It was my first sightseeing tour to Hungary together with my wife although I had visited there many times since 1977 on business.  As we had traveled through Germany and Austria mainly by train this time, we took a hydrofoil operated by Mahart Passnave Co. from Vienna to Budapest via the Danube river.　It began to rain at last when the boat left the Reichsbruecke pier of Vienna at 9 o’clock in the morning though the cloudy days had continued for the past several days. 

It was lively in the boat.  A beautiful cabin attendant was serving almost all of the guests alone.  My wife who had become “Sisi” (Queen Erzsebet / German name Elisabeth / See Note) fan completely after visited the royal palace in Vienna, whispered in my ear that she looked like “Sisi”.  I agreed with my wife and told her about it.  “Our Sisi” gave us a smile and said “Koeszoenoem szepen”. 

There was a dam soon after leaving Vienna.  The boat anchored in a lock gate surrounded by thick concrete walls and the upstream gate was closed.  It took about 30 to 40 minutes to lower the water level drawing the water off until the downstream gate was opened.  I observed a series of the water level lowering operation going out into the rainy deck.  I had not known that there is a dam on the Danube, which seems to have hundreds of meters in width till that time.  There was another dam before reaching the Danube bend. 

We could barely see the buildings in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia now, the fortress in Komarom, the cathedral in Esztergom, the citadel in Visegrad and so on through the window shrouded in the shower with Sisi’s explanation. 

We arrived at the Budapest international river port located between Erzsebet bridge and Szabadsag bridge at 2:30 PM just on time.  We had been a little bit afraid if we could find a taxi at the port to the hotel in the rain but we relieved from our worry before long.  Sisi distributed taxi reservation cards indicating destination and fare to each person who was taking a taxi.  We thought it was a good idea.  The taxi crossed Erzsebet bridge and arrived at our hotel located in Var (Royal Palace hill).  We could see the Parliament with many spires retaining the elegant and graceful atmosphere through the window in our room.  In the north, Margit bridge and Margit island of dark green were hazy in the rain. 

The reason why I chose Budapest as our last destination of this trip is that Budapest is the special place to make me feel relieved as if just returned home from a strange country.  My first visit to Budapest was in December, 1977 on business.  In a spare time from my work during 4 days of stay, I took a sightseeing bus in the city.  I remember the first impression of the city in winter vividly.  Children were enjoying football game in Var (Royal Palace hill). 

In the evening, I went to Music Academy for a concert of Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra together with a person whom I happened to meet at the hotel.  He was general manager of Austrian Air Lines Eastern Europe Division.  A Viennese as he was, he used to go to concert every time he was in Budapest because he could enjoy the high quality performance with reasonable price in this city.  The programs were Mozart Symphony in G-minor K550 and Requiem in D minor K626.  Although I do not remember the name of conductor, soloists and chorus unfortunately, the performance of Requiem was particularly wonderful. 

I found that I had been in Budapest 9 times on business till the last visit in December, 1991 and this time was 10th visit according to my business trip record.  Among those many times of visits to Hungary, my stay in Tiszaujvaros located at the Tisza basin approximately 150 km in the east of Budapest for about 6 months from November, 1987 through May, 1988 will live in my memory forever. 

I worked for constructing a plastics film producing plant in one of the largest chemical complex in Hungary in the town called Leninvaros in that period.  The construction work under a low temperature below minus 10 degree C was very hard for Japanese supervisors.  I was pressed with a lot of work not only for technical matters as my field but also for administration of our liaison office every day.  As reliable communicating method with Japan was only telex at that time, I had to ask a typist at the hotel belonging to our customer, preparing manuscript of the telex till midnight.  For sending important contents by telex, it had to be written in codes because all copies of the telex were supposed to be distributed to the customer. 

COCOM (Export control for communist area) had to be applied to Hungary at the time and export of strategic goods including computers from Japan had been controlled strictly.  We used some computers in our plant as usual.  Although our construction work had been completed, the computers had not been shipped from Japan waiting for the export license to be issued by Japanese government.  I pushed Japan everyday while persuaded customer to wait.  The computers arrived at the plant site finally and the plant was completed just as scheduled. 

When I was in such difficulties, the management of the customer consoled me in my worries saying that “Do not think seriously too much as it is not your responsibility” personally while pushed me officially.  And all my Hungarian friends from management of the company to operators, invited me to their houses every weekend turn and turn about to give me a home cooking with homemade palinka and wines in the homelike atmosphere listening to my favorite music. 

