It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It's definitely fall season here in Budapest and the weather report is calling for below freezing temperatures this coming week. This past week started off grey and overcast, and just downright depressing, but as we were heading into the weekend, it was just beautiful! Thursday was All Saints Day here in Hungary, and is a big holiday so all the stores and businesses were closed. People go to the cemetery and clean up around their loved ones' gravesite and place candles and flower arrangements on them.



On this particular day the sun was shining brightly and it was supposed to be one of the last beautiful days of the year so we decided to do something we've talked about doing since we'd arrived here. We walked into Budapest!!! For those of you that have been to visit us, you know that is quite a walk. For those who have yet to come, it is about 6-8 miles from our house into the heart of Budapest!



The first place we stopped on our walk into town was a local cemetery. Now, we're not morbid and we don't know anyone that is buried there, but we were told by our language tutor that we needed to go to the local cemetery near our house about 4:00 pm because that is early enough to walk through and see all the beautiful flower arrangements and then when the sun goes down about 4:30 pm you can see all the candles that are lit. Well, we ended up going about 2:00 so we didn't get to see the glimmering candles but it was beautiful with all the flowers!



We skirted the Danube River for the first couple of miles, and then headed into an industrial area. It wasn't too scenic, but we did get to watch them putting up this huge sign at the Tesco that is at the Ujbuda Center. Sure didn't feel like Christmas but the stores all have their Christmas decorations out for sale. They basically have the same kinds of decorations as we do in America-only not as much! The only thing that I haven't seen much of are the big colored light bulbs and the tiny white ones. They don't have huge trees like we see in America, but I think that is probably because their houses are much smaller.



As we got into the commercial area, we saw this sign for bumper cars. When I see things like this, it makes me laugh. I am still amazed at how progressive and modernized Budapest is, and when I see things like these bumper cars, it's hard to believe I'm not in America! Honestly, I hate to see some of the things Hungary is importing from America!

We arrived at the Grand Market Hall (you've seen pictures of this building several times) and then walked down the famous pedestrian street, Vaci utca, which is pronounced "Vat-see oot-sa". (The letter "c" is pronounced like a tz, and utca is the word for street".)

By 4:30 the sun was going down. I took this picture as we were crossing over the Danube River on the Szabadsag Hid (Liberty Bridge). Daylight is sooooo short here, but the neat thing is that the evenings are so long! When it is dark by 4:30, I'm ready to eat dinner by 5 or 5:30, which gives me a good 5 hours in the evening before bed! (Do you believe me, or do you think I am trying to convince myself that there's something good about short days and long nights????)

This week has been incredibly fast. The Eden House is totally full. Got a mom about to have her 6th child. Her whole family, including her parents from the States are here, and we have 5 rooms booked for a collage fair that a local Christian school is hosting tomorrow. Glenn and I have 5 teens and a chaperone from the Czech Republic camping out at our house tonight because "there was no room for them in the inn". They are coming from a Christian school in Prague to attend the college fair. Full House means lots of fun!

We say good-bye to friends Kesha and Darrin Harryman next Sunday am. Glenn and I will be taking them to the airport for them to return to the US. They have finished their 2 year ISC term. They were our closest neighbors and the first couple we met from Budapest the first time we went to Poland to help counsel. We will miss them a lot.

We will be heading to the States in a month for a Member Care conference in Virginia and then taking some vacation time in Georgia to visit with family and friends. Kari and Jonathan are coming from France, thanks to the wonderful sky miles gift from Karen and Dennis at WCBC!!! We will spend some time in Tennessee with Chris and Kate before we all head to Marietta. It will be good to see everyone again but there is so much to do before we head that way. We have 3 couples that are going to be covering for us at the Eden House during our absence so we would appreciate you praying for them and thanking God for them!!

See you soon!