| I remember a bloke in a campground near Istamboul in Turkey proudly boasting that the language of the Magyars was derived from ancient Turkish. I believe it, any resemblance to other European languages is non existent. The other country that has short roots to the Turkish language is Finnish. I believe that language is difficult to understand too. Practically everyone in and around the hot springs was German. The best way to find a good campground is to sit on the side of the road about 4.30pm and wait for a huge mobile home (or a Mercedes towing a big caravan) with a D sticker to go past. Just follow until they lead to a nice caravan park with, you guessed it, a hot spring. Unfortunately we could never work out the etiquette for dressing or undressing in the springs. They always had separate spa rooms, massage rooms, drinking rooms; rooms set aside for unknown purposes, but you had to speak good German to be able to find out what they were for and how much it cost. Most of the prices in Hungary are quoted in (then) D marks. Of course they will all be in Euro's now. The first couple of towns just across the border from Austria are nothing to write home about. The camping ground we stayed in for the first night was a leftover from the Communist youth camps. Old, dingy and no one seemed interested in providing any service. Very reminiscent of the old Russia, where the people on the gate and in the kiosk were paid a salary whether or not anyone stayed in the camping ground. Another interesting spectacle about two km inside Hungary was the biggest TESCO hypermarket we have ever seen, bigger than the huge Carrefour we saw in France. Inside the very modern aisles were full of things that were not taxed in Hungary but were subject to Austrian taxes. Four huge aisles full of nothing else but dogfood. I've never seen so much PAL in my life. We've seen examples of tax idiosyncrasies at other borders, especially Spain into France, but nothing as big as this. Sopran was an attractive little town, spoiled by the tourist office that would not give Rosemary any information or brochures. When I went into the office I was able to find masses of beautiful full colour brochures for almost every region of Hungary. The very best one was called Hungary, Step by Step. It became invaluable to us, we planned all our trips from it because it gave little pen pictures of the unique things for tourists to see. If we had used our heads we would have obtained most of the brochures and maps from the tourist offices in Australia before we left. We used to be able to get brilliant stuff from the Syndicat D'Initative all over the various regions of France, but now they only have a few brochures pertinent to the local area, not the region we were about to visit. Austria wasn't much better, but once we found where to get them, Hungary was the best. We found later that we would have to pay for everything in Czech. One of the things we found about Sporran was that they were very proud of voting in a referendum in 1921 to choose to remain a part of Hungary, rather than belonging to Austria. I bet they rued the day when Hungary became subject to Soviet rule after WW2. |
| I didn't realise that Hungary was really just the farm for the Austro-Hungarian empire. The overwhelming impression is hot springs and horses. We read in a tourist brochure that the Hungarian language has 400 words to describe the colour of a horse. I wouldn't know, the language was unintelligible. Couldn't understand a word. |
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| HUNGARY |
| Lake Balaton Source; http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/hungary/attractions.htm This oblong lake, about 100km (62mi) from Budapest, is one of the largest in Europe. Often called 'the nation's playground,' Balaton is divided into two quite different shores: the south, which is essentially one long resort of high-rise hotels and minuscule beaches; and the north, where there are more historical towns and sights, mountain trails, better wine, and much less glitz. Dominating the south is Siófok, the largest of Balaton's resorts. The dedicated pursuits here are eating, drinking, swimming and sunbathing - and whatever comes in between. If you get bored with the beach and the crowds, you can take a trip to nearby Szántódpuszta, a recreational centre of perfectly preserved 18th- and 19th-century farm buildings, barns, workshops, and a Baroque church. Further west is Keszthely, a pleasant town of grand houses, tree-lined streets and funky cafés, with unique views of both shores of the lake. The north's oldest and most popular resort is Balantonfüred. During the 19th century it was the gathering place for politicians and cultural leaders, then a writers' colony and, by 1900, a summer retreat for the country's emerging middle class. It remains a sophisticated, yet peaceful place, and counts among its attractions a splendid promenade, a number of artist's museums and warm-water springs. South of here is the historical village of Tihany, while east is Badacsony, a region renowned for its scenery, excellent hiking trails and wine-producing towns. |
