Well - early tomorow morning (2:30 a.m.) I take the shuttle to the Budapest airport to return home via Milan, Italy and Newark, New Jersey - 18 hours after my 7:40 a.m. flight departs. I spent yesterday and today on a last few good-byes and stuffing my two suitcases full of all my junk.
Had coffee with Liza, an American student from Salt Lake City, whom I met my first week here. Delightful young woman who has lots of traveling in her future. She and I both compared our great adventures in Hungary. Met my friend, János, to say farewell - he gave me some homemade paprika sauce. Yum - can't wait to try it. And met Zoltan at Cooltour Cafe for a last red wine - thanks for the wine Zoltan and the DVD of a new Hungarian film. I know Bill Pryor will be happy to watch all my Eastern European DVDs when I get home.
Today I went by the bookstore to say good-bye to Levente and his great girlfriend, who have always been so kind to me. Sad to leave them. Levente had one last tip for me - a new cafe selling home made cakes and pastries - so I just had to give it a try before I left. As usual, his advice is golden. Had a yummie chocolate torte with cocoanut and a citrus filling swirled into the batter.
Now I'm working on final posts to my blog - and waiting for Ági to come and help me cart my luggage down the construction zone, which is my street.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Christmas Differences
Always hard to judge cultural differences on a brief trip. But I think I've observed some differences in the Christmas holidays. First of all, there are two distinct celebrations - December 6 (Advent) and the December 25 - which are celebrated. Father Winter or Father Christmas (more recently Santa Claus) brings children gifts on December 6th. So the Santa figure is not associated so much with December 25th. There were concerts in the cathedrals at both Pecs and Zagreb on Advent. The holidays around December 25 are similar in some ways - on Christmas Eve there is a midnight Mass (in a largely Catholic country), families get together for dinners on Christmas Day and the day after Christmas which is also a holiday. The Christmas tree is not put up and decorated until December 24 - and then it is left up until January 6 (12th night after Christ's birth) Children get presents on Christmas, but these presents come from the baby Jesus. So the Christmas holiday seems more focused on the birth of Jesus and family. The town and stores are decorated - you may have seen my post on the Arkad, the shopping mall which looks very much like any mall. But the decorations are not as extensive or gaudy as in America. They are simplier, primarily strings of white lights and garlands. The holidays seem to me to be more peaceful here - not quite as stressed, though I hear that women get stressed doing all the holiday cooking - same as home.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Ági's Birthday Dinner
On Friday Ági and I went to Tettye Restaurant to celebrate her birthday. Great food and even better conversation. I have to say a word about Ági as I get ready to leave Hungary. She is just an amazing woman, and I am so thankful that I had an early chance meeting with her. I know that our friendship will continue after I return home. In fact, I just got a text (everyone here refers to them as SMS) from her - informing me that she has obtained a camera for her computer so that we can video chat! This women is one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever met. She is also funny and smart. It is because of Ági that I saw Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, hiked up Zéngo Mountain, and went to the extreme sports park. Wow, come to think of it - she nearly killed me!! She has really been a big help with any difficulties I've had. Just yesterday, she loaned me a flashlight so that I can walk down my street at night without stepping in the mud puddles. That will really come in 
handy tonight when I return from the trip to the wine country after dark and possibly slightly impaired.
handy tonight when I return from the trip to the wine country after dark and possibly slightly impaired.Ági is just the kind of person who always seems to think of other people first. I am inspired by her thoughtfulness and unselfish character. Here is Ági at her birthday dinner. And shots of our food. A fish plate (carp, pike and catfish) and turkey breast stuffed with plums. I thought the Hungarian flags were cute.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Countdown to Home
Well, in five days I’ll be returning to Kansas City, Missouri. As I contemplate leaving, my feelings are mixed. In one sense it is sad to leave Hungary, but it is also great to go home. Here's my list of what I will miss - and what I want to return to. Except for the number one on the list – they are not in any particular order.
What I Will Miss In Hungary
1. The People – without a doubt this is number one. I will make a separate post to thank them because the list is so long.
