fireworks, storm, panic

Maybe you heard, maybe you didn't - August 20th is the day Hungarians celebrate the founding of the Hungarian State 1000 or so years ago. In American terms, this is Hungary's 4th of July. The celebration culminates with one of the most impressive firework displays - the backdrop of which is one of the most scenic/romantic city centers in the world.

But this celebration ended badly and abruptly. The fireworks started at 9 and at 9:08 a massive storm came over the hills. There was 65-70 mph winds, torrents of rain, hail and panic.

Oliver and I were also caught in this storm, though we were not very close to the downtown. I took him to see the fireworks from a bridge over the Danube in the north of the city. When the wind picked up and the first drops were felt, I put him on my shoulders and started walking back to the car.

But we were too late. We wouldn't have been more wet had we jumped into the river itself. Oliver was crying as were all the other children on the bridge. At one point, the wind actually blew my glasses off my face. Fortunately no one stepped on them and fortunately I found a spare change of clothes for Oliver when we reached the car. It didn't take him long to warm up and stop quivering.

But it didn't end quite so nicely for everyone. In the end, 5 people died and about 350 people were injured. Hundreds of trees gave up their branches or simply uprooted. At least one boat capsized in the Danube. I am sure that the property damage figures will be in the millions of dollars.

Click here to see pictures of the damage. It is in Hungarian, but the pictures are self explanatory. Simply click on the photos in the left column to open and scroll through albums.

~matthew

Mint tudjátok, az augusztus 20-i tűzijáték borzalmasan végződött idén. A részleteket ismeritek a sajtóból (Matt itt a külfoldi ismerősöknek írta le részletesen az eseményeket). Személyes hírünk annyi, hogy Matt és Olivér is kint voltak az Árpád hídnál. Hála Istennek épségben, ámde bőrig ázva értek haza (illetve a szüleimhez Pesten). Olivér persze nagyon sírt a vihar miatt (csakúgy mint a többi gyerek a hídon), de megnyugodott és volt a kocsiban egy váltás ruha, amibe Matt át tudta öltöztetni. A fenti link segítségével láthattok képeket a vihar pusztításáról, bár gondolom, TV-ből, újságokból láttátok már a szörnyű károkat...no meg a politikusok, illetékesek egymásra mutogatását, amit most inkább nem kommentálnék...Reméljük ti és szeretteitek is megúsztátok a napot!!!