2010...

In three hours, it will be 2010. Hungary is in the Central European Time zone, so we get to sample 2010 for six whole hours before the East Coast of the US. Woohoo!

I realized today that, for us, 2010 promises to be pretty darn great:

...We will see not some, not most but all of our immediate family members, and also get to meet our nephew Sammy.

...Jonathan will finish his sixth and final year of osteopathic studies.

...I will enjoy some fun changes with work.

...We will spend time in Hungary, Senegal, France and the US - and with people who are important to us in each place.

Bring it on, 2010. We're ready for you!

Am guessing Coca-Cola did not have this in mind...

Just FYI, 100 Hungarian forint = 53 cents.

So visiting this little rest area will run you just over a dollar on date night. But hey, maybe you could share a Coke afterwards...

Who needs a bath?

Swimming in the 'laps only' pool with Kate

Apparently, we needed to bathe. With a bunch of strangers. Repeatedly.

Today we drove into downtown Budapest, City Park to be exact, then changed into bathing suits to run around Europe's largest medicinal baths. Oh, did I mention it was 30°F outside?

We had been to the Széchenyi Thermal Baths last February with my parents and I absolutely loved it. Today was even better. Something about the hot-cold-hot-cold really relaxes me. I even hopped in one of the iced pools after the sauna. Wonderful.


One of the three big outdoor pools. Indoors there were many, many other pools and saunas.


Széchenyi Thermal Bath... well, one of them.


Me, on the left. Lappin' away...


The central pools - each has jets and thermally heated water up to 104°F in some spots.


Hot water, cold air!


After sunset, which means about 4:30pm. Still bathing!

Buda, Óbuda... don't be a Pest!

Cruising along the Danube (Well, not literally.)

Interesting fact I learned on this walk around town (seen photographed in this post): The capital city of Hungary, Budapest, was created out of the unification of the separate historic towns of Buda, Pest and Óbuda in 1873.


Snapping pictures at the Citadel over Budapest (abbreviated BP by local expats and BUD by the airport)


Chris and Kate in front of one of the city's yellow trams


Obsessed with my camera


Kate


Taking a break


Kate and Chris


Cheers!


Mmm... Kavé. Budapest has the best coffee drinks - even at Pizza Hut!


Chris and Kate at the Citadel


Still walking...

And a Bulldog Christmas to you too...

The fam

In Hungarian, the word 'happy' is 'boldog'. And yes, it's pronounced like it looks. So to wish someone a happy or merry Christmas, you say "Boldog Karácsonyt!" But Bulldog Christmas is easier to say, so I'm saying it to you that way.


Guess what I got for Christmas?


Jonathan, being serious


Kate


The new photo-snapper. You're supposed to hold it with your pinkie out.


Jonathan, being himself


By the tree


Snapping my new runner bling - thanks, Erin!


And gloves too!


Enjoying the rest of the day

Usually they say I look like my Mom...

But you gotta' admit there's some ressemblance to my Dad in this one.

Finally, after 72 hours of snow delays in Virginia, my parents made it safely (and bumped to First Class) across the Atlantic and back to their home in Hungary - where we were anxiously awaiting their arrival.

Brotherly love...

Whenever we're with the Masson side of the family, I'm always surprised by how Jonathan and Jesse treat Britt (their older sister). Their 'pesky little brother' sides really come out as they tease and harass her endlessly. But Britt handles it with patience and grace, always the mature one taking care of her brothers and being sure everything is organized and runs smoothly.

Chris and I have a very different big sister-little brother relationship. He respects me as the older, wiser sister. Sure we bickered as kids, but we've grown up and have put that silliness behind us.

Which is why I was shocked, simply shocked I tell you, to see this sight when I opened the bathroom door this morning:



MOM!! Chris is being mean again!

Oh Christmas tree...

We found a box labeled 'Cile's Christmas Jewelry' and just couldn't resist. (My earrings have bells on the back. Ring-aling!)


Kate stood on the stairs to oversee the decorating of the banister. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to keep an eye on everything and Chris managed to get his hands on my glasses. I mean really, where did he get the idea to try on other people's accessories??


All good Christmas trees start off as tree-poles


Taking a break...


Jonathan and Chris putting together the tree


Enjoying the sun... which we haven't seen in France lately.


Reeeach for the star!

Dear Mom...

Just wanted to keep you in the loop of the going-ons here at your house. As you know, we arrived in Budapest yesterday evening, shortly before Chris and Kate's flight landed. Michelle had made us dinner (which was awesome - we were pretty tired) and so we sat around your dining room table, using the dishes Chris and I grew up eating off of, feeling really strange to be here in your house without you. And that's when you and Dad Skyped and we set up the web cam so you could be 'at dinner' too.


