a mid-run stop behind Parliament for a few photo ops

We had a really calm and peaceful weekend, which was such a change from the last few weekends, and also from what I remember about last July.  But I chalk it up to the difference this time of year between residential Pest and tourist-laden Buda.  On Friday night I decided that I wanted to get out of the apartment, having been working at my desk all week long.  Even though a little rain was falling in the city, we opted to walk the ten blocks or so to Pozsony (the restaurant, not the city– Bratislava).  We both ordered a chef’s offer, Györgyi had chicken fried in breadcrumbs, and I had pike perch parisian style with fries.  Since we opted to sit outside, Barnabás was also in attendance, and he had a little of everyone’s meal.

Saturday we were on the road at 5am for a early and amazing long run.  We ran from our flat in the 13th district up to the castle and around and down the castle a bit.  It was such easy and peaceful run.  It seemed like no one was in the city at all, just a few older locals and the workers setting up the Lánchíd Bridge for the festival.  Each weekend in the summer, the Lánchíd is closed to car traffic and is instead lined with vendors and artists and musicians.  But that early in the morning, it was just the men in their socialist-inspired work overals, setting everything up.

Of course we snapped a few pictures of Barnabás for his site and slowly meandered our way back down the first district to the river.  It was wonderful.  The temperature has been very cool and for some reason I haven’t really noticed the crowds as much.  It seems like everyone in our building is on holiday right now, as the parking lot is only about 10% full.  And elsewhere in the city, at the fruit and veggie stands on Pannónia utca and in the Lehel market, people are just taking it easy.  Even though I’m a few weeks away from my own travels, I’m taking it easy too.  It’s a good time to be here in Budapest.