Author: Sue

I am an English Ex-Pat living in Hungary with my wonderful husband and 19 year old son. You can find me frequently writing, reading and taking photographs. We live in a beautiful small rural village surrounded by forests and lakes always appreciating the beauty around us. Life is good.

Categories
Hungarian History

Harvest Festival Day 2023. Fantastic and Traditional in Kisszékely, Hungary

If you would like to see the photos at a larger size, simply click on them to enhance your viewing experience.

With promising July blue skies, the people of the surrounding villages gathered together in Kisszékely to make preparations for the annual Harvest Festival procession.

Our usually quiet village was full of cars for this very important event in the Hungarian calendar.

This traditional tractor and cart led the procession down to the local church for prayers and blessings for a successful fruitful harvest.

The horses had been prepared for the procession, beautifully groomed and decorated, the riders looked lovely in their traditional Hungarian dress.

A short service took place on the village green prior to the start of the days’ events. The Hungarian flag was raised and everyone sang the Hungarian National Anthem. The first time I had heard it.

Many of the walkers wore traditional dress, a beautiful showcase of Hungarian womenswear and menswear from all the surrounding villages in preparation for harvesting.

This photo made me smile. The ladies of the village, at 7.00 am in the morning had a shot of the very potent Palinka (Hungarian brandy)! I am told it was a traditional ritual, I would struggle if I drank so early in the morning!

This gentlemen led the way down to the church, his assistant obviously had some last minute mobile phone conversations. Where old meets new!

The Harvest Procession was nearly ready to start, a few more calls on the mobile….and an eager mare and foal were keen to get started!

Mother reassuring her young foal, this was her first outing at a procession and understandably was a little nervous.

The procession at last got moving. The little old lady is one of the senior members of the village and I think that is her grandson accompanying her in the hay cart down to the church and then to the fields.

How sweet of him to hold her hand, a very touching photo.

As the procession of villagers got underway there were several photographers recording the event, just like me!📷 Traditionally whole families including the children all went down to the fields. This was one of the very old fashioned prams used to transport baby in…there is a real baby in there!

These two elegant horses and their beautifully dressed riders brought up the rear of the procession, happily smiling for my photos.

Back from the fields and after a huge communal picnic, usually consisting of breads, cheese, pickles and salads, the procession made their way past the village church, the well frequented pub and back up to the village green.

Do you recognise the little old lady, she returned with a different companion? The hay cart now full to overflowing will continue its journey to the threshing machine on the village green.

Another old fashioned pram had joined the procession, and yes, there was a baby in their too! I guess this was from the 1950’s/60’s and still very functional.

Both the men and the women carried the enormous tools required for cropping, and the little girl carried a crust of bread in her hand just in case she needed a snack! This photo of the little girl caused a bit of a debate on Facebook, does she have a small scythe in her right hand?…the answer is no, the shadows played tricks with our eyes!

Below is a short clip of the villagers returning from the fields, carrying their tools and singing their hearts out!

Back at the village green the horses took a well earned rest under the shade of the trees. Local honey was being sold, produced by one of three apiaries in the village. It is exceptionally good and even tastier as it is produced locally.

The hay ready to be put through the threshing machine.

And the driver with his tractor ready to attach the threshing machine.

Visitors were fascinated with the demonstrations of how things were done many years ago in this quaint little village.

The open air stage was set up for some traditional dancing decorated with beautiful seasonal flowers.

Time for baby to go home, it was a sweltering day for so much walking. It did not deter the youngsters from having fun with traditional old fashioned toys.

This is the Serbian flag and Serbian dancers who had visited the village to display their unique way of dancing.

That was my day photographing Kisszékely Harvest Festival 2023. I hope you enjoyed looking at my photos and will subscribe to my blog. Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

Categories
Road Tripping 2023

My Road Trip to Stunning, Picturesque Szentendre, Hungary

If you would like to see the photos at a larger size, simply click on them to enhance your viewing experience.

