Marley's furry alarm clock technique

Best birthday present ever!

30th birthday

Lazy lazy day!
Marley got us up using her furry alarm clock technique. We gave up at 6.30am to feed her.
Then back to bed until 9! A lie in!

We all had coffee and I got to open my present haul and all my cards! So much love!
We were just chatting and thinking about breakfast at about 11 when Tracey text and said she was taking fluffy (now renamed Albie) to the vets for a check up and she asked to pop in on the way back...in about 30 minutes...

Action stations. You've never seen 3 people get washed, dressed and clean a house so quickly in your life!

She came with cake so it was worth it! And brought fluffy to try to socialise Marley (we are thinking about getting her a kitten, but she was very scared of poor 1kg fluffy, so this may take some work...).

Later on, my parents popped in to help us eat all the cake.

Traff and I had planned to go to a gig- Phil's gig in reading- but Kirstie is sick so we ended up staying home. We got a fancy pizza and I invented a crust dipping sauce (mayo and green.pesto! Omfg why did I not ever make this before!).

Then I did my nails.
With assistance from my lovely boyfriend cum nail technician.

A lazy evening with some of my fancy new birthday gins and cake! Not quite my original plan but still pretty good for the soul.
🎂🍁😻🎃

Cardiff

Birthday hoodie

I cannot explain this decision.
😵

Romanian rescue cats

Tracey got her kitten!
Through the bristol and wales cat rescue website it is possible to adopt Romanian rescue kittens.

So, we went for a kitty playdate. Tracey ended up adopting 'fluffy'. But we had so many kitty cuddles.

Dinner at los gatos

Los gatos is a very popular tapas bar in Old town.
It's busy.
All the time.
And small.

Traff and I had been intending to go for ages but hadn't had time/ organization. So, on this, the occasion of my 30th birthday I made a reservation.
Forgetting that it is busy, loud and small. 3 things my mother hates in eating places.

The meal was amazing. I would go again but perhaps with different company.

The old railway line

My very autumnal walk home from old town.
I went to the fancy sweet shop for salted caramel fudge and chocolate covered nougat as offerings to my hangry mother to go with her post work coffee.

I also got sparklers!
😁

Budapest- Day 5

In traditional holiday style, it pissed it down on the last day!
In hindsight we should have just gone to the bath house, but we did try to make a day of it.
Monday was Hungarian day so was a national holiday.
Therefore, not much was open.

We took the tram to the market but it was closed. Then walked to a museum (also closed) then gave up and got the metro back to see the basilica.
We did get to see the illuminated, mummified right hand of saint stephen. So not all bad!

Ray and Andy braved the rain to climb the tower. Kirstie, phil and I went to a cat cafe for hot chocolate!

I.met with Ray and Andy later as we were flying home together.
We mooched in the rain and had more Hungarian food. I love the food in Budapest. It's delicious.

After dinner we went to the cat cafe for pudding and so that they could enjoy the experience too.

Budapest- Day 4

We started the day with epic Brunch at the ruin bar 'most'. You get an alcoholic drink (kir royal, Bellini...) your breakfast and breakfast pudding.
It was awesome!

Then the traditional soviet style flea markets (like berlin). I got an awesome lace necklace.

Then Shopping. Tights from c&a.

We had planned to go to statue park, but the weather was looking ominous so we stayed closer to home and cycled around Margaret island instead. Pink bikes, red squirrels and old Abbey ruins.

Dinner at New york cafe! I had to book this ages ago, it's extremely fancy! Last night in Budapest/Birthday food.

Budapest- Day 3

Bus day!
Tracey and I went to the roman museum on the buda outskirts.
Ray and Andy hired biked and Kirstie and Phil went to the Zoo.

Tracey is a pro at the transport system, even so, I managed to coerce her onto the wrong bus so it took twice as long to get there.

The museum was pretty incredible actually, I've never seen so many well preserved roman artefacts in one place! Mosaics, wall decorations and religious icons still with their paint!
It was ace!
We spent about 3 hours there. I especially loved the special exhibition about dark magic. Penises protect from the evil eye so lots of cock-&-ball inspired jewellery.

As we were leaving we met Andy and Ray.  They sent us to find a soviet railway bridge with questionable instructions.
We got lost.
We got a bus to margarit island where there were no cafe's to feed us! 😢

We got chimneys cake on the way back to the apartment.
It's delicious.

Then we went to lukacz spa. It's really beautiful and free on the Budapest card! All the stuff we did today was free! We actually have saved a fortune.

After the spa we went looking for ruin bars.
We stopped off at a Normal bar on the way (I accidentally ordered a pint of top shelf) then we went to anker't.
It was awesome. Really chilled,cheap drinks, very few tourists and quiet enough music that you could talk.
(I recommend it highly but please do remember to take a jacket!)

After that, a drunken stumble home to bed.

Budapest- day 2

So, we started tge holiday in a traditional way. Free walking tours! Kirstie and I did the same tour about 6 years ago so I was expecting to be underwhelmed, but the tour had changed quite a bit! This version is less crazy walking and more information.

Also lots of handy tips!

We saw the changing of the guard at the palace. It was...unusual...

Kirstie, Tracey, Phil and I visited the national gallery. Ray and Andy went to look at trains.

In the evening, Andy cooked dinner and plied us with wine.