Let it Rain, Let it Rain, Let it Rain

Growing up in New England, I have certain expectations from nature during any given season. I’m used to being surrounded by trees and I’m used to those trees displaying brilliant fall foliage before becoming bare. I’m used to colder weather and the possibility of a mid-October dusting of snow.

Hungary, however, does not care about my expectations.

Living in a large city is the first limit to my interaction with nature. Instead of trees, buildings surround me in Pest. These building are examples of some of the most breathtaking architecture I’ve ever experienced firsthand and each with its own story. They breathe life in a different way, but they’re also constant, unchanging.

Pest

Simply walking across a bridge to Buda brings you to a whole different world and you can feel the change in the atmosphere. While still being littered with small shops and restaurants, it’s much more residential and home to most of Budapest’s natural aspects. When I need it, it’s a breath of fresh air!

Just yesterday I walked to Buda on a whim to climb Gellért Hill. The hill is an odd combination of paved pathways and hiker-made dirt paths. The paved paths create a sort of maze of possibilities to get to and from the top on either side. Admittedly, I got a little lost on the way down...

Buda (Gellért Hill on the left, Buda Castle on the right)

It’s nice to have some access to nature where you can get a little lost and forget that you’re in a massive city. Still, this is a far cry from New England autumn (though I may be slightly biased). Here the trees that are not still green are a pale yellow or they skipped right to a crunchy brown.

I was told before coming here that Hungary has more of a rainy season than a winter before January. This should have been my queue to prepare for such, but instead I thought I’d see for myself first. Now I’m not sure why I doubted that.

Rain on Széchenyi Chain Bridge

It’s been raining the majority of this past week, a mix of sprinkles and downpours when we least expect with a touch of wind. In the evenings I find it beautiful with the glistening city lights, but I’d probably enjoy it even more if I had a raincoat (or any coat with a hood for that matter). I just got an umbrella a couple weeks ago and it’s already been put to good use – when I remember to bring it with me, that is.



It’s not what I’m used to but it is more-or-less what I expected for this time of year. I was mentally prepared for different, even if I wasn’t exactly materially prepared to be in it... And I appreciate every drop of rain that falls off my nose when I don’t have my umbrella.