A stranger's helping hand

Tonight on the way home from work I watched a mom with two kids and a baby in a buggy getting on the tram.  A man on the tram grabbed the two kids (about 3 or 4 years old) and pulled them up the tram steps while another guy grabbed the front of the buggy to pull it on.  The mama settled herself and her kids into the tram seats.  I thought... "In an America city, if some guys grabbed a lady's kids like that, she would freak out."  I love that Hungary still has that helping-hand-I'm-not-here-to-kidnap-your-kids mentality.  I'm realizing that all those people who stare at me on the tram are really just watching out for the strangers around them.  A great cultural trait!

On the tram

Last night on the tram home from work there was a woman walking down the aisle asking for coins. She had a cup held out in her hand and a sign taped to her chest. I really wondered what the sign said. It was several sentences long, but the only part I could read was "250 Ft". I watched her come toward me, which is common on trams in Budapest. Usually Hungarians mostly ignore people asking for money or they say no as they pass. But that night something was different. Almost every person on that tram dropped coins in the woman's cup as she passed. And I wondered, what did that sign say? What inspired so many people to generously give to this woman? Then I thought, does it really matter what the sign says? Despite knowing the woman's situation or what her sign says or whether anyone else on the tram gives her anything, shouldn't I give anyway?

Getting everywhere by tram

Here is some more of our explorations of Budapest. Getting to know our city and the public transport that takes us there.

One of the many bridges that cross the Danube between Buda and Pest.

(Great view on foot!)

Holocaust Memorial to the hundreds of Jews who were shot on the banks of the Danube.

(Take Tram 2 to get there.)

Heroes Square in Pest.

(Metro 1 goes straight there.)

A statue of Peace in Heroes Square, which stands opposite of War and alongside Knowledge and Glory.

The park behind Heroes Square contains interesting art and beautiful architecture.

Another view of Buda from the Pest side.

(The view on Tram 2 along the river.)

Central Market Hall is a good place to pick up Hungarian souvenirs and local produce. It's a bit far from our house, but luckily we found a great market just a few tram stops away from home.

(Tram 2 to Central Market and Tram 4 or 6 to our little local market.)

We're finding more treasures in our new home. Some of my top picks include Charlotte, an AMAZING dessert cafe, and a little sewing shop a few tram stops away from the house (will be useful when my sewing machine actually gets here).

Europe, thank you for being so efficient and creating vast networks of public transport. I'm an independent woman again!