The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1985 (12. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1985-03-01 / 3. szám
WEEKEND IN HUNGARY Dr. Victor IV. Molnár PART 3 Arrival in Budapest Hungary’s Route 3, the main road between Miskolc and Budapest, has been improved tremendously since 1964, when I first drove on it. The last fifty kilometers into Budapest have been transformed into a 4-lane limited access highway. Once we reached the outskirts of Budapest, Zsuzsi Lévai, our Hungarian guide from Ibusz, evidently wanted to show off some of her city and instead of taking the most direct route to the Royal Hotel, where we would be lodged for three evenings, indicated to Lada, our bus driver, to turn off at Hungária Boulevard so that we could enter downtown Budapest through the beautiful City Park, alongside Vajdahunyad Castle, across the City Park Lake onto Heroes Square and then down the street that is now called the People’s Republic Road, which is lined with many cultural buildings and foreign embassies. Because I knew from our schedule that there would be limited time for me to do some shopping for Hungarian records, and that stores in Budapest close at 6 PM and at noon or 1 PM on Saturday, and it was already 5 PM, I asked Zsuzsi to let me off when we reached the corner of People’s Republic Road and Lenin Boulevard. There was much, much traffic, the new rush hour Budapest was learning to cope with, and we were inching forward slowly during the last two blocks. Zsuzsi was flabbergasted. “How well do you know Budapest?”, she asked. I had to tell her I had been here several times, not desiring to boast about the number of times. “You will get lost! ”, she remarked. “Oh, I know this area like the back of my hand, and even if you will make a left turn at the Octogon or 8-sided square, you will end up on the wrong side of the Royal Hotel.” This information seemed to impress her. “I shall get off here, as soon as the bus stops, and walk the two blocks to the Ferenc Erkel Book and Record store that is directly opposite from the Royal Hotel, and I might even get there before you!” And I did! In fact, I had the opportunity of purchasing 3 records and still get to the hotel before the bus arrived. I was already at the money exchange desk of the hotel when the bus arrived. Due to heavy traffic and a few one-way streets that Zsuzsi was not aware of, the bus had to make a big loop MARCH, 1985 around the other end of town, so the members of the tour stated. I waited till my father got off the bus, gave him the records and said I was returning to the store to purchase more before the store closes. But Pauline Kurovsky, our American hostess said: “Please wait, Dr. Molnár, get the key to the room and then go.” Just then Olga, our Czech guide, who had previously rushed to the reception desk looking after the details of registration, hollered out my name-and presented us with the key to our room. Were were the first in the pile handed to her. O Lord, I said to myself, you really must be Hungarian, to let things fall into such events that I can go back for more records. I have to reveal here that yours truly is host and announcer of a two-hour Hungarian radio broadcast each Sunday from Noon, over WDUQ-FM in Pittsburgh, and this is the reason for all the emphasis I am placing on getting the latest records while in Budapest. In the 20 minutes or so that I had left to return to the store, to the second floor where the records were, I surprised the young man at the counter when again I asked for records in the nota category and the newest operetta albums. He was surprised that I wanted the very latest. I had to reveal to him who I was and because of the radio program these are the two categories of Hungarian music that are most popular with the listeners to my radio broadcast. Well, anyway, the young man had only six more new ones. He was out of the newest Sándor Lakatos Gypsy Concert album, indicating he only had the cover. So then I asked for some old time dance music, and if he had a pop tune from the late seventies entitled “Homokora” by Marta Zaray and Janos Vamossy. He did. I finally ended up buying eight more records, making it a total of eleven that I purchased in less than an hour. Add that to the twenty-five records I purchased previously and you can just imagine how heavy my suitcase was. Thus, with a big feeling of happiness I returned to the Royal Hotel and got freshend up for the supper that our group would have at the renovated Hungária Restaurant, with wine and gypsy music according to the brochure. To be continued — The Eighth Hungarian Tribe with subscribers in every State of the Union and Canada. Sándor Petőfi: Is There Now Such A Lad... Is there now such a lad, Who is afraid, Even if'lightning Goes by his head? The coward should Clear out from amongst us, He should hide In the hole of the oven. My brothers In freedom's name, Let us stand our ground Stoutly, Let us show, what we arel We are ones Who are Above danger. We will stand out At the first signal, If we fall, a new line Shall stand up after us; Even if there are only Two Hungarians left on earth: (As long as these two are free) I don't care. A three colored Hungarian flag, A glorious sign! We shall shield it With our utmost strength, We lift its sacred Wings from the dust; Fly before us, Under the high heavens! Three colored Hungarian flag, Lead us, Not a one of us will be stingy With his blood! Your enemy cannot Trample you, Until he has painted you red With our blood! Pest, 1848, April Translated by Frank Szomy Page 9
