a great day!

i enjoyed the internet cafe the other day so much that i’m back again! this time I’m enjoying a yummy coffee drink. :)

there are so many different kinds of playgrounds. this was one of our playgrounds today…

st. stephen’s basilica. i let reese out of the stroller and she climbed up and down the stairs in the front and then all over the open area where you see her sitting. :) we were just enjoying the grandeur of this magnificent church! we stashed the stroller just outside the front doors and took a peek inside. it’s beautiful! i forgot how much i like touring different old churches around europe. there is so much detail to see. granted it was a little different looking around with a toddler in my arms, but i just kept pointing things out to reese and she would look and take it all in. we didn’t stay in there long; we’ll definitely have to go back! It’s only a small walk away!

after the basilica we found an angol (english) bookstore near the basilica where we bought a book called “benjamin in budapest”. it’s a book with recommendations of things to do around the city with children. reese might be too little for some of it, but it has good ideas for summer and winter. it also lists all the parks. anyway, we already checked out one of the recommendations and it was so cool! it’s a playhouse with a small slide, a ball-zone, role play toys, a kitchen, puzzles, trucks, cars, puppets, books, etc! it’s perfect for 0-4 year olds and it seemed very clean. …always a plus! the staff will play with your kids and you can have a cup of coffee. now, i didn’t do that, but i might sometime in the future when I get more comfortable with it or just when i need a break! it’s also a small store where you can purchase toys. they weren’t too expensive either. i can see us buying the shopping cart! :) it has a small fee of 400HUF (forint) per child per half an hour. That’s about $2.25. reese LOVED it! well worth it! i would consider this a great find, especially with winter approaching!

here area a couple more pics of st. stephens basilica. The first one is the unedited picture and then second is the one i played with in picasa. neat huh?!

Yesterday we hung out at a different park with some friends…

melody (age 4) and grace (age 21 mo). melody got a hold of the scissors a couple of days ago and well, you can see what she did to herself and her sister. ha! i think it’s funny now, but i’m sure i won’t when reese does it in the future! anyway, marion, the mom, and I enjoy talking and she is a wealth of info since she’s lived here 2+ years. marion is british and her husband is american (haven’t met him yet) and they are here as missionaries. she has lived in various countries around the world, but i think the longest as in romania working with women prostitutes before she married. she is the only person i’ve found who doesn’t have a car. now, she does live on the buda side (we live on the pest, but everyone else lives on the buda side), but she takes public transportation with her 2 kiddos. she is great inspiration for me!

had to throw a cute picture of reese in there. :)

One more…

we walked around the city park on saturday and posed in front of the vajdahunyad castle. it was built in 1896 to celebrate hungary’s 1000th anniversary. i am fashioning my new european purchase. :) i love my new down vest! it’s perfect for cool days when the heavy coat isn’t necessary.

szia!!