2nd day of 2015

It snowed just a little on New Years Day for us!  It fell softly and silently and delicately, sprinkling the ground rather than covering it but it was wonderful just the same.  It didn't last long and left us in minus three without the prettiness.  I wonder how long I would have to live here before snow lost its charm?  I am very grateful for the new jacket (thigh length) and velour leggings I bought in Cologne.  Now I have a toasty warm backside and thighs which I couldn't have had with my waisted jackets and two pairs of thermals (worn at the same time).
We went to the same restaurant as yesterday - Vapiano - a cool Italian restaurant where you line up and order and they cook it right in front of you.  Practically every cook/chef speaks English and amazes me again by the language skills (and makes mine feel so inferior in return).  I have to think hard how to thank them now.  My mind files through the languages very slowly now, having been to so many different countries.  'Pro seem', no that's please in Czech, 'Danke', no that's thanks in German, 'Shuckran', no that's thanks in Egyptian (Huh? I went to Egypt eight years ago, how come I think that now?).  I guess I have a language drawer and have just shoved everything foreign in there without bothering to sort it.  That must be one area where I am disorganised.
I found kurtoskalacs which is identical to the Prague trdelnik which is dough rolled around a wooden rolling pin like thing and cooked over coals.  They roll it in sugar and cinnamon once it's cooked and you eat it - it's soooo good.  I bought one (Kamahl, it was bigger than yours!) and loved every calorie, which would have been a few.  It is just one of the ways to warm you up as you walk around.  Much more fun than jogging on the spot.
The entries to the metro are scary.  It is a seventy degree angle down (or up), a hundred or so metres in length and the escalators create a kind of wind tunnel, tossing the frigid air in your face like a slap.  You go so far into the Earth that you feel like you should see lava lakes below the train tracks.  The worst one is our 'home' station near the Hungarian Parliament.  If you have any height fears definitely don't look down; even I grip the rail and I went on a ride in Phantasialand that was a 65 metre drop straight down (albeit I did it once and never again).  Boy does being in Phantasialand, Cologne seem like months ago rather than mere weeks.
Today we went into the Hungarian Parliament which was a little disappointing.  I did it last time and remembered it to have more information and was cheaper.  Today was $20 for forty minutes of being driven, corralled and being fed half-heard information.  Not so much fun and sadly I wouldn't recommend it anymore.  It more of a production line than an informative insight.  It is still one of my favourite buildings in Budapest, I will just enjoy it from the outside.  We then went to the market hall and had a look at all the food and souvenirs on display then walked the main shopping street back to our hotel.  We stayed in tonight because I am not feeling well.  Hopefully I will be well enough (and mum won't get sick) to do a walking tour tomorrow.

Sorry, no photos as we have separated from the Godfreys and their laptop (and photo uploading ability) went with them.  Check out Haylee's blog to see any (though sadly not of Budapest).

Thanks for reading.  I hope you are enjoying the hot weather for me.