Rants and Art Films
After a late-night party, my day was filled with official errands, a potato lángos, and a powerful art film. The final scene of Anora reminded me how awful it feels to be unwanted. Later, the beauty of the full moon over Margitsziget made me reflect on the contradictions of the world around us.
09:00
I wake up almost on schedule.
Last night’s party ended with a 4 a.m. cooking session; Réka’s brother collapsed into the armchair, while Réka sprawled on the couch.
Note to self: write another long entry about Réka in my private journal. The gist: I adore this girl, but she’s just as crazy as I am.
10:00
Over Emese néni’s coffee, I redraw my chaotic schedule onto a clean sheet of paper.
12:00
Official errands, check. I now have a digital ID, which means I can handle matters from abroad.
Like so many things here, there’s an absurd twist: with the digital ID, I log in by photographing my screen using a downloaded app.
So, if I want to manage something from my phone—a completely realistic scenario nowadays—I’d have to stand in front of a mirror and take a selfie of my phone?!
In France, a digital ID generates a temporary code for the website in question; the state-authorized app handles login directly, even on a phone.
13:00
Lunch is potato lángos at one of the city’s best places, and it’s cheap too.
When I lived here, I wasn’t a big fan, but today it tastes amazing.
14:00
Finally, I get my hair cut. I’ve never had it this short before. Given my thinning hair, this seems like the least ridiculous solution.
The first hairdresser wanted twenty euros—here, in this city! Instead, a woman working on the inner boulevard washed and cut it for twelve euros.
That’s the same price the Arab barber charges back home.
14:30
I buy one single piece of Christmas candy for 300 forints. It’s a total rip-off! After paying, the guy points out that the price is clearly marked on the board. And indeed: one kilogram of candy costs 1,300 forints, but in tiny letters below, it says one piece is 300 forints.
In Arles, the shop owner would talk me out of buying a single candy for 80 cents.
After just a few days, I’m getting annoyed that although individual items aren’t more expensive than in France, the daily balance still feels worse than in any city I’ve been to before.
It’s as if there’s no cheap yet dignified version of anything here.
On top of that, this city desperately needs to invent something called financial awareness.
15:00
While sipping mulled wine, I search for last-minute deals on ticket sale websites. With no plans left for the day, I want some cultural enrichment. The search leads me to the art film Anora.
18:10
Powerful film. The final scene is intense. It makes me think about how awful it feels to be unwanted; in that moment, you’re lost.
“You’re crazy too.”
18:30
The full moon over Margitsziget is beautiful.
Why are we such a melancholic, cynical, and spiteful nation, despite having such beautiful landscapes and countless wonderful memories?
19:47
Every public transport I’ve taken today has had a homeless person sleeping on it. Visibly dirty, smelly, with torn clothes, likely a beggar.
19:57
I ask Réka if she needs anything from the store. She says yes: new minced meat to replace the one her brother drunkenly opened last night in his unconscious stupor.
December 16, 2024, Monday
