the ground looking up at the clouuds and I remember how I felt when I first flew through them - they were every bit as I imagined they would be from the ground.
It looks to me like you are in for a fabulous stay, and I look forward to following you about
Posted by: Jillayne | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 08:25 AM
I'm loving it! Thanks for taking me with you.
Posted by: Chelsy | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 08:33 AM
Amazing photos - what a beautiful place . . . have lots of fun there!
Posted by: kristi | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 08:41 AM
Beautiful. From the clouds to the details.
Posted by: Alisa | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 08:46 AM
It's so EXOTIC! And clean. And civilized. You must feel like a character in a novel or an art film. Love love love traveling with you. I don't even have any jet lag. (((((hug)))))
Posted by: judy wise | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 08:54 AM
Wow, I'm right there with you!
Posted by: Connie Rose | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 09:13 AM
That looks like absolute bliss! And the bookstore, what did you get? Do you get any sun on the balcony? Are you near any water? Does the church have bells? Are the children in school yet? Any flowers in window boxes? What do the buses look like? What is the current fashion for teenagers? How strong is the coffee? What is the national cocktail? And, most importantly, is there a decent Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood! Oh, to be on vacation where the only thing on the agenda is F.U.N.
Posted by: Violet Cadburry | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 09:41 AM
Tha apartment is beautiful. I am so glad you arrived safely!! Enjoy the peace and beauty of your new world--may it bring adventures, new experiences and healing!! Thanks for sharing your vacation with us--it's just one of the things that set you apart from all the others!!
Posted by: Cat | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 10:09 AM
So glad you survived the flight and got settled in. I love the apartment and the neighborhood. Looks like everything is very handy. Your descriptions are wondrous as is this new (very old) land we are enjoying. Thank you for bringing us along.
Posted by: Saucy Chick Sherry | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 10:25 AM
you make me yearn to travel the world.
such exotic, beautiful, out of the way places you choose.
so glad that i get to peek around with you. wish i were there irl.
and where's sister? or are you braving it out on your own?
big hugs, travel safe, and have fun.
Posted by: Francesca Di Leo | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 10:41 AM
HELLO EVERYONE!
SISTER WILL BE JOINING ME ON SUNDAY! FOR NOW I AM ON A SOLO ADVENTURE.
WELL....just me and cookie (who accompanies me in my mind)
THANKS FOR THE LOVE. YOU ARE SWELL COMPANIONS.
I AM ON THE BALCONY RIGHT NOW!
Posted by: Mary Ann Moss | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Mary Ann, you are so brave, good for you. I have never traveled and I love traveling through your eyes. Thanks for the pictures and descriptions, I am enjoying your trip. Have fun for me too.
Posted by: peggy mcdevitt | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:05 AM
...your trips always make me want to hop a plane and see where I end up... your photos are beautiful! happy "birth"day; have a wonderful time, and I can't wait to see more of your trip!!
Posted by: Jennifer | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:05 AM
I love your method of travel - slow and easy. It seems you can merge right into the culture and really "see" the place you are visiting. My travel is usually a giant whirlwind of motion and I long to take a trip one day the way you do. For now, I will join in on the internet. Enjoy!
Posted by: Kathleen | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:18 AM
Thank you for taking us along!
Last year at this time I was getting ready to go to France. This year I am feeling nostalgic and wistful. I'm glad I get you enjoy your trip vicariously!
(Seriously wondering why the post office put a metal plate in the ground............... :-) )
Posted by: Vicki in Michigan | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:21 AM
What a beautiful welcome; would love to know how you found your apartment. Everything looks so inviting. Looking forward to the new adventuresome trip! Be well.
Posted by: Debbie G. | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:56 AM
Looks like a wonderful spot to explore. Will enjoy your posts of the trip. Take care. :)
Posted by: Judy H. | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 12:08 PM
So many interesting places to see and delicious food to try...you and your sister will definitely have a great time. Budapest is such a beautiful city!
Posted by: Mae | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 12:27 PM
A lump in my throat rose up as I wandered with you through the oldness. I can feel the ethers of history from here. I miss it. Be present, Be here. Every minute. Enjoy. Donna
Posted by: donna, doni, lady d | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 12:49 PM
Awesome.
Posted by: lisa cox | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 12:54 PM
wow, fabulous!!!!! Take me away calgon!
