Pre-Christmas guest

There is a not very popular or wide known tradition, 

called Pre-Christmas guest.

Supposedly having

a guest/guests come to visit you the week 

before Christmas and leave on Christmas Eve 

will bring you good luck in the coming year. 

Ever heard of it?

Yeah, me either. 

I am yanking your chain, but admit it. 

I had you going for a minute, didn't I??

Our Pre-Christmas guest was Cam's brother Mitch.

It was a nice finale to our Fall Filled Fun Family extravaganza.

Kind of catchy right? :)

As usual we had a great time being tourists ourselves and showing off Hungary.

I had to get a picture with the artist himself in the location of the painting he did for Cam.

Do you remember this post? 

 On top of St. Stephens Basilica overlooking the city

Cam and I had not been into St. Matthias Church yet, which we

 heard was more beautiful then the basilica. 

Taking Mitch allowed us the opportunity to go inside and enjoy its grandeur.

Mitch testing out the altar.

I feel like it should be known, that Mitch probably isn't thrilled with all my

pictures of him ending up on my blog. But he is always behind the 

camera and no one ever gets to see him or his perdy face. 

And I am sort of hoping he doesn't ever read this little thing.

Shhh...

Look what we found in the church. Saint Kinga. I knew we named our little doggie well.

One afternoon Mitch and I went to see parliament. 

I had been before but didn't take any pictures of this 

beyond impressive building.

Here is the stairwell at the beginning of the tour.

This is one of the parlors where the government officials can gather or wait 

for the sessions to start

This rug sort of blew my mind. 

It was handmade, ginormous and they told me the 

astronomical cost but I sort of forgot. 

Sorry.

Back in the day when everyone in Hungary smoked--oh wait that is today.

I will re-phrase back when you were allowed to smoke in-side and cigars were the 

tobacco fix of choice, you would find numbered cigar holders conveniently located

throughout public buildings. 

I have found these in the Opera house here as well. 

The General Assembly or Chamber room inside Parliament.

This controversial Horthy Miklos statue was recently rededicated and 

moved out front and center in downtown.

He was the Hungarian Regent during the interwar period 

and a lot of Hungarians think he was a good statesman and a lot 

of people think he was a war criminal.

I felt the need to document it, because I have no idea how long it will last.

No trip to BP is complete without some FaceTime with Reagan. 

Thanks for coming Mitch.