Why I’m Happy to Return Home
1. The People! Of course, the biggest thing I’ll miss here are great friends that I got to know even better on this trip and new friendships I’ll retain in the future. But I miss my family and friends. I miss my husband, Mike, who has been so supportive of this whole trip and encouraging me when I encounter any problems. I’ll be happy to see my son Ryan, who is home right now – and though Taylor is in Utah, I’ll still be closer to him than now. And I can see my sister and Steve again, my brother and Judy, my mom, maybe that new baby of Jeff’s – and all the friends who have been so great about sending me emails or posting to my blog – especially Bill, Georgia, Linda, Laura, and Janine. I would have felt more cut off from my life without these communications
Back to what I’ll miss in Hungary – here’s the list
1. The People
2. The Architecture – hey, in Kansas City I think a 100 year old building is old.
3. Public Transportation – love not having a car. Budapest’s Metro and Zagreb’s tram system are also awesome.
4. Life Outside – outside cafes and sidewalks full of people make a city lively.
5. Restaurant service – here you can stay and talk to friends as long as you want. Waiters will not bring you a bill until you signal or ask for one. It’s great – no interrupting your conversations; no hurrying you to clear the table for the next customer.
6. All the great film festivals (Cinepécs and Zagreb) and wonderful concerts I’ve seen here – free or pretty cheap.
A r A really good cup of cappucino
8. Buying fresh food from the market – wow, I forgot apples were actually juicy.
9. Feeling safe walking alone at night.
10. Learning some language. I have learned a few more Hungarian words – And I have improved my Croatian.
Glad to be Going Home to
1. Family and friends - as I mentioned above.
2. A Non Smoking Environment. I did not realize how our smoking laws provide us with clean air to breath. Some of my favorite cafes here have nausia inducing smoke choking the air, especially in winter when the doors and windows are closed.
3. Family Christmas Dinner– I can not imagine missing a family Christmas dinner – I was sad to miss Thanksgiving and speaking of that…
4. Turkey – I want to make a whole roasted, stuffed turkey with all the trimmings because I really missed that.
5. Cooking and my kitchen in general.
6. The Plaza library. I haven’t done as much reading here
7. My Washing Machine!! Enough with doing laundry in a kitchen sink.
8. Internet Access at Home. No more walking to a café to use the wi fi.
9. Reading the newspaper. I miss my morning coffee and newspaper reading to start the day.
10. A Sidewalk and paved street outside my condo. My apartment here has had the street torn up for a month. When it rains, I have to walk through mud. Since the street lights have been out at night I negotiate this in the dark. (Of course, this is not typical – just that there is an unusual amount of construction and renovation because Pecs is the 2010 Capital of Culture for Europe) Still, I am glad to leave the construction mess behind.
Going Away Dinner
On Wednesday the students in my documentary film seminar invited me to one of their homes for a farewell dinner. Ours was a small class, so we got to know one another through the semester. Thanks to Réka for hosting. To Ádam, Lili, Márton, and Réka – my sincere thank you for a delightful semester and an awesome going away dinner. We made galuska together – so I see now how to make these tasty homemade noodles. I guarantee I’ll be cooking these back home. A wonderful dinner – topped off by Lili’s special dessert. Yummie. And, of course, there was a little wine drinking. And, most of all, great conversation and laughs – and more wine drinking. We certainly got to know one another even better after this evening. Well, if these students represent the future of Hungary – then Hungary has a bright future. The thanks these students gave me was really touching – a beautiful thank you card – and they even gave me a sealed card for February 6th – my Hungarian name day!!! So I shall look forward to the day I can open that card. And I take home with me many fond memories of this class. Here’s a look at cooking galuska
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Big Band Jazz Orchestra Playing the Beatles
Sunday night I went to the Studentski Centar to see the HGM Jazz Orchestra concert. They have a new CD of Beatles tunes. Here is a sample from the concert which was packed. Lots of families and bus loads of young people were in the audience.
Winter in Zagreb – Zima u Zagrebu
I was really surprised returning to Zagreb in December. Because I have been here in fall and spring, I expected all the outdoor cafes would be closed – hey, it’s winter (zima) and it is fairly cold to be sitting outside. I was shocked. The main square Trg ban Jelicica was packed with people and the outside cafes were full. Wow, that would not happen in my city. At the very first sign of 60 degrees, no one is sitting outside, let alone in 40 degrees. Fahrenheit of course. I did see some outside heaters, but I noticed that many people were outside who were not under heaters. For the holidays there are kiosks selling food, Christmas ornaments, gifts, souvenirs, jewelry, and of course hot wine. So folks are outside shopping and visiting, as usual. The city looks very festive and beautiful. In the square is also a large tent for people to sit inside and have a drink or sausage, yet still see outside through the clear plastic sides. At the outdoor stage I saw several performances of children’s dance groups, as well as a good band. Everyone stood outside in the evening to watch these groups perform. So here is a look at Zagreb in the wintertime. I always love the energy of this city.
