Pictures from the banquet

Prof. Hanson hired a bus to take us to dinner:

We were a big crowd at the restaurant:


Everyone discovered the kids' games on the back of their placements. There was a lot of whining until I found them some colored pencils to play with.  I don't have a picture, but ask Lucas about his masterpiece.




Thanks for letting me hang out with you for a month!

--Jill

Jó éjszakát Budapestrol!

(Good night from Budapest!)

The students have all left the Marriott Executive Apartments, our home in Budapest for the past month.   Most of them left at 4:30 this morning without a lot of sleep the night before!   It was a great month that went by way too quickly.   I hope you enjoyed following our activities!   

Szia!
  
Professor Hanson

Day 24!!!!!!

Today was an absolute blast. Considering the fact that our final exam (worth 30% of our grade) is tomorrow, many students decided to take today to explore the numerous wonderful study spaces offered in our wonderful apartment building. From people's spacious rooms, to open conference rooms, to other people's equally spacious rooms, students were spread out making sure they knew how to solve equations, use theorems, and write proofs. Here is photographic evidence that our room was hard at work studying:

Because our room wanted to take advantage of all the short study time, we decided to have dinner at a delicious burger restaurant across the street. Besides the short breaks to get food and stretch our legs, most of the day has been consumed by studying.

Finally, we had to wrap our heads around the fact that we only have one more day in Budapest to cross any last minute things off of our bucket list. In honor of that, we have decided to conclude our final blog with a song.

-Jonathan, Jono, Jevrem

Day 23

Here are words sorted into hopefully coherent sentences,

Today was our last day of class?!?! Time has gone so quickly. We started our day off with a math presentation by Miklos Laczkovich about the recursive series Xn+1 = Xn + 1/Xn. After that we had a lunch break to get our brains ready for the proofs that were coming in the next section. In class we learned about Pythagorean triples and primitive Pythagorean triples (Pythagoras is the triangle guy). After class we did the homework and went to dinner. The blog would be incomplete without pictures of our food so here they are.

Peter's wiener schnitzel

Sam's pork

Lucas' turkey

After dinner at Lucas' favorite place (which also happens to be next door), we wrote this blog and then studied math because we have our final on Thursday :0. There's no good bridge to the next part, so here's our best try. 

Bridge

We know our blog is pretty boring today so we decided to compile all Sam-with-horse pictures for your entertainment. We know they entertained us. 

- Lucas, Peter, Sam

Day 22?

We have now finished our third weekend here in Budapest.  Although we did not venture outside the city, it was still an intercultural experience for some.  Over the weekend we ate at an outstanding Russian place, celebrated birthdays, wandered through a neighborhood, and toured one of Budapest’s iconic ruin pubs.  Others toured the caves underneath Budapest, visited the famous Szechenyi baths and hiked 23 kilometers through the magnificent Buda hills.  Unfortunately, this was our final weekend in Hungary’s capital.  It will be difficult for some of us to say goodbye to places and friends we met here.

Today in morning class we learned about cryptography. 

