Our Saturday started out very rainy, which wasn’t too promising for a day of exploring the city. So we cancelled our plans to be outside and instead went to the Nagycsarnok (or Great Market) in Pest (indoors) and looked at all the fresh meats, cheeses, vegetables, and fruits, as well as many different Hungarian crafts and souvenirs. Afterwards the weather had cleared up a bit so we went across the river to Buda to make an attempt up to the Citadella (which looks over both Buda and Pest). [Budapest is separated by the Danube River into two parts Buda and Pest, which joined together in the late 1800s.]
The Great Market
We met Saint Gellert...
We peeked into the Cave Chapel...
Found that most things are free game for graffiti canvases, even beautiful stone carvings (and giant crosses)...
Pest
Sepp and Trazy (with whom I had the pleasure of spending the day with!)
Buda + Pest = Budapest
Sunset...
And a great big beautiful moon with the Liberty Monument, which stands atop the Citadella.
Afterwards, went to a little palacsinta (pancake, like crepe) place off the beaten path in Buda. A really good day and great way to see the city from a new perspective!
Palacsinta
We also got a chance to go to one of Budapest’s Christmas markets, which had many little stands selling beautiful handicrafts, as well as lots of delicious looking foods and treats.
Part of our stay involved a meeting with many of the other volunteers in our program here in Hungary and the bishop of the Lutheran Church and a representative from the Reform Church in Hungary. It was an important meeting as they acknowledged the ODE organization (Reform Church volunteer program we are working through in Hungary) and the work that it does--which I think can be somewhat controversial (maybe not said outright) because ODE sends its volunteers to many Roma communities and also supports Roma volunteers.
Overall Review:
A great stay in Budapest!
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