Special Note: In the concert at the end of the video there is a guy playing a bass?? But it has no outside shell. I tried to give you a close look at it. Has anyone ever seen this instrument. If so, what is it called?
Visiting Friends and Family in Croatia
This is a picture of my cousin, Nick, who lives in Karlovac. He came to pick me up at my hotel Saturday morning. In the winter, he grows a beard – which I have never seen before since I’ve visited in early fall or spring. He is always great company and I enjoy getting updates on his family since our last visit a year and half ago. He took me to a traditional Croatian meal – blood sausage with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. I was a little afraid of the blood sausage at first – but it was delicious. I also saw Jadran Boban, a Croatian filmmaker, who gave me some DVDs of Croatian films to take back for the Kansas International Film Festival. I’ve really excited to get to watch them – and since it is a rainy dreary day in Pécs, I’ll probably get a chance to watch one this evening.
Advent Concert at Cathedral
Saturday night there was a concert of Christmas songs at the Cathedral in Zagreb – a beautiful location to listen to traditional Croatian Christmas carols – here is a small sample.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Back in Zagreb - Practicing my Croatian
OK - just arrived at the Hotel Central in Zagreb. Wi Fi in my room - I feel spoiled. Or is that the beer? Pivo in Croatian. You know they have big bottles of beer in Europe - I found that in Ireland, in Hungary and here in Croatia. I ordered a Croatian beer - and, wow, it was velik (that means big). Although my Croatian language skills remain pathetic, I have to say I have been very excited to speak Croatian and be understood in the last few days. Thursday at the University (Pécs), I was walking out of the library and heard two men speaking - could that be??? Croatian? So, being the shy type - I spoke to them (in Croatian) I could not say much, but I did say that I was going to Zagreb Friday and had relatives there. It was just so exciting - but cut short when these men had to run to catch their bus. So - fast forward - today I am taking the long, dreaded train trip to Zagreb. I have to layover at this little town in Hungary - Gyékényes - and I notice a young man who has been hanging around about as long as I have at this station. You could make a movie here, and it would be one of those art films where nothing ever happens. This tiny dimly lit cafe where a few station regulars hang out and smoke cigarettes and drink beer, and the same lady works there (sadly, I figured I have been in this place a dozen times now, really). Anyway, so I asked the guy if he was going to Zagreb. I always like to know that there is someone else going to the same place, and then I feel like I won't miss the train because I will see which one they get on. So, he does not speak English - and tells me he is from Montenegro. Humm - what do they speak there? And he asks me, lo and behold, if i speak Croatian - he asks me this in Croatian. Wow, what luck. So I tell him - in Croatian that I can understand a little Croatian and speak a little. This was great. What a nice guy. He carried my luggage onto the train and sat in the same compartment. We had a conversation, and since he did not speak English, we had to rely upon my poor Croatian. And as limited as it was - we could communicate. He works in Pécs and was traveling home, and I was able to tell him that I also worked in Pécs. I could ask him why the custom agents searched his bag and not mine. I could not remember the word for baggage but I said Why yours, not mine - and pointed to our luggage. So he knew what I was asking and told me it was because I was an American. Interesting. Since the customs lady asked me if I had anything to declare - liquor, cigarettes, etc. and seeing that they were searching his luggage, I fessed up that I had a bottle of alcohol which I was taking to Nick for a gift, as well as a box of Hungarian chocolates for his wife. OK - this sweet guy even feeds me Hungarian cookies. And I can say in Croatian that I will try them - and "something to eat." My meager skills still allowed us to say enough that we could understand what was going on. When we got to Zagreb, this sweet man carried my luggage off the train for me. We then said good-bye. With this confidence - I walked across the street and checked into the Hotel Central. What a great location - stayed here before - a good place and the staff is always friendly. Probably many of my American friends would freak out at the size of the room. I did the first time I stayed here. The single has room enough for a bed and a small space to walk between the bed on one side and the wall - a tiny corner with a small desk and TV and a compact bathroom. Here is a picture.
