I may never be hungry again....

Have you ever thought to yourself,"Man, I wish I could see all the food Melissa consumed while in Hungary!?" Well, if you have than this post is for YOU! Don't bother to thank me, you're obviously welcome.

Other titles for this post include, but are not limited to the following:

• The time I went to Hungary and left everyone hungry because I ate all the food...
• Help, I need new pants!
• A Meal shouldn't have more than three courses.
• wait...does chocolate count as a meal?
• what about cheese?
• Meals can have all the courses in the world....
• I think I've died and gone to Heaven...
• ...Well, I don't know about Heaven, but I might die if I keep eating like this...
• #cantstopwontstop

Remember that time I went to Hungary and mentioned that I loved the food? Well, That was not a lie. (Sometimes I am so truthful I remind myself of honest Abe...only in the sense that all the times I have cut down trees, Ive totally admitted it...)

Lets start with my first stop shall we? Chocolate.....

this is the best sort of Milka in the world...anyone who tells you otherwise must not have had it, cause they are lying.

DAIM, THAT WAS GOOD...

I totally saved this shell of a wrapper so I could take a picture of it and say that. 

And then I started eating at peoples homes....

RAKOTT KRUMPLI!! One of my favorites. The picture doesn't give it justice... I could have eaten all of that...wait, I think I did....awkward. (no, I totally didn't I shared a little with the Balatoniek!)

I forgot to take a picture of the food I ate at Ilonas in Szombathely (I know right, what were my priorities, geez) But I did finally take a picture of the infamous "So Bacsi" otherwise known as the Old man salt shaker? And her kitchen which is totes Hungarian.

More meal time in Szombathely! Two kinds of noodles! Now that's hospitality.

Eating with Erzsike Neni and Tony (the dog) are always on my list of favorite things to do. 

The following was all consumed at Gezas house in Szeged...as one meal....

Fruit Soup. One of my favorites!

Stuffed Cabbage. Also, one of my favorites!

Chicken...also, we had chicken soup...didn't get a picture.

That's right, There were literally four courses of main dish food. At the end of each course Geza would say, "eat more!" and I would say, "Geza, I'm stuffed" and then he would bring out another course! Then at the end of the meal he told me I ate like a bird! I said, "Geza, That would have to be one fat bird because I just ate chicken soup, fruit soup, stuffed cabbage, and then more chicken!" To which he replied..."Oh, well...I forgot we had stuffed cabbage..." Ugh, I just love Hungarians! 

Then there was the food that they sent home with me....

homemade goods and fresh fruit from the garden!

And just so you don't think I exaggerated about all that I ate, here is some more...

That's a life size statue of Michael Jackson made of MARZIPAN. I only wish I had eaten it...

Was that the most boring post you have ever read? I'm just trying to weed out the dedicated readers.

 If you made it this far we must be besties. So thanks mom! I love you! 

Always Hungary for more...

I made it back to my most favorite place in the whole world! Its amazing how much I felt at home as soon as I heard people speaking Hungarian and started smelling the smells...everything just felt like wearing my favorite Hoodie and sitting on the couch all bundled up watching something where they buy clothes! joy. I felt like I was home. I am home.

Some of my favorite little things:

1. Everyone carries flowers here upside down. Its the cutest. Apparently its good for the flowers?

2. The smell of Princess (a bakery) when coming up the escalator out of the Metro.

3. Hungarian. It gets me every time. Its so beautiful. 

4. Paprika. on everything. bless.

5. Milka. on everything. :)

6. Greeting with a kiss on each cheek.

7. Hearing my favorite phrases: Visszontlatasra, Csokolom, Jo etvagyat, Tesek parancsolni

8. Tesco, Match, MAV, Muller (I love these stores..I mean, they have everything...and by everything I mean European chocolate!)

9. The cutest old ladies selling flowers everywhere

10. Did I mention that I want to shed tears of joy when I see my friends here? They are the best. They love so deeply! I wish everyone knew what it felt like to be a missionary in Hungary. I am literally grateful every second of everyday because of it! They think I am a way better person than I am.

11. Did I mention I want to cry I'm so happy?!

12. Street Musicians. (especially the tuba player at Keleti and the Water Glass player at Moszkva Ter, which is apparently Szell Kalman Ter now, but whatever..you can't just rename a square like that and expect me to recognize this change.

13. Have I mentioned food yet? I don't think I have adequately expressed that love yet. Paprikas Csirke, Toltott Kaposta, Rakott Krumpli....be still my beating heart! 

14. I love how impressed Hungarians are that I speak Hungarian. I'm not even awesome at it, lets be real, I can totally rock some Magyar. But they are always excited someone has bothered to learn their language. 

15. I love communicating with people in their own language. I wish I could speak all the languages in the world. 

16. I love that I know my way around Budapest, I always want to stop and help all the tourists staring at their maps, and it makes me feel pretty great that I can just go wherever I want and take whatever form of transportation. 

17. I love Elizabeth Bridge with all of my heart. I could walk along it all day. Its weird not to call it Erzsebet Hid, but I wanted you to be able to know what I'm talking about.  

18. Which reminds me that I love the Danube and Budapest is definitely the best part of it. 

19. Which reminds me that I love Parliament, its my favorite building ever. Its the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. 

20. I love train stations. And by that I mean, I love train stations in Europe. With old men milling about playing chess in buildings older than my country.

That's just the beginning of my love affair with Hungary. I want to gobble it up! Its part of me, I feel like it belongs to me. Weirdest feeling? All of these things make me want to go there so bad....JACKPOT I'm already here! Now I just have to fight that night before Christmas feeling of being too excited to sleep so I can start another day here in the morning!

Photos? I think so.

Favorite Building. Exhibit A.

I love all the Magdi's in the world. Especially this one.

Most beautiful Mailbox award goes to....I love the Magyar Posta! It doesn't always love me. But the colors are like Christmas and they deliver packages! Well, You have to go pick them up yourself....

A Beautiful tribute to Hungarian Jews on the river Danube.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoes_on_the_Danube_Promenade

Seriously. Check that out.

I ate everything listed on this sign...twice.

Hero Square! 

Buda Castle!

Doesn't this look like fun?! I love all the squares...most of which aren't shaped like squares. 

Please sell me something. I have all the money in the world. Just kidding, but they think I do...jokes on them.

I love Nenis. Aka all the old women in Hungary pushing their carts. bless.

More Neni love. Just some adorable ladies selling flowers by the metro!

Two of my favorites! Ilona and the So Bacsi! aka...the salt shaker that looks like an old man...its legendary. Also, getting Hungarians to smile in pictures is a miracle in and of itself... 

Except for this family, they are always smiling! Best. Family. Ever....and delicious food. win. win. win. win. win.