On a very hot day we decided to visit the small town of Szentendre, 40 minutes North of Budapest, the capital of Hungary.

The town is located right on the banks of the River Danube, the section known as “The Danube Bend”.

Speed Boats on the River Danube
“The Danube Bend”

Szentendre is best know for its Mediterranean atmosphere, beautiful Baroque architecture and colourful artwork housed in museums scattered across the town. It also has interesting Serbian history. Know affectionally as the artsy town!

The Transdanubia mountains lie behind Szentendre making for some beautiful scenery to admire.

We parked the car on the river front and I took my camera for a wander around the town centre. The first thing I noticed was everywhere had cobbled streets and the centre was pedestrians/cyclists only…and there were plenty of those about! I had to avoid the numerous cyclists who were obviously having a bumpy ride on the cobbles!

There were many ice-cream parlours dotted around the main square, some themed around lavender, a popular ice-cream flavour here in Hungary.

As it was such a hot day the ice-cream parlours were busy. Not everyone opted for ice-cream though…

A large hand operated drinking fountain stood in the central square, perfect for thirsty people. Many people filled up their bottles with cold hand pumped water. Good idea! The drinking water in Hungary is perfectly acceptable to drink.

I walked slowly up the main street, admiring all the different stalls selling a variety of unusual hand made goods. I did notice there were stalls selling the usual touristy items, fridge magnets, keyrings, mugs etc.. not really my cup of tea!!

Reaching the top of the main street and I spotted the famous ‘lampshades’ always photographed and associated with Szentendre. They made a stunning sight, I was not alone as I photographed them!

I love people watching, so when I spotted these two young ladies I had to take a photo. They fitted in nicely with the surroundings sporting lovely colourful umbrellas to keep the sun at bay.

If you needed to eat there were plenty of restaurants, some in the shade and some not. It was coming up to lunchtime and the tables were filling up.

I ventured up one of the very narrow alleyways dotted off the main square. Mainly to find out where everyone was going…so, a steep incline and many steps later I arrived at the highest point of the town.

Looking out over the roof tops, I spotted the oldest church in Szentendre dating back to the 13th Century, its name – Belgrade Cathedral, a Serbian Orthodox church.

Also at the viewing point there stood another Serbian Orthodox church with a magnificent clock face.

The day was reaching high temperatures (30c/86f) and I needed to find some shade back down in the main square. I spotted an excellent way to stay cool in the form of a frame spraying fine water on hot tourists! Excellent idea and instant relief!

The main street had plenty of places to sit down and rest those weary tourist legs. I particularly liked the quirky deck chairs! It took me a while to get these photos as they were constantly in use!!

I was intrigued to know what was going on under the little bridge..people were coming and going all the time, so I made that my next stop. I was delighted to find an art exhibition lining the narrow stream, presumably leading to the River Danube. The church in the picture is The Reformed Church, built by the Serbs and the smallest church in the town.

I love to look at other peoples artwork, there were some unusual and colourful pieces. Two in particular caught my eye as I perused the many collections.

It was rather pleasant to look at the artist’s work with live music playing in the background, gave a lovely atmosphere. Here is a short clip…

Children played in the stream next to the artwork, fishing stones from the river bed to amuse themselves. Adults were also dipping their feet in the water to cool off!

Finally, and a bit reluctantly I made my way back to our car, passing yet another clock on the small bridge. Sadly it did not reflect the temperature accurately, 10 degrees out! It did however make a nice photo!

It was actually a steaming 31c!

Making our way home, tired, hot but happy we travelled alongside The River Danube snaking its way through the city. We passed the incredible Parliament buildings, what a magnificent sight! Rumour has it Freddie Mercury of “Queen” fame wanted to buy it…

Our route took us past several spectacular historical bridges.