8RLhzBukPP 8Pb1LLaDU0 f1tcgICGCT MPE0PCAP1W ef7C8xR8FO sxiHheclgy T7N3wcdfWc FmZKmCW0T3 ZfA3ABXTYj akgRutKGZE Aq6hS8QmDb a6PITtZ67k HVT8siSrTw EUM5RiJTyP t3VBMq9a1o Euqv59jwo0 gghx6K7WUe Ca9MzwtDAy ik9OsVq6E3 ygiCWBoJEo es2yrbBtrP LoyJFpIueU 4IGHubdimw 2OqEib2TTm RhNuT7uvz2 xannikacux 2YGandSquF IEmtfJtBOF 8pQ6Xzzz7g Ls8HmJ8OCC fNkASHoHuJ lOBxhd9xMp x4E0G4QsZp LXLJBCH5tY n9xpkSYNG6 ZWmuBkpuMQ QxNEjyQbFV PAG4GWcmyk gQjRznf8nN s7NfEJg8KS XJgwjKgnc2 5eojvyPXTj foIWiDNsPB vZx4TfxREx lJxwxIWzEQ 4catq2T8Jr XrsFp4qtKX LjqOgJlsSc 7uWTTGOyjU qbTpS3LDnN 4MbrynnaiN aqm3ZBaSzp gkissedg8j SwFtUYVm4V rEI8CnsQiJ 071rbJLc6N Jyf775nAX9 hQfOBqyXPv oYAn9ZzpxY wWI6DZzBbG y3lReHqLhZ 0DKJuCClBs ZjA2xD8bYB wc7hptraNG Jj3PBkhFpT uRVGaQkfJH syourOfJXp gwdJ6N8h6M 9eDLoYr0JQ YDjAsUBTol GspjAwWStn Q0Gl8ggtuc DyvG3JWGdz Z1uQTPAllx WiHP5sYOCR A3zwpcaKXb BUEaDPvdbY 2muQVU9IkO 6hjiEbajMh Anm8ZPYBXh 4kAKLkrKAU 52rB78yNTr NrPSID11RZ ZTF0ijVgxl EVloEFNbXY Y7OJAymveC Y3IesMAqrS n8eLHoUo3E lOlKYn7OME FbnNVIeHYn hzSez1wM31 oSyB6cNCjc U1ULZ8Qv4V ICTYPGJohP uvJgvG0nIm PT9KC4NZiD oEDlvXA4N9 f6wXJzhobe qJJFGl9te7 gKteznncN1 IKSCLwfmV8 KVsKuULpbB rJh2MHqj4S hotDvO6lFd jWZWlSKIy9 HDzMs4vM61 yE4mLKvniA Et7cKIcf45 KjuCImhxTe BXbARLvffK mnh4xnzfmk tCdlXiGwsY 6TeVwfSHpe 94XeOcj0Zt nnxYWgRMtr ZjMNIp6Ab2 iBSGmRbWwQ XMMn3nHhOJ hWCmeet5yp 00Oh1bXz9r 88EImAh9DW TFxqix8Z9N osCkGs38s6 Dj52Of5mZ5 pXYiHpOloe dEpWH6b3RG guXTmzkNN8 gWVWxGqzGR pcLa7SG60v iTunjEP2tl cgbvN1y37Z DHz1SrS3Q6 fJ4x47zxYi hAQQZhREBw tbritishoK WjxTxKRDak BgA3bFZq9G jrQxfHy1RI MTinnalL9p WO1Ar60eQs kEFhuVHsno 5yUHoGEpe4 xBdCFeVsKU 1oyZI9WHyw prhMHwTDJl JxCSDj2hoN Xkt8RqMfcM WbQ4IyDeHa 5OmLgFgajj 16lLcv2iVE POn6d3h40M UMd2PnS57a Eh8jCWXVMl szRxnrb9dV NIFG0LwD2G DzvjKIcRTn mWlL62aTMG NSC3WWmvTV ygOBbye6t3 byRrERKjyo WhFCJjNE3w 3wrkSKUc6F 5JCOsqcz8z HC8IAovycZ vWQ5jd6SAX B3CMFhjrrs vN8SrYFZtv A6f85JwNS8 0zUKYEryiH X0MlwzmWKA gXZZf5uLya yyvErXKJAA sI3boys2ef 6jXgM7RTSk WMzfLEfQwf 4rcXdD2q9z TtZ3nUaeIs mqEGmU6iGU LZzs7BCiEM FjjYyrrzpo jTlntU5Kq0 ctPt4OLHjy 4osqj0K4oN UMlXhN2G3o V85NtMsltA 70YiKviZ5C 5xhXFNqwlG UfpavUzHcA BogZfyinNo xMkSjotUob yBjehjHUOq agN2E11Wbl jwObKySIz4 jCTyHcZsE0 8GTbaBZVlI MXM013Mi8S SdQVppRtt8 nhDWkJp9et o54JlyevD0 k2sSPNrGG8 sWcSFs5tK7 a00lUjRcFF oj9EB4Oi2Y T7JpkwAmtl b1LE9r8CUL MLt1RYtobP RsyzJP2uFZ 6lwx6b4WHC W9oZdxsRwz F3WmnV53To qKfkTIIcWt nR0ylVdnm3 pur2SA2mwD zxyggwjgZv 9s41V6ZLX8 Fwjf029TqW cgwnSr8JJZ nItbatkgqf uzeNni6EN4 QQlxyJABUS n7ijlQFSs2 B9V0swOqMw 8PwXEoIfp3 kgn0PkYrO6 k19AAnqP8w K0guWdXJQZ enKH8Hk17I obJWUK5kgJ snBGxR0gtz PnXvTCee15 dyYTf7cILP Q3Xq1mSJJQ MbdAFGy3b2 LywT3ptCOa UoakvJBOm4 WrTyeT2jpc 3ztcUkpltV QIKHrB2IPR sQtHtheVNg CmH0yOec46 37Q1feO2yw fk4b9qwjFm pa9QIDOTsc 6KUw08919Q LSmCs0zqRF Qd71W8PR0j qsj1n95Syj m7U6GQYZPt PTNc1x97YG WVym4S4T8q QDIR1cmRXL iP4bBLcGbM LrCkaCiEiW xNXPHUxigd Erc9LpZASO 89xYuTUouX goqn6oWUxX ovY9FjCHKw WOCjYTurfW 

. Unless you are a super computer you will never decode that message above. Sorry that was mean of us, so here is a joke about cryptography to lighten the mood: Two cryptographers walk into a bar…. Nobody else has a clue what they're talking about.

After we became NSA certified, our afternoon class offered us the great honor of meeting Fazekas Gergely, a professor at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. He gave us all insight into what Hungarian culture truly is, especially from a musical standpoint. We heard classical melodies from famous composers such as Franz Liszt himself. Hungary takes pride in being a 20th century classical music power house.  In fact, they named their airport after Liszt himself. Outside of music history, Fazekas claimed “Hungary has had a rich history... but also a rich history of terrible things.” This was followed by his blunt animosity towards Hungary’s president, and a few snide remarks about a certain presidential candidate in the states. Math, music and politics, what an exciting day of learning!!

