March 26 Sunday – In Budapest, Hungary Sam and his daughters went sightseeing, leaving Livy behind at the hotel with flu-like symptoms. There were many modern features of Budapest, a city of 800,000 with a quarter of those Jews, “even more assimilated and less discriminated against than the Jews of Vienna…” Budapest boasted the first electric streetcars in Europe and the first subway of any city, which would become a model for New York’s subway system. A “sumptuous” opera house, world-famous mineral springs and hot baths, pleasure gardens and attractive streets—all contributed to Budapest as a most up -to-date and fascinating place. Livy’s illness forced cancellation of a farewell banquet [Dolmetsch 58].
Fatout reports a possible additional charity reading in Budapest for this month; this is the most likely open day [MT Speaking 666]. Note: Fatout gives no particulars and none were found.