Europe, Part Two

Welcome back to another rousing tale of our Summer 2014 trip to Europe. This episode features waiting in foreign airports, driving stick shift, ice cream and Hungarian!

We last left you in the airport in Porto. We had a connecting flight to Spain and got in around 10:30 pm. It was so late there were no more flights leaving that night. We had to leave the terminal, get our bags and come back in and wait at the front desk area which was closed for the night until we could check in for our flight at 5 am! So we spend the night on the hard floor of that Madrid Airport. Scott didn't sleep much and neither did I but not for a lack of trying. Fast forward to Hungary. We landed in Budapest around 10 am but we got in earlier than anticipated and our rental car wasn't ready. I wasn't too phased at first because I was back in Hungary! and there was a grocery store in the airport and I was hungry. They first thing I bought was Trappista cheese. If you've never heard me talk about this particular Hungarian cheese, just know this. I love cheese and this kind is the most amazing tasting cheese in the world! I can't find it anywhere outside of Hungary and I've looked in some pretty obscure places and even talked to Hungarians who live in America. No one can find this outside of Hungary! Next was a Milka bar which is technically German chocolate but well loved in Hungary. Also purchased was bread for about 5 cents (I forgot how cheap the food is there) and delicious Jogabella (pronounced yoga-bella) yogurt. Checkout proved my first challenge on my Hungarian. I passed but it was dismal. Scott liked the food and I was immensely happy.

We passed the time in the airport playing Five Crowns and eventually by noon, our car was ready and we were on our way to Győr, almost. I was the driver of this trip since I'm the most comfortable driving a manual transmission vehicle. The only problem now was, how do I put the thing in reverse? After a few tense moments, Scott figured it out and we were off! Through the streets of Budapest, over the bridges and onto the M5 west to Győr. It was glorious! Scott took a short nap and we arrived in about 2 hours. Our hotel in Győr was the same one my parents and I stayed in four years earlier when they picked me up as a missionary. It's a converted monastery complete with an inner courtyard.

After we checked in, we took a quick nap since we hadn't slept in Madrid and went out to get dinner. For my first Hungarian meal I went with my favorite, paprikás csirke (pap-ree-cash cheer-ka). Holy cow! Just as good as I remembered! I was in heaven. We also had an appetizer of rántott sajt
(giant breaded slice of cheese) and dessert, a mini strawberry cake.

Paprikás csirke 

So happy!

  Just as we were paying, I saw the Elders walk by with a woman with them. Double take. I know her! I made a quick gesture to Scott and I took off down the street to catch them. I found them in McDonald's (yes, they exist in small towns of Hungary) about to eat dinner. The woman with them was Barbs, a fantastic member who frequently helps the missionaries with lessons and work in general. She speaks perfect English, no hint of an accent at all, and she accompanied my parents and I to Austria four years ago.

The rest of the evening was spent catching up with her and eating more ice cream. I was glad to run into her because the next day was Sunday and I wanted to attend church there since Győr was my last area and kind of my baby. I spent 6 months here after there hadn't been sisters in over 18 months. I saw a lot of great things there and witness four of my investigators enter the waters of baptism, the most I'd had in any of my three areas. Győr will always hold a special place in my heart.

Sunday, day two in Hungary. We got up and drove to church. The branch house looked the same and a lot of the members were the same. Unfortunately, a lot of the people and youth especially I'd worked with weren't in attendance but I had expected that. The people I did see and who remembered me were a blessing to see again. I understood most of sacrament meeting thanks to the Elders being speakers. We Americans who attempt to learn Hungarian all speak with similar accents and vocabularies. I tried to translate to Scott for a portion of the meetings but once the high counselor got up it was all over! My favorite part though was singing the hymns in Hungarian! And! best news of all, they have real hymnals!! Gone are the printed, spiral bound copies of long ago. They have actual hymnals! It almost made me cry.

The branch house in Győr

After sacrament I saw one familiar face I didn't expect to see. His name is Árpád and he was the most unexpected investigator I ever had. His number had been on one of the Elder's old contact sheets we inherited in the area book. Árpád had been taught by missionaries before but wasn't ready then to join. When we called him up in 2010 he was ready. With the help of one of our strong male members present, a friendship blossomed and a seed of faith was planted. Árpád was baptized in only a few weeks of meeting. It's four years later and he is an active member of the Győr Ward and a worthy Melchizedek Priesthood holder. He continued to refer to me lovingly as Hammond Nővér, my missionary title. 

Standing with Árpád, in front of the very place he was baptized.

After church, we were invited to eat with Barbs' cousins who are also members. One of them Klaudia recently got home from her mission in Logan, Utah where I was able to visit her and eat lunch one day when we lived in Provo. It was fun to visit and reminisce with them all. My brain hurt speaking in Hungarian but thankfully they understand English well enough that the few English words I slipped in were understood and translated as a reminder to me.

The Wunderli family and Barbs (in the blue dress). I love them!

When we left lunch, we headed up to Pannonhalma, a monastery I went to once on a P-day. We got an audio tour and learned about the architecture and history of the monastery. It was awesome to get to show Scott a little bit of what I experienced as a missionary.

After our audio tour. Beautiful view!

Before dinner we walked around the downtown and I regaled Scott of stories of talking to people on the streets, investigators I taught and funny memories of my companions, the Elders and the food I ate there. For dinner we at the Hajo (hi-oh) which means boat. And it actually is a boat.

Having a Coke in the Hajo. Under the Coke logo it says, "Ez az enyem, ez a nap" which I translate to say, "This is mine, this day".

In the main downtown walking area they had a wine tasting festival which isn't uncommon but what was more exciting was the booths they had, one of which was a kürtőskalács (court-ush-call-at-ch). It's basically a hollow tower of dough, roasted and caramelized with sugar over an open flame and flavored with your choice of cinnamon, coconut, cocoa powder, nuts or sugar. Delicious dessert!

Join us next time as we drive across Hungary and visit castles, stay with Hungarian members and eat more delicious and not so healthy food!