"When I received an email inviting me to Budapest, Hungary, for the World Science Forum, the first association I made with Budapest, was Michael Jackson. I am a big fan, after all. The first few hours I spent there, I realised that the Hungarians were also big fans. There is a Michael Memorial in the park. Years after his death, people are still putting flowers below a large tree with his photos on it. It’s amazing to witness the appreciation from all the lives he had touched.

So instead of resting, 4 South Africans got onto a hop on, hop off bus. There was no time to hop off, but in two hours the bus took us to all the tourist attractions of Buda and of Pest. The most apparent feature of Budapest is that this city is an architect’s mecca. The buildings are all majestic and resonate true art.

The hotel I stayed at, courtesy of UNESCO, was the Intercontinental, a few footsteps away from Sofitel and on the bank of the Danube river. 

The Danube separates Buda from Pest like the food separates the adventurers from the conservatives.

If you are a fussy eater, you won’t experience the true culinary delights this city has to offer. Two signature Hungarian foods that I have tried are Beef Goulash and Gundel pancakes. Mexico and India are not the only countries known for hot food; paprika is almost part of the staple diet. The Gundel pancakes are very rich, and – actually – most Hungarian dishes are rich. If you have a sweet tooth or have a love for pastries – you would be in food heaven.

The weather was heavenly for me. The best part of winter in Hungary is that you don’t have to wear all the layers of clothing indoors – because it’s warm inside. All the places I have been to – the hotels, the Academy of Sciences, Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Applied Arts, Thermal baths and clubs – are warm inside. When you are indoors you forget that it is winter – unlike South Africa where you keep your coat on!  I was impressed with the heating indoors, but part of me was worried about how much energy they spend. I was worried about preserving planet earth and its resources. Go ahead, call me a hippie! Actually, I’m more of a scientist than a hippie.

The World Science Forum was hosted at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, which is also a beautiful building. The building looks like an art museum or a mini opera house inside. I love how a discipline such as science has an appreciation for art and music – the academy building has a concert hall, where most of the presentations were held. An amazing photography exhibition also formed part of the forum, in the same building.

Breathtaking isn’t it? I love photography, but I am convinced you have to be there to conjure up the same emotion from seeing a photo. In this very same hall, I soaked up so much information. Valuable perspectives from Nobel laureates, the princess of Jordan, scientists who have accomplished many great feats, dignitaries who support the discipline and inspiring individuals from the World Association of Young Scientists (WAYS) group itself. In one of the opening speeches it was mentioned that science is a very demanding profession because success is never guaranteed. Do not be discouraged by what you call a failure. Those of you who have done research can probably relate to this.

I would like to elaborate on themes such as Science for Humanity, Science for Peace and protecting bright young minds, talent support and the meaning of education in future blog entries…

The World Science Forum reminded me of how passionate I was about science and that this career I chose, not for glory, but for the love of it."