So I walk in and tell the man at the front desk in Croatian I have a reservation and I switch between English and Croatian while speaking to him - when i know the Croatian words, I use them. But the funniest thing was when I asked him if they had internet access in the rooms - he said there was wi fi in the rooms. I said - Awesome in English. And I thought he did not understand me because he asked me - what was awesome - a computer. And I explained I had my computer and was really happy that they had wi fi - and he said - very exasperated - Jesus Christ!! And I knew what he meant - and laughed - here I had come to Zagreb and I was excited about, no not the city or the country - but having wi fi in my room. What an idiot, he probably thought. But actually we talked some more - and I told him in Croatian, well my husband is not here - so wi fi lets me talk to him. Ok - so, I'm settled in my room, but decide to have a beer before I go to bed at the bar downstairs. I wind up talking to the waitress - I'm the only one in the bar - and watching some Croatian talent show with her. That's where I got the big beer. How do people drink those things? Well, I did. But wow, I'm sleepy now. I was able to ask her in Croatian - how much do I owe you? And I can understand my numbers. She seemed pretty pleased with my few Croatian phrases. So maybe I'll have more changes to practice. Both of these people speak English quite well - but they were very willing to listen to me and respond to my Croatian.
Concert at Hotel Palatinus
Last night Ági and I went to a concert at the Hotel Palatinus. Jenő Jandó on piano and Béla Drahos on the flute. Here is a short video from the concert. We had some nice wine before the concert and some great dessert after. And always good conversation.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
What is American Food?
When you live somewhere else, not only do you learn about that culture, but also you learn about your own. I realized for some time now that I have a hard time identifying food that is uniquely American. So I'm asking my friends, or anyone else reading, to comment. It is interesting that it has taken people from other countries to point out to me what they think is an American dish that is quite different from theirs. So Anni from Finland thinks that our pies - cherry, apple - are a uniquely American dessert. I thought maybe french fries, but she says they are from Belgium. Well what do you expect? I think pizza is probably one of the most commonly eaten foods in the states, but that certainly isn't American. What is? Hamburgers and hot dogs come to mind - are they American? How about fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy? Another student pointed out that our pancakes are unique. So does anyone know if that is an American invention What Hungarians call pancakes, we call crepes - a thin batter with a filling - and often a dessert. It's nothing like our pancakes. I wonder if jello is an American invention? So let me know what is your idea of American food.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Kino Café and Thanksgiving Dinner
On Tuesday (Kedd) I got an email from one of my students that the film department was having a party at the Kino Café, which is attached to the Urania Theatre. It started at 11 p.m. – wow, past my bedtime. But I took a nap, set my cell phone alarm, and went to the party. I saw several of my students there – here’s a photo of Lili and Adam and I at the party. Thanks for the beer, Adam. I left after 1 a.m. Marton told me the next day he left at 3 a.m. and things were still going strong. Well, too late for the old woman, but I am always warmed by the friendship shown to me by my students, present and former ones, who include me in their festivities.
Speaking of former students, I was delighted to get an email from another former student, János Berta, whom I met for coffee at the Café Paulus. I am overwhelmed, that in a country so far from home, I have so many people with whom I can share a drink and conversation.
And on Thanksgiving Day, despite the horrible events at the University, I was happy to be able to have dinner with my friend and colleague to whom I am indebted for being able to spend the semester in Pecs – Laszlo Tarnay. What a great dinner for Thanksgiving and such a pleasure to have good company, not be alone on Thanksgiving. In addition to being a brillant and generous man, Laszlo is a good cook – others will tell you the same. We had a wonderful Indonesian curry dish and a dessert recipe from his mother (and grandmother’s) cookbook – a chocolate pancake dish. Wow, this Hungarian speciality is amazing. Note to friends: despite all my daily walking – don’t expect me to come home having lost weight (as I did in Morocco). I am eating too much good food here.
