Hungary - Day 4

National Museum
Today we had completely to ourselves, so we headed to the National Museum to see some works by Mihály Munkácsy. This was a definite highlight of the trip!  Whether we are related to him or not is still, and will probably always be, unknown.  However, we are definitely connected at least by a name.  I only knew his trilogy of Christ paintings which hung in the Wannamaker building for many years.  He is widely considered Hungary's most important painter.  Aunt Elaine and I were both surprised by the range of his style.  Unlike Renoir or Degas, it would be hard to identify a painting as his because he did not "lock into" one style or subject matter.  Some paintings were dark and morose; others were light and happy; some were impressionistic; and others were realistic; and his subject matter was equally diverse.  There were two special, permanent exhibits in the museum for his work.  One exhibit was a room to display the enormous painting depicting the Conquest of Hungary.  The second exhibit was a series of four rooms that contained mainly paintings by him.  The second exhibit also displayed the works of two painters that were heavily influenced by him.  Certain works of these various artists were displayed to show his influence.  It was in this second exhibit that the true range and diversity of his style became apparent to us.

The National Museum is in the Castle District in Buda and our hotel was across the river in Pest.  So, we decided to try out the public transportation system.  There is an extensive metro, bus, and tram system in the city, but we stuck with the trams and buses to get around.  I love the trams because they run on electric through the cities streets and give a certain charm to the city.  It's also nice to be transported through the city in a manner that allows you to see the city as you go, unlike a metro system.  Once we got to the Castle District, we made our way over to the museum.  On the way we were able to watch the changing of the guards and view some more Roman ruins. There are many Roman ruins close to the museum and some still being excavated there.  These Roman ruins seem to be very prevalent throughout the entire city and countryside.  The Hungarians are taking great care in excavating and preserving them.

Parliament
By the time we made our way to the Parliament building, it was too late to get a tour.  However, we were able to walk around and get a sense for the grandeur of the building close-up.  The beauty and splendor of Hungary never ceases to amaze me.

Holocaust Memorial
Along the Danube River, right by the Parliament, there is a memorial to the victims who were lined up along the river, shot, and pushed into the river.  The monument is extremely poignant, consisting of empty shoes lining the river.  Unlike some memorials, which seem slightly abstract and removed from the event which is being memorialized; the reality of the horror of their deaths is truly conveyed in this memorial.




Dinner
We had dinner at the same place as the night before in Liszt Square.  Liszt Square is quite possible one of my favorite areas of the city.  The design of it is so perfect, with a narrow park running between two pedestrian walkways lined with restaurants and cafes.  I wanted to try a beer of the country before leaving, so I ordered a Sol.  It seemed to me to be a wheat bear.  However, unlike some wheat beers that I think have a "bubble-gum" taste, this one had a slight honey flavor.  I really enjoyed it.  Also, I ordered some type of typical Hungarian soup, which was, to my pleasant surprise, topped with a puff pastry top and sprinkled with cheese - amazing!  We ended the evening by taking a stroll through the park at the center of Liszt Square.