| Pécs : Lying equidistant from the Danube and the Dráva rivers in Southern Transdanubia, Pécs is one of the most interesting cities in Hungary. Blessed with a mild climate, it has an illustrious past, superb museums and some of the finest Turkish monuments in the country. It is also renowned for its music, opera and ballet, and has some of Hungary's best leatherwork. The symbol of the city is the Mosque Church, the largest building from the Turkish occupation still standing in Hungary. The square mosque, with an octagonal green copper dome, was built in the mid-16th century. After the expulsion of the Turks, the Catholic Church resumed possession. The Islamic elements are still in evidence today: prayer niches carved into the walls, distinctive S-shaped arches and geometric frescoes on the cupola. Nearby is the synagogue, another of Pécs extraordinary monuments. Built in the Romantic style in 1869, it has carved oak galleries and pews, ceiling paintings, and the ornate Ark of the Covenant in the sanctuary. Among the city's best museums are the Victor Vasarely Museum and the Zsolnay Porcelain Exhibit. Vasarely was the father of Op Art - a style popular in the 1960s - and although some of the exhibited works by him and his acolytes are dated, most are evocative, tactile and very playful. The Zsolany porcelain factory, established in 1851, was at the forefront of art and design in Europe for more than half a century. Many of its tiles were used to decorate buildings throughout the country and helped establish a new pan-Hungarian style of architecture (the Communists later turned the factory into a plant for making ceramic insulators). The museum was the home of the Zsolany family and contains many of their personal effects; on the ground floor are exhibits of the popular sculptor Amerigo Tot. Zsolnay Museum This is one of five museums on Kaptalan utca, Pécs's "street of museums," and you shouldn't miss it. The Zsolnay Museum displays some of the best examples of Zsolnay porcelain, produced locally since 1852. There are vases, plates, cups, figurines, and even ceramic paintings. Once you've seen the museum, check out the Zsolnay fountain at the lower end of Széchenyi tér. Mosque of Pasha Gazi Kassim The largest Turkish structure still standing in Hungary, this former mosque now houses a Catholic church. It was built in the late 16th century, during the Turkish occupation, on the site of an earlier church. The mix of religious traditions is evident everywhere you look, and the effect is rather pleasing. An English-language description of the building's history is posted on a bulletin board on the left-hand wall. Pécs Synagogue Pécs's grand old synagogue is incongruously situated in what is now one of the city's busiest shopping squares, Kossuth tér (home of the Konsum Department Store). Nevertheless, once inside you'll find it to be a quiet, cool place far removed from the bustle outside. The synagogue was built in 1869, and the original rich oak interior survives to this day. Next door is the former Jewish school of Pécs, now a Croatian school. Prior to World War II, the synagogue had over 4,000 members, of whom only 464 survived the Holocaust. Every year, Pécs's small Jewish community commemorates the 1944 deportations to Auschwitz on the first Sunday after July 4. Source: Frommer's Budapest & the Best of Hungary, 5th Edition Pécs (pronounced Paych) is a delightful, exuberant place, the largest and loveliest city in the Mecsek Hill region. Situated 32km (20 miles) or so from the Croatian border, the city enjoys a particularly warm and arid climate; in fact, the rolling hills around Pécs are the source of some of Hungary's finest fresh fruit. Few places in Hungary possess a more Mediterranean quality than Pécs. Known as the "2,000-year-old city," Pécs was a major settlement in Roman times, when it was called Sopianae. It was later the site of Hungary's first university, founded in 1367. While that university no longer exists, Pécs remains one of the country's most important centers of learning. The city's present university, Janus Pannonius University (named for a local ecclesiastical poet of the 15th century) was moved here from Bratislava after that city (known as Pozsony to Hungarians) was allocated to Czechoslovakia when Czechoslovakia was created after World War I. Pécs thrived during the almost-150-year Turkish occupation, and reminders of this period fill the city. Although Pécs (like much of Hungary) was almost completely destroyed during the bloody liberation battles between the Ottoman and Christian armies, what did survive -- particularly the Mosque of Pasha Gazi Kassim -- may well be the best examples of Turkish architecture in the country. The people of Pécs are proud of their city. If you travel just a block or two outside the historic core, you'll see that the city is booming: People throng the shops and streets, and buses thunder past in every direction. Pécs is a city on the move. It exhibits none of the torpor you might notice on a hot summer afternoon in Great Plain towns like Kecskemét or Szeged. If you walk up Janus Pannonius utca toward Széchenyi tér, about