i'm not dead

seriously... i doubt eastern europe major news makes it across the pond, but just in case, i thought i'd address:

At least 3 dead, 250 injured in Budapest storm

(so far i've seen "major storm hits budapest during national holiday, 3 dead" go across the news ticker on CNN world and BBC world on TV this morning, but no printed stories online yet but the chinese site above)

my parents and i have had a nice time until last night... we went to szentendre on thursday, to esztergom on friday, and to parliament, the zoo, and the folk art festival at the castle on saturday.

yesterday was beautiful all day... perfectly clear and sunny for istvan day (the national holiday of hungary). we went to church, to lunch, and then hung out with my church friends for the airplane races all afternoon. we also got perfect seats for the fireworks with about 20 of my friends right beside the chain bridge on the buda side.

about 15 minutes into the performance, it started raining REALLY HARD... those of us under 30 laughed and headed for under the bridge. my parents were horrified to be soaked and packed like sardines with thousands of other people seeking cover. the fireworks just kept going through the storms so you could hear the booms and see flashes overhead, but not clearly see the fireworks themselves... we waited for a large part of the crowd to clear out until the show was done and then i started shepherding them home to their hotel.

first we walked 3/4 a mile to the nearest metro but there was a mob scene there of people trying to get out of the weather, so we walked another 3/4 mile or so to the next metro (my dad is nearly 60, was visibly shivering and hates crowds and was yelling at me the whole way for not being able to speak fluent hungarian to beg for a quicker way home, my mom was patient, but has bad feet so she was in pain, but not complaining, i felt bad for them, but was getting irritated with my dad)... when we got to the next metro station, we were supposed to catch a tram, but no sooner did we get to the tram stop, then there was an announcement that it wasn't working... we went to the next tram and saw it wasn't running the whole route so it wouldn't help either... with no taxis in sight, the only thing to do was walk more... we probably walked another mile when we saw what was wrong with our tram... a huge tree had fallen over several power lines, cutting power to the tram going to where we're staying, so more walking was in store.... about a third of the way there, we caught a bus that was running on the tram tracks to make up for the tram.

i got home via a maye through the neighborhood from so many downed trees and then spent the next 2 hours answering the phone from different friends checking everyone was ok... both who were at fireworks with me and who were just watching on TV. apparentlz several major transport hubs were majorly damanged, several boats capsized on the river, and trees killed fireworks watchers as they fell.

in the whole year of the hungarian calendar that was the worst possible 20 minutes for a big freak storm to appear, and yet, there you have it....

i will miss europe when i'm gone, but i'll be glad to give my parents a break and send them home. it's relaxing to visit friends here, but a little stressful to go my parents' speed and keep them happy. as for me, after being caught soaked in so many rainstorms and mud puddles this month, i'll be glad for a chance to do laundry tomorrow night. :P

last day in hungary, flying home tomorrow.

if you pray, keep the mess that budapest is in after the storm in your prayers.

more from stateside tomorrow (tuesday) night.