According to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), there are more than 400,000 take offs and landings per year at their terminals. After crunching the numbers, I calculated that there are just over 1,000 take offs and landings a day at the MSP airport.
On August 23, I was on one those 1,000 flights. That was the same day I would have started my junior year at North Dakota State like many students. Instead, I started my adventure to Europe.
After spending months planning and preparing for four months abroad, reality doesn’t actually hit you until you find yourself on a plane listening to the excited chatter of different languages and voices of your fellow passengers as they also embark on adventures of their own.
While my studies will eventually bring me to Granada, Spain, I am currently in the middle of the excitement of Budapest, Hungary.
As the capital of Hungary, Budapest was once two different cities. The city of Buda sat on the rolling hills to the west of the Danube River, and Pest was located on the east banks of the Danube River. Eventually the two cities would become one, linked by the beautiful Chain Bridge.
While there are many incredible historical sites to visit in Budapest, the Szechenyi thermal bath is an absolute must. Built in the early 1900s, the Szechenyi thermal bath is a collection of pools fed by a hot spring. There are several other thermal baths scattered across Budapest, but Szechenyi happens to be one of the largest. This bath boasts three outdoor pools, 11 indoor thermal pools, and several immersion/cooling pools. There are also steam rooms and saunas located throughout the facility.
Swimming and relaxing at Szechenyi is easy, especially on a sunny day. The outdoor pools are located in a courtyard surrounded by beautiful architecture. Once you are in need of a little shade, head inside to explore the many indoor pools. Each pool is unique in its own way. The decorative tile work varies from pool to pool, and the detailed pillars support high arched ceilings. Once you finish testing out all the different baths, sitting on the balcony provides a great view of the outdoor pools while you take in a view of the city.
Whether your legs are tired from exploring Budapest, or you want to get a morning swim in, the Szechenyi thermal bath is a stop you won’t want to miss in Budapest.