Cut for explicit content... the title should have told you that :P

( Rated R-sole )

Surprising coming from me, isn't it? I rarely talk about things of a sexual nature.

The meal at Ichigo's was superb. The restaurant was in a back street off one of the main streets in central Budapest. It was perhaps slightly non-descript but such is where jewels are often hidden and boy was this a jewel. It was really sweet for Ichigo cook for us. I know he had wanted the day off so he could spend it with us in the restaurant but work and shifts conspired against him (boy do I know that feeling) and he was forced to work. So he became cook and waiter for us and it was an honour to be catered for by a fellow fur. Definitely one of the highlights of my time in the Fandom.

( The Third Part Of Our Hungarian Odyessy )

It was with heavy hearts but good memories that we had to head home - not even the little jingle on the M1 Metro (which can be heard here (and it delightfully sounds like something out of Transport Tycoon) - www.bkv.hu/english/home/szignal/szignal4.mp3) could cheer me up. Still, we headed out to the terminus of the M3 line, waited in the cold for Ichigo for half an hour (whilst we did, we observed the five minute regularity of every single Metro train, as well as seeing some suburban train services too), and then we all [Ralesk, Ichigo, Wolfie and I] hopped on the bus to go to the airport. One final pint later and we were saying our goodbyes to each other.

All I can say is thanks to everyone who made our trip so fantastic - particularly Ralesk who went above, beyond, back again and then out once more to make us feel welcome. It truly was an amazing weekend and we both hope to be back soon :-)

P.S. Pictures will be forthcoming as Ralesk, Wolfie and I all took some :-)

Is such a liberating experience. Moved back into my flat last night. I have a new carpet which gives out that nice new smell. Everything feels really fresh, which is great. And I also have my home back, even though I know that this stay is hopefully going to be quite temporary.

After the Labryinth, we decided that we were a little tired after our excessive walking so we hopped on numerous buses and trams before heading back to the pub that we had spent Thursday night in. Tix very kindly bought me four glasses of wine but I was shocked to find that 1dl (100ml) is the standard measure out there. He got me two white and two red but I can't remember what they were called. Suffice to say that three were very nice and one was far too dry for my tastes.

( Part Two Of Our Hungarian Odyessy )

I have already detailed the trip to Ichigo's restaurant with the other furs, suffice to say that it was definitely the highlight of the trip. However, I haven't detailed the wines we had, or indeed our Sunday in Budapest. It is getting late though so I will have to continue my account tomorrow.

'Tis true. In the early hours of Friday morning, around the time I was actually born (3:42am GMT, 4:42am CET) I awoke to find a ghost standing over the bed in contemplative mood. He looked a bit like my new-found Hungarian friend Ichigo, only five inches taller. As I tried to focus, he stayed, head bowed for several seconds before turning around and disappearing into the corridor. He then disappated into the darkness. Scared as fuck, I turned the light on to see no one there at all. I believe all this occurred due to severe dehydration as I was dreaming about having a nice refreshing glass of Coke before I awoke but I don't know. 27, my current age, is the age of death (many rock stars committed suicide at this age) and well, in the dim and distant past I thought I would too. In that respect, it's a scary portent.

( Part One Of Our Hungarian Odyessy )

Part II to follow shortly as I am aware this is getting ridiculously long...

At 9pm this evening, two programmes were on that featured bugs very heavily.

The first was 'Life' on BBC One, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The second was 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!', presented by Ant & Dec.

I wonder which one got the highest ratings and whether any social comment could be made...

At this time of year, Leeds always lays on a bit of a treat as the town square gets converted into a giant German Christmas market. There are a few fair rides like dodgems, a few stalls selling little trinkets and plushies and then loads and loads of German food stalls *wags*

I do enjoy the superiority of German food, particularly Bockwurst cooked on charcoal. So Wolfie dragged me down by the collar and we made a night of it, wandering around the traditional wooden German buildings that looked suspiciously like they had been brought in from the local B&Q. Speaking of which, most of the staff had been brought in from Carlisle. Talking in German did little to aid the speed of sausage delivery.

We met up with Patter and we had two sausages each - one Bockwurst, one Spicy Bockwurst. I also tried some marshmallow covered in chocolate, which was in the shape of a butt plug or a penis gag. The chocolate was in different types and it hid a gooey marshmallow centre. I went for the Zebra (white and milk chocolate over white marshmallow) and the Smurf (green chocolate over blue marshmallow). I got it all over my muzzle.

We also tried the Knobi Brot - some of the nicest garlic bread ever. It was crammed full of garlic and the cheese on top was just the right tanginess it complemented it perfectly. Wolfie had the salami one. I also grabbed a Nutella crepe pancake deeley and followed it with a nice bout of indigestion. And more chocolate.

We also indulged in loads of beer - both at the German Beer Market where it was a little disappointing and in Mr. Foley's, the excellent continental beer bar that served 6.3% Weihnachtsbier. We watched the rugby to the chanting of drunken morons and then I phoned Wolfybaby because I was drunk and thought it would be a good idea (but note I wasn't a moron - ah the delight of value-loaded statements and false perspective :P). Somehow, I managed to speak to her for 23 minutes but I have no idea what about. We were going to go to the bar in the German market but it was full and some scary "traditional" music was going on. It was too oompa-like for my liking.

We ended the day at a Wetherspoons where I indulged in Tuborg. It was nice, but not as nice as German beer. I split my Coke all over the floor.

Sunday was a relaxing day, watching Button Moon for three hours and sharing an excellent Chicken Tikka Masala with Wolfie and his folks. The colour was disconceringly pink though, even by my standards. Apart from that, a classic relaxing day. I really need to take more days like these...

I see we have also made the "10 Things We Didn't Know Last Week" column on the BBC. Of course, we knew at least one of those things as furries feature at number 6 with:

Porn for the furry community is known as "yiff".

The article can be found here: www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/magazinemonitor/

Thanks to rustyfox for pointing this out - there is a massive feature on the Furry Fandom on the front page of the BBC News website. The article can be found here: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8355287.stm

The article is extremely well-written and balanced, although I wouldn't expect anything less from the BBC in general. Congratulations to all the furries who were interviewed or who donated pictures. Hopefully this will redress the balance of the tabloid journalism to which we have been subjected in the past. The only negative I can see is that the article concludes with the sexual aspect of the Fandom. This may stick with some people.

Still, in the main, I guess this is the good journalism that many in the Fandom have been waiting for and the fact that the BBC have now reported on us will surely enhance the credibility of the Fandom, as well as reducing the power of some of the negative things that are said about us.

Whether this publicity will see another upsurge in wannabe furries or whether the populace at large will now start to understand the Fandom waits to be seen. Either way, the increased publicity proves that the Fandom is no longer underground and is becoming more mainstream. I am sure that some will find that difficult to deal with but as the Internet gains ever more power in people's lives, I guess that was inevitable.

Anyway, on a superficial level, top article and an excellent representation of the Fandom. The deeper ramifications - both positive and negative - wait to be seen.

And I will be following people's comments on this story on the BBC with considerable interest.

Addendum: Currently (3:22pm GMT) it is the 8th most read article on the BBC site and the 1st in terms of Most Emailed. I think it's fair to say that today is the day that furry went mainstream.

Addendum II: Now my ex-girlfriend (non-furry) is emailing me, linking me to it...

Addendum III: The people in my office now know about me being furry. Their responses: "I want to be a Tyrannosaurus Hamster" and "I want a fursona - it's my new favourite word!"

Addendum IV: Looks like the BBC have disabled comments now. I wonder why.