THE BRIDGES OF BUDAPEST

(On the Elizabeth Bridge)

Since our return from Hungary, and the election of a new president, we have heard much about bridges and how we must connect with each other, despite our differences. After crossing the three bridges, Margit, Chain, and Elisabeth, so many times during our stay in Budapest, I have a much more literal response to bridges, especially these three, all destroyed during World War Two. I came to love crossing the Elisabeth Bridge for the view of Pest on the other side, where so much of the cultural life of the city awaited, and I loved heading back toward our hotel on the Buda side, seeing on my left, the Liberation Monument, still there, still holding up her palm wreath to the forces of history. As for the Chain Bridge, who couldn't love those lions! I would like to have one at the bottom of my driveway!




I don't know how Jim would feel about that, though!


(Connie Kotis, Photo Credit)

Crossing the Chain Bridge, I also was able to see the legendary Turul spreading its wings atop Castle Hill.



Other bridges were the friends made, Szidi Juhasz, for one, the history of a country I'm just beginning to learn, the awareness that so much about the world waits for all of us to know more about, to enjoy, to honor, and protect.

And then the artistic bridges that writers, musicians, composers, all artists really, make when they practice their art and work together to bring it to the rest of the world. My collaboration with Harold Schiffman has been one of the greatest gifts of my artistic and personal life, and I thank him him and the crew at the Gyor Philharmonic for it!

So, here is a photo ol the usual suspects in The Mozart Cafe in Győr, provided by Jane Perry-Camp, a fitting conclusion to my travel diary.



Those included in the photo (taken by a kind waitress) compose October's whole Kiraly Music Network (KMN) team [aka "The Crew"], from President David Zsolt Király, to cheerleader and occasional pianist Jane. They are (with roles as members of The Crew, as if you didn't know!!!):

L to R: Szidónia Juhász (interpreter/translator), Mátyás Antal (conductor), Harold Schiffman (composer), Jane Perry-Camp (yes), David Zsolt Király (President, KMN), István Biller (recording engineer), [above Király's head -- but only in the photo] Wolfgang A. Mozart (composer and keyboardist). Location: Mozart Cafe, Győr, Hungary; 20 October 2008, 7:52 p.m. (Items from menu that were chosen -- not disclosed.)
Notes by Jane!