Beautiful Budapest

 

Sophia's first impression of Budapest was that it looked 
"like someone forgot to put color into the painting."







But, we soon found the color and beauty in Budapest.






Budapest was originally two cities, Buda and Pest. The two grew up along side each other, separated by the Danube river.






To us, Hungarian seemed so different from Italian or any other language we have seen or heard. We learned from Hungarians that their language is similar to none, rooted only in the country of Hungary.



The beauty of the special Opera House in Budapest needed no translation,





...nor did this favorite past time for Hungarians: soaking in their thermal baths.
Healing waters, full of rich minerals, flow from underground hot springs in the center of Budapest. These waters are cooled to different temperatures for the indoor and outdoor baths, open to the public and found all over the city.





Night and day, we enjoyed the pride of Budapest,



and the architecture of it's government buildings and churches.

While in Budapest, we also learned of the city's darker past. For much of its existance, Budapest was occupied by Turkey, then the Nazis, and recently the Soviet Union. (The last Soviet soldier left Hungary in 1991.) At the city's sculpture park, monuments like this were built by the Soviets.

  Hungarians keep other landmarks to remember their suffering by those who occupied them, including this original, government building and these boots, the remains of a statue of Stalin which was toppled by the Hungarian people in 1956.

Learning the history of Budapest was important to us, even though it was heavy and made us sad for the lovely people of Hungary. We chose, however, to celebrate the new life growing in the city.

 

 Here we are, cuddled on the top deck of a boat ride down the Danube river,

..where we dined and danced below with the Gonzaga in Florence students,

...underneath the lights of beautiful Budapest,

...in a country which is finally free and beginning its new chapter for the Hungarian people.

Happy Valentine's Day!



Valentine's day is a favorite time for our family, and, this year was no exception.



The girls made paper Valentines and Valentine cookies,

 

and shared Valentine love and fun with Florence friends and family.



This year, we even shared a special, Valentine sky.





In true Italian style, a festival came to Florence during the week of Valentine's Day, bringing balloons, puppet shows, and...



ITALIAN CHOCOLATE! 

There were chocolate cell phones, and strawberries, duomos and coffee cups.



Chocolate pasta, chocolate lady bugs,

  

...chocolate locks and chocolate faucets!



Most exciting for us was watching this medievil flag core of Florence.

 



                                        Their costumes and performances were spectacular....

 

...helping to make this a Valentine's day to remember.

Happy Valentine's Day and lots of love to you!

Sometimes

One day this fall, a Gonzaga student captured our family on film as we began our sabbatical year in Florence.

 

Since the beiginning, Joe has loved Florence and loved that we are here together. He never forgets it.

Carla loves the slow life here, the slow food and the slow pace. She never wants to forget it.



Both Sophia and Josephine have missed friends and moving on to middle school with them. But, sometimes, they forget it.



Even though most of our days are full of ordinary moments, we never get tired of what is beautiful and special here.

Every so often, we get tired of being each others best friends in Florence or having this intense experience as a family together. 

 

But, usually, the unique way that we are a family here is the most special thing of all.

We won't forget being a family like we have this year,

in Florence, together.