On the last IES Abroad field trip (the member states trip), I was able to travel to Budapest, Hungary and Bucharest, Romania. I am so thankful that I was able to visit these two cities. Both were places I really hadn't thought of traveling to on my own (especially Bucharest), and they ended up being places that I will never forget. The academic meetings we had on these trips were also fascinating. It was such a great experience to learn about Eastern European countries and how they are integrating into the European Union. I think I was having so much fun on this trip that I forgot about my camera, especially during the rainy days in Bucharest, but here are some snippets from my time.
Photos 1-4 : We heard that the thermal baths in Budapest were a must and I think we would all agree that this is true. We went to the Széchenyi thermal baths, which were huge and beautiful. It was only about 15 euros for a whole day pass! We went early in the morning which seemed to be the prime time for the locals (mostly old men in speedos) so if you want to catch the younger crowd try later in the day :)
5: Budapest offered us our first taste of Christmas markets. We walked through the stalls and ate giant portions of goulash! It was lovely and festive and got us all excited for the Freiburg Christmas market (post to come soon).
6: This was taken in unique little boutique in Budapest that offered Hungarian-designed pieces and coffee too. What I loved most about Budapest was all the hip shops and restaraunts that scattered the whole city. It is such a lively and young place!
7: A view from the Book Cafe in Budapest. This cafe sits on the upper level of a book store and has a beautiful interior. I would suggest stopping by for coffee and cake!
8: A photo taken with a good friend over dinner in a fun Budapest restaraunt. The name of the restaurant is Mazel Tov. The food was amazing and it was very close to the hotel. Loved it!
9-10: On one of our nights in Bucharest a friend and I did a little research and found that an exhibition was opening in one of the local art galleries. We stopped by and admired the art as well as the people. I loved this experience because it gave us a look into the art culture and local community of Bucharest. We even got to talk to an art student who was studying at the university. The art gallery is called Atelier 030202.
Layne Garrelts
<p>Hello there! I'm Layne. I was raised in Nebraska and am currently studying International Relations at University of San Diego. I enjoy learning, laughing, dancing, reading, connecting with people, and being outside. I think life is pretty amazing and I enjoy capturing it on camera.</p>
