Day 9: Budapest

Our first adventure of the day consisted of a Hungarian hotel breakfast with different options, including but not limited to; eggs, assorted meats, and breads. Once we left the hotel, we met up with Peter, a local tour guide who took us around the city with the assistance of our bus driver who is also named Peter. With the tour guide, we saw the beautiful Buda Castle which had actually been reconstructed multiple times due to many historical wars which Hungary fought it. Then we crossed over the Danube river which separates Buda and Pest, the two parts of the city which make up Budapest. While Buda is the older section of the city filled with hills, Pest is more modern and built on flat land. To cross the Danube, we went over the Chain Bridge, which was the first bridge to connect the two cities. We learned that the architect of the bridge promised perfection of the bridge, but was later exposed by a little boy who pointed out that the lions on the Buda end of the bridge were missing their tongues. Today, many bridges connect the two parts of the city, uniting Budapest to form the capital of Hungary. Once Peter finished the tour we split up to get Hungarian current, Forints, and searched for Lunch and Hungarian souvenirs. My group went to a nice sit down restaurant where we were able to try traditional and new Hungarian foods. After meeting back up, we walked to the House of Terror. The House of Terror is a museum which focuses on Hungary during Nazi and Soviet occupation and the horrors which took place. The museum set a mood of darkness and was very deep, examining every aspect of life in the shadows and injustice of the occupational government. We then went on to the water front of the Danube. While walking, we observed a Jewish memorial for a group of Jews who were shot by anti-Semitic groups into the river during the Nazi occupation. Metal shoes lined the water front to symbolize those that were killed out of hate. Our walk finished with our arrival at the Hungarian Parliament where we got to see the historic building which included the Crown Jewels of Hungary. We then headed straight to dinner which was a Hungarian soup and Chicken for the main course. Quickly, we got back to the bus to get to the top of the peak overlooking the city to see the sunset. On the top of the peak is a statue commemorating the Soviet liberation of Hungary and Budapest from Nazi occupation. Following 1990 and Hungary regaining its independence from Communism, the name of the statue was changed to symbolize liberty and became the Hungarian Statue of Liberty. With the sun down and the day closing, we made our way back to the hotel by hiking down the mountain with a quick stop at a city park and then hopping on the tram. Overall, Budapest was an amazing city with so much beauty and history in every inch.

- Blake

Day 9 of the AP Euro Trip 2019 has proved to be another excellent adventure. We had the luxury of sleeping in till 8:00 AM today, then our local guide, Peter, (not to be confused with our beloved bus driver) showed us around the city. We explored Mátyás Church, Hero’s Square, and walked beneath the blazing sun for a quick stroll. Luckily, we were granted some free time to explore the city of our own whims. My group chose to seek refuge in a shady park adjacent to Budapest’s Octagon Square followed by an expedition to one of the city’s three train stations (this one was designed by the same team that crafted the Eiffel Tower, and also shoulders Hungary’s first –and very grand– McDonalds). Later we walked through the House of Terror, a museum dedicated to Hungarian Nazi history. While very intense, the information and layout of the museum was incredibly fascinating. As our amazing tour guide, Ildi, reminds us, it is critical that we learn about humanity at both it’s best and worst, so that we may prevent such atrocities from occurring ever again. After a brief walk along the Danube and a spontaneous parade of Goulash-master-chefs in one of the main squares, we were granted entry into the Hungarian Parliament building. Constructed in the late 19th/early 20th century, it holds the title of the Third Largest Parliament in Europe. It was quite impressive, almost as impressive as our Parliament Tour Guide’s soothing vocals. We unanimously agreed that he would be an excellent candidate for ASMR content. While inside, we viewed vast golden ceilings as well as the crown that King Steven himself (coronated in the year 1000) wore. Finally, we capped off the day with a lovely dinner and hike up to the Hungarian Statue of Liberty. Once a symbol of communist art, the people of Hungary have transformed it into a symbol of freedom. Budapest has been an utterly charming and captivating city, and I cannot wait to see what our final leg of the journey will bring :-)

- Christina

Being a tourist in both Buda and Pest today showcased both the baroque artwork of centuries old Hungary but also the regrets of the Cold War.  The tour throughout Budapest’s parliament helped us understand the importance of tradition in Hungarian life. Tradition was established with the buildings constructed during the golden age of Hungary from 1850-1910. The majority of statues built during this time depicted men on horseback leading Hungary to victory. The students in Hungary make it a tradition to touch the horse for good luck during their exams and we continued this tradition as we are preparing for standardized testing Junior year. IWhile the churches and monuments highlighted the majestic parts of the city, the Dandue River carried with it underlying sorrow. A few days before we came to the city, a tragic boat crash occurred that has left over twenty victims missing. The victims missing was eerily similar to the communist monument on the side of the river, showing the shoes of the Jewish victims that were shot into the river. The horrors of the Cold War throughout Hungary were further explained in the museum of terror we visited in the afternoon. The storybook setting of the museum was a mesmerizing experience that brought me to tears as we saw the torture devices that killed hundreds of political rebel’s during the Cold War. My biggest takeaway from this museum was to build up civil courage and encourage myself to speak out against institutional injustice. Overall, the symbols of bravery present in both the baroque artwork and Cold War not only pay tribute to the successful rulers of Hungary, like Maria Teresa, but also exhibit the bravery of everyday people who have the courage to follow their hearts rather than follow the masses.

- Mollie