My Dad's Visit to Hungary!

All Saint's Day is a national holiday in Hungary so I had 4 days off over the weekend of Halloween! My dad came to visit and we had the best time!  This post is quite long but I wanted to record all that we did so that I can look back and remember it.  Such a special weekend! 

We met in the city on Friday afternoon and I cried SO many happy tears upon our reunion! We just sat and talked for over an hour at the hotel before doing anything! 

Here is what I loved about having my dad around:

1.  He is such a good listener! I told him 1 million little things about living here, the good, the "different" (aka the bad) and everything in between! 
2. He is almost always in a good mood, but he is especially jolly when he is in "vacation mode!"  
3. My entire life, my dad whistles a happy tune all the time. I never hear anyone whistle here and didn't realize how much I had missed it! 
4. Being able to talk about my mom, more than just a comment in passing. 
5.  Getting to introduce him to my friends! It's still very strange to me to have close friends whose families I don't know at all, and it's strange to me that my friends here don't know my family.  It was so fun to see my dad with the people I love here! 

Later we walked around for hours, including across the Chain Bridge and back.  The weather was really nice, which was an answered prayer! 

Then we met up with friends from Texas at Gresham Palace.  The Pearsons live in Budapest and I am so grateful to have connected with them! I didn't get picture of the four of us, but here we are with Jeanette! 

We walked around and just enjoyed the city before finding a spot for dinner where I introduced my dad to palacsinta.  It is a Hungarian dessert that's like pancake/crepe that's rolled up with a filling.  So yummy! 

On Saturday we took public transportation from the city out to Diósd where I live.  My dad had brought a huge bag of goodies for me that we needed to deliver to my house! It was like Christmas morning opening up that bag!  Most of the stuff were things I wished I had brought when I moved (like more boots) but also a random assortment of things I had ordered on Amazon since I moved here.  He also brought lots of fun stuff from my sister like Yankee Candles and canned pumpkin!  Oh and magazines! I had several sweet friends that sent thoughtful gifts with him as well.  So many treats! 

On our way we stopped at Johnny's Bistro for milkshakes and french fries! This is an American-style restaurant in Diósd that is very close to my school.  I like to think of it as "The Max" for our little school community (for all of my fellow Saved by the Bell fans)! :) 

It was so fun showing my dad my school and my classroom since this is where I spend most of my time! Since it was Saturday, no one was around and it was strangely quiet! 

We also caught the sunset leaving school - this a view from one of our second story windows.  Can you believe I live here?! 

We went back to the city and headed towards the St. Stephen's Basilica area to find a spot for dinner.  We took so many bad selfies but the next picture show your how beautiful the basilica is all lit up at night! 

So incredible!  

We ended trying out a restaurant that night that became my immediate new favorite - Akademia Italia!

What stood out about this restaurant was how bright and white it was on the inside.  Most restaurants I have been to here are much darker inside. I loved all of the decor, especially the whisks hanging from the ceiling.  

And, obviously, the food was incredible. Italian food is my love language (if Sandra Vassallo Smith were your mother, I promise it would be yours, too).  I was that girl who took a video while we were there so I could show my sister, my cousin and my aunt how much I loved this place! I wish my entire family had been with us! 

On Sunday, we started our day at the church I've been attending in the city called Golgota (Calvary Chapel). I knew my dad would love the music and the message!  

After church we met up with my roommates Megan and Ashleigh at a Georgian restaurant (like Georgia the country, not Georgia the state in the USA). :) It was really good and I am bummed that I did not take a single picture of us there!  We must have been too busy chatting and eating! 

In the afternoon we did a river boat tour on the "Duna Bella." It was a fabulous view of the city!  

Budapest has an island in the middle of the Danube river called Margit Island.  It's basically a huge park with tons of stuff to see and do!  Our boat tour dropped us there for an hour and then we took a boat back later.  We mostly just enjoyed the beautiful trails! It gets dark very early here so we enjoyed the sunset while we walked around. 

Our ride back was beautiful seeing the city all lit up! 

After we returned, we met up with some friends 

from my school for dinner! 

Zoe and I simply could not just walk past these spiral potato chips. They were so yummy! 

On Monday, we did a big bus tour that took us all over the city.  It was SO nice to explore and see more sights.  I truly spend most of my time at my school, so this was really like a little vacation for me even though I live here! :) These were the highlights from our tour!

Hero's Square 

St. Matthias Church 

Fisherman's Bastion 

Guided tour of Parliament 

Shoes on the Danube Bank 

 St. Stephen's Basilica

We went up to the top for a gorgeous view of the city at sunset! 

The mummified hand of St. Stephen,

 the first king of Hungary

(Yes, this is a thing!)

I knew I would be so sad on Tuesday because it was our last full day. So I grieved the end of our visit on Monday evening.  We had dinner and I cried and cried - both happy tears and sad tears!  And laughter through tears (my favorite emotion)! :)  Happy tears as I told my dad about my students and how God has confirmed my call to serve here.  Sad tears telling him how much I miss home in Texas and my family and friends who have known me my whole life!  

On Tuesday we did lots more walking around and sightseeing!

City Park 

(Where I plan to go ice skating this winter!) 

The pictures shown are just one part of this huge park! 

Vajdahunyad Castle

(which is in the park)

Looks like something out of Sleeping Beauty! 

Walking back from the park - my dad loved these 

trees that line Andrassy.

House of Terror - it was closed so we just saw it from the outside. I have toured it before and it's really interesting. My dad loves history and would have really enjoyed it! 

Hungarian Royal Opera House

(where I'll be seeing The Nutcracker in December! So excited!)

On Tuesday afternoon, my dad walked me to metro where I headed back to Diósd. I was sad but had already shed so many tears on Monday in anticipation!  It was a fantastic weekend and I am so grateful for it!

  If you made it to the bottom of this post, thanks for reading and caring about my life!  I know so many of y'all prayed for my dad's visit to be a time of rest, refreshment and joy -- it truly was!  Thank you God, for blessing me!