This is Széchenyi Chain Bridge and the first permanent bridge to span the River Danube in Budapest.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge
The oldest bridge across the Danube

This is Liberty bridge the shortest bridge across the River Danube. It takes approximately 15 minutes to walk across and is popular with tourists.

Liberty Bridge
The shortest bridge over the Danube

This is Megyeri Bridge linking Buda and Pest and is an important part of the ring road around Budapest.

My final photo is of Budapest Balna an impressive looking shopping centre, translated to mean “Budapest Whale”. The building in front of it is a row of restaurants overlooking the Danube frequented by people eating dinner in the evenings and watching the sun go down.

I had a splendid day taking many photographs and enjoying a bit of city life and culture.

Categories
Hungarian History

Simontornya Castle Day 2023

This is Simontornya Castle Tower built in the 13th Century in a small village very close to us in rural Hungary.

The castle is known as the best preserved Renaissance castle in Hungary today. A Gothic wing was built in the 14th Century. The name Simontornya means Simon’s Tower named after Simon, the son of Solomon.

The purpose of this traditional event is to revive the history of Simontornya castle.

It was a glorious day and I was excited to visit the annual castle day. My husband was my trusty taxi driver and never complained when I asked him to visit Simontornya and let me photograph the days’ events.

I had studied and translated the events taking place over the course of two days, it appeared there was lots to see and do. My particular interest was to photograph the Re-enactment battle between the Hungarians and the Turkish. I had missed it in previous years.

I ambled around a little bit, waiting for the “Open Stage Battle” to begin. The cobbled streets surrounding the castle were lined with many stands, displaying what would have been available in medieval times.

Blacksmiths were a staple of every medieval town, Simontornya included. They created objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal with tools to hammer, bend, cut, and produce objects such as weapons, horse shoes and utensils.

Racka sheep are a common sight in Hungary, even today. It is a triple purpose sheep breed. Milk and mutton for supplying food, while their fur have a role in clothing. Sheepskin coats and hats were worn by shepherds to keep themselves warm throughout the long cold Winters. These smaller sized sheepskin gilets looked rather quaint.

An example of a little more modern clothing on sale at the entrance! The translation: “Spring Days”.

Photo Credit: Eszter Boros
Photo Credit: Eszter Boros

I had missed out on the falconry display and the traditional Hungarian music and dancing in the castle. Thankfully these photos reflect what I had missed.

Vehicles and Nurses contributed substantially towards the war effort. These shots reminded me of watching old war movies. Great to see them in such good condition.

These colourful ladies mixed old with new….costumes and selfies! They do look rather pretty although they must have been a little hot in the high temperatures we experienced that day.

More colourful traditional costumes.

Preparing for battle..

Loving His Cannon!

“Loving his Cannon” His large piece of heavy artillery made its way to the battle field.

The Turkish also preparing for battle.

An animal fur, perhaps a fox?

What a super feathered hat and magnificent mustache this chappie had, maybe the taller the feather the higher the rank!

The action was just about to start. Not for the faint hearted I might add, I jumped at the first explosion of the cannon….then the next one and then several at one time from either side…it was almost impossible to hold my camera still to either video or take photos! I failed miserably! Instead I have included a YouTube video link for those interested in a virtual wander around the event and the noisy battle that followed, it is rather lengthy but worth a watch.

This is the final photo of the day, as the battle was closing, I hope it was a fair outcome as the talk was all Hungarian and I had very little understanding!

Photo Credit: Eszter Boros

Simontornya Castle Day 2023 video https://youtu.be/At9TeJ7deVg?feature=shared

I hope you enjoyed a small peek into a bit of Hungarian Medieval history. Next year I shall certainly have in my camera bag a pair of robust ear plugs!! 🤣

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Storks, Sunflowers and Sunsets!

Storks

Our village in the Hungarian countryside is not usually honoured by visiting storks…there is not sufficient food sources to sustain them. They do however live in the neighbouring villages. This young man happened to visit our village (much excitement) and perched himself right outside our bedroom window. As you can see there is no platform for him to build his nest, it is up to the villagers to erect them and then hope for storks to visit and nest. There is one elsewhere in the village but for years they have not taken up residency yet.

