4.3 Spotted in Budapest

Next morning, they sat down for breakfast at the restaurant downstairs by a table beside a window facing Országház utca with a view of the Matthias Church. Tyler briefly remembered a moment during the midnight when he sat updating his notes, lights on and the girl sleeping in bed. Their plan for the day was to go to Hotel Nemzeti in the Pest side. Hajnal lit a cigarette, “I go find Sasa and get some leggings.” She went through the kitchen door.

Tyler went out to the courtyard and glanced up at the building wondering how Vanco or Miloš could have climbed up to Jaco’s room. That moment, Hajnal and Sasa appeared from a narrow alley between the hotel and the next building which was under renovation. Hajnal wore a short pair of dark blue leggings.

“Say, which one was Jaco staying?” he asked.

Sasa answered, “Third row, windows 3 and 4 is Room Number 21. Windows 1 and 2 is my room.”

“Your room?”

She nodded, “I stay up there in a staff room.”

Hajnal added, “No access that way but this way through the alley and up a staircase in the kitchen.”

The rooms were narrow, windows densely lined up to each other with sills merged to the entire façade. A column between each window, walls plastered thinly to leave the brick-like effect apparent. Frames painted green of the pivot windows. He noticed a strong drainpipe by a corner and anybody could climb to find a footing on the sill of deep-set windows.

Forty minutes later, they arrived at Blaha Lujza tér on tram. Tyler Friesen was surprised to see this entire square wrapped up. Buildings covered or getting covered, scaffoldings erected around the square, work going on.

Standing on Lenin körút, former Erzsébet, facing the street of Rákóczi út, he captured the National Theatre over the scaffolds on his camera – the People’s Theatre – the Nemziti Színház.

They strode few blocks east to capture a portion uncovered at the ring corner. “What is that thing looming over the building?” he asked Hajnal looking on behind.

“That is a water tower,” she replied.

The Népszínház, with its Neo-Renaissance architecture, looked great with six columns holding a balcony and a large grey roof over the structure. Sad part was that it suffered huge damages during the Second World War and still operated until it took more damage and became obsolete to stand. Naming a metro line plan, it was closed in 1964 and Tyler was observing the vandalism caused to the theatre during the 1956 revolution. Walls crumbled, windows shattered and in pretty bad shape.

Workers were bringing down the place apart and they used small machinery, cranes and carts.

They walked around the blocks and he was quite mesmerised by the design and architecture of the hotels, museums and theatres in the square.

A moment later, they reached Hotel Nemzeti on József körút sandwiched between two buildings behind the theatre. Its Baroque-style façade was covered with a scaffolding. They were able to pass under a canvas rolled up and go in through the main entrance.

A shiny marble floor, white pillars arched at the ceiling and walls with intricate designs of a Baroque style interior. The elegant staircase with a red carpet. It looked vast and deep with halls, totally mystifying the image he caught outside. He was captivated. It rightfully deserved to be called the National Hotel.

He whispered, “Let’s see if we can book a room!”

“Jó reggelt!” dealt the girl at the reception.

“We are looking for a room,” Tyler demanded.

“Sorry, we’re closed for renovation,” said the girl speaking in perfect English, “Please read the notice.”

Hajnal read the notice on the counter and said, “They are closing on Friday.”

Tyler caught an eye on a chart of floor plans and took a look. Room 316 faced Rákóczi út and the adjacent room was number 315. He moved towards Hajnal, “What does it say?”

“Health Hazard Notice,” she translated, “It says a demolition is scheduled for 15^th March. Eight hours to be observed for dust settlement. The hotel is closing for renovation on 12^th March. They’re blowing up the People’s Theatre.”

“We have three days. We can leave on Friday or even earlier on Thursday. Shall we!”

Finally, Ilma with a blue name tag on her breast pocket agreed.

Tyler insisted, “Can you give us Room 315?”

“I’m sorry, it’s occupied.”

“Room 301?”

“The floor is full.”

“What can you give us overlooking the street?”

“401,” she suggested, “slightly over the scaffold, you can see the street.”

“Alright, we take 401.”

“Please, fill in the form!”

Tyler filled it up and asked, “Can we take a look at the room? We have to go collect our luggage.”

“Of course, Mr Tyler,” she used the first name.

Hajnal scribbled her registration with a cigarette in her fingers.

Ilma cried, “Oh! It’s your birthday!”

“Yes, my birthday,” said Hajnal, “Ninth March.”

“What! Your birthday!” exclaimed Tyler, “Happy Birthday to you!”

“We serve a complimentary ‘Rigo Jancsi’, it is a speciality here, a chocolate cake. It is a unique custom at the hotel,” revealed this girl at the reception.

Nemzeti was known for this particular chocolate cream pastry inspired by a love affair. The dessert Rigo Jansci derived its moniker from the legendary Hungarian violinist, Jansci Rigo, who famously seduced Clara Ward, the Princess of Caraman-Chimay who was married to the Belgian Prince. He ran away with her. The prince divorced her in January 1897 and the two got married.

“Holy shit!” cried Tyler when he found, “She’s an American! She fell in love with him over a cake!”