Tragedy at University
Yesterday while I was in class, at another building on campus, a university student shot and killed another student, wounding three others. This was a shock to me as both the town and the country seem safer than the States. It was also a shock to my students, and I am told this is the first ever shooting by a university student in the country. I had just made my post on the globalization of cultural products, and I hate to think that the idea for things like this come from the news reports of simliar incidents elsewhere. Some parts of western culture are not good to import.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/1127/1224259546010.html
http://www.irishtimes.com/
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Árkád and A Word on Homogenous Culture
I think I have been here long enough to get some idea of how ubiquitous American culture is in this country, and probably others as well. American music is frequently heard playing in restaurants and shops, and folks I talk to are well acquainted with American movies and movie stars. They watch American TV shows – and talk about liking Sex in The City. Do you imagine that they really believe Americans are like those depicted in these shows? What really strikes me is not so much the presence of American cultural objects – Homer Simpson on the side of a car; Mickey Mouse on a t-shirt – but the absence of Hungarian ones. I did not notice this quite so much until I began to look for some small items to take back to the states as gifts. I was having a very difficult time finding anything that is uniquely Hungarian to take back – despite being immersed in a very rich cultural world of sights and tastes. Beside Hungarian food and drink items that could travel - paprika or palinka – I am having a hard time. I don’t mean souvenir spoons and plates and coffee cups with a Hungarian flag on them, but normal items that people, not tourists, would use. When I tried to find a t-shirt or baby clothes with Hungarian written on it, I was stuck by the fact that almost everything was in English. How can that be? So many people here do not even speak English, but they are buying clothing stamped with English words. Even the Christmas ornaments in town are blazoned with “Merry Christmas” not Boldog Karácsonyt. I pointed this out to my friend, Ági. After awhile, she, too, began looking for clothing with Hungarian words and remarked that she had not realized that everything was in English. Well, most of this stuff is now produced in China or Thailand – and I guess these cheaply produced mass market goods are not translated into each country’s native language. So, I am wondering, if all over the world these goods with English words are in every store. We are all buying the same products – there is nothing unique about them. The Árkád (mall) here is like any other mall in any town in the world. It has the same type of shops, a food court, escalators, an information desk, a parking garage. You walk in and you are immediately at home. It is now decorated for Christmas and all the shops are selling Christmas items. They even have special kiosks in the middle of the mall that have opened in the last few weeks – selling Christmas gift items. It’s just like the Oak Park Mall at home. Only they are not selling Hickory Farms, they are selling Belgium chocolates. Here is a video of Christmas (not Karacsonyt) at the mall – the young dancers are dancing and pantomiming to “All I Want for Christmas” Can you see the decorations in the mall are quite like home – EXCEPT, it did seem out of place to have a gingerbread house with a witch outside (Hansel & Gretel?) in the Christmas setting. I don’t know that I have seen that in America – at least not connected to Christmas. It would be more like Santa’s toy shop or elves.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
More Shopping
My dear friend Ági took me to the outskirts of the central city to see the shops of Metro and Tesco. This is a big contrast to my city shopping experiences. Metro is just like Costco! At the entrance you have to insert your membership card to get in. Then you are in a large, warehouse-like store where the products are stacked to the sky. Ági had taken me shopping so that I could find some small gifts to take back to the States. Then next stop was Tesco, which is just like Wal-Mart. I wonder if it also has the same effect. She was helpful in pointing out food items that were typically Hungarian. I had seen one item in a restaurant that I wanted for my husband, and she found it for me. It is a hot sauce – Erős Pista. Translated it means Big Steve. I found that so funny because Steve is my brother-in-law’s name that I also bought a jar for him. I am a terrible shopper and dislike these big stores, not only for what they represent (multinational corporations) but just for the experience which generally leaves me leaving without purchasing anything because I am overwhelmed by the choices. So I see that there are several completely different ways to shop in Pécs – much the same as in the States, though I do not think we have anything that is really equivalent to the markets here.
