8-14-19 - Hungry for Hungary

Day 59-ish. Leanne here.

I must admit, when Budapest was on our first stop list , I was hoping it wouldn't make the final cut. Only because it was already on my "been there" list, thanks to a 1997 urging from our good friend Craig of Hungarian descent.

Our three previous legs left us with comparable regional experiences. While clearly different, each stop of the British Isles had the same feel from our trip perspective; our ancestral homelands gifted us deep history, beautiful architecture, witty conversations and green landscapes. Next, the well-orchestrated NCC tour to Japan and Korea was jam-packed with Asian culture (palaces, shrines, festivals, performances) led by doting, happy tour guides. Lastly, our Down Under portion (Australia and New Zealand) uncovered unique wildlife, crazy adventure opportunities, indigenous peoples' cultural opportunities, and a laid-back vibe that left us wondering if it was illegal not to be "chill" there.

Yet, yesterday proved to me that I was hungry for Hungary. After a 4:30 a.m. visit to a market for danishes and other breakfast treats, the clan met up with Zoltan, our private tour guide for the day. Dressed like a hippy, he immediately sat us down to give us a 30 minute lecture on long-storied, difficult Jewish history in Hungary starting in Roman times. We learn he was a retired professor in Asian Cultures and Sociology — clearly brilliant and quite forthcoming about his life in Hungary. Zoltan was a stark contrast to the uber-positive tour guides we've had thus far.

Brutally frank, he shared that 5/6 of the population live in some form of poverty today. Thirty years of post-Communism growth was a farce to him; same people he said are in power and business hasn’t taken off from his perspective. He led us into the Jewish ghetto established in late 1944 formerly walled off. Thousands were deported to the concentration camps, thousands just killed by fellow Hungarians there in Budapest at the Danube, and too many more starved in the ghetto. Yet there were stories like that of Swiss diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who saved thousands of lives by a threat to Nazi operatives late in the war.

Zoltan showed us (1) how to recognize the WWII-era bullet holes in the building facades; (2) why there were so many dilapidated external building facades, and (3) how to ease the pain at a "ruins" bar located in a bombed-out building (purposely not renovated).

Our deeply intellectual tour guide also led us through two beautiful synagogues - the Orthodox synagogue and the Great Synagogue on Doheny Street, containing multiple and moving memorials to those who perished and those whose lives were spared but still broken. The etched words "Never Forget" popped out - its why our clan was there in a sense. One of our goals is to understanding intolerance and ugly ramifications of it (in this case, an atrocious consequence).

About halfway through the tour, a perplexed Zolton did ask us why we were taking the Jewish Quarter tour but weren’t Jewish. Perhaps even more perplexed, we answered “to learn more.” Apparently that doesn’t happen much? Never stop learning.

Over a couple of "Palinkas" (fruit-induced alcohol - for adults of course), Gouglash and Hungarian beef stew, we learn more of Hungary, Zoltan’s four marriages, his children and his life both under Communism and post-Communism. Sometimes you don't want all roses, you want real. Zoltan was exactly what we craved for that day (another great find for son John!).

After the tour, we sorely needed a lift so we head to one of Budapest famous thermal baths, Gellert Spa, a testament to the former Ottoman Empire taking fine advantage of Hungary's geography as a thermal basin. We beat the crowds in the locker room only to find them packed in the pools -- beautifully designed with columns, fountains and even a wave pool. I'm pretty sure the Ottoman Empire didn't have wave pools … but as I bounce up and down like an happy 6 year old, I’m OK with that.

At night, a lively dinner river cruise on the Danube with Hungarian dancing and music gets Kyle and myself, up in the "Congo line" towards the stage for a lively local dance lesson. We are rewarded with beautiful lit buildings -- the Hungarian Parliament (photo above) in particular — sparkling in the river's flowing water. Despite lively Hungarian music filling the room, a few teens fall asleep on their meal clearly still jet-lagged and not nearly as enthralled in the Hungarian folk dancing and music as I was!

Yes, Budapest has filled our needs thus far - not to mention having the best WiFi yet (super fast). Who knew?

Quite glad Budapest made the final cut!