Many, many years ago I spent a year in Budapest, Hungary having little life adventures. It was such an interesting city (and an interesting country) and I am really quite happy I had a chance to have experienced it.

Budapest is seeped in history. It is a dark, quiet, and beautiful city. I remember the street I lived on, there was one apartment building that was still was ravaged from the second world war, half of it's top blackened and ripped off. Beautiful and decaying. The city is also filled with gypsies. Lots and lots of gypsies!



Because my hair is long and dark and I have very tan skin, I would often get mistaken to be a gypsy on the villamos (prounounced villa-moush), the main above ground transport in the city, and around this time in my life I had taken a liking to wearing these long broomstick skirts which I'm sure didn't help matters any.

Often when I would go to the Nagyvasarcsarnok, the largest closed air market on the end of Fővám tér where women from the country would sell their veggies and wares and wear these gorgeous folkloric shawls with fringe detailing. I would always love how these women would wear clashing prints (stripes with florals) and look purposely put together. I'm sure they didn't give a rat's hoot about fashion, but it was their utilitarian country way of dressing that I adored so much.

Where have you traveled to that you've found the locals so inspiring?