When it comes to issue of wine, each person had his (her) own favorite and opinion.  It always used to take a rather long time for choosing wine with many disputes before starting the party.  They seemed to be enjoying it.  When the today’s wine had been decided finally, someone said “We have solved the most important problem today.”  Almost all my friends recommended me their favorite wines produced in their hometowns as the best one.  As for red ones, there were Soproni Kekfrankos, Soproni Cabernet Sauvignon, Egri Bikaver, Thihanyi Kekfrankos and so on.  As for white, Egerszolati Olaszrizling, Domoszloi muskotaly, Nyeki Rettenetes, Badacsonyi Szurkebarat, Badacsonyi Olaszrizling and so on.  The name of wine is closely associated with the name of my friend.  If anybody were to ask me which brand of wine I find the most favorable, I would find it hard to answer.  It is not that I drink a lot, but I used to drink Soproni Kekfrankos regularly.  As I was not an expert in tasting of wine, everything recommended by my friend enthusiastically was excellent.  We enjoyed a conversation with a glass of Tokaji Aszu relaxing on the sofa after the meal. 

The general manager of the engineering department who was one of my best friends invited me to a private concert in the music school, of which his wife was principle.  She played violoncello and piano.  Her husband played modern jazz with piano.  I sang Japanese songs and canzone to a piano accompaniment of the principal. 

According to the regulation of the company, to which I belonged in Japan, we were supposed not to be able to return home at Christmas and the new year holidays from the end of 1987 through the beginning of 1988.  However, fortunately for us, our return to Japan was decided with only one word of the top management of the customer “It is impossible to have them spend Christmas holidays without their families if they are not prisoners.” and the air tickets for Japanese supervisors including myself were provided by the customer. 

I bought a book “Perestroika” written by Mikhail Gorbachev, English version at Copenhagen airport on the way back to Hungary.  My friends in the plant read the book eagerly and conveyed the contents of the book to their friends who were not good at English.  I think they might have felt the sign of the following break-up of the Soviet Union and liberalization 10 years later. 

In winter, it was warm inside the plant building heated by steam, so that a cat gave birth to several babies at a corner in the building.  The people fed the cats by turns and watched them until spring came.  It is out of the question to keep the homeless cats inside the building of the factory even during construction period but the construction manager overlooked it and said “The cats capture the rats which bite the cover of the electric cables.”  I thought cats in Hungary were happy. 

Every time I went to Budapest for paying and renewing the contract of the rented car and also for meeting with the trading company of the project, I enjoyed the hot springs in Budapest and went to concerts in the evenings.  I also visited Szentendre when I had a time.  On the return way from Budapest to the plant, I went out of the route No.3 to drop in Eger that is famous for many historical buildings and also for the red wine “Egri Bikaver”. 

On warm days with a little snow, the customer often invited all Japanese supervisors to go on a picnic to the countryside of Hungary such places as Tisza lake, Hortobagy, Debrecen, Holloko, Tokaj and so on with a microbus of the Kombinat.  The memories still remain with me though they are fragmentary.  Every city and town in Hungary even a small town has its own history and each of them played an important role in different era during 1100 years of the history of Hungary.  It is wonderful that many of such historical spots including buildings and old rows of houses have been preserved. 

Our friendship had been deepened day by day inviting to the parties each other with singing and dancing.  As there was neither bar nor pub　opened until late at night in the city of the Kombinat, the second drinking party was always given in my private room at the hotel to enjoy drinking and talking till midnight. 

After completion of the plant on April, 1988, I went on a journey to Balaton with 3 or 4 Japanese supervisors.  After staying one night in Budapest, I drove round Balaton clockwise through Szekesfehervar, Siofok, Fonyod, Keszthely, Badacsony and arrived at Tihany where we stopped one night.  Though there may be crowded with many tourists now, peaceful hills and vineyards were seen alongside the lake and fishing boats were moored at the fishing ports at that time.  The hotel at Tihany was simple and merged in the surrounding scenery.  We enjoyed the wine of course. 

After all Japanese members had returned home, I closed our liaison office and expected to be able to go back to Japan at the beginning of May, 1988.  On approaching the day of my leaving home, many friends gave me farewell parties almost every day and pleased with my return to home where my family was waiting while we were reluctant to leave each other.  One of my suitcase was full of souvenirs such as handmade embroideries, homemade palinka, favorite wines, records of Kodaly and Bartok etc. presented by my friends.  It took me for 2 years to empty the bottles of the palinka and wine.  My family is still using embroideries with care and I listen to the records at times. 

The customer booked my air ticket to Japan, however the reservation was a week later than my original schedule.  The customer’s person in charge explained that all flights from Europe to Japan had been fully booked until a week later and suggested me to stay at a hotel near the Chain Bridge at Budapest for a week waiting for the flight to Japan.  After a week, when I checked out the hotel, I found that all hotel charges had been paid by the customer.  However the Golden Week in Japan it may be, it is highly improbable that all flights from Europe to Japan are fully booked for a full week.  Although I do not know the truth, I think the customer might have given a week of holidays in Budapest to me when I recollect about it afterward. 

