21st Christmas in Europe

TOURISM AND OTHER DISCOVERIES

The organisers had also planned several activities to enable the delegations to discover the charms of the city of Budapest – and there was certainly no shortage of charms. Many of these were discovered during a visit of the city by coach on the afternoon of Saturday December 1^st, with two stops to allow everyone to immerse themselves in the City’s atmosphere. Heroes' Square, for example, and St Stephen's Basilica where some participants climbed up one of the towers from which there was a magnificent view over Budapest in the evening lights.

Heroes' SquareIn front of St Stephen’s Basilica and its Christmas marketView over Budapest and the market from one of the bell-towers

A small group also visited the Hungarian Parliament, on the Pest side. It is an impressive building, of imposing dimensions and possessing great solemnity. They even witnessed the changing of the guard watching over the national treasure including the royal insignia dating from the Renaissance.

The Parliament building in BudapestA guide explains the history of the buildingAt ten o’clock on the dot, the changing of the guard watching over the treasureView over part of Buda on the other side of the Danube

The city of Budapest is famous for its hot baths which are known throughout the world. Some of the participants needed no prompting to visit them to taste the joys of hot spring water under the open skies.

In one of Budapest’s many spasClose by, a skating rink is already in useThe parliament building at night, seen from the banks on the Buda side – simply magical

Another small group was initiated into the craft of making pralines in the workshop of the Szamos Company, the country’s very best chocolate maker which furthermore had a stand installed in the Christmas in Europe exhibition. Under the guidance of Gabriella, the nice demonstrator who was also an excellent teacher, the participants in this unusual class each made a number of entirely successful – and delicious - pralines. Many thanks to the Szamos Company – and to Gabriella!

You have to work before you can enjoy themAnd here’s the result – every participant would leave the workshop bearing his or her own production of pralines.

This same group then went to the Dobos C.Jozsef Hotel School for a meal served in the training restaurant, which followed a complete tour of the school conducted by its highly informative deputy director Zoltan Varga.

Zoltan Varga, deputy directorThe school entrance