a block up the street, you'll notice on your left a small metal fence covered with padlocks. Young lovers visiting Pécs have left these locks as a token of their desire to live in this beautiful city. A more recent development in Pécs is the presence of NATO and UN troops, including a sizable American contingent, who are based just outside the city as part of the peacekeeping missions in the former Yugoslavia. Today the old section of Pécs captivates visitors. One of Hungary's most pleasing central squares is here -- Széchenyi tér, which is set on an incline with a mosque at the top and a powerful equestrian statue of János Hunyadi at the bottom. Hunyadi defeated the Turks in the 1456 Battle of Nándorfehérvár (present-day Belgrade), thus forestalling their northward advance by nearly a century. Grand pastel-colored buildings line the cobblestone streets that border the square. Old Pécs is known for its many museums and galleries; after Budapest, Pécs is perhaps the biggest center of the arts in Hungary. The large student population contributes greatly to this creative state of affairs. We list several museums below, but there are many more, some containing works by contemporary and student artists. Pécs is also home to the Zsolnay ceramics factory. Zsolnay porcelain, though lesser known internationally than its rival Herend, may be more popular domestically. Opusztaszer On a slight rise in the vast flat plains between Keskemet and Szeged is the National Historical Museum and park or Opusztaszer. The museum houses a 360-degree diorama commemorating the most important event in Hungarian history. It supposedly marks the spot where in 893 King Arpad and seven rebel chieftains met and made a pivotal blood pact to join forces and exist in peace. It is commonly referred to as the country's first parliament. Old style homes, looking very much like fanciful, elegant and oddly contemporary teepees dot the undulating grassy plains. Ruins of an 11th century basilica are there along with reconstruction of a typical turn-of-the-century country village. In the summer, artisans and craftspeople come from all over Hungary to sell their art. The Opusztaszer National Historic Park was established to commemorate the events in 896 when the first legislative assembly met and Prince Arpad and his followers divided up the lands they had conquered. The event is marked by the Millennium Monument in Budapest. Many exhibits are on display in the well organized park, including the restored Monumental Panorama Painting depicting the conquering Hungarians, the ruins of an 11th century Romanesque church and monastery, an open air museum with a farmhouse, windmill, school, post office and cottages brought from other parts of Hungary. The 120 metre long, 15 metre wide and 38 metre across circular panorama painting recalls the events of history eleven hundred years ago. The moment is captured with the help of brush, paint and canvas, artistic skill and some imagined episodes of the conquest plus the imagination of spectators. Many contemporary artists helped Árpád Feszty with the two year task that lasted from 1892 to 1894. Landscapes are by László Mednyánszky and the battle scenes by Pál Vágó. To see the whole panorama go to http://www.opusztaszer.hu An old equestrian tradition There is a saying in Hungary that God created Hungarians to sit on the back of a horse, and they have a long tradition to justify the saying. Even today, Hungarian cowboys have an uncanny rapport with their horses, unlike any other equestrians, as is demonstrated when they perform their amazing riding skills. At Epona Village in Hortobagy National Park, visitors can watch these cowboys rounding up ponies at full gallop and marvel at the dangerous "Five-in-hand" where one cowboy stands astride a powerful Nonius horse while reining four others as they race at a full gallop around the field. The Nonius is a rare Hungarian breed that won first prize in 1900 at the Paris World's Fair as "the most perfect horse"; and caring for these superb horses is one of the main purposes of Epona. After a wonderful afternoon watching the skills of the Hungarian horsemen we made our way north to BUDAPEST. |
| Driving through the country roads in Hungary was wonderful. Many of the roads had cherry and apple trees growing along the verge. Everywhere people set up little stands with lovely fresh fruit; peaches, all sorts of vegetables (especially asparagus, it seems the Germans love it), many different varieties of apples, mounds and mounds of luscious cherries, as many as you could eat for a pittance. What traffic there was went slowly, often tractors pulling carts full of produce, or old Soviet era trucks belching diesel sometimes a couple of horses and donkeys clip clopping along. We found our way to a little camping ground near Hivez where the prices show as 14 D marks and an english speaking German lady who had been going there for about 25 years, told us where to set up camp and proceeded to give us Plum brandy and local wine until our heads spun. We spent a couple of days touring around Lake Balaton then made our way South through Sumeg to Pecs. |