Nations, companies and public organizations are usually cold and inhospitable as they are controlled by regulations, but the state company in which I worked seemed to have had a room for human feelings of Hungarian people.  However, the reason I came to love Hungarian people is not because of such remarkable considerations or arrangements, but more gentle and sensitive kindness as if the devotion of a mother for her child not requesting any collateral without being noticed by even the person himself (herself) received the kindness. 

I spent the week visiting museums and art galleries in Budapest as many as possible.  I also went to concert, ballet and folkdance every evening.  Fortunately for me, I happened to be able to listen to Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kobayashi Kenichiro, Koba-Ken for short in Japan.  The programs were Beethoven Piano concerto No.3 in C-minor (piano by Tamas Vasary) and Brahms Symphony No.4 in E-minor.  Particularly, Brahms was excellent.  And I again realized the popularity of Koba-Ken in this country. 

I have been surprised and filled with admiration that there are quite a lot of number of museums and art galleries even in a small town in Hungary, to say nothing of Budapest.  It should not come into existence unless the citizens go to there very often.  The same thing can be said of the music.  In the State Opera House, many theaters and concert halls, operas and operettas are put on the stage and concerts are given every night in the season.  As the most of audiences are local people, it can be imagined how many people love music. 

To return to the story of the visiting Budapest this time, the blue sky had come into view from rift in the clouds somewhat after the rain in the second day.  We took a walk around Matthias Church and Fishermen’s Bastion near the hotel, and took some pictures with the Danube river and Pest side of the city for the background, then we waited for Mr. K at the hotel lobby. 

He was the person in charge of the project in a trading company in Budapest for communicating and negotiating with the customer for the contract and other commercial matters, customs clearance for importing goods, attending to the customer’s delegation when they visited Japan, and also for taking care of our Japanese engineering members for the technical meetings and during construction period when we were staying in Leninvaros (Tiszaujvaros). 

We met each other every time when he visited Japan for other business and also when I visited Hungary after completion of the plant in 1988.  We continued to exchange Christmas card once a year after he changed the company as well.  Recently, we had been communicating with e-mail writing how our families were getting along each other in more detail year by year.  He always requested me to stop over at Budapest when we were in Europe and it came off this time. 

Mr. K came to the hotel at 9 o’clock as we promised.  He had not changed at all except that he seemed to be strongly built and getting a bit thin on top compared what he was 10 years ago.  As he had kindly planned a whole day’s schedule thoroughly considering that we had only one day left before leaving, we left all our sightseeing tour in Budapest to him. 

We went to Citadel on the top of Gellert hill first.  In the upper stream of Danube that is Duna in Hungarian, we could see the Chain Bridge and Margit bridge on Margit island in the distance, and the Royal Palace on the left and the Parliament on the right in the other side of the river in just between the two bridges.  The panoramic view from here was wonderful and much better than that from the Fishermen’s Bastion because of a high altitude.  We visited the memorial of World War II and the underground shelter with his explanation.  We got vivid impression on the great number of the bullet marks on the walls.  On the right hand side, we could see Erzsebet bridge under our eyes. 

The car of Mr. K crossed the Chain Bridge and headed towards Andrassy street for the direction of the City Park.  He kindly stopped his car in front of the State Opera House to let my wife look at the building from outside at least and we took some pictures.  According to the information I checked before leaving Japan, Wagner’s opera (Music Drama) “Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg” had been supposed to be running during our stay, but unfortunately we had to give up to watch it this time because of our tight schedule.  In the Heroes Square, the military band was performing.  The weather was getting better and Mr. K said “This is a present from the God to you”. 

We took a walk in the City Park that was the site of the international exposition to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the national foundation in 1896, and we had a lunch at the restaurant in the park.  I remembered that Hungary did not display on the exposition last year held in Aichi prefecture in Japan where we live.  There is Szecheny hot spring in the park.  I felt that the temperature of the spring water source seemed to be nearly 100 degree C by putting my hand over the steam exhaust outlet. 

He stopped the car near Nyugati (West Railway Station) from which his office is located in the walking distance and he told us that he often walk around here for exercise after lunch.  According to Mr. K, there are 3 railroad stations in Budapest, East, West and South.  Among those, the East Station is the largest and the most renowned.  He also explained us that West Station was built by the same company that designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  In spite that it was built 130 years ago, I found it very modern and simple even nowadays.  It has been constructed with elegant glass and iron with a gable roof in the middle and the towers arranged symmetrically with brick-red weight feeling in both sides.  I found them beautifully balanced.  There are a lot of historic architectures of the railway station in Europe, which makes our train travel more enjoyable. 

