The family was greeted at the airport by tour guides and representatives from the travel agency that organised their trip. Hong Yiwen was presented a box of Hungarian chocolates and her mother a bouquet of flowers. Even though the travelers were tired after their nearly half-day trip, they still managed to smile for the cameras.
?It?s my first time in Hungary, I?ve never been abroad,? said Hong Yiwen?s mother, Zhang Na. ?I have heard much about Empress Sissi and would really like to see where she once lived,? she added.
The Grassalkovich Palace in Gödöllő, the favourite residence in Hungary of Elisabeth of Bavaria, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, is on the list of places the family will visit during their stay. Also on the programme are Budapest, Balatonfüred, Keszthely, Hévíz, Eger, Visegrád, Szentendre and Esztergom.
The family had fond memories of their visit to the Hungarian pavilion.
?The Hungarian Pavilion is very beautiful. First the outside caught our attention, and inside a great experience awaited us. The decorations of hundreds of wood elements as well as the huge Gömböc were very interesting,? said Zhang Na.
At the centre of the pavilion is the Gömböc (pronounced 'goemboets'), a self-righting object created by two Hungarian inventors. The Gömböc rights itself when in stable equilibrium, much like a roly-poly toy, but because of its shape, not because of its weight. The Gömböc is thus the first known homogenous object with one stable and one unstable equilibrium point.
