B U D A P E S T, currently, for the past two days, relishing this beautiful landscape, and its people. After a week plus in Prague and scowering the terrain there, trying to understand its layout, and savouring the faire, I headed south on a night train to the "Pearl of the Danube". The city is enchanting, old, somewhat decrepit, but all the more real because of this observation. Snow falls, but nothing that a Hungarian bath won't cure, and all the more delightful in an outside pool - the snow lightly pelting your face as you relish the warm water from the inner earth, and watch the barely distingushable people speaking a plethera of languages through the steam. I am likeing this city the more I am here, and two days in, that is saying a lot. Tomorrow I head north to Vienna, and all that awaits my eyes there.

PRAHA - made it. Although cold and grey, this city is as charming as ever. Today marked the first real day of getting out of our panelaky flat in the 4th district, south of the Stare Mesto, and Linda's first day of Yoga class. Walking around where we are staying, with the snow lightly falling onto a backdrop of communist concrete apartment towers looming, gives one the impression of a cold war espionage thriller; it is authentic, and those are special moments.

Linda's aunt Eva, has been so very kind to us. She is letting us stay in her spare one bedroom apartment, showing us the lay of the land, and feeding us some very ethnic, and at that, very delicious Czech dishes.

Today still groggy from the thirteen hour flight, and nine hour time difference, I made it through the maze of suburbia communist apartment complexes via bus, metro (subway), and tram to the old town, and the little city or Mala Strana. Mala Strana is connected by the ancient, and touristy Charles Bridge or Karlov Most. I happened upon the Starbucks there, and despite a great urge to just keep walking, I caved and went to what I know, but where I found a clean bathroom, a delicious cup of coffee, and a warm soft chair to study my guide book (plus I got my US partner discount; score).

I spent some time walking around the Mala Strana, admiring the Baroque, Art Nouveau architecture, and visualizing where Mozart once strolled and Kafka later contracted TB (in what is now the US embassy).

Tomorrow promises to be more of the same, while Linda is in school, and until this weekend where chances are we'll take a road trip somewhere outside of the city with Linda's cousin Zdenik...tbc.