After that we visited the Basilica (Szt. Istvan Bazilika).  We met a wedding couple here too.  They had used the same car we saw at Matthias Church in the morning.  This is the 4th couple we met today.  They must be very happy to be able to celebrate their wedding in the churches of worldwide reputation.  As the reservation time for visiting Parliament had been getting close, we hurried to there.  I had not seen the inside of the building before although I used to be fascinated by its beauty of the external appearance every time I had been in Budapest.  As a matter of fact, Mr. K had kindly booked at the English explanation time zone and bought the tickets for us. 

Several years ago, when I was watching a TV program named “Trip to Hungary” I was very surprised to meet an old friend of mine, whom I worked together in Leninvaros (Tiszaujvaros).  He was Dr. Erdos Gyorgy introduced as the general manager of Hungarian National Tourist Office (at that time) in the TV.  He was explaining and showing the inside building of the State Opera House and the Parliament to the visitors of the Japanese TV.  It was really good for me to see him again even in TV after about 15 years since 1990 or 1991 when we happened to meet at Budapest airport.  I was very much impressed the beautiful and gorgeous interior of the Parliament presented in this TV program, so that I asked Mr. K to take us there. 

It was absolutely gorgeous and almost beyond imagining inside the building of the Parliament and there was no doubt that “A picture is worth a thousand words.”  It seemed that 1100 years of Hungarian history was condensed in the building of a mixed style of Baroque and neo-Gothic, which must be one of the best buildings in Europe.　　I talked with my wife that it must be impossible for Diet members to betray the trust of the people in such parliament with proud traditions. 

In the beautiful landscape of the city of Budapest, there is nothing to choose between the view from Buda side and from Pest side.  As we could enjoy the prospect from Buda side in the morning, we walked at the riverside along the Parliament to see the scenery from Pest side this time. 

Once after returning to the hotel, we were invited to Mr. K’s home.  His house was located in a quiet residential area about 20 minutes by car in the east from the center of the city.  Mrs. K and their 2 sons had been waiting for us.  We talked about our families and how we were getting along each other for around 2 hours.  Mrs. K looked very gentle and thoughtful while Mr. K is very active and broad-minded. 

Their elder son took us to his workshop underground where we found a large number of old radios and his working table.  He was not just collecting the old radios but refurbishing them by himself with the old junk parts collected.  He had just completed the fabrication of “Philips Europa W” produced in 1937 originally and succeeded receiving a broadcast in 2006.  It reminded me of my hobby when I was young. 

Their younger son had memorized Japanese children’s songs learned with a record given by his father as a souvenir from Japan.  He could also read and write some Japanese letters.  Both of them had already decided the course to take at the gymnasium and university. 

According to Mr. K, the new school year begins in September in Hungary while in April in Japan.  If a student can pass a term-end examination at the beginning of June, he (she) can have summer holidays for about 3 months.  Even if he (she) takes some more time to success in the exam, more than 2 months of free time still remain.  They can make free use of the time during holidays going to trips with their friends or devoting themselves to their hobbies spending money earned with a part-time work. 

The children decide their own ways by themselves and the parents seem to just watch them with a few advises.  In spite of less than 10% of population of Japan, Hungary has turned out a great many talented men and women who have left excellent result in every field.  I think this is the result of the social environment allowing children to choose their own ways by themselves freely. 

At the back of the house, they had a garden in which they grew flowers and fruit trees.  We took some pictures at the garden listening songs of the birds.　We were very pleased to have seen his happy home. 

Mr. and Mrs. K invited us to have a dinner together.  We, all 6 split up and set off in 2 cars driven by Mr. K and his elder son to a Hungarian-style restaurant where I have been many years ago.  We enjoyed tasty and substantial Hungarian dishes with Hungarian wine listening to the sorrowful violin music.  It began to rain again.  Mr. K took us to the hotel and we waved him good-bye. 

At this time of the visit to Budapest, we were too dependent on his kindness and goodwill.  He really took care of us very much.  He showed us all round the city of Budapest and gave us a warm hospitality at his home spending a whole day.  He was quite attentive through the day to us.  We, my wife and me are grateful to him and his family for their kindness.  We said goodbye to the night view of Budapest hazy in the rain through the window of the hotel. 

Hungarian doll from my doll collection

Note: Sisi (Queen Erzsebet / German name Elisabeth)
She was born in Munich, Bavaria in 1837.  From an early age, she was called “Sisi” by family and friends.  In 1854, 17-year-old Erzsebet was married with 24-year-old Franz Joseph, then Emperor of Austria.  She had difficulty adapting to the strict etiquette practiced at the Habsburg.  She later wrote that she regretted accepting this marriage for the rest of her life.

Austro-Hungarian double monarchy made Erzsebet Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary.  She had always sympathized with the Hungarian and Hungarian loved her.  The coronation of Franz Joseph and Erzsebet was held in Matthias Church.