Grocery Shopping in Pécs
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The Market in Pécs
One of my favorite places in Pécs is the market where I shop for fruits, vegetables, chicken, sausages and flowers. The large indoor space is a bustling concrete floored hall, furnished with simple tables where a variety of small vendors lay out their produce and products. The market in Pécs is open every day. Unlike the supermarket where you pick out all your food and pay at a central location, here you pay each individual seller for his/her products. It is, at first, daunting to the English speaking tourist. But I have found everyone friendly, helpful and patient. I either pick out what I want and hand it to them – or in the case of chicken and meat – point. Paying can be the most challenging. This is made easier when the vendor has a calculator and can show me the numbers or can write down the numbers for me. I love looking at all the fresh produce and have found everything tastes great from the apples to tomatoes to fresh figs. The fruit and vegetables vendors occupy the middle of the hallway. The meat and poultry shops are on one side of the building, while fast food grills selling a variety of breads and cooked sausages and meats are on another. Along one wall are the women who sell sauerkraut and various pickled products. There is section where people sell flowers, beautiful flower arrangements, and plants. And there is small section for mushroom sellers. I am amazed at the large variety of mushrooms sold here – I have never seen some of these mushrooms before. Going to the market makes me aware of what is in season. Although you can find some vendors who sell bananas – obviously not a fresh Hungarian product. – the market offerings differ with the passing months. I remember the first time I saw a fresh fig in the market – wow, my favorite fruit. And in the coming weeks there were lots of people selling fresh figs. Then, only one or two. And finally my last fig purchase was a pathetic looking lot in a small plastic margarine tub sold by an old woman. Still they were tasty. This week I see lots of squashes, pumpkins, fresh spinach, and for the first time Brussel sprouts. So you can pretty much tell what is in season, though you can still buy fruit and veggies that must be shipped in. Some of the folks who sit in the market selling their wares have only a meager offering in front of them. These older ladies might have only a dozen or so pears, a couple bags of walnuts, maybe a few dozen eggs to sell. Others have a much larger variety. I go to the market with a list and walk around the hallway first to look at the offerings. Who has the nicest looking apples? I buy only from the women, not the men vendors. And I try to buy from the old ladies that only have a few things if they are selling something I want. It is just such a great experience: all of the products displayed, the smells, the sounds. So I buy most of my food items here. This is a look at the market from my camera tucked into my shirt pocket as I walked around and stopped to buy.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Név Nap - Name Day
Some times I notice small differences in customs that might not be so important, but it strikes as me as interesting. The wall calendar I bought here had names written on each day – which I did not understand until someone explained name day to me. I think name day is a very charming idea. Hungarians celebrate both a birthday (much like Americans) and a name day. That is, every day of the year is attached to certain names – so all Hungarians named Lászlo have a name day on 27 Június (June) and all those named Lajos have a name day on 19 Augusztus. Apparently, the birthday is a bigger celebration than the name day. On your name day you receive greetings and good wishes from your friends and family, maybe a piece of chocolate. It is an occasion to remember you. I really like the idea. Think about it – remembering the birth date of all your friends or colleagues might be difficult. But, with name day, all you have to remember is your friend’s name – and you automatically have his/her name day. I wondered if any name was left out, but apparently not all the names are written on these calendars, and indeed even new names are added, though I’m not quite sure how. So everyone has a name day. I like the idea – it is not a big fuss – as one student told me he got an SMS (text message) from his mom and relatives on his name day. By the way, did you know that Hungarians do not have middle names – typically only a first and last name. Which is written last name first – so Hamilton Dorothy would be my written name.
I have taken this photo of the calendar for the month of Február. On 6 of February I am celebrating my name day. Dorottya is on the calendar as I hope you can see. And my real name is Dorothy, so my Hungarian pronunciation would be Dorottya. Notice to friends and relatives.
More Hungarian Politics
Coming home the other night, I ran across this protest so I took video of the one protest sign. They were off the main square in front of McDonald's. I had no idea what they were protesting - all the construction in town! No one seemed to mind that I was taking their photos. Today I asked my students what the sign said - basically, these folks are protesting the current government, which seems to be unpopular with just about everyone these days. The sign says that they've suffered for three years under these liars. Apparently Haguz is a curse word in Hungarian - so more accurately, the students said it would translate to "lying bastards." You can see that the group was quite small.
Ballet and American Corners in Pécs
My good luck continues. The weather here is in the 60s – delightfully and unseasonable warm. Sunday night I attended the ballet with my friend, Ági. I had wanted to see the inside of the beautiful theatre building - the National Theatre of Pécs. The performance of Giselle was a modern interpretation that I found very interesting – like Giselle meets West Side Story. Giselle’s jilted boyfriend could easily be a Jet! I forgot my camera, so unfortunately can’t show you video of this charming evening. Here is the outside of the theatre, which is quite beautiful inside as well.
Last night I moderated a film screening for the American Corners in Pécs. The film was Doubt. Very enjoyable evening where I met more great people, particularly a young Hungarian student eager to practice his English. American Corners is a program that exists all over the world to acquaint people in other countries with American culture. The program here in Pécs and the staff are very impressive for their welcoming demeanor and professional programs – including a book and DVD lending library. I was pleased to be invited to participate in their programs. I forgot to ask Zsuzsa, the director, if she was going to have a Thanksgiving dinner – it is coming up. I will very much miss my turkey dinner this year!! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays – just because of all the food and the family gathering together. If I can not have the family gathering together, at least I might have the food. Pumpkin pie, stuffed turkey, cranberry sauce – oh, my.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
I Set Myself on Fire Today
Here is a photo of my burned sweater; you can see the holes and the scorch marks.
