December 17th: Flat Stanley Brayden Heads Home

Hi, kids! It’s me, Flat Stanley Brayden, and today I’m heading back to the United States. My time in Europe has been incredible, but now it’s time to say goodbye to Budapest and travel home.

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Morning in Budapest

We started the day with breakfast at the Mystery Hotel. After eating, we packed up our suitcases, brought them to the lobby, and checked out. While waiting for our airport transfer, I took one last look at the city that I’ve grown to love.

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Off to the Budapest Airport

Our driver took us to the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, where we boarded a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt, Germany. The airport was busy, but everything went smoothly.

From the plane window, I could see the Danube River and the landmarks of Budapest getting smaller as we took off. It made me a little sad to leave, but I know I’ll take these memories with me forever.

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Connecting in Frankfurt

At the Frankfurt Airport, we switched planes for the second leg of our journey. This time, we flew with United Airlines to Washington D.C..

When we started

As we were landing

Take off at 5:40 pm in Germany and Landing at 8:20 pm is US was 8 hours and 40 minutes

When I saw Waldorf on the map, knew we were almost home

Final Approach

Lights of Northern Virgina

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Back in the U.S.

After crossing the Atlantic, we landed at Dulles Airport outside of Washington D.C. Even though it’s nice to be home, I’ll miss all the amazing places we visited, like Budapest, Nuremberg, and Vienna.

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What I Learned Today

1. What is Lufthansa?
   Lufthansa is a German airline that flies to many cities around the world.
2. What is the Danube River?
   The Danube is the second-longest river in Europe and flows through 10 countries, including Hungary!
3. What is Dulles Airport?
   Dulles Airport is a big international airport near Washington D.C., where many flights from Europe arrive.

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I’ve had the best time traveling across Europe and learning about new places, traditions, and foods. I can’t wait to share my stories with all of you back home. What was your favorite part of my adventure?

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This blog post was created collaboratively with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI, to help tell my story.

December 16th: Flat Stanley Brayden’s Last Full Day in Budapest

 Hi, kids! It’s me, Flat Stanley Brayden, and today was my last full day in Budapest. I had an amazing day soaking in hot thermal baths, shopping at the market, and learning how to cook Hungarian food. Let me tell you all about it!

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Soaking at Széchenyi Thermal Bath

Budapest is famous for its thermal baths, and this morning, I got to visit the biggest one—Széchenyi Thermal Bath. The hot water comes from natural springs deep underground, and it’s full of minerals that people say are good for your health.

The bath has both indoor and outdoor pools. Outside, I floated in warm water while steam rose into the chilly air. It felt like sitting in a giant hot tub, but with a view of beautiful yellow buildings that look like a palace! Did you know that Széchenyi has been around since 1913? It was built in a fancy Neo-Baroque style, and it’s one of Budapest’s most popular spots.

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A Tour of the Central Market Hall

In the afternoon, I joined a cooking class that started with a tour of the Budapest Central Market Hall. This place is HUGE, with colorful tiles on the roof and tons of stalls inside. I saw:

• Paprika: A spice that Hungarians use in lots of recipes.
• Sausages: Some were spicy, some were smoky, and all of them looked delicious!
• Pickled foods: Like cucumbers, cabbage, and even garlic. Hungarians love their pickles!

Our guide told us about Mangalica pigs, a special breed raised in Hungary, and how traditional foods like sausages and pickles were important before refrigerators existed.

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Cooking Hungarian Food

After the market, we walked to a workshop kitchen where I learned how to cook Chicken Paprikash with Nokedli (spaetzle). Here’s what we did:

1. Chopped onions, peppers, and tomatoes.
2. Cooked the onions and made a roux with paprika for the sauce.
3. Simmered the chicken in the sauce until it was tender.
4. Mixed dough to make nokedli, then pressed it into boiling water to cook.

When everything was ready, we sat down to eat—and it was SO tasty! We even tried Hungarian sausage, cheese, and wine before dinner.

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Packing Up

After the class, we went to a grocery store to pick up some last-minute treats. Then it was time to take one final ride on the #72 bus back to the hotel to pack our bags. Tomorrow, we head home!

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What I Learned Today

1. What is Chicken Paprikash?
   It’s a Hungarian dish made with chicken, onions, peppers, and paprika in a creamy sauce. It’s often served with nokedli, little dumplings like spaetzle.
2. What are Thermal Baths?
   Thermal baths are pools filled with hot water from natural springs. Budapest has lots of them because the city sits on geothermal springs!
3. What is the Central Market Hall?
   It’s a huge indoor market in Budapest where you can buy spices, sausages, and handmade crafts.

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I had so much fun on my last full day in Budapest. Tomorrow, I’ll be heading home, but I’ll never forget the amazing things I learned here.

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This blog post was created collaboratively with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI, to help organize and document our travels.

December 15th: Flat Stanley Brayden’s Christmas Concert Adventure

 Hi, kids! It’s me, Flat Stanley Brayden, and today I explored more of Budapest, shopped at the market, and even went to a Christmas concert. Let me tell you all about it!

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Budapest Central Market Hall

We started the day at the Central Market Hall, the biggest indoor market in Budapest. The building is amazing, with colorful tiles on the roof and a cast-iron frame. Inside, there were stalls selling all kinds of goodies, like paprika, sausages, and Hungarian embroidery. I wanted to try everything!

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St. Stephen’s Christmas Market: A Mug Success!

Next, we went to the Christmas Market at St. Stephen’s Basilica, where we finally found a Christmas mug to bring home! The market was buzzing with holiday cheer, and the basilica made a perfect backdrop.

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Hungarian Food and Music at Pörc & Prézli Étterem

For lunch, we went to Pörc & Prézli Étterem, where we had traditional Hungarian food and listened to live music. It was so much fun to hear the instruments and taste local dishes—it felt like a true Hungarian celebration!

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Mass and Christmas Concert at the Inner-City Mother Church

In the evening, we went to the Inner-City Mother Church of Our Lady of the Assumption for a 6 PM English Mass. The church is the oldest in Budapest, and it has so much history! After the Mass, we were surprised with a Christmas concert by the choir. Their singing filled the church with beautiful carols, and it was such a magical moment.

Kata had told us yesterday about how close this church is to the Elizabeth Bridge, and she wasn’t kidding—it’s only 5 centimeters away!

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Windy Views from the Elizabeth Bridge

Before heading back, we walked partway up the Elizabeth Bridge to see the city at night. It was so windy, I almost blew away! From the bridge, we could see the Danube River, Buda Castle, and the sparkling lights of Pest.

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What I Learned Today

1. What is the Central Market Hall?
   It’s the biggest indoor market in Budapest, where you can buy food, crafts, and souvenirs.
2. Why is the Inner-City Mother Church special?
   It’s the oldest church in Budapest, with a history that goes back to Roman times.
3. What is the Elizabeth Bridge?
   The Elizabeth Bridge is a modern suspension bridge that crosses the Danube River.

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I loved exploring Budapest today, especially hearing the Christmas concert. What’s your favorite Christmas tradition? Let me know!

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This blog post was created collaboratively with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI, to help tell my story.