Storks preferred foods are small mammals, frogs and large insects such as grasshoppers. In the first weeks after birth, stork parents mainly feed their young earthworms.

This stork was foraging for food in a neighbouring town, we just happened to be driving past the field he was in. He had caught a lizard and is on his way back to his hungry babies. Notice the tag on his back leg. This is a sort of tracking device and can identify where the stork lives and how frequently he returns to his mating nest from his long annual migration. After some research and inquiries it turns out this particular chap had returned seven times to the same spot for mating and nesting.

The average life span of a stork is 22 years. White storks breed throughout Europe and migrate in large flocks South to Africa and Asia for the winter.

This is one of my most recent photos, just before these adolescent storks are about to leave their nest and take the long journey South. I love their facial expressions!

In Hungary, the storks arrive in March, the males arrive first a few days before the females in order to secure the best territories. They are loyal to their breeding site and will return year after year to the same spot. They migrate in September. Most of the storks in our surrounding area have left, some say this is the sign that the end of summer is close.

My final magnificent photo of storks is with their beaks open (as it was extremely hot that day, it is their cooling mechanism) all stood to attention, four in a row and looking rather dandy!

In the Netherlands, Germany and Eastern Europe it is believed that storks nesting on the roof of a household would bring luck to the family below, and maybe the birth of a baby. The Asian cultures also regard the stork as good luck.

Sunflowers

We are very lucky to have numerous sunflower fields in and around our village. The flower heads bob about and give an amazing display to the passer by. The fields are always bulging with a mass of yellows and greens. Quite spectacular.

Hungary is at the forefront of sunflower cultivation, third behind mass producers Ukraine.

This gorgeous field (which is huge) is on the road leaving our village.

In the 16th century Spanish explorers brought sunflowers to Europe. Sunflowers are processed into the well known cooking oil and is also used in Hungarian confectionary products.

Sunflowers symbolise loyalty and adoration and because of their association with the sun, sunflowers are known for being a “happy flower” I could not agree more. 🌻

Did you know that sunflowers are edible flowers? The delicate colourful petals can be used in salads as a pretty garnish. The leaves can also be steeped to make a healthy tea. You can also eat the seeds but remove the shell first as these are not easy to digest. Sunflower seeds are full of healthy nutrients.

As you can see not only humans enjoy sunflower seeds. This photo is taken in our garden. The head was full of seeds until this greedy Redhatch spotted the feeding opportunity and took as many as possible. He managed to stuff three or four at a time into his mouth and fly off to feed his babies only to return 2 minutes later for more. Other smaller birds tried to get a look in but the Redhatch seemed quite dominant and a bit of a bully, chasing off the smaller birds trying to get a look in.

All birds that love sunflower seeds, do not eat the hard shell but crack it open and eat the seed inside. Some examples of birds that adore sunflower seeds, finches, nuthatches, cardinals, woodpecker, robins and blackbirds. For an extra special treat you could buy ready shelled sunflower seeds, they are guaranteed to return again and again.

Sunsets

“Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn“

Our village is nestled in a valley with steep sides. When it came to photographing this particular sunset we had to drive to the top of the ridge to get the best views. It is accessed by a tractor track often rutted from the constant use of heavy tractors. We took our car up the track very slowly and cautiously, thankfully we did not have any damage done to the car or get stuck. (We have in the past got stuck in a rut – not funny!!) It was worth the effort.

“Sunsets are like God’s paintings in the sky”

I love taking photos of the sunset, I also like to add a little interest in the photo. This, I think is what we call in the UK Cow Parsley, please correct me if I am wrong. Incidentally there were numerous cows in the field.

I am always quite surprised at how quickly the sun goes down, then of course it gets dark and the trek down the track becomes a bit precarious with no light, we had to be careful as rabbits were darting everywhere in front of us, their eyes shining in the headlights!

