We have been in Budapest, Hungary for a few days now. We have mainly been hanging out near the Chinese and Russian embassies patiently attempting to get our visas. The Chinese goverment accepted our payment of 95 dollars and we scored entry to the country. The Russian consular has not been open since Monday so HOPEFULLY Friday will be our lucky day.
Today, I led a walking tour of Pest and Buda. We strolled the Vaci Utca, seeing the National Museum and the Great Market Hall, where we refrained from buying nesting dolls of the Soviet leaders. We crossed the Danube and visited Castle Hill with the Royal Palace, St. Mathias Church, the Hilton (built in 1976 - still trying to figure out what comrades needed a Hilton) and the Vienna gate (only a 10 day walk from Vienna). The Hungarians celebrated the centenial of the Magyars, their ancestors, settling in this area in 1896 so almost every building on the tour was built then. If it was not blown up in WWI or WWII, it was 111 years old. We had a interesting historical tour, even if it was a very recent history.
Tonight we went to the Opera, or at least the first act of the opera. The building was beautiful and the opera was in German, and translated in Hungarian. After some great music, and a little nap, there was a curtain call and the audience walked out. We thought it was a short opera, but enough of singing for us.
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