Check me out. Such a natural in snow.

This morning Jonathan shoveled the snow off the walkway before the rest of us woke up. (Big surprise.) We re-figured out how to make coffee the way we like it, and Kate and I were very pleased to see you now have a proper tea kettle. (Can you tell I work with Britons?)


Chris has been behaving, in case you were worried.

Chris and Jonathan put together the Christmas tree and we're going to decorate it tonight. We raided the freezer, made a couple loaves of bread, did some yoga and braved a walk to the store. Fortunately, the guy who works there speaks English and was really helpful. We got a can of white beans, frozen peas, a very sad head of lettuce, some radishes, pickled beets, Coke and a couple bags of fresh milk. I'll let you guess what we're making for dinner...

We're having fun, but can't wait for you guys to get here on Wednesday morning!

Love, K

Now here's a new twist...

The plan for Christmas 2009 was for the three units of the Borders fam (us, Chris & Kate, my parents) to meet at my parents' house in Budapest. I say 'meet' because my parents have actually been in the US for a couple weeks. They were scheduled to arrive on Sunday morning, us in early afternoon and Chris and Kate in the late evening.


But hey, snow happens. Family unit 2 (Jonathan and I) is currently sitting in the lovely Budapest airport, sipping kavé, as we wait for Chris and Kate to arrive in about two hours. Meanwhile, the 'rents are on the phone with Delta trying to figure out a way to get over to this continent asap. They were delayed 24 hrs originally, and now delayed again.


So we'll be holding down the fort until my parents arrive on Monday. Anyone who knows them well knows that we will not be short on food as we wait :)

Party at the Borders house - parents are out of town/continent!

Good morning!

I got out of bed at 6:02am today. By choice.

Not sure I've ever done that before. (Well, maybe Christmases 1985-89.) I don't think I ever actually fell asleep last night, so was amazingly wide awake before the alarm went off. I took my time getting ready, made coffee and my 5-grain oatmeal here rather than at the office (I'm sure my co-workers will miss its lovely scent perfuming the office today) and I still have 24 minutes until Jonathan hustles me out the door for our bus ride into town.

So I thought I'd update the blog.

2 more days of work
17 months since we've seen my brother and Kate
3 days until we see them!
14 days we'll spend with them at my parents' house in Budapest

Maybe the reason I couldn't sleep was because I'm so excited??

The city of 8 million candles...

Fireworks over Hôtel Dieu

The Fête des Lumières is...
... 4 million visitors to Lyon
... 80 light displays across the city
... 8 million votive candles sold for illuminating windows
... 3.5 million people on the public transportation network (including us - tight squeeze, y'all!)
... 3 times the usual weekend sales for local bars and restaurants
... 0 available hotel rooms in the city for those four days


Jonathan and his deer-in-the-headlights

A p’tit history lesson: Part I
The origins of the lights festival go back to 1643 when Lyon was struck by the plague. The city leaders promised to pay tribute to Mary if the town was spared. It was, and they did. The city of Lyon was consecrated to Mary with a celebration on December 8th.


The Ferris wheel at Place Bellecour



There really is no way to capture the amazing lightshow at St Jean (always my favorite) but hopefully these four shots will give an idea of how cool it is.

A p’tit history lesson: Part II
Move forward to 1852. A statue of Mary was placed on the Fourvière Hill, overlooking the city. The dedication was to be held on September 8th...but the Saone River flooded and the plans were pushed back three months to December 8th, which was already celebrated as we learned in Part I.

However, on the morning of the big day, a storm struck Lyon. The festivities were cancelled once again - but the skies cleared just in time and the people were so excited that they spontaneously lit candles in their windows and lit flares to illuminate the new statue. The tradition took hold.



Part III
And now, every 8th of December, the Lyonnais light candles in their windows and the city is illuminated. Families walk the city, drinking vin chaud and eating roasted chestnuts (I do not understand their appeal - blech), and taking tons of pictures.




For every light display in town, there were about 2 kebab stands, 1 churro vender and 1 crêpe maker - not that I'm complaining about an abundance of good street food. These were the best kebabs I've ever had: slow-grilled lamb and onions, lettuce, tomato and garlic sauce stuffed into a half of a round, chewy loaf of Turkish bread.


The guys diving in. Garth (the one who's not Jonathan) and his beautiful wife Rebeca go to our church here in Lyon.


Fourvière Basilica on the hill and St Jean Cathedral down below


My favorite picture - St Jean.