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset”

Did you know a lover of sunsets is called a “Opacarophile”? That must be me then! Every year, late August, early evening the sky is aglow with multiple colours. Morning sunrise skies tend to be more purply and pink whereas the evening skies more yellow and orange.

I am fortunate to have a decent camera with a specific setting for sunsets. I am thankful for that as it is not good for your eyes.

“Sunsets, a farewell to the day”

My final photo, a glorious sky and the disappearance of the days’ sun, ready to rise again next morning. Sunset in Hungary at the moment is just before 8.00 pm, the nights are closing in but the sky continues to give an every changing beautiful sight.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog about the three “S’s”. Do you like photographing sunsets or sunrises? Let me know in the comments below. 😁

If you have not already subscribed, please look at my homepage for details of how to keep up to date with my posts. Thanks for reading.

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Making Hungary Home Six Years On

A Brief Update

Six years ago, my husband, son, and I moved to a remote village in the Hungarian countryside for a better quality of life. We wanted to escape the hustle and bustle, noise, and air pollution of city life we had known for many years. After much researching of various countries, we found that the cost of living and property prices in Hungary were cheaper than in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

Sadly we lost our gorgeous Siberian Husky, Haley. She was four years old and a beautiful bubbly dog. She left a big aching hole in our lives the day she ate some poisoned meat meant for the ever increasing fox population living in the derelict house next door. (Not put down by us) We shall not replace her, it is just too painful when pets pass away. She will never be forgotten. ♥

Our house is finally finished, it has taken a long time, we are super happy with it and delighted with the finished result of the new tiles laid on our veranda. We bought the tiles many months ago and they sat for a full year waiting for the workmen to lay them. Tradesmen are far and few between in the countryside and we had to wait our turn for any sort of professional workman to be available. As it turned out building materials increased in price by a dramatic 20% (after we bought the tiles) due to higher energy, transport and raw material prices. We were fortunate to have saved money on this project.

People Update

Lots of celebrations in our home… my youngest daughter got married to her sweetheart in Ibiza. They both live in the UK now but wanted to marry somewhere extra special to them. Both worked on Ibiza island for several years and developed their blossoming relationship on the renowned “Party Island” of Spain. What a glorious day it was. The sound of the ocean lapping in the background and the sight of lots of happy laughing guests made it an extra special beach wedding. My three older children were all there with my granddaughter Mia (4) being the flower girl. A recent addition to our family was my second grandchild, Jack (18 months). Now the happily married newly weds are honeymooning in Tanzania.

My youngest son Raphael is departing to the UK to start work. He loves the quiet Hungarian life and has made several good Hungarian friends, but at 18 years old he wants/needs to work and earn some money. Obviously we shall miss him and I fear I shall be suffering with “empty nest syndrome” as he is my last child to leave home. He knows there is always a place for him here if he needs it.

So, I am back to blogging again bringing you our adventures and experiences in this beautiful country we call home. There are just the two of us now living our best retirement years in peaceful, rural Hungary.😍

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

I bought a new camera!

Something a bit different today. I have my camera by my side every day…it works hard for me and I am rewarded with beautiful memories to pass on to my children and grandchildren. My birthday is just around the corner, so my wonderful husband, who knows my obsession with photography suggested I upgrade to a newer more modern camera….as a birthday present. Who am I to say no!!

It took me 6 months to read and research all the information I could find about buying a new camera. I used comparison sites to compare specifications, checked different brands available, compared the photographic quality of photos and read many reviews. There are a lot of cameras out there! My old camera was a Sony Alpha 3000 bought in 2014 and has served me relentlessly well. I am not a professional photographer but now I feel I can call myself a reasonable amateur. There is always room for improvement and my “photographic eye” has become better over time. Joining a photographic competition site helped me immensely. I learnt from people better than me, and I am still learning and improving.

