The Hungarian/Canadian Writer Adventures

It was a typical overcast day and my mom, my brother, and I decided to go sight seeing in Budapest. We traveled by subway and cable car from my grandmother’s home to the Gellert Hill. As we arrived, the sun decided to peak out behind the overcast clouds. Even with the cloudy day, this hill was a popular tourist attraction. Beside the hill, The Gellert Hotel and the famous Gellert Baths stood tall. The mineral pools are perfect for relaxing and rejuvenating accompanied with lunch or a massage. On the other side of the hotel, we hiked the grassy hills through historical monuments to The Cave Church also known as Saint Ivan’s Cave. In front view stands the Liberty Bridge, which connects the hills of Buda with the flats of Pest across the Danube. The Danube River is a bit murky and stands for two contrasting ideas: the divide of one city and the connection of Budapest. Gellert Hill has a special feeling that brings a sense of magic and mystery. Legend has it that the hill used to be a place where witches would meet and monks would meditate.
As we continued on our path, we came across an underground church, which was established in 1926. It felt like cave, mostly because it is a cave. The walls are made up of natural rocks decorated with statues inside the many nooks. It has a unique atmosphere naturally formed by thermal springs. Although, you can see the outside light shining in, there is a sense of solitude and abandonment from the outer world. Usually underground situations make me fell claustrophobic, but here I felt safe and in tune with the moment. I completely understood how many others have found comfort in meditating in such a confined space.
Outside The Church Cave, I could see the Statue of Liberty from afar. She had a powerful presence to her. As we stood outside the cave, I looked up and thought what a wonderful feeling: freedom. I wondered if this statute would be as awe inspiring and as big as the monument in New York.
While visiting The Gellert Hill, our charming adventure became short winded as we lost all of our money by interacting in cup games with a street vendor. We lost track of our initial conviction and the experience taught us the real point of the trip, to be present while surrounded by beauty rather than grasping at the glitz of gambling and moneymaking.
The mystery of the cup scam unfolded right in front of our eyes. We realized, even if you lose all of your money at The Gellert Hill, you gain much more than money can ever offer.