Happy Birthday to Me!!

The next day, August 20, was my birthday and happens to be the greatest national holiday for Hungarians, St. Stephens Day.  It is celebrated with day long festivities followed by spectacular fireworks on the Danube River.  St. Stephen  was the first King of Hungary and also converted Hungary to Christianity and was martyred. They have a relic of his hand and that hand is still in a box in the basilica which is just 2 blocks from my room. He was canonized on August 20th, 1083 by Pope Gregory VII.    The entire day was celebration after celebration. Mass was said outside at the basilica with thousands of people from all over Hungary. The cardinal, and all the bishops were there. And everyone in full regal robes.  Then a huge parade takes place with St. Stephen’s hand paraded on a pillow inside a small gold castle – I was able to attend mass, take communion and also come within 2 feet of  “the hand”! That night there were fireworks on the Danube river in his honor and of course in honor of my birthday. It was a great birthday celebration.

I am on a quest for the best Hungarian goulash and try it in every restaurant I go to.  One chef gave me a hint of his secret-other than a few pounds of Hungarian paprika also tomato sauce not paste and of course a hearty beef broth. I have met a lot of nice people and when they find out I am traveling alone at 63 they seem amazed, everyone wants to talk to me about it and I feel like some sort of celebrity.