Folk Dance Tour 2011

Mark and I are again touring with the folk dancers to Europe. Prior to leaving we took our kids to Disneyland, which I'll post about later. Our first few days have been eventful. I already have blisters on my feet from walking so much. Our plane rideover was horrible. We flew DC to Vienna and Mark and I had the noisiest family behind us. Most of the time, their two young daughters kicked our seats. We didn't go to bed the night before the trip because we had to leave at 4 a.m. so we were so tired and I couldn't sleep. Needless to say, I got about 4 hours sleep in 48 hours.

Our first full day here the group went and saw a few things in Budapest including the parliament and St. Stevens church. Mark and I were here three years ago so a lot of it we have seen before. But it's such a beautiful city, we don't mind touring it again.

Me in front of the Parliament building. This picture doesn't do it justice. It is so enormous and detailed.

The whole group in front of St. Steven's church.

We then were met by the missionaries and headed over to the church to do an interactive activity with the young single adults and other church members. We met a lot of nice senior missionary couples and the mission president as well as many nice members. The church is quite strong in Hungary. It has the first stake in eastern Europe with a large stake center. The largest church building I've seen here.

Some of the kids, and Ed our director, teaching the members to dance.

A local news station is making a documentary on religious groups and is showcasing our church and how their youth are a positive influence in their country. So they filmed us and the members interacting.

The next day we went to church in that same building. It's always a testimony builder to here the members share their experiences and testimonies. Especially in countries like these where everybody is a convert. After church we went to a town near Budapest called Szentendre. It's a very touristy town, with many shops and beautiful walking streets right on the Danube. Andrea, our tour guide says it's where all the rich people are moving because it's the popular place to live.

All the tour leaders. Ron, the team trainer and his wife Leslie, Jonathan our tour manager, Ed and Vicki Austin, directors, and me and Mark.

For lunch in Szentendre, they took us to a restaurant that had this cool tunnel system that was the wine cellar. In part of it, they made an eating area and we ate down there.

After that, we went to Budakalsz, another nearby city, and did a short show at their folk dance festival there. I think at first people don't know what to think about American Folk Dance. It's so much different then their traditional Hungarian dances. But they enjoy it. Some people even show up in their wranglers and cowboy hats.

Today we went to the Fisherman's bastian and palace and had another show. More on that later.