What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0254

12651.  There was a lot of inbreeding in the Habsburg family;

12652.  At their height, the Habsburgs ruled over a third to a ¼ of Europe’s landmass;

12653.  Maria Theresa (Habsburg) was crowned queen at St. Martin’s Cathedral in Bratislava;

12654.  There are McDonald’s, Starbucks, Burger Kings and Subways in Bratislava;

12655.  There are no open container laws in Slovakia;

12656.  (I can say) I've had Chateaubriand.  It's basically (beef) steak with a wine sauce;

12657.  Apparently, some cruise ships use the river as a heat sink;

12658.  (I can say) I've been to Hungary;

12659.  Budapest has Bolt and Uber;

12660.  There is a Buda-side and a Pest-side to Budapest;

12661.  The Buda-side is the hilly side on the west bank of the Danube and the Pest-side is the flat side on the east bank of the Danube.  There are 6 districts on the Buda-side and 16 districts on the Pest-side;

12662.  Budapest has a population of 1.7 million people in the city and 3.3 million in the greater metro area;

12663.  Hungary has a population of 9.5 million people;

12664.  To save energy, the city of Budapest turns off most decorative lighting at 11:00 PM in the summer and 10:00 PM in the winter;

12665.  Hungary is part of the E(uropean)U(nion), but they don't use the euro.  They use the (Hungarian) forint;

12666.  It’s 300 forints to $1.00 USD;

12667.  There’s no need to exchange currency in Hungary.  They take euros and USD;

12668.  The president in Hungary is primarily a figurehead.  S/he doesn’t make any political decisions.  The prime minister has substantial executive powers;

12669.  There’s a local legend in Budapest that Gustave Eiffel (i.e., designer of the Eiffel Tower) was involved with the design of Margaret Bridge.  The bridge was constructed by Maison Ernest Gouin et Cie, a company linked to Eiffel’s engineering firm;

12670.  The Hungarian government sells historical buildings to foreign companies, but there’s a catch.  The companies have to restore and maintain the buildings, ensure public access and use the property for commercial or event purposes while keeping cultural functions open;

12671.  The Széchenyi Thermal Bath (& Swimming Pool) (SzechenyiBath.hu) in Budapest is the largest spa complex/thermal bath in Europe;

12672.  There are 40 thermal baths/spas in Budapest;

12673.  (I can say) I've been to a Hungarian thermal bath/spa;

12674.  (I can say) I've had sabayon.  It’s just (a) custard;

12675.  (I can say) I've sang karaoke with the cruise program director (i.e., Paul Lau);

12676.  (The) Ubers in Budapest are taxis;

12677.  Pistachios can be good on pizza( specifically the parma and pistachio pizza at “Al Dente” in Budapest (Facebook.com/aldenteristo)). . . . Who knew?

12678.  Hungary's chimney cake reminds me of Prague's trdelní( cake);

12679.  There are 7 Michelin starred restaurants in Budapest;

12680.  (I can say) I’ve eaten at a Michelin star restaurant in Budapest( specifically Costes Downtown);

12681.  The nicest McDonald's I've (ever) been to is in Budapest’s Nyugati Railway Station;

12682.  The “Mango x Sprite Zero” and the “Sour Cherry x Sprite Zero” at McDonald’s in Budapest are good;

12683.  A McDonald's hamburger tastes the same in Budapest;

12684.  McDonald's hamburgers are also tiny in Budapest;

12685.  The ketchup is less sweet in Budapest;

12686.  The spicy pork burger at McDonald’s in Budapest is tasty.  It’s like a less spicy sausage patty;

12687.  McDonald’s sells onion rings in Budapest;

12688.  It costs 200 forints to use the bathroom/restroom at a McDonald’s in Budapest; however, you can redeem your bathroom/restroom receipt/ticket as a coupon for 200 forints if you make a purchase of at least 400 forints;

12689.  The Budapest Metro reminds me of the Vienna U-Bahn;

12690.  There are McDonalds, Starbucks, Burger Kings, Subways, KFCs and Pizza Huts in Budapest;

12691.  There are a lot of Italian restaurants in Budapest;

12692.  You can return plastic bottles and aluminum cans for a deposit at (some) grocery stores in Budapest;

12693.  The (potato) chips at European ALDIs seem crunchier and less greasy.  They also have only a handful of ingredients and smaller bags;

12694.  T-Mobile has unlimited talk and text to and from the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  T-Mobile also has unlimited basic data and streaming in Canada and Mexico;

12695.  Get to the airport based on your final destination not the first leg of your flight;

12696.  Embrace and enjoy the present moment: 20 years from now, you’d give anything to be this exact age, this healthy and back in this exact moment.  Take a second and enjoy this moment right now.  It's how you make an average Tuesday good.  You allow yourself to enjoy it;

12697.  Master the art of pausing: Pausing to decide if it’s worth your energy.  Most of the stuff that’s draining you is not worth your energy;

12698.  Don’t take anything personally: Learning how to not take anything personally will change your life.  Most of what people do has nothing to do with you.  Let their moods be theirs.  Your life is yours.  That’s where you take your power back;

12699.  Stop waiting, start living today: . If you wait until you feel better to start living, you’ll wait forever.  Go live your life.  If you feel sad, do it sad.  If you feel anxious, do it anxious.  If you feel uncertain, do it uncertain.  Because healing, happiness and change don’t always come before the experience.  It’s the experience that heals you, that makes you change and that makes you happier.  So go do it;

12700.  You are responsible for your own happiness: You’re responsible for the energy you bring and how you show up.  You’re responsible for waking up every day and doing the work to make progress on what matters.  You’re responsible for defining what matters to you.  You’re responsible for telling the truth even when it’s hard.  You’re responsible for paying for your life.  Nobody owes you anything, but you.  You owe yourself everything;