Finally, I decided on what I would like to upgrade to…a Sony Alpha 6000. I toyed with the idea of changing brands but came to the conclusion, that for me, Sony suited my needs the best.

We made the long trip to Budapest, the capital, and bought my new camera, a Sony Alpha 6000 with an additional zoom lens… something I have never had before. The sales assistant seemed keen to tell me all about Canon and the packages they had to offer…I got the impression he was on a commission. My mind was on Sony and I told him that. The young sales assistant spoke good English which for me was a massive bonus as my Hungarian language skills are not great.

Getting it home and on charge was my main priority but imagine my disappointment when I found I needed to buy a memory card for the camera for operation. Not deterred, the next day we travelled to the closest electronics shop and asked for the appropriate memory card…home again and realised we had been sold (on their guidance) the wrong memory card. Frustration overload!!! I have now bought the correct memory card online and accepted I have wasted money on a useless memory card locally.

My new camera has many additional features and a manual that would make long time bedtime reading! My new camera is lighter than my previous one and smaller making it ideal for walking any sort of distance. It has a tilted screen, high quality video recording, wireless for transferring photos and image stabilization on the new lens. I am hoping for many photo opportunities and can’t wait to get started.. in particular taking shots of moving subjects, birds, animals, people etc. These have not been my strong points in the past.

Anyone who is interested in photography will know that overwhelming desire to improve our image taking. Over the years I have “learnt on the job” what a good photo is and what a GREAT photo is. In these days of sophisticated mobile phones, cameras seem to have taken a back seat. Mobiles are easy to use with just a point and click action. It could be argued that mobiles take as good a photo as a dedicated camera. Bearing this in mind I put together a list of my tips for better pictures. Trial and error plays a part too and being self-critical is not always easy. I thought my photos years ago were excellent until I looked back and spotted glaring errors. I started experimenting and learning different ways to do my photography and I was pleased with the results.

My Top Tips for Better Photography

  • ALWAYS level your horizons. It improves the look of your photo immensely. If you do find you have not got a straight horizon, adjust it in an editing programme on your computer.
  • AVOID taking photographs in the mid-day sun. Your photos will glare too much. The ideal time is early morning or early evening. Better to be slightly dark than too bright. You can amend the darkness successfully by using the lightening function on an editing programme.
  • ALWAYS be aware of the background of your shot, study it in your viewfinder, adjust your positioning if necessary. There is nothing worse than seeing washing hanging out on the line or a unwelcome mop bucket in your view.
  • DON’T always use automatic settings. Your camera is a sophisticated piece of equipment and gives you a multitude of settings for different scenes and environments. Learn from your manual or go online to discovery how versatile your camera is. You will surprise yourself with amazing shots.
  • TRY photography from different angels and levels, lay on the ground, look up to the sky, tilt your camera be brave and experiment.
  • HAVE a focal point for EVERY photo.
  • TRY Macro photography. The definition is: Macro photography is a unique form of photography that involves photographing small objects to make them look life-sized or larger in the photo. The usual subjects include flowers and small insects, which we don’t normally get to see up close with the naked eye.
  • TAKE a walk with your camera after the rain, if it is foggy, or after a snow-fall, build your portfolio with interesting weather shots.
  • USE your camera indoors, create an interesting scene, food shots to make your mouth water, still life in colour or black and white, perfumes bottles or interesting jewellery, anything you like. Be aware of the lighting and the inevitable reflections and bright spots.
  • FINALLY, do you see dark spots on your photos when you upload them?…this is because dust has got inside your camera. Clean your external lenses regularly and use a puffer to remove those annoying dust spots from the inside.

The main principle of good photography is excellent lighting and knowing your camera inside out. I have found good editing programmes are essential to improve my photographs, every photo needs a second look…and an edit. It is habit forming and for me is another essential for good photography.

Imagine someone else is looking at your photo – what will they see? What are you trying to tell people? Every photo tells a story, what is yours?

