Hungary

It's quite coincidental that I am writing about my previous trip to Hungary while in Hungary now. I realised that I hadn't taken many photos so far from these two trips. I'll be going around the city this week so I'll take more pictures then.

On my first visit I flew from Dublin with Debbie, who came over for the week. We arrived in Budapest on the 16th. There I met up with my family, Rayan, and a few other church friends who had come over for a church camp!

Stalkerish photo of friendly baby (face not seen)

Debbie and me

There's a funny story to how we got seats next to each other. The online booking assigned Debbie a seat in the first row, and I was in the eighth row or something. After settling down, a guy came up to my row asking if I could swap seats with him so he could be next to his friend... turns out his seat was next to Deb's.

The camp was pretty good. It was especially nice to see so many familiar faces – both from Hungary and Singapore. Here is the only photo I took during camp.


Jonathan not me sharing a testimony

Aaaand, I'm back in Hungary now. I arrived on Thursday, 3 July, journeying from Switzerland. The main thing on the programme for the past few days was an abundance of food.

On Friday, Kata hosted a fellowship at her place. Lots of food. And ice cream, twice.

Saturday we went to Szolnok ('sz' is just pronounced as 's'), where Kata's parents fed me very, very well too.

Just so I sound a bit less of a glutton, we also took a little tour around Szolnok. It's a nice town/ city (?). Nothing remarkable about it, perhaps with the exception of the strange Asian seen walking the streets with his ice cream. Oh and a cyanide poisoning of the main water source, the river, about ten odd years ago.

Hungary is cool like that.

Croatia

As mentioned in my previous post, my family joined me in Europe some time in April. We met in Hungary for a church camp. After that we took a drive to Croatia particularly to visit the Plitvice lakes, which, I quote my dad, "had always been [his] dream".

The Kayes joined us, which was really nice. My family has known them for many years now – they are practically extended family.

It was quite a drive from Hungary to Croatia, I think. I would know if I were awake for any of it. (Incidentally, I was also unconscious for most of the drive back to Hungary.) We left on the 21 April, some time in the afternoon? We reached in the evening and spent the rest of the night just settling in.

The next day we visited the lakes! Plitvice is like a huge hill with many lakes that cascade down in terraces. It was quite beautiful, but it all became a bit too familiar after the first two lakes.

That night we had a barbeque and ice cream and a good sleep, before leaving Croatia the next day. So we didn't really see that much of the country. Regardless, it was a lovely trip. Lots of happy moments and good memories.

I'll let the pictures and my stupid captions do the rest of the talking.

Tan family ft. Rayan

Blue green blue green

Walking on water

This way up

Mom and dad acting romantic

Beni being modelesque

Horizontal

Vertical

Shy mommy

Peek a blue

The sky has fallen

Only a little bit slippery

Japanese tourist

Near symmetry

My shoes and Nathan's shoe

Suicidal water

Tourists in action

Beni might have been bored

Clearly we did lots of walking

How we felt by the end of the day

Blue green blue green blue green

Family portrait

Netherlands

Hello again, yes I am making up for lost time. So about two weeks before Wales I was in Netherlands. It was actually part of a bigger trip with my family, whom I was with in Hungary and Croatia just before coming to Netherlands.

So we were in Netherlands from 25 April to 2 May. My parents stayed at Dordrecht, while my brother and I in Rotterdam. (Oh ja jo?)

Weird cube building

Old building, not too common in Rotterdam

David and I stayed with Luke and Imogen, who showed us around the different foods and places. It was really fun to have hosts around the same age as us. I think we became a bit indulgent... Late mornings and hours of breakfast that rolled into lunch.

We did some of the usual tourist things. My family went to see the tulips in Keukenhof (sounds like a cough). After that we went to a nearby beach. That was okay. Not much to be said there.

Yadeeyadeeya flower flower flower

Pink red purple

David working out

Her name's a Joke heehee

 

We brothers also got to go Dutch cycling! What is Dutch cycling you ask? It's like regular cycling, except on a bicycle which is to high for you to stay upright on when stationary.

It was a beautiful ride, though slightly chilly. I enjoyed it a lot.

Cycling by the river

Imogen and David from behind

The ever late sun set... this must've been nine pm?

Luke and Imogen took Dave and I on a day trip to Delft. It's a nice town (city?). It became a bit of an eating trip. More about the food later. First, some pictures.

Poor head on the wall

The Dutch like their cheese mongers in lab coats

Church tower, like from Nebuchadnezzar's dream

 

The streets and canals of old

Now for my favourite part. FOOD. The Dutch aren't really known for their food, but if you look hard enough they have yummy little surprises. We must've been quite fortunate because we found ourselves a LOT of yummy surprises this trip.

Beef stew, rice, mash, corn, red cabbage, apple sauce

Awesome fries with peanut sauce, mayo and onions

Poffertjes, or mini pancakes

 

Brokking

Perhaps the first three are a bit more familiar Dutch food. For some reason the fries everywhere in Netherlands is really yummy. And they have nice sauces. I like it that they have peanut sauce with everything. Putting their Indonesian influence to good use.

Poffertjes are great not only because they are pancakes, but so small and fluffy. It's like eating chicken nuggets, so fun and happifying. Plus you get to have lots of bananas, strawberries and cream on it. What is not to love?

I think what deserves the most mention is Brokking though. It's a Dordrecht specialty, probably worth the trip there just for the sake of it. The brown bit below its a very fine meringue sandwich with whipped cream in between, then coated with roasted hazelnuts. Top it off with more whipped cream. It's heaven. And they sell this stuff in the supermarkets! That was how I found out about it the last time I came to Dordrecht actually. It caught my eye at the store, but little did I know how good it was.

Sadly the trip ended on a bit of a low note. Dave and I flew back to Dublin from Eindhoven, and we were told they have the best Dutch burgers at the airport. To our dismay the lunch menu hadn't opened, and we had to leave. So remember if you ever fly Ryanair from/ to Eindhoven, be in the airport in the afternoon/ evening and get yourself a burger and tell me if it's good.