I’m generally impatient – so because I have to physically hold the gas knob on my stove in for awhile before it will stay on, I usually hold it with my hip while I try to do something at the same time – chop onions, or get out paprika. Today, I was heating up my chicken soup and getting out a bowl, when I looked down to see that I was on fire. It was quite a sight, and had I not been a bit alarmed to see flames jumping from my sweater, or had just had a moment to think, I might have grabbed my camera to capture it. But here is a video showing how this happened.
Filézett Pontzhaláyé Tésztával
I had this fish soup with pasta at one of my favorite restaurants. It has a daily menu with 2 choices - and this sounded good. When you walk into the restaurant there are 4 tables with 4 chairs each. It is a place where shopkeepers and workers get a quick lunch. I only know about it because Levente told Mike and I about it on our visit to Pécs. If you are sitting at a table, whoever comes in the door will ask to sit with you - since there are so few seats. So I had ordered and an older Hungarian man came to sit with me. Good thing - because normally the soup (leves) is served first and then the entree. This came out at the same time. So I gestured to him, asking if I was supposed to put the pasta into the soup - and he said igen, yes i was. But he also stopped me from putting in all of it at once. This was a declicous, hearty soup and the pasta was great. A few minutes later, he showed me the jar of spicy paprika sauce that I could stir into my soup - it was so cute the expression on his face that he used to tell me that it was hot. He made sure that I did not put too much on my spoon. It was, indeed, very tasty. I must bring back a jar of that for Mike.
I Get Lucky on My Tour
Pécs is under construction. Sometimes it seems the whole town is torn up to renovate the buildings and streets in preparation for its designation as the 2010 Cultural Capital of Europe. Opening ceremonies are in January. My friend Zoltan told me that the city was giving tours of some of the biggest renovation sights, so I looked at the website and saw that one of the tours was half block from my apartment – the street of Museums, where, not surprisingly, a lot of museums are located. I met the tour group at the corner where they gave us a nice cup of hot tea. Amazingly, this young woman recognized me – I had pizza with her, probably 5 years ago, with one of my then students Anna Gereb. She was Anna’s friend. That is the only time we met, but she recognized me. I was stunned at this coincidence. So Edit was able to translate the architect guide’s comments to me. How lucky I am!! She now teaches English in Pécs and was with her brother Attila – you catch a glimpse of them on the video. Now, warning, this video is not very pretty – we were not allowed inside the buildings they are reconstructing – so you can see the exteriors that are being renovated. I post them here because I want to remember these when I return. I think this whole area will be transformed. It is very ugly now – because the streets are torn up – and the scaffolds are everywhere. I have been in most of these museums before on previous visits, so I will be interested to see the changes, inside and out.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Hungarian Train Troubles
First let me say – I generally like the Hungarian train system – MAV. But lately, I’ve had some interesting experiences. When I was in Budapest 5 weeks ago, there was a train strike. No trains for one day. Since I was getting ready to leave the city and my friends, Mandi and Greg, had left the day before, I thought – well, good thing I did not have to get back to work that day. Then my friend from the US, Susan, and I bought tickets to go to Budapest last week. The ticket agent at the train station said something about Dombovar in Hungarian, but we did not understand. When she realized that we did not speak Hungarian, she just handed us our tickets and left it at that. So we get to the Pécs train station to catch the train to Budapest the next morning, and there are no trains anywhere in sight. I know something is wrong. When we asked, they pointed to a row of buses. Apparently, what the ticket lady told us was that the train station was repairing its tracks and we would have to take a bus to the nearest train station in Dombovar to catch the train!! O.K. this adds half hour to the trip, no big deal. And I realize I will have the same situation on my return two days later.
