New Ride on Metro 2

Well, I have been waiting for this since we first saw the test train zip past us in the station months ago. Ron and I went to Tesco today to start hunting down Thanksgiving food items when lo and behold, the new metro train appeared in the station. At first, I thought it may have been another test run because guards were stationed along the platform. When we saw passengers sitting inside, we hopped in too. They are great. Let's hope they stay this way for some time.

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What a Load of Crocs

Immediately after school on Thursdays, I run off to teach my one and only private lesson. It takes two metro rides to reach my student, but after 3 years, I still enjoy him. 

Today, as I was waiting for the metro for the first leg of my return home, a gang of young punk type teens entered and gathered on the platform. They looked so cute in their little leather jackets with Mohawk haircuts, I had to smile inwardly. As it was a small gang of seven who barely witnessed their fifteenth  birthday, I made the decision not to avoid their company by moving up the platform. When the metro arrived, we all boarded the same car and found seats both next to each other, but with some across the aisle. I, never without a book, it had already been whipped it out before leaving the platform. There have been times when I have lost consciousness in whatever volume is in hand, missing conversation, metro stops, and flirtations. Okay, so maybe not flirtations, allow me my flights of fancy. I was engrossed in this book, as these youngsters clamored like bullfrogs at a prom at the pond, it only registered on a theta level.

However, intruding on my peripheral vision on my right side was a young man bending over his knees in order to get up and under the cover of the tome in my hands. Unfettered and in high density ignore mode, he did not succeed in garnering any of my attention, but this caused my instincts to sharpen immediately. 

The next infringement on my space, time, and attention soon followed the book interloper when those accomplices across the aisle started pointing at my Crocs in simulated wood design. Perhaps it was the fact that I was not wearing socks, a habit I maintain until the temperature drops to freezing, but a balmy 48F. 

All this time they were making sounds that would have confounded an oscilloscope, had we had one handy. The pointing fingers that invaded my space did indeed make me cognizant of my surroundings, but still I felt the less attention the better. 

One stop before mine they were preparing to exit giving me a sense of relief until the metro doors opened and in one fell swoop, they relieved me of my Crocs and were out the door faster than Santa Claus when he hears encroaching footsteps. There I sat barefooted or barefeeted or just wishing for socks at last. As my mind projected a call to Ron to come meet me with spare footwear, again I was left in the cold to bear the cold when Ron did not answer his mobile.

When the elderly, but pleasingly plump lady flopped down on the seat next to me, I snapped out of my reverie only to realize the youth were gone, but my Crocs were still comfortably places on my feet. One of these days, these day dreams are going to get me in trouble.

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Underground News

Having quit just in time, the Budapest city council has officiated a ban on smoking in all of Budapest's underpasses from July 18, 2010. Those caught could be fined up to Ft 30,000.Of course whether or not anyone will uphold the law to impose the fine or bother collecting it will be up for grabs. What has always amused me was that you were able to smoke in the underground up to the line where the metro area was designated. That was off limits. 

In other underground news, it seems that the elevators that were used in Metro 2 construction had a MADE IN CHINA label attached with a Made in Germany sticker covering it up. The problem is that the funds for the reconstruction were from EU pots of gold, where the law clearly states all products must be EU constructed. Ooopah!

Back in the sunshine or rather cloudy skies above, here is one article that makes some sense Let us count the 14 ways the new government could revitalize Budapest from Realdeal.hu. The key word being could, not will, but more like not going to happen.

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New Metro 2 Cars Delayed

Some many tourists criticize the frazzled look of the metro cars. Hope for change this year was on the horizon, but has been dashed with postponement until 2009 as reported on Caboodle today.

The new metro trains for line two will not arrive until 2009, mayor Gábor Demszky said at a press conference last week. Until then, the current trains have to be used and renovated, writes Napi Gazdaság.

The metro trains, after completing three million kilometers, either have to be scrapped or renovated. Of the currently used 125 trains, 35 are expired and ready to be scrapped, while another 45 were renovated after completing three million kilometers. BKV ordered 22 new trains for line two and 15 for line four from Alstom which should have arrived in Hungary by May but they are late. According to Demszky, they will all arrive by 2009.

Both the mayor's office and Alstrom, the company building them are pointing fingers at who is to blame for the delay. As it once was, is now and ever shall be.

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Metro 4

The fourth metro line currently under construction in Budapest has been continually delayed. First it was lack of funding, then the EU cut back on additional funding due to the inefficiency of the work being done. Although it was projected to be completed in 2010, they say it may take longer since the drills are not as efficient as they first thought. Perhaps it is the drillERS that are not as efficient. This video was taken at Keleti train station. I know each time I am in any area where Metro 4 construction is going on, I have yet to see actual work taking place.

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Feeling a Bit Guilty

I feel a bit of guilt when I don't get here to write something, but perhaps it is just my Italian gene pool kicking me in the butt. However, I have good reasons, I am writing for money elsewhere. Keep an eye on this site: http://www.gayot.com/travel/citytrips/budapest.html. My article should be replacing this one in another two weeks. I am also working for the same publication writing a Business Traveler's guide to Budapest. They have not had one before this, so it is from scratch. The link will be posted when it is up. I also received the files for Frommer's Eastern Europe guides, so I have that to work on also, though it is not due until July. My compulsive type A personality will need to have it completed long before and then just do last minute revisions on any sudden changes. Word was that there was a fire in the Red metro yesterday, actually, hearsay from a student. When I was walking to school, there was a herd of police cars on the street and some major heavy duty equipment. I am not sure if they had to go down from above, since it was between stops. Scary stuff and I will have to keep my eyes peeled for any news about it. Today is my last teaching day before spring break. It should have been Tuesday, but I only have six students in the class and three of them are doing teacher training, so it was convenient to just cancel it. Wednesday, we leave for Istanbul and a hotel with a hammam on the ground floor. Yahoo!!! As I go, so does the laptop, so if I am able, I will post from there.

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