Observations & Musings

So, here we are. After six months of intermittent elation, stress, frantic planning, and frenzied packing, we’ve taken the leap and are in for the journey of our lives. We left our hometown of Portland, Oregon on Sunday, July 25. After 13 hours of air travel we arrived in Dublin, Ireland for our week of vacation and adjusting to the European time zones before we make the final leg of the journey to Budapest on Monday, August 2.

Already, we find ourselves enjoying life on a different continent and remembering why we’ve been eager for an opportunity to get back to Europe on a more permanent basis than our vacations of the past.

So, in no particular order, here is our snapshot list of observations and musings on some of the new facets of life that we’ve experienced here so far. Granted, some of these are definitely more British or Irish in nature, but many are typical of the continent in general:

- ‘lift’ vs. elevator
- ‘take away’ vs. take-out
- ‘wee’ vs. small
- ‘buggy’ vs. stroller (and the bathroom stalls specifically for “Mum and Buggy”)
- ‘mind the gap’
- the ease in which everyone uses public transit. No class distinctions here. Everyone takes public transport – at least in the cities.
- cloth grocery bags vs. plastic/paper
- fees for public restroom use (not necessarily a favorite but definitely different!)
- playgrounds with wonderful play structures
- free luggage carts! We paid $4 each at PDX; used two upon arrival in Dublin = no fee
- variety of languages heard at any given moment
- amazingly talented street musicians and performers
- men’s business dress = classy, men’s casual dress = not so much
- women’s business dress = elegant, women’s casual dress = all over the board!
- pub after pub after pub… and kids welcome until 10 p.m. (in Ireland, anyway)
- café after café after café
- flower stands on street corners
- pedestrian walkways (or ‘bars’, as in the Temple Bar = Temple walkway)
- cobblestone streets
- GELATO!
- …and ice cream; both types of stands on nearly every corner & the plethora of people (and ages) who have cones in their hands
- hand-carry baskets at the market; very rarely does anyone use a push cart and if they do, the carts are half the size of American carts. Just buy what you need: don’t overspend, don’t overeat!
- a historic building or marker nestled between the buildings of the city; if you blink you might miss it
- 1000 year old churches (or even 500 years+)
- friendliness of the Irish people
- business men at the playground joining their wives and children on their lunch breaks

We know that a list of things that frustrate us, as well as things we miss from the U.S., is sure to follow, but for now we’re enjoying the ride.
We wonder what new discoveries will we encounter in Budapest?
We wonder with great anticipation.

Let the adventure begin!