The often bizarre and ever evolving legacy of Elvis Presley just took a load off here in Budapest.
Back in 1956, Elvis, performing on the Ed Sullivan Show, dedicated the hymn "Peace In The Valley" to the revolution here in Hungary, urging viewers to donate to the passionate but short lived Hungarian cause.
Fifty-odd years later, mayor of Budapest, Tárlos István, has declared that Presley will become a "posthumous, honorary citizen" of the city, and will heretofore christen, in the name of the King of Rock n Roll, a new, if postage stamp sized, city park.
One of the sites which may be chosen is at the western foot of the Margit Bridge, right next to The Hid (a popular, centralized rendezvous site favored by a pod of American and British expats I kind of know), where the magical Number 17 tram takes on a Hogwart's Express persona at its end of the line, right in front of The Hid (and perhaps, soonish, right in front of the future Elvis Presley Ter). The 17 looks as if it should be entering a wormhole at the point of its termination...every time I see it I half expect the serpentine cars to get swallowed up by a vortex of unknown origin, a secret tram passage to Quantum Budapest (wait, maybe I am in Quantum Budapest). It never does, though, sadly. After a five or ten minute smoke break, the conductor simply walks up to the other end of the tram, hops back aboard, the yellow trolley slithers, squeaking, back through the second and third district.
My tutoring student, Bénce, declared the other day, however, that the likelihood of that particular site becoming Elvis Presley Tér is quite slim, as there are existing, unnamed térs all over the city which are much more, um, deserving of such an honor.
The decision for the site will be put to a vote and the Hungarians who bother to cast a ballot will follow their hearts as opposed to their heads, much as they do on the very popular X Faktor, a show on which the biggest sob story paired with the most saccharine of voices will win hands down over genuine talent.
Because of this, the chances for Elvis Presley Tér manifesting in front of The Hid might be quite good.
I would like to think that the confluence of the 17's terminus and the spirit of Elvis Presley could conjure up some excellent mojo, maybe unplugging that wormhole to a secret Budapest that I just know is hovering there, somewhere, beneath the Margit Bridge. x
My tutoring student, Bénce, declared the other day, however, that the likelihood of that particular site becoming Elvis Presley Tér is quite slim, as there are existing, unnamed térs all over the city which are much more, um, deserving of such an honor.
The decision for the site will be put to a vote and the Hungarians who bother to cast a ballot will follow their hearts as opposed to their heads, much as they do on the very popular X Faktor, a show on which the biggest sob story paired with the most saccharine of voices will win hands down over genuine talent.
Because of this, the chances for Elvis Presley Tér manifesting in front of The Hid might be quite good.
I would like to think that the confluence of the 17's terminus and the spirit of Elvis Presley could conjure up some excellent mojo, maybe unplugging that wormhole to a secret Budapest that I just know is hovering there, somewhere, beneath the Margit Bridge. x
