It didn't take much to convince my boyfriend to go visit Gödöllő. After a delicious and intimate lunch at our kitchen, and then some coffee, we got into the car in a pretty cold, clouded day, and drove to this city outside the limits of Budapest, to visit the Baroque, white and pink Royal Palace, that was home and refuge of a lonely, unhappy and misfortunate beautiful Empress Sissi.
Inspite of the weather, the day has had a magical tone to it, with a sermon at the Church that touched me deeply, as the sheppard took from the Gospel of John, chapter 21, verses 1 to 14 to remind us about staying on the path that God has set us in. It seemed like the final, srowning moment of a week where I have sunked to a moment of desperation, from where God through His beautiful angels, my friends, pulled me up only to then take His official voice and remind me that He knows better, that there are no mistakes in His plans and all we need to do is to have faith and keep our end of the bargain. Yes, just in case you thought God takes forever to answer your prayers, He makes a small but very to-the-point display about how He has you on speed dial. The question is now back to you: Do you have God on Speed Dial?
Inspired by the event, my Spirit was back to "waaaay above dog". So yes, it was a perfect day to go to my favorite museum and remember the story and the life of this interesting Empress. My boyfriend isn't much interested by Empress Sissi, though the promise of a new wing of the palace opened and dedicated to the history of the castle in the XX.th century, including documents and stuff from the Second World War did the magic. Then again, he's a sweetheart and loves to make me happy. He probably wouldn't come here as often as I do - for I've been here three times already in the past two months... and it's probably my 7th or already 10th visit to the palace.
You may wonder what's there to see in this place that makes me come over and over. It's hard to explain in words other than "I love the Royal Palace". The figure of Empress Sissi intrigues me deeply, which - among other things - has brought me to scout her story also in Vienna, and lay hands on any book available about her life. The only historical figure I've chased and studied this hard - though maybe not this deeply - has been Vlad Tepes, known also as Dracula, but with Empress Sissi, the passion goes a bit further. But that's the effect she seems to have been having on people for many, many years. Love her, hate her, but you can hardly pass her by and remain untouched by her character.
This time around I noticed how the Royal Palace itself had suffered through a more extended period of time the same faith of this particular owner. Built from an early promise that never got completed, it became a Cromn Jewelry with a melancholic shine, full of sweet secrets and favoritisms, a place to escape from the crushing pressure, to be free and happy, and yet still, slump slowly in the quicksands and the choking embrace of a tragic destiny that wasn't willing to let go.
Broken to the bones, stripped finally and turned into the most sad and horrendous of ruins, it was taken, loited, abandoned, ripped, skinned, debased, until finally curious and careful hands restored it towards a nearly empty life - a palace with no habitants others than the ghosts and lent furniture. It's beautiful to us, but what's of it's former glory and it's purpose? It became a palace for memories, just as Empress Sissi became a poster for speculation.
I came back with an armful of books, and one book specially picked for my friend Dragonfly, as my entrance to the Book Club. There's so much to learn still, to read, to understand about Empress Sissi, and along with her, about this country, about her Palaces and often, about one's own destiny too.
