I lied about that last part - we did not go see a puppet show. Took a nap, got up, ran over where the show was - found out it doesn't start till Jan 17th. Terrible. We did manage to get ourselves locked in the building, but luckily someone came along to let us out. so then there was a lot of wandering, avoiding a decision on dinner. then it was 11 and there was only one place open anyway. Anna and I ate, then headed to the marquis de sade - big ex-pat bar where everybody speaks english. Oddly, ran into the americans, George and ShawnT?. Of course it was necessary to test the old czech saying "the best beer is beer."
I drank my obligatory pilsner and budvar, then moved on to absinthe. only one dont worry! But I was taught how to use sugar and basically catch the whole thing on fire before drinking - it burns anyway I spose. That was at the second bar - a neat place down in a sort of catacombs. Everyone smoking pot and leaving buds all over the tables. Would've been infinitely better had the soundtrack not been all the hits of 1991.

After stumbling home to bed, I slept in till about 10 on Thursday. Rousted Anna and we stopped by the local market, where you could buy guns or bruised apples, before heading downtown and going on the tour of the old Jewish ghetto. As it was cold and raining off and on, the tour was nearly private - only 2 other people. After a nice warm cup of tea, we met George and Shawn for dinner. We had planned on attempting the opera, but it was sold out. Instead we went to see the Czech philharmonic in their concert hall playing a Dvorak concert. Not a bad second! If you want a visual, it was the concert hall they used in the movie Amodeus. After more wandering, I had Anna and Shawn drop me off at the train station. The only other person in my entire car turned out to be a Korean girl that had shared my dorm room at Sir Toby's. It wasn't exactly sound sleeping, but not too bad. Only had to show about 5 people my passport at different times: slovak, czech, and a couple of hungarians. Anyway, arrived here around 9am and checked in at the Red Bus II hostel. Not a bad place, only one other in my dorm -immediately set of wandering. I got all around the main parts of Pest and the castle district of Buda. I even had time to stop at the Gellert thermal baths to relax for a couple hours. Definitely an interesting cultural experience. I met two other americans (from Missouri, late 30's.) We found each other rather easily as Americans are some of the few who smile back. Hard to explain. At any rate, most of the other people in the womens thermal baths seemed in their 70's, rather rotund, and naked. As we were not those, we kindof gravitated towards each other. I admit it felt good, and I'm clean now. The wandering continued.... etc, etc. I'm going on a 4 hr walking tour tomorrow, then maybe to some other swimming pools before catching an 11pm train to Brasov, Romania. Time for me to get off the internet and get out doing things.