Posted by: Karen | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 02:07 PM
It all looks so inviting. Love the apartment. Thanks for taking us along.
Posted by: Michel Murphy | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 02:13 PM
Oh my goodness, you are so BRAVE to travel to a place where you can't understand the language! I'm happy to be safe at home while you have all the adventures - and we get to see all the beauty. Your journal is going to be SO fat! Love it, love it. Enjoy!
Posted by: Lisa Mallette (euphoriastamper) | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 02:44 PM
My hubby always finds me amusing that I love to take pics of clouds and landscape from a plane. I find it totally amazing and do feel refreshed and reborn. It is wonderful seeing new places through your eyes. Brings the whole world together. Peace and love.
Posted by: Corky (Corliss) | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 04:33 PM
Wow! Such beauty surrounds you. It must feel like you've stepped into a fairytale. Enjoy your days.
Posted by: Sharon | the teacup incident | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 04:35 PM
Wow! Stunning! So glad you made it safely. I have never been out of the USA, so I get to travel vicariously through you. London and France beckon...someday...lol! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us chimps. :) Happy Journaling, too!
Best,
Mary Dean
Posted by: Mary Dean | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 05:43 PM
Oh Mary Ann, how brave you are!!! I am so envious of you, but with you in spirit as you take us with you into your new world. Keep the pics coming, lovin it!!
Posted by: Julie Williams | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 06:34 PM
What a lovely view from the balcony. Familiar sights on the street, but so different that you must stop and look. And lucky us, we get to look too.
Posted by: Ruth | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 08:24 PM
Wow! I LOVE your photos and descriptions...want to grab my journal and supplies and meet you there!
Posted by: Susan M | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 09:01 PM
Beautiful! I have been waiting for you to arrive. My husband and I (Canadians) are debating where to spend a week in early September....comfortable Toronto (we live north in a town of 1500) or venture to Chicago for the first time...or to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico to visit our daughter. Budapest sounds divine but not right now...but still, you give me the fever. i want to travel, and sit on warm balconies and write words that sound poetic....(sigh)...will watch for your next post!
Posted by: Pauline Clark | Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 09:11 PM
What a lovely adventure!! I always admire your approach to travel - nothing holds you back :-) I feel as if I am walking those streets with you. Have fun you wonderful adventurer - you really do deserve it!!
Posted by: Kim Owens | Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 12:43 AM
Glad to see you arrived safely. Now, please, take me back to the amazing food market with the ironwork structure and piles of sausage...to the tearooms in the square with the dobostorte and maybe to the restaurant with the violinist...
(not much to ask, really )
Posted by: Gill | Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 12:57 AM
Love that you so Love the world ... and share it with us all <3 Philippa, N.Z.
Posted by: Philippa, New Zealand | Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 01:21 AM
I really like 'traveling' with you. Thanks for your wonderful pictures of places I'll never see.
Posted by: ceevee | Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 06:43 AM
Copper street lights...very cool. It would be SO dark here in Kansas City as thieves would steal them and hock them for something ELSE illegal! It's always such an eye opener to see all the old, historic (and valuable) structures that exist in some foreign countries. Buildings made of stone and marble, and not sheet rock and cheap plywood. It shows what's important to the people that live there. :)
Have a GREAT time, Mary Ann!
Posted by: Tellulah | Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 02:05 PM
Where shall go tomorrow?
Posted by: Shar Ulm | Friday, August 19, 2011 at 09:50 AM
About, o, a hundred years ago I, along with another teacher, took 8 senior students to Manhattan to visit Fordham and NYU and see the city. On one of our free days, the other teacher and I decided to split up and he took 4 of the kids to NYU and I took my four to purposely get "lost". When we reconnoitered in the evening for dinner, by consensus it was decided that the on purpose "lost" group had the most fun!!
Posted by: Elizabeth | Friday, August 19, 2011 at 07:59 PM
So I decided to pop in and check on your world this Saturday morning.
What pure pleasure viewing your posts from abroad Mary Ann!
Your photography talents capturing the beauty, history and character of the neighborhoods,
towns, villages, craft fair, lovely old buildings and trees, every day people and yummy culinary delights !
OMGoodness, I am feeling pea green !
Have an amazing good time with your sis and I will look forward to viewing more of your inspiring posts.
Thank you for sharing all the delights!!!
Posted by: paulette | Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 01:52 PM