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The day marks the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 which took place under Soviet rule when Hungarians fought for freedom and independence. I did not have anything special in mind for the day but I did want to see how the city was doing on such an important day. As soon as I went out I noticed how different the atmosphere was. The parking lots were empty, the streets quiet and the trams moving slow through almost silent roads. Also my local grocery store was closed which is a tell tale sign that the city was really taking the day off.
Crossing Liberty Bridge I saw Hungarian flags flying high in the fall sky which was a bright contrast to the soft autumn air. Families were out walking together, parents with their kids and some were having small picnics by the river. Some trams were still very full of people perhaps going to official functions or just taking the day off. It had a peace to it but also a bit of a loneliness as Budapest was at rest.
I went to go walk up Gellért Hill which was my hope to see more of the city’s autumn colors. The path turned out to be steeper than I thought it would be and also I did not end up at a proper view point but the walk itself was beautiful. The trees were ablaze in shades of orange and gold, at one point I forgot how tired I was. I stopped to take a few pictures, one of the leaves around my neighborhood earlier that morning, and one from the hill. Those photos captured the quiet beauty of the day better than any words ever could.

By the time I got back down, I was exhausted and a bit frustrated. The climb went on much longer than I had thought it would, also what should have been a simple stop to buy water turned into a small adventure due to the fact that most shops were closed, it was very surprising how expensive it was. But walking through the almost empty streets brought to light how a city can transform within a day.
I did not go to the House of Terror Museum or part of any of the official events this year, but perhaps next time. That evening I did some research on the 1956 Revolution and started in on what I will report for my next blog post. I learned how in that time students and citizens took to these same streets for freedom which gave today’s quiet a new meaning. It made me to see how each country does their history which living abroad allows me to do up close. October 23rd maybe didn’t see great things happen but it was still very meaningful. In Budapest at this time of year it’s not just about the beautiful colors of the leaves; it is about the reflection,
the learning, and in that season, finding beauty in the quiet.