Rainy Day People: Day 45 - Exploring the Inside of Budapest
It was a cold, windy and rainy day so we spent most of it exploring some of the inside things that Budapest offers.
However, before we did that, went down to the banks of the Danube to visit the “Shoe Memorial” on the east bank near the Parliament buildings. This simple, but very moving sculpture is a memorial to the mainly Jewish victims of massacres that took place here in 1944-45. It was fitting that it was a cold and windy day. Regardless of the grandeur of the cathedrals and public buildings, the refinement of the classical musicians and the brilliance of the numerous Nobel laureates that have lived in various cities and societies like Budapest, these things are no guarantee, or even a reliable indication, of a civilized society, as this simple and moving sculpture pointedly reminds us.
Things a better somewhat now, but that doesn’t mean they always will be, as current events here and in a few other countries in the region suggest a bit of regression back to more intolerant behaviour and attitudes.
We spent the rest of the morning exploring St Istavan’s Basilica, having a great traditional lunch at the Restehaz (Strudel House) and then picking up some supplies for the next stage of our trip at the central market.
We’re off to a Hungarian wine tasting tonight so I may, or may not have more pics and verbiage to add later. We’re then going to be back in the saddle tomorrow and heading south.
We will be a little lighter, as we’ve decided to ditch the camping gear. Abhi and Tracey are heading to Calgary for a week or so in a few days and have offered to take some stuff back for us. The weather is getting cooler, campgrounds are getting fewer (and closing!) and pensions and hotels are getting cheaper, so there wasn’t much debate.
Song of the day
Beautiful Tango by Hindi Zarah
We spent the evening in a very old wine cellar in an old, and to us, exotic city. Although this song references an Argentine dance and is performed by a Moroccan / French artist ... it fits the 'exotic' bill for this simple Albertan
The 'Shoes" - a memorial to the mostly Jewish victims of massacres along these banks in 1944. People were forced to strip, stand on the bank, where they were shot in the back, their bodies falling into the Danube to be swept away by the current
... this is a very recent memorial put up by the current gov't ... and quite controversial ...the monument, entitiled " Memorial to the Victims of The German Invasion" are the stone column's and bronze figures in the back ... depicting the 'evil Nazi eagle' forcing the archangel Gabriel (representing innocent Hungary) to do nefarious things ... the suitcases, papers and other paraphernalia on the barriers in front have been put there by protesters who see the monument 'dishonoring the Jewish, Roma and gay people who died in the Holocaust'
... apparently this is the hand of St Istvan (Stpehen in English) ...not sure where the rest of him is ... ' this piece gets paraded around town on St Stephens day (Aug 20th for those that want to bookmark the date)