So I go to catch my train back, and the train isn’t at the platform listed on the departures board. I finally figure out where to catch my train, board, and figure I am all sent until Dombovar. About ten minutes after the train departs the Keleti station, it stops. And it stays stopped. I have taken this trip before, so I know this is not normal. Folks are restless. Finally, a conductor comes through the car to explain. Luckily, the lady sitting next to me speaks English and tells me our engine has broken down, and we are waiting for them to bring a new engine. O.K. Good thing I did not wait to catch a train to get me back just in time to teach my class. I’m fine. So, after what seemed a long time, we start moving. But we only get to the outer Budapest train station – Budapest-Kelenfold – and stop again. This is a normal stop, but it should be short and it isn’t. The natives on the train are definitely restless – you don’t need to speak the language to understand. Frustration sounds the same in every language - really, it does. Finally, I am told that the second engine also has a problem. In the end, we are one hour late to Dombovar. I’m lucky – no connecting trains – just have to catch the bus which is waiting for us. The young woman across from me has missed her train connection, and what’s more, she was also returning to Budapest that night – just delivering a project – and returning. Now she will miss the train back as well. Here is a look at the graffiti on the train tracks that I photographed while waiting for the engine repair – just a little bored I guess.
Hungarian Politics
Interesting to try to talk to folks about Hungarian politics. There is a right wing neo-Nazi party, Jobbik. I’m been asking my students and friends about it after Bill Pryor sent me a link. Everyone says it is an extreme party that is very nationalistic and is anti-gypsy. With the economic times the way they are, this has an appeal to some folks, who blame the gypsies for crimes in their areas. Gypsies also tend to have a lot of children, and I detect a real concern that in the future the Hungarians will be the minority of the population. My students told me that they do not talk politics – that it is a taboo, because the emotions are so strong that people lose friends and break with relatives over political issues. So they do not want people to know their political persuasion. Interesting. Some view Jobbik as a bunch of crack pots who are extreme, but basically have no real power or threat. Others see them as a dangerous group that is gaining ground, especially in certain areas. They apparently dress up in military-like uniforms – these paramilitary groups were banned – but they just changed the name and still do this. Well, one day in Pécs I came across these posters on the wall in the main shopping area – advertising Jobbik. Susan and I also saw a poster outside a restaurant/billard parlor in Budapest. The current government is quite unpopular – blamed for the poor economic times. Everyone I have spoken to expects the opposition party to win the next election. But they don’t hold a lot of hope for change, as it seems that each time a different party wins, there really isn't much change.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Sightseeing with Susan in Budapest
Went to Budapest with Susan for a few days. The weather was dreary, raining most of the time. We still managed to visit great sights - Heroes' Square and the city park, the castle district and Fisherman's Bastion, Andrassy Ave, the House of Hungarian Art Nouveau and had a dip in the thermal baths at Szechenyi, topped off with a relaxing massage. We attended a performance by the Budapest Philharmonic at the Hungarian State Opera House, a beautiful historic building designed by Mikós Ybl. My friend, Judit, met us one night for drinks. Here are some sights and sounds from our trip.
View from TV Torney
View from the TV Torney
Susan and I took a bus up to the TV tower in the Mesck Mountains to see the spectacular view of the city and the surrounding countryside. But when we go to the top of the tower – there was only fog. The bus comes every two hours, so we had coffee and a bit of food at the café in the TV tower – overlooking this total whiteout. Here is a very funny view of the spectacular sight. Also had hot wine by a wood burning stove waiting for the bus to come where we met two friendly Hungarian architecture students who had hiked up to see the view as well.
Sightseeing with Susan and Remarkable Cucumber Salad
Great to have Susan visit me from Kansas City. Took her to some of my usual haunts – the market where I shop, the evil Árkád shopping center, wi fi at McDonalds, some restaurants where I eat cheap food. She explored while I’m teaching class and is finding her way around the city pretty well. She also had her share of “adventures.” Her first night in Hungary – we went to a restaurant for dinner. Susan ordered a cucumber salad to go with her entrée. Imagine her surprise when the waiter brought out a big plate with 8 large pickles fanned out in a circle. Susan remarked – well, they were cucumbers at one time. We toured the early Roman cemetery with burial vaults at the Cella Septichora Visitors’ Center – impressive Roman ruins that are truly amazing and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Toured St. Stephen’s Cathedral, as well as the church in Széchenyi Square that used to be a Turkish mosque and still has much of that time period intact inside and out. When we were in the cathedral, someone began to play the organ and that is the music you hear over the cathedral images. Agí made us dinner so we could taste some traditional Hungarian items Lescó, a tasty stew with a tomato-paprika base, Unicom, a Hungarian liquor with 23 herbs, and Dobos tortas, a beautiful layered cake with glaze on top. Here’s a look at some of the city sights.
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