Chimney Cakes and Cathedrals

As soon as we arrived in Budapest we went wandering, snooping, exploring. First we found a Christmas market in an area of the city that is still called the Jewish ghetto. Getting around was tricky because the names of some of the stores and hotels are written in Hebrew, even in Apple Maps.

I wanted to see St. Stephen’s Basilica, the largest church in the city, so we wandered in that direction and braved dense crowds and light rain. Still, it was exciting because the Christmas crowds are already out, music was everywhere on the darkened streets and we smelled cinnamon. We followed our noses and came across a kiosk on the street selling a Hungarian delicacy. It is called a chimney cake. About the consistency of a jelly roll, it spirals into a cylinder. You break off a piece and dip it in hot chocolate syrup. Oh my! How delicious.

Next we made our way over to St. Stephen’s Basilica. We asked if we could get inside to see the magnificent church. A workman doing maintenance on the site told us the ticket office was about 100 feet away beside the Starbucks. We followed the river of a crowd in the direction he indicated, but never saw either Starbucks or the ticket office. What we did see was amazing.

In the rain a crowd of a thousand people stood gazing at the front of the church. Apparently speakers had been placed high on nearby buildings, because suddenly the air was filled with the most beautiful, ethereal heavenly music. An unseen projector, using the front of the church as a screen displayed verses from the Bible, and tributes to Pope John Paul and Pope Francis. Important dates from church history and words from ancient Christian creeds flashed along the front of the building. Everyone stood in awe as the display continued for about fifteen minutes.

Maybe we will go inside the church in the next few days if we have time, but I am sure we will not see anything any more moving than what we saw this evening.Read more