YOUPOST 4

Hello Guys,

How are you doing today?

Are you ready to travel a bit more with me ?

Today, I'm going to talk about Budapest. I was there from December 20th till December 22th and I had a wonderful time. I would really advise you to go visit this city.

We travelled from Vienna with my boyfriend and we took a bus of the Orangeways company. It is way cheaper than the train and you arrive in the center of the city after only 2 hours and half. Don't forget to exchange your money when you get there, Hungarian people still don't use Euro.



There are some beautiful places to visit there. Between the splendid Hungarian Parliament, the royal palace, St. Stephen's basilica, the Chain Bridge, you have a lot to discover. I would recommend you the free walking tour that takes place every day at 10.30am. A Hungarian guy will explain to you what is so typical about the city, you'll go inside some of the famous buildings, you'll get to know the history of BUDA and PEST, and even know some funny stories about the city.

After the walking tour, you can't miss the famous baths of the city. I've been to the Széchenyi bath. It is unbelievable, the perfect place to be when it's winter time and you want some relaxation! Funny story: you can even play chess in the water!


Night time is also great in Budapest! The Hungarian pubs are cheap and full of students wanting to party with you! You must try "Palinka", it's the traditional Hungarian drink ( fruit brandy). But pay attention, it is strong alcohol, you might not drink too much!

Budapest is a great city and affordable for students! So go ahead and ENJOY :)

YOUPOST 1

D-1, people!!!  Are you ready to celebrate this crazy and terrifying night which is Halloween?

I definitely am! Ever since I was little, I've never missed an opportunity to celebrate Halloween. When I was younger, I always dressed up with my friends to go trick-or-treating in my neighborhood. Whilst growing up, I changed it a bit. I now go to Halloween parties and watch horror movies till the end of the night.

 Yet, have you wondered how Halloween ever started? I always thought that Halloween was created in the United States to entertain children and make business out of it… but  after some research, this is what I found…

Halloween actually dates back to the Celtic times. 3000 years ago, the Celts celebrated New-Year during the night of the 31^st of October. During that night, they celebrated the Festival of Samhain  (= summer's end), which is a religious celebration that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter season ( mainly for the farmers). It was symbolized by the extinction and the relighting of all the households. The Celts would gather around a bonfire set by a druid in the forest; they would dance and sing till nights'end. Believing that the dead could return to earth and mingle with the living, the druids dressed up and gesticulated in order to communicate with the spirits and ward off the demons. Indeed, the druids were known for appeasing the souls and protecting the people.

Later in the VIIIth century, the Pope, Gregory III, established the “All Hallows ‘day” on the 1^st of November to celebrate All Saints ‘Day. Then, the immigrants of Ireland and Scotland imported the event with them to the United States in the XIXth century. It was then called “all Hallows ‘Eve” which means "the night before All-Saints ‘Day".

Don't you find it surprising that Halloween has existed for so long and doesn't, in fact, come from the United States?

One thing is for sure: every Halloween, I'll remain a child and whatever its origins, I find it amusing and will always dress up and party!