Hungary is an amazing country. Did you know that Hungarian is one of the oldest languages and that Hungary is one of the only European countries to have its own language that is not similar to any other in the world?
After long and exhausting flights, we finally got to Budapest. Glynis and Alan met us at the airport with warm hugs, and we proceeded to have a lovely evening talking about education, the future, and our kids.
Today (Sunday), we had a free day to explore Budapest. Mr. Bonina, equipped with a city map and boundless enthusiasm, played tour guide for Ms. Steinberg and myself. As we walked and enjoyed a beautiful warm Sunday, we covered 10 miles in one day! There were crowds of families with kids in strollers, on bikes and boards; it was as if the entire city poured out and was hanging in street cafes. You could really feel the vibe and the history of the city, as we passed among Baroque, Gothic and Celtic architecture, mixed together with styles with Communism and Post-Communism elements.
Suddenly, in the middle of the street, we stumbled on a plaque that I have seen in many other places in Europe. It 
symbolizes the Jewish family who lived in the building nearby and perished during the Holocaust. These people are gone forever, but a person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten as well.
We walked a little more and saw another very touching memorial museum reminding us of the Nazi and Communist 
rule – with pictures of people who were never able to escape.
At the end of the evening, Andrea Tóth and her husband, who is a teacher in Scheiber, invited the three of us to the ballet (incredible!), and then treated us to a dinner at a kosher restaurant (the food was to die for!). Keeping up with the theme of the day, we finished with a night tour of Budapest. A big shout-out of appreciation to the Tóths for their kindness, thoughtfulness, and hospitality. Hard to believe how much one can accomplish in one day, and what an amazing day it was!
