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Show 6T The Salt Lake Tribune Sunday, Janu ary 1, 1984 Budapest Hungarians today march to their own drum Shanas by Bert New York Daily News For the past 27 years I had been living under the distinct impression that the brave Hungarians who rose up in revolution against Russia back in 1956 lost the war. But a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend some time in Hungary and now Im not so sure. For these days, at least, the type of communism under which Hungarians live is like none other Ive seen. People look happy; you see smiles on their faces. Churches are actually used for religion, not relegated to the role of historical buildings as they are in other communist a growing numcountries. Shops ber of them owned 1 y , rivate indiare filled with items, and viduals not just essentials. On the boulevards of Budapest, where a desperate people were literally crushed by Russian tanks, I saw lively, colorful stores swamped with people buying everything from ice cream cones to designer jeans; from stereo equipment to 6800 fur coats. All this didnt occur overnight; there were many tough years replete with shortages. It is only in the past few that things have really gotten as good as they are now. But apparently what happened back in 56 is that although the Soviets won the physical war, the Hungarians won the psychological war. For their massive rebellion put such a scare into Russia that the Kremlin had to ease up and allow the Hungarians the right to improve their lot. Irony of ironies. It turned out that Hungarian Socialist Workers Party First Secretary Janos Kadar who the Russians put in control after crushing the revolt, and who most in the free world called a Moscow became a true patriot Puppet who has kept his pledge to liberalize life in Hungary. Make no mistake: Hungary today is not exactly Main Street, U.S.A. You know where you are by the big red star atop the government buildings, by the Soviet soldiers you see walking the streets and the Russian army bases you pass on highways. The average Hungarian still makes only $125 a month, and can only buy some of those expensive items if he has a better paying job, if hes moonlighting or if he's making money on the black market. But Hungarians today can buy Western newspapers and magazines, listen to Radio Free Europe, dress nicely and eat extremely well. look around in any marketplace. Behind their smiles, of course, they worry about the Russians who are lurking across the border, and whose soldiers they have learned to tolerate in their land. n Life is good these days. said Hollos, a Budapest shopkeeper. We can get almost everything we want in the stores. Perhaps there are some shortages of spare parts for machinery and flats (apartments) for young people. But thats about all." Then he paused a moment and confided: But always we are afraid. ... We are afraid of what might happen when Janos Kadar dies. Kadar, the Moscow Puppet who today is adored by most Hungarians I spoke with, is now 72. Current politics aside, Hungary today is one wonderful country to visit. Its a nation of rich history that can be traced all the way back to the Romans, when Budapest was a thriving Roman town called Aquin-cuToday, tourists go to see the Roman ruins. But Hungarians themselves like to trace their real history back to the 9th century when Prince Arpad, chief of the Magyars, brought his people in from the Ural Mountains and Volga areas. Before long, all Hungarians were calling themselves Magyars, which also became the name of the country and language. Although the history is rich, it is not always pleasant, and you can see why by looking at a map. A small nation about half the size of Oklahoma, Hungary is located smack in the middle of Europe which means that throughout history every strong nation with the urge to conquer land seemed to do it by first raping Hungary. The Mongols in 1241, the Turks in the 16th century, the Hapsburg n Empire in 1686, the Empire of World War I all took their toll. But no toll was greater than that taken in the heavy bombings during World War II that demolished 33,000 Budapest buildings and all the stately Danube River bridges that link the Buda side of the river with the Pest side, creating the capital city. Then after the war came the Russians, leading to the events of 1956. With such a sad history, its amazing to find Hungarians such a happy and they people. But they are make it fun to be a tourist in their country. Today, about 50 percent of the nations 10.7 million people live in cities more than 2 million in Budapest, which has been splendidly Just Ist-va- Austro-Hungaria- rebuilt after the destruction of up by the Germans toward the end of World War II, and rebuilt soon World War II and 1956. afterward. Across the river unfolds the Pest side, the start of Hungarys with its shopping streets, cafes, hotels, office structures and those spectacular golden steeples of the Parliament buildings, which were built to symbolize the might of n the empire, but will remind you so much of Londons houses of Parliament. Above your head at the very top of Gellert Hill youll see the Citadella, a stone fort built by the Hapsburgs in 1851 for keeping an eye on Hungarians. The Germans held out there at the end of World War II. And near the fort youll see Liberation Monument (a statue of a woman holding an olive branch). This is Hungarys thank you to Russia for ousting the Germans. An inscription reads in part: To the heroic Soviet Liberators from the grateful Hungarian people. Times do change. Looking a bit further up the Danube youll catch a glimpse of Margaret Island, 116 miles long and a few hundred yards wide in the middle. The island sits halfway between the Pest side and what was that ancient Roman town of Aquincum in Old Buda. Upper class Romans used the island as a recreational getaway; today all classes of Hungarians do the same, using its sports and recreational facilities or just strolling in the islands pretty scenery free of any motor traffic. Another thing that all of Hungary