1248. The Power of Forgiveness/ A Megbocsatas Ereje - stroll
Budapest, Hungary
15 July 2025

While wandering the paths on Gellert Hill on the Buda side of Budapest, between the large statue to Saint Gellert (who in the 11th century was supposedly martyred by being rolled down the hill in a barrel spiked with nails), the Philosophers Garden, containing a circle of imposing diverse religious figures, and the nearby Danube panorama with Prince Buda and Princess Pest, we stumbled across another interesting art installation: ten large stone balls like heavy emotions being rolled down the hill and coming to rest in the grass at different spots. Along the walkway above them is a sign in Hungarian, English and Xhosa on the inspiration and process of reconciliation that these stone globes are meant to represent. If you stand on the sidewalk to read the sign, then walk ten steps to lamppost #36 on the right and then cross over to the other side of the pavement to the corner of the wall on the left where there is a 12" metal spike near the right end of a 6" tall concrete ledge running parallel to the wall, you may be able to find where we left our 2" flat gray "travelin' light" stone for Budapest: just about a foot to the right of that corner in the little crevice between the peach-painted upper wall above and the gray concrete gutter below, between two other small stones. Just a couple dozen steps further along the wall at an old dried up fountain featuring a face with a black tongue sticking out might be a good place to get an image of the stamp depicting the Budapest Parliament building glued on the back of the "travelin' light" stone, if you brought ink, as well as to get a reminder to take a sip of water, if you brought some, especially if you are there on a very hot summer day!

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