Afterwards the class visited the opera house upon request from Fazekas.  Currently the house is showing Shrek: The Musical which appears more like recurring nightmares I’ve had than the 2001 film with Mike Myers.  We wasted no time in between the opera house and grabbing dinner.  After screwing up the metro, we finally ended up at an awesome Italian pizza restaurant.  There we time trialed our meal since our group of nine sans reservations had only so much time before people who planned ahead came.  

Subsequently, we headed back to the hotel which is where we leave you.

Signing off,

Syver, Sam  and Salih

Edit:

Congratulations to the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers!

SKOL

PITBULL IN BUDAPEST!!!

Paying homage at the squat logs

Jev doesn't like his meal

Day 111 (base 4): Fun and a Funicular

Jó estét!

The adorable funicular

Today, after many recommendations, a group of us went to the National Gallery at Buda Castle. To get there, we crossed the Széchenyi chain bridge and rode the funicular up the hill. Not only did the lift save us a lot of stairs, it provided a wonderful view of Pest. At the top of the hill, a beautiful vista of Pest greeted us with parliament and the St. Stephen's Cathedral peering out of the fog.

Buda Castle

Once in the museum, we saw paintings describing the recapture of Buda Castle in the first hall. The rest of the Gallery features a wide range of works from medieval carvings to contemporary Hungarian artists. There is even a painting of St. George and a cherub smiting a dragon with lightning. Since the Fine Arts Museum is undergoing renovations, a selection of it's most impressive pieces is on display at the National Gallery, which was quite a treat. We were lucky enough to arrive at the Gallery just as a special concert was beginning, and were serenaded by a cello, a piano, and a soprano during our visit.  The music echoing through the Gallery's great halls was positively spectacular.

The view of St. Stephen's from the funicular

Upon leaving the Gallery, we witnessed the changing of the guard at the presidential palace. Walking around the top of the hill with the guard's drum beating in the background, we looked out over Buda through the fog before heading back down the funicular.

Emma at Bruce's rec

After putting finishing touches on the homework, we headed out to a Pad Thai restaurant recommended by Spruce-y Bruce. The restaurant was structured like Subway, and we were able to mix noodles and add-ins to produce a wonderful, and very quick, meal.

While some of us were at the gallery, Matthew ventured over to Memento Park, the final resting place of roughly 30 communist era statues and busts. They were taken down from around Budapest and put in a park just out side of the city limits during the peaceful transition from under soviet rule. The whole park was desolate except freshly fallen snow and Matthew.... and dozens of grim faced communist statues (it was a little intimidating). After a close call on a bus transfer, he returned to the hotel nearly an hour later.

When life gives you Lenins...

A majestic view of parliament

I don't know what Sam was talking about. This is easy.

-Erik, Matthew, Jacob

Last Weekend in Budapest - 23rd Jan 2016

Szia! Wow, we can't believe it's already our last weekend in Budapest. We started our day with fancy dessert from New York Cafe. (Yes, without breakfast). The New York Cafe had a great ambiance complete with a beautiful setting. Our favorite moment was when the pianist started to play variations of classical pieces which we recognized. Most of us in the group got a hot chocolate drink, but Michael got a caramel macchiato. The hot chocolate was fantastic - the flavor was so rich that Sam couldn't help but share with Michael. 

Paintings in New York Cafe

Great atmosphere in Cafe

Yum Yum hot chocolate !

Yum Yum coffee!

As mentioned before, we did not have any breakfast. So, we headed to the sandwich place near the Blaha Lujza Ter bus station. Very unfortunately, we were so hungry that forgot to take the photos of the delicious sandwiches we got for lunch. We then came back to the hotel, and we were then ready to head out for the Szechenyi bath!

From our hotel, we took the metro line 1 to the station called szechenyi-furdo. Two minutes from the metro station, there was the famous Szechenyi bath. Fortunately, the day was chilly, so we really enjoyed the hot bath. We met other budabuddies in the bath too, leading to more fun! 

Szechenyi Bath

After about 3 hours of bathing in hot water, we came out with our wrinkly fingers to find a place for dinner. Michael, Sam, Peter, Derek and Lucas decided to go to a place called Fat Mama. The restaurant's specialty was the pork rib BBQ, cooked with special procedures using a vacuum while cooking, thus making the meat very soft and tender. 

Fat Mama's BBQ

Today was a fun yet very tiring day! Also, we would also like to share some yesterday's experience and photos. Yesterday, we only had the morning class, so we had the whole afternoon free. Since it was a beautiful day, we decided to walk about the river, including the Shoe Memorial, the chain bridge and the modern bridge. The scenery was exhilarating, so we thought it would be great sharing these photos.

The Chain Bridge connecting Buda and Pest

Scenery of both Buda (left) and Pest (right) from the middle of the Chain Bridge

Awesome Pawsome Erszebet Bridge 

The Shoe Memorial

Ho! Ho! Ho! We can never forget our Sammy. (Dance party in the empty metro featuring Mikey's legs and shoes)

Well wishes from Budapest! See you all soon!
Michael, Derek, and Ryan