Parliamentary Procedure

Even if your government swears church and state are separate, the law is holy. The place where such principles are brought forth becomes a temple, and every country has one big one where its elected leadership does its decision-making. While Hungary’s democratic Parliament may be young, the castle and fortress where its members meet may be the world’s nicest. Inspired by London’s House on the Thames, the late 19^th century structure sits just meters from the Danube and has magnificent night lighting.

It takes longer to get inside than it does to walk through, but 'breaking in' to government buildings always thrills the history nerd in me. We saw wonderful frescoes and colorful stained glass, a gilded dome, and the changing of two guards around a 1000-year-old coronation crown.  Then, we get to the main chamber. Formerly bicameral, the Parliament now meets as one happy family. As we snapped selfies all around the building, the realities of the Parliament seemed to escape me. Golden cigar holders and red plush couches distract you from the facts that Russia had ‘advisors’ in the country until 2000. Currently, a minority party keeps speaking up in that big room with Anti-Semitic rhetoric that has the community scared that what happened once could happen again. Only outside of the building did a friend call the correlations to my bedazzled yet bewildered attention. 

On Tram 2, National Geographic’s 7^th most beautiful tramway in the world, we chatted only briefly about the government visit before gazing at the views of the Danube and the monument-scattered hills on the Buda side. After lunch, we stumbled upon an artisan spring market in Vorosmarty Plaza. With live music, fancy chocolate, mulled wine, and classier tschochkes than can be found elsewhere, we kicked off a fabulous shopping afternoon.

While shopping in my European favorites (Stradivarius, Bershka, Pull and Bear), our trip staff and I called half the restaurants in Budapest to see who wanted to have 30 Americans for dinner. This phoneathon began around 4:30, and we were looking to eat at 8. Few restaurants have the capacity for such a group much less want to have us disrupt the peace, asking a million questions and making a special request with every dish. We’re a waiter’s worst nightmare, and Hungarian service people are not afraid to roll their eyes, sneer, growl or just straight-up ignore you. I’ve found this leisurely way of dining out across the board from Sevilla to Vienna to Budapest. It’s not a problem when you’ve got time and you’re in good company.

We spent a final hour discussing our experiences and how we can translate them back home. I was so impressed with the ways my peers processed with both personal and community perspectives. From sharing stories of the political climate with parents and family members to planning on going to Shabbat on campus, I know that the largely-sophomore crew is anything but sophomoric in their vision for their journeys after the trip. In a circle, we shared our favorite moments (mine was hearing the German opera-singing cantor), and then led into a camp-style havdalah service signaling the end of sabbath and the end of our formal programming together as a group. I don’t think any tears were shed, but as is customary, everyone hugged it out warmly. There’s really nothing quite like 28 good hugs from 28 good friends.

Dinner at Vakjuk (Budapest’s only restaurant that could reasonably have us, really), worked out quite well. We indulged in a three-course meal, and drinks ranging from rich hot chocolates to mammoth beer towers – a grand celebration of our trip. I had funky cheese salami, which were made of spiced cheeses and seeds and veggies, but did have the consistency and smoke of a cured meat. Though I was sick of hot chocolate (I probably drank 20 over five days), my coffee-infused version said I could keep the mug as a souvenir, which seemed like a great idea except that I only have a carry-on and it’s already overflowing.

I jammed that very important mug in, nonetheless, and through on something sparkly to get my mood ready for a fun last night in the rain.