Opera Christmas Tree

The major streets and avenues are festively lit and the Christmas tree in front of the Opera was being installed and decorated as I walked by. The fragrance of pine from the sawdust was a perfect mood setter.



One of these days, I promise to go out with camera when it is dark and the lights are on to show you why it's been officially said that Budapest looks more Christmasy than Vienna for the second year in a row. Hope you are enjoying your week-end and it is warmer where you are.

If It's Wednesday...it must be doors

Last Wednesday I've promised you doors once a week. It is hard to beat the doorway you've seen first, so let's follow with a famous door. These are the center front doors of the opera.And THIS! is the ceiling of the drive up portico right before these doors. Simply magnificent.
Enjoy your day and thank you for coming by to visit.

Opera Christmas Garb

Here it is - dressed for Christmas. This may not be such a big deal for any other country - but for this "former" communist country - it is simply TOO RED. Especially, considering that this was the location of the PM's speech for the anniversary of the 1956 uprising.

Yes, the sign claims ELEKRA - but interestingly enough all of the posters throughout town that advertise the performance have a green background. So, "who's zoomin' who?"



The building below sits directly across Andrassy ut from the Opera. It was the former Balett Institute. The building had been vacant for some time and is rumored to be considered as a luxury hotel (yet another). You may remember this building from the crane photo. The crane had been set up on the right side to raise another floor onto the existing structure - the modern way to multiply scarse downtown building space.

Hungarian State Opera House

This beautiful building is one of the jewels in the crown of Andrassy Blvd. Here you can read more details and see the programs.

A closer look at the facade of the building with statues of famous composers lining the upper balcony. They look as though they will step off of there and join the audience.

Another day I will show you the photo of what the Opera looks like "dressed for Christmas". 'Tis not a pretty sight.

Stairway to the Stars

Have you ever... These monstrosities are all over town working, but I've never actually been this close to one as it was being set up. It must be incredibly flexible as it bends out of sight. It is times like these that I regret not having a better camera - but it is still amusing and amazing. I'm 5'10 and the orange cabinet to enter the crane was above my head.

All of this in the middle of traffic at the end of a busy day across from the opera.

Just Like in the Movies

Took a different route to work as I had chores to do in the morning. This time I ended up on walking streets that had been created during the past few years to beautify and civilize the downtown area. Lovely.

Something did strike me as odd, there were too many yellow vested security people around. As I approached the Opera there was one posted in front of each building entrance. Too early for anything official to be going on, perhaps preparation?

As I got up to the Opera, there was a FOG in the air? Strange, it is a clear morning. But wait, what's the white stuff on the ground?
And Christmas decorations? Around here? no major stores and Louis Vuitton is on the other corner facing Andrassy...

:) I've found myself on a movie set! Just one of the many that is constantly blocking off parking spaces on the streets of Budapest. Did not stop to ask which movie was being filmed but caught a headline elsewhere that DeNiro was in town. Who knows, perhaps this is the set he works on.

Quiet Before the Storm

After another sunny morning, things got cloudy in Budapest by afternoon (Oct. 22nd). Roads were being closed to prevent demonstrators from 'spilling' into official function locations. PM Gyurcsany was to give a speech at the Opera House and as a result Andrassy was closed from the Oktogon to the next largest street (Bajczy-Zsilinszky), the section including the Opera. People who lived in the area had to be collected at crossing points and escorted to their homes by police.

The picture above is the approach from the Korut to the corner of the Oktogon where Andrassy crosses. Smell of rain in the air and a sense of unusual calm.



Here is around the corner of Andrassy at the Oktogon. Yes, there is another flower vendor and look, Burger King. If you don't tell anyone, I'll admit that occasionally I simply MUST have a Whopper.


View from Andrassy looking toward City Park. Although it is not entirely clear on the photo, the new Siemens trams are just passing each other in the middle of the road.

The closed off section of Andrassy, the beautiful boulevard, that runs between the Oktogon and Bajcsy-Zsilinszky the Opera a couple of blocks up on the right.

By 8 p.m. there were special bulletins of police disbursing crowds with tear gas, some trash cans set on fire but I've no pictures of that as I opted to stay in. I did put my shoes on but decided against going out. Instead stood on the balcony in the rain (by then) looking towards the Oktogon which was sealed off on all sides. Suppose it was to prevent marchers to collectively go to the House of Terror museum on Andrassy below the Oktogon.

As the rain persists today and more demonstrations are expected, call me a coward, but it seems a perfect day to stay inside.