21st May – Friday
Today my dear husband agreed to take me out and about with my camera and be my chauffeur and my second eye. Sometimes he sees things I miss and he is good at pointing out different options for the same shot. I love a second opinion. We don’t always agree!
Today our route took us from Enying > Deg > Simontornya. 50 km.
I could not resist a stop in front of these glorious poppy fields, truly enchanting.
My thoughts: I always associate poppies with red, I had never seen such a beautiful field of red AND purple poppies before… just wow! My creative eye wanted to see a sea of flowers, some with a horizon and some without. It helped getting down low.
Leaving the poppy fields behind we headed towards a small town, Enying. Our business completed we set off to find a secluded spot to eat our well chosen Lidl bought picnic! We found our spot and enjoyed the view of an abandoned railway line. We ate freshly baked crusty bread with cheese and hams. It was really rather peaceful.
My thoughts: These lone poppies popped in the centre of the shot giving central focus, and the houses on the right gave extra interest. I wanted to create a quiet harmonious scene, I think I have achieved that.
I ventured along the old railway line and came across the old station.
My thoughts: I love to take photos of abandoned buildings, there is a certain beauty in creating an atmospheric shot. My eye was caught by the multi-coloured frontage caused by years of decay. The splashes of green drew my eye, especially along the platform.
Walking along the rail tracks, I was greeted by a very colourful lizard… darting off here and there and blending in so well with his surroundings. I needed to look carefully through my camera to get a shot of him.
We drove around to the front of the Blue Old Mill and next door saw this row of terraced houses…
I suspect the workers from the Mill lived there when it was operational. Terraced housing is not common in Hungary, usually homes are detached properties. These houses are still occupied with the addition of several satellite dishes!
My thoughts: I wondered when the mill had closed. I would love to explore inside for more shots. I see they have built a brand new mill next door very modern and sleek. The Blue Mill is a recognisable blot on the landscape, a landmark for Enying. Its enormous blue building set amongst sprawling flat fields means you can see it for miles around.
Dég
Leaving the Old Blue Mill behind in Enying we continued our trip to the quaint little village of Dég, a picturesque area with a few hidden surprises.
You can find more of my photos of storks in Hungary here: https://makinghungaryhome.wordpress.com/2020/04/19/spring-is-here-and-so-are-hungarys-storks/
We took a winding road through the forest and came across a settlement of houses, I’m not sure if they are holiday lodges but all very quirky and unusual in their own ways.
Travelling on past the settlement of houses and through the trees this extremely large and majestic building appeared! On further research, I discovered this stunning building is a museum called Festetics Castle and is currently being renovated. The gardens surrounding the grounds are open freely to the public. You can park your car at the end of the drive and then walk around the stunning landscaped grounds. We were not able to walk the grounds on this occasion but I will one day. Lots more interesting information and photos of the English gardens here: http://undiscoveredhungary.com/places/454-festetics-castle-and-park-deg
Majesty Tree
We could not pass this magnificent tree without stopping to admire it bowing to the ground with its extended branches. So graceful.
My thoughts: My imagination ran away with me and I could visualise the tree as an elderly gentleman as old as the tree! I also wondered what that tree had witnessed over the years whilst slowly maturing in front of this grand building.
These were the shots we took from the roadside.
Leaving Dég, driving through the village lanes we came across lots of sheep enjoying the spring sunshine. I can’t resist animal shots, they can be so endearing, but sometimes difficult to take. Out of the car, camera at the ready… I could hear Eric making inappropriate noises towards the sheep to try and attract their attention….not too successfully!
When I looked over the fence a whole crowd of curious faces were looking at me!
Leaving Dég we made our way to Simontornya, famous for its castle and staggering views. This shot was taken from the hillside. If you would like to see more shots of what I saw on my drive around Simontornya click the link below. https://makinghungaryhome.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/a-spring-drive-around-simontornya-hungary/
So that was one of our little cruises around the charming Hungarian countryside. There is always plenty to see and photograph at any time of year. We have certainly picked a wonderful country to retire to.
Do you like exploring neighbouring villages and towns with your camera? Fortunately, I still seem to have the ability to photograph new things every day, it’s almost like a challenge… do you have those feelings? I would love to hear from you. 😃
Making Hungary Home 