Buda + Danube = Perfect

Today, Holly, Hannah, Patricia and I walked our way to the Vivivaroszi gallery on the Buda side of the Danube.   We left around noon and walked Andrassy until we hit St. Stephen's Basilica, where we simply had to go inside and enjoy its majestic splendor.  The Basilica is named for St. Stephen, the first king of Hungary (975-1038), and his mummified fist is housed in the reliquary.  I tried to get some shots of it, but with no flash, in a dark room, all you can really see is the case where the freaky mummy hand is.  You can actually see the knuckles if you look close. 

We crossed the Chain Bridge into Buda and walked towards the gallery, stopping frequently to ooooh and aaaaah at the gorgeous hills, castles, statues and architecture we passed along the way.  The bridge itself is AMAZING.  It's probably one of the most famous structures in the city.  From the bridge, you can see both sides of Budapest, from Parliament to the hills.  The river is wide and there's lots of tour boats and sailboats.   The whole thing felt totally surreal and romantic - I'm inspired and feel like I know my way around Budapest pretty well now.  

We finally made it to the gallery, where our work will show in 2009.  The show that's up is all work from past A.I.R. residents, including my great friend, Belinda Haikes!

(who I miss like crazy!)

After the gallery, we went to Cafe Gusto and ate very delicious sandwiches.  I had the best cappucino I've had here so far (the coffee at breakfast is always terrible...in fact, I'm convinced it's made with mud).  Then Hannah and Patricia went to the bath house, and Holly and I ventured off on our own, taking our time on the walk back to cross the Margit bridge and spend a little time on Margit Island, a little island in the river --- not unlike Belle Isle in Detroit and Belle Isle in Richmond!  

I came to some revelations today.  More about the video project and about what I might do for my gallery piece for the residency.  I was going to cut a short together but I think now I'll aim more towards photo.  I'm going to look for an old, ornate frame at the flea market.  Something that conjures up the baroque and detailed architecture of the city, but use a modern image to juxtapose the energy of Budapest.  A city so full of lovely and incredible design, everywhere you look, but caught in a crossroads of modern expansion and capitalist development.  I can't stop thinking about the ballet school housed on the second floor of the building riddled with bullet holes and war wounds.  To me, that surmises Budapest.  Beauty, elegance and grace surrounded by scars and pain.  As the body pushes itself, the body of the dancers, they are still encapsulated in this war-torn shell, this shameful and horrible fate.  Somewhere inbetween beauty and grotesque, this city pulses and physically, emotionally and spiritually thrives.   

So, that might be my piece.  It might not...

Tomorrow, I'm going back to the cemetery to *hopefully* track down where my grandmother's grave might have been moved to...

Patricia said she'd come with me.  And just having one person by my side will make all the difference in the world.  

I'm also going to go the US Embassy and see if I can get dual citizenship.  Come November, if Obama doesn't win, I know where I'd like to defect to.  

And last night...oh yeah!  Last night!  I met an American man who's lived here 11 years.  His son had just been born the day before and he was celebrating.  His wife is Hungarian, so they live here.  He said it took him about 2 years to really learn and be comfortable with the language.  He then told me he works in film/audio and worked on the audio for Hellboy 2.  I have yet to confirm this, but he did tell me he'd be my best friend if I moved here.  Cool. 

And, I just met two fun Germans!  Sebastian and Mario (huh, that name's not German!)  Couple of youngin's!  Adorable!  They're from Dusseldorf...and of course, I think of Dana and my lost trip to Germany.  Oh well.  When I live in Budapest, next year perhaps, it's only an hour or so flight away.