Homage to Sissi

YouTube - Gödöllő, Hungary

I just stumbled across this video which showcases the town where I lived when in Hungary in 2006. It is called Godollo and it is about 45 minutes east of Budapest. It is a lovely small town with a reputation as a bit of an artist colony and a popular place for folks to flee from the hustle and bustle of Budapest. It is most famous for being home to Grassalkovich Castle built in the mid 1700s. The castle changed hands a few times but it is most reknown for becoming in 1867 the Royal Palace and the summer home of Franz Josef I and Queen Sissi, the last emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The castle that served as their home intermittantly has been restored and is a magnificent example of baroque architecture - one of the largest in the world. I first visited the castle on a snowy winter day in November 1997 and since each time I return I discover they have restored yet another room or portion of the castle. The restoration is now nearly - not quite - but almost completed. Many find it a nice day trip out of Budapest. I lived in a 'block of flats' just behind the castle and cut through the grounds and walked through Also Park to make my way to campus each day where I taught at Szent Istvan University.My best memories are of having dinner regularly at the restaurant in this park near the castle at "Kastely Kert" where my favorite waiter, Paul, would wait on the 'strange' professor from the U.S. and provide Hungarian language lessons gratis between courses. On weekends I took walks in "Erzsebet (Sissi) Park" just at the end of my street. The park is considered one of the nicest in the town and is named for Queen Sissi, who has been compared favorably to Princess Diana for her inability to fit into the royal 'establishment'. She was assisinated in Geneva in 1898 in a bit a of mis-hap - tragic ending. If you are considering visiting Godollo and Sissi, by all means do. It is hard to find overnight lodging in Godollo but it is easy to get to Godollo by train. Take the HEV from Budapest and get off at Szabadsag ter station which is just past the Castle. In my post-academic life I want to be a tour guide, can't you tell. A wonderful semester I remember fondly.