Budapest

Budapest is a one of the cheapest cities to fly to in Europe. It's worth checking out for a few days. Then you can fly somewhere else (say Rome) for much less than if you flew there directly from the US. 

Budapest is an old and beautiful city. There are plenty of churches and castles...

but also weird Soviet left-overs...

...I don't even know what is going on here. 

                                                  Budapest has a Blue Line (just like Chicago).

This is just the cafe inside a book store. 

Of course I had goulash...

...and potato chips served on a stick (with a side order of sass).

And one of the best things I saw, a painting of Leonardo DiCaprio sandwiched between two portraits of rabbis in a fancy tourist restaurant.