One of my faithful readers (my mom!) pointed out to me that I seem to have forgotten something important on my list of things that I enjoyed in Budapest: SHOPPING.

For weeks prior to leave for Budapest I had been researching all possible shopping experiences in and around the cities. I had heard that they have American-style shopping malls complete with food courts and movie theatres. This is all true, and it's not just one mall there are several! And lucky me, my favorite European chain store (which has apparently opened in San Francisco??!!!) opened their first Hungarian store on September 1, the day before I arrived in Budapest. Needless to say, between my many excursions with my sister to the shopping centers in Budapest (we even found a Mango outlet) and my afternoon with my cousin (merci E et bon voyage!) in a French shopping (not quite as American as the malls in Budapest but there was a Starbuck's), I will not be shopping again for quite some time.