I'm a simple emigrant and the coronavirus does not prevent me from traveling

Okay, kidding aside, it was a bit annoying, but I managed to go to Hungary before his outbreaks. Flying out from Frankfurt’s enormous airport, any place might seem small, but Budapest from the moment I arrived reminded me of some dollhouse. Everything is so small, cozy, familiar, as if specially made for such little people as me: traffic lights twenty centimeters taller than my height, and the ceilings in some places even threaten to meet me head-on. Budapest really pleased me; it’s pleasant to simply be there, and for me, a person from non-touristy Europe, the variety of things to do seemed enormous. Of course, the “main” sights can be seen in one day if you get up early and chart a route on the map starting from the central squares, across the bridge on which Will Smith danced, and ending at the Fisherman’s Bastion, for example. But that’s not all, because the evening and nightlife there are diverse; everyone will find something to taste. What struck me most was a spontaneously arising exhibition in front of a monument dedicated to Hungarians who protected the Jews from fascist Germany. Thirteen columns, the Black Eagle — symbolizing fascist Germany, and a statue of an angel — Hungary, that protected the Jews. And the most interesting thing: as soon as locals learned about the plan of this installation, they were outraged at how the ruling party shamelessly distorts history even in the presence of living witnesses to the events, not to mention the enormous amount of documentary confirmations. That is exactly what ordinary townspeople began to bring and leave in front of the monument. And the thing is that in 1941 Hungary joined the war on the side of Germany, in part to regain territories lost in the First World War. And already after the attempt to switch sides to the Allies in 1944 the country was occupied by Germany, supposedly then the persecution of Jews began. In reality, much earlier, in 1935, the Hungarian fascist party “Crossed Arrows” was founded. And the “Jewish laws” since 1938 established restrictions on work and bans on marriages and sexual contact between Jews and Hungarians. Various documents and photographs in packets or laminated, to withstand the rain, candles, household items and simply printed explanations in many languages — all of this is now an integral part of this monument, showing the clash between a state that wants to present itself in the best light and ordinary residents who want to preserve the truth and not shift all the blame to another country. You can read more about Budapest from Masha in her blog https://medium.com/@gilmary, she studied and lived there for two years, and now I finally understand why she fell in love with this city, and I have a reason and someone to go back there for. #World_trips