Why Didnt Anybody Inform Me I Could be a Fire Dancer?

Turkish baths...an experience.

I went there yesterday, because all of the tourist literature says you must go to one of the baths while you are in Budapest. I had mentally prepared myself for a day of walking around in the nude in front of lots of Hungarian women. Unfortunately, it was a mixed sex day, and instead of lots of naked women I instead wore a bathing suit and was surrounded by overweight women convinved they could wear bikinis, middle aged men wearing speedos, and entirely too many public displays of affection (of which there are already an uncomfortable number throughout the city).

First, I had to get into the baths which proved to be interesting. The ticket woman didnt understand English so I paid more than I needed to. Then I needed to figure out where I was supposed to go, and instead ended up walking around in circles like an idiot. When I finally did find where I was supposed to go, the attendant decided he didnt like me and mz non Hungaran ways and locked me into my changing room. When he finally unlocked the door so that I could escape he shook his head at me, scowled, and was clearly thinking "I hate you, dumb American girl."

Then I had to find a towel, and then finally walk through another maze until I finally made my way to the baths. Which were lovely and relaxing, and warm, and pretty much exactly what you would get if you sat in a hot tub all day.

I then went on a very long walk to avoid public transportation, and went back to the Budapest Fringe festival where I saw some Jews from Vienna (that really was the bands name), a jazz band, and another funk,jazz,rock band. We also saw a pecular ballet thing filled with sticks that were on fire. Why did nobody tell me that I could be a fire dancer instead of going to college? I am a little disappointed in everyone that guided me before college.

Being a fire dancer would also have greatly helped today when I joined in with a couple thousand hippie Hungarians in a peace demonstration. We all waved sticks of fire, stood around in the shape of a peace sign with our torches, and then danced around to bongos. Beautiful. Im not sure that it was especially safe when several thousand torches started having embers fly everywhere. Oh well. I survived, and my hair didnt catch on fire.

Tomorrow we leave for Vienna.

Happy Birthday Daddy.

Love you all.