Week 14: December 6th - 12th

Monday 1999-12-06

The Independence day reception at the Embassy was today. I did Donners, i.e. went there in Ecco shoes. No-one complained aloud. The reception wasn't anything special. There was no program except shaking hands with the ambassador at the door. They served wine, champagne and something to eat. The drinks were cleverly on two tables so that one didn't have to see the same waiter every time when filling the glass. I didn't see anyone I knew, except Piia. The Finnish cooks that were in Gellért last week were also there. And a well-known local pop band Omega, but they didn't play.

In the evening we played cards and drank beer in J-P's room. Ryan's brother Patrick was visiting; funny guy. Sarah came back from Stockholm.

Tuesday 1999-12-07

I didn't feel to well in the morning. I think my last proper meal was at noon on Sunday. I had lunch with Mikko in a nice bar near the Opera. We intended to buy the flight tickets, but somehow didn't make it. Mikko resembles Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. It's hard to get anything done because of all the bouncing.

I surfed some hours, there's something wrong with the connections. It's hard to find anything from Máv's pages. All the time tables for trains abroad were under construction.

I lost a couple of seven of clubs upstairs. The continuous passive smoking starts bugging me.

Wednesday 1999-12-08

We had a small ridiculous test about Unix in the op.sys. lab. Even the most stupid ones got a four. All except one on the course got final grade 5, and the teacher was very sorry that he had to give one four. Probably nobody has ever told him that the scale is 1-5.

Me and Mikko bought the plane tickets to Finland. The Vista office in the beginning of Andrassy út has staff enough for a hundred customers at time. First the tickets were reserved at one desk. Then we went to another desk where they told us that our tickets cannot be paid with credit card. So we went to greet an ATM. Back to the office, and on a third desk a girl typed something into her computer and confirmed that all information matches. Then we paid fot the tickets to an older woman in backstage, came back to the second desk and finally got those tickets. Not bad, 31400ft, but it left me wondering if all the phases of bureaucracy were really necessary.

We had an excellent lunch at Marquis de Salade, and asked for prices in two car rentals. Probably we'll get a minibus from Főtaxi for our trip tp Italy. There was a guy who knew English. In the other office next door no-one knew anything but Hungarian. The minibus is ca. 24000ft/person/8 days. Or then we'll take a Lada Kombi.

I was in the net till half past one. Mikko dropped a full milk carton from the second floor window bench; the splashes froze on the side of some car.

Thursday 1999-12-09

The alarm didn't wake me up. I hadn't even thought to go to school in the morning, but it would have been nice to get up before one. I read the OS book.

In the evening I was in 22 with Mikko, J-P, Anssi, Philip and Eric. Philip had to move to another room in Martos though he'll leave in less than a month. At least Mikko, Anssi and Anssi T went somewhere. The Anssis had told to some Finnish girls in Ráday that Anssi T is Hans from Austria. Mikko was just otherwise confused...

Friday 1999-12-10

The second fumigation day. It's the time, at night there are hundreds or even tens of cockroaches on the walls. Or at least four. As last time, everyone must leave the building and stay out from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We had breakfast in our regular cafe. The waiter was smiling when she got the order, and bursted into laughter as soon as she turned away. (Everyone had a cappuccino, a couple of toasts and juice and/or sandwich. And it wasn't the first time. The locals seem to come there to drink a glass of water (for four), or something alike.) I read I3E in the school library for the rest of the morning. They asked for the licence to read again, but let me stay anyway.

In the afternoon I was walking around in the K building. There was some computer exhibition. I tried to go to the computer center, but it's closed on Fridays from two to four p.m. Returned to the library, and left right away with J-P to play billiards. J-P was a bit ill, and I won accidentally 7-3.

I went jogging and did laundry. I tried to see Rukajärven tie at the movies, but it was sold out. There's some Finnish film festival going on again.

In the evening a crowd of us was spending time in bars. Old Man's Pub was nice and cosy, but all too crowded and we left soon. We split in two groups. The others went to Bamboo Club (?) and Titanic 401, and we headed for Ráday. It's a nice place: a bar, dance floor, flippers, billiards, food, and even a Dohányzás a tilos -zone. I was tired and left before the others. Walked back to Martos. In rain.

Saturday 1999-12-11

Boring. I was in the net most of the day and all night till 9 a.m.

Sunday 1999-12-12

I slept from ten to two. In the afternoon I studied for next Tuesday's exam.

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