Not too Hungry in Hungary

So, my first trip across the former Iron Curtain was a blast!

I arrived in Budapest Friday night after my connection in Rome and hopped on a bus and then a metro to Kalvin Ter. I knew my hotel was close to the metro station, but I wasn't sure exactly where it was. I stepped out of the stairway, turned around, and there it was!

My friend Julian, who flew in from Sweden from his study abroad, was already there and we decided to walk around the city to see it at night. Walking along the Danube River was so beautiful as all the golden buildings along either side were lit up. We ate at a restaurant off the main drag, Andrasse Avenue, and I just had to go with a local specialty, goulash. It was a lot better than what I remember from my grade school cafeteria’s goulash for sure! It was really just a vegetable soup. I had that with pork and potatoes Hungarian style. I couldn’t even finish the amount they served me!

Looking up to Castle Hill at night

The next day we went to the Pest side of the city. Budapest was originally two cities, Buda and Pest, divided by the Danube River and combined to make Budapest.  There was a funicular to take you up the hill to the base of the Grand Palace, which was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt by the Soviets as they clutched Hungary in the claws of Communism. Once at the top, we were welcomed with the most amazing view of the city. We walked through the grandiose courtyards of the Palace, which are not at all what they used to be before the war. The exterior used to be adorned with hundreds of statues, ornate carvings and moldings, and extravagant gardens filled with exotic fauna. Now, most of the Palace is filled with offices, museums, and halls that can be rented out. Remains of the old Palace are still visible throughout the estate. 

Standing by the Grand Palace overlooking the city

Next stop was St. Matthias Basilica, which is on the same hill, just a quarter mile down the road from the Palace. Secret tip: If a church requires you to pay to get in, ask where the prayer entrance is and you can get in for free! Right outside is a large balcony looking out over the city called the Fisherman’s Bastion. It’s a series of towers and walkways on the hillside displaying gorgeous views of the Danube and the numerous buildings that border it. We walked down the hill, and ate at a local restaurant. I have this obsession about eating local food and drink, such as eating a Belgian waffle in Belgium, crepes in France, goulash in Hungary and gelato in Italy. So for lunch, I got fried duck and pickled cabbage. It was actually very good!

St. Matthias Basilica

Fisherman's Bastion

Sunday morning, we went to mass at St. Stephan’s Basilica not realizing it would be in Hungarian. It was advertized as Latin, but the only thing in Latin was the Consecration. Afterwards, we went around to a room behind the sanctuary to see the Right Hand of St. King Stephen. It is the most revered relic in all of Hungary, not only because he was the country’s first King, but also because he brought Christianity to the region.

St. Stephan's Basilica

St. King Stephan's right hand

Next, we went to the Hungarian Parliament, the third largest parliament building in Europe outside of Bucharest and London. For being the equivalent of the US Capitol Building, security was pretty lax. A guard every hundred yards surrounded the building and a simple security scan was all that was needed to get into the building. Our tour started on the grand staircase that the building is most famous for. The whole room was gilded in gold from the railings to the ceiling. The dome that caps the building houses the Holy Crown that was worn by St. King Stephen. The image is portrayed all throughout the city as a crown topped with a cross bent to the side, an accident that happened centuries ago when it was packed in a box for safekeeping. During WWII, the crown along with the right hand, were sent to the United States to be safeguarded in Fort Knox and was returned decades later by President Jimmy Carter. The last part of the tour was a look into the parliament chamber. Hungary used to have a bicameral legislature like the United States, but now only has one. The other chamber is now rented out to citizens for large parties.

On our last morning, we took a long walk up to the citadel, a fortress on a hill next to the Grand Palace that the Soviets build in order to aim cannons down on the city if they needed to destroy Budapest. On the way up, we stopped at the Cave Church, which is literally what it sounds like. It’s a cave, with a church in it. The rest of the way up felt more like a pilgrimage, especially since it had started to snow as we followed the winding wooded path to the top. Along the way were several outcroppings where you can look out over the whole city. Once at the top, you are faced with the giant statue of a woman, which can be see across the city. It is a liberation statue erected by the Soviets “liberating” the Hungarians from their “oppression,” so they decided to turn them communist. Kind of ironic isn’t it!

On top of the Citadel looking over the city

This post is a whole week late! I know, I know I need to be on top of it more! I’ll post a few more in the next couple of days to catch up. This past weekend, (2/25-27) I was in Rome for a class trip, so that will probably be a two-part post. The Tuesday after Budapest, I lead a Bible Study for the SSTM, so I’ll write a little on that too. Next weekend I’ll be on Spring Break, so Internet may be an issue too, but I’ll keep writing and post when I get back.

Until next time!