seems to do for recreation is bathe. The country is literally awash in natural thermal baths, with many of the more than 500 of them in Budapest. From the time of the Romans, the public bath houses have been a daily social event, at which people get together and chitchat while oak-in- g in mineral water and maybe getting a massage. When the Turks took over they reinforced the custom, and many of the old Turkish bath houses are still used today. Now to be quite honest, this reporter isnt big on public baths, but in the interest of American journalism I tried an old Turkish holdover called Gellert Baths that stands right at the foot of the hill. For the equivalent of 75 cents in Yankee money I had the privilege of stripping, donning an embarrassing loincloth, entering a dark, domed, murky, circular pool surrounded by ancient walls and filled with strangers speaking another language, getting out and walking in said loin You walk along the banks of the Danube on the Pest side and see young lovers sharing a kiss m the flat-land- s, moonlight along the promenade, as the hills of Buda rise majestically in the background across the river. On Sunday youll find families strolling along the cobblestone Austro-Hungaria- streets of the Castle Hill District on the Buda side. Join them. You'll see dozens of historic and beautiful buildings, but none so lovely as Matthias Church, whose gold-tile- d roof rises gracefully over Buda. The church has been built, destroyed and rebuilt several times with each inand theyve all vading army made their mark on it. Some parts of the exterior youll swear are Roman, other parts look Gothic. Inside, some of the decorations will make you think youre in Turkey. A few feet away from the church stands Fishermans Bastion, a promenade, complete with castle turrets, archways and terraces. It looks like something out of King Arthur, but it was actually constructed in the early 1900s as a framework for Matthias and to provide a good viewing place for lookand ing across the Danube at Pest boy, is it ever! Turns out, however, that there is an even better one. A bit further south of Castle Hill, also on the Buda side, is Gellert Hill, which rises some 800 feet above the Danube. Walk (or, if you have a weak heart, take the bus) to the top of the hill. It was named for St. Gerard (Gellert in Hungarian), the Italian missionary who helped convert Hungarians to Christianity in the 11th century. Today, about 70 percent of the nations population is Roman Catholic. For his efforts, St. Gerard was rewarded by being tossed off the hill into the Danube by a group of heathens. A spectacular statue of the saint watches over all of Budapest from the hillside. Anyway, it is from this vantage point that you see what Budapest is all about. Below you lies a spectacular panorama. You can see a good part of the Danube running down the middle of the city and three of its eight bridges that connect both sides. The prettiest of them is the Chain Bridge, with regal stone lions guarding both ends. Youll want to see this one close up when you leave the hill. In fact, take a wlk across it. The bridge was the first of the eight, opening in 1849. It was blown The entire bill including a round of beers for each of the five cloth to a room with about a n tables, climbing onto said table and lying there as some sadistic madman beat the living daylights out of me. Now dont get me wrong. This is the national pastime of Hungary, folks, and as a tourist, you at least owe it a try. More my speed for recreation, however, are the wonderful you can take along the Danube in warmer weather, including a hydrofoil trip between Budapest and Vienna. And eating. It is almost as popular in Budapest as bathing. (Personally, I'd prefer to bathe in Goulash, which I discovered is a soup in Hungary, not an entree.) Budapest is loaded with good restaurants, many of them with fine Gypsy entertainment to accompany each swallow. There n are several eateries you have to try, such as the Hungaria, built in 1894 to look more like an opera house than a restaurant, with its ornate Art Nouveau desfgn, frosted glass globes and large mirrors. But its more fun to find a place on your own. One night I went out with a couple of friends to a restaurant called Kis Kulacs, recommended by a hotel clerk as a place local folks enjoy. There I had a soup called an entree of mahyaros sertesszelet (a potato fritter with peppers on pork, spiced with the paprika), a bottle of beer, coffee and a large piece of chocolate cake. half-doze- boa-trid- came strolling Gypsy musicians to under $6 per person. The taxi ride back to the hotel, perhaps two miles away, was 50 cents. There is a lot more to Budapest, of course, such as its fine museums and theaters. And a lot more to Hungary than Budapest Youll want to take day trips, for instance, to the Danube Bend, a lush point 12 miles north of the city where the river abruptly changes its easterly course for a southern route. There youll find the charming baroque town of a place made for strolling. Youll also want to see places like Esztergom, the Hungarian medieval capital, and visit its huge domed basilica, Hungarys largest church. Heading south, you have got to go to the Puszta area, and visit the stud farms where youll see the csaikos, Hungarian cowboys, give incredible displays of horsemanship. Theres more, much more. But in the interest of space I close now with an incident involving another tourist I happened to be standing next to one evening, the two of us looking into a window on Budapest's Vaci utca, a shopping street. He was a Russian officer. As I into watched him stare stern-face- d the window filled with the TVs, jewelry and stereo equipment so scarce in his own homeland, I couldnt help wondering what were his thoughts about this little nation he was there to protect. es 4Vz-ho- Szen-tend- well-know- re TRAVEL with Faldmos ISLES OF PARADISE HAWAII There is no place in the world quite like Hawaii. Discover paradise with us, on our personally escorted 13 day tour. 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