Long Study Tour: Budapest - Day 1

We arrived in Budapest on Sunday morning after a quick 1.5 hour flight from Copenhagen. Can't really tell you much about the flight, I passed out from takeoff to landing. But sidenote to those internet addicts our there, Norwegian airlines offers Wifi! Rejoice! Because of our rough schedule, DIS anticipated us being mad sleep deprived and decided to show a little mercy. We didn't have any serious site visits on Sunday, instead a few cultural excursions were planned. Here is a picture spam version of our first day in Budapest:

Budapest architecture and I were love at first sight.

Unlike the short study tour, we are staying at a hotel this time.
D'aw, DIS is spoiling us. 

The view from my room on the 8th floor. (Thank God for elevators.)

After settling in, we went on an "Alternative Walking Tour". We were left guessing as to what the "alternative" suggested. As it turns out, our tour guide gave us an introduction to Pest (Buda lies on the other side of the river) through street art. She avoided all the major touristy areas (a bit of a disappointment, but there is always time later to explore on our own). The first hour was fun...but the second and third... My feet are now swollen to match my increased appreciation of street art.

An archway that was once built to mark the beginning of a parallel inroad to the city.
However, lack of funds leave it standing in modern day as a marker
of a road that leads...to a car park.

Sticker art is the new graffiti! 

An old dilapidated place of worship that is no longer in use. 

Glad to see that the Hungarians appreciate Hooters too.

Picking up some Hungarian Furint (HUF) at the ATM. 1 USD ~ 225 HUF.
 I am rolling in the dough!! :)

Just some cool window designs that our tour guide
 pointed out at a local synagogue.

A memorial to those who died in the Holocaust. Names are carved in the tiny leaves.

This is Szimpla, the third best bar in the world. It's a ruin bar, meaning it's been built in
 what used to be a ruin.  On Sunday afternoons, there is a farmer's market
 that takes place inside.

The remnants of the farmer's market. Sadly, we missed it by a few minutes.

A street artist posted up these meerkats on old
buildings that were in need of repair.

A random USB stuck in the wall in protest of the world
 wide web. People can upload things onto this drive or
download things left behind by total strangers.
 Some people upload original work that cannot
be found elsewhere.

Positive street art, part of a campaign by the government to boost perception of public space
and to foster pride in their city.

Goulash - a paprika beef stew with potatoes and carrots
that is very Hungarian. Mmmm.

My camera sucks. :\ But in my defense, I took this while walking.

Chain Bridge over the Danube River.

To wrap up our evening, we went on a dinner cruise.

After dinner, we were exhausted. Most of us were running on fumes at this point, having had less than five hours of sleep the night before. A few brave souls ventured back to the ruin bar Sunday night, but the rest of us fell face first into bed and fell fast asleep.