I joined www.gurushots.com for practice and competition. It is free and you have the opportunity to look at other people’s photographs, compete for prizes and get ideas for your next photoshoot. Undoubtedly this has improved my photography.

Remember: Enjoy photography – you are making memories.

What sort of camera do you have….do you agree with my tips? Can you add any more? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Magical July in Hungary

Lavender Fields

We are so lucky to have lavender fields in our little village. The farm opened their gates to the public last week and I could not resist taking a look with my camera and taking the obligatory pruners! I collected 3 bags of their heavenly lavender. The ladies running the field were very helpful and encouraged me to stuff my bags full! I had to watch out for the bees as there were many buzzing around also enjoying the lavender. The smell was divine and it was interesting to see the little tractor harvesting the lavender into large white sacks. It will later be processed into essential oil, soaps and honey. Lavender has many therapeutic qualities, I like to use it as a sleep aid. In its oil format I use it to treat burns with amazing results. It soothes the burnt skin.

Village Swimming Pool

Our little village swimming pool opened its gates at the beginning of July. For two years (because of the pandemic) it has been closed so we were thrilled to hear it was fully operational again. We have a good sized pool with a slide for the youngsters. Great value too…just over £2.00 for the full day. There is a large grassed area with trees, outdoor games, fire pits, oven and picnic benches. The local ice-cream man visits daily selling not just ice-creams but sweet yummy cakes too. A lovely place to spend the day…and just on our doorstep.

Haley our Siberian Husky

We are fortunate that a visiting vet comes annually to administer Rabies vaccinations to the local dogs. Haley does not travel well in the car so we very much appreciate this rural service. She has recently been shedding her winter fur which takes a few weeks. We are constantly brushing her to help her shed. Huskies, you would think, do not do well in hot weather as they are associated with a cold climate and snow. However, Haley would appear to love sunbathing in the high temperature we are having in Hungary at the moment. Her summer coat keeps her cool and she munches on ice cubes. She is a very active dog and loves to poke her head through the railings frequently to see what’s happening. When she is exhausted she takes a nap…but still has an ear open so as not to miss any action!

Sunflower Fields

Travelling around the countryside you cannot help but notice the many sunflower fields that line the roads. They are a staggering sight covering acres of fields with a vibrant yellow. Hungary is a big producer of sunflower oil and the flowers will be around for weeks with the farmers letting them dry ready to be harvested for their precious oil. We grow sunflowers in our garden but purely for the pleasure of looking at them. The finches love the seeds and are frequent visitors a bit later on in the year.

Residency Permits

The UK has recently left the European Union, meaning those of us who are British, living somewhere else needed to apply for residency status in our respective countries. Having already gone through this process before (when we first arrived 4 years ago) we expected this to be straightforward and easy. We had 12 months to complete this process (until the end of December 21) but there have been many difficulties with the Hungarian computer systems. Finally, 6 months later we managed to complete the process and so now hopefully, we will retain our status in our adopted country.

Without a fridge during a heatwave!

We are currently experiencing a heatwave in Hungary…high temperatures of 38/39 degrees Celsius which is a touch uncomfortable. Imagine our horror and dismay when our Samsung fridge-freezer decided to stop working! We asked a Hungarian neighbour to contact Samsung on our behalf to arrange to get it fixed! Would you believe, 2 weeks later we have had no visit from Samsung, or explanation even though we have a 10 year warranty. We have ended up buying a very small fridge to tide us over until we can get our main fridge freezer fixed. There was talk that the part required was no longer available but I don’t know how true that is. I am certainly struggling with the after sales service from this company.

I am going to be a granny again!

What joy it is when your eldest son tells you “Mum you are going to be a granny again” I am so happy for him and his partner but slightly saddened I cannot go over to England and celebrate their news. They are expecting a boy (they have a daughter already) which is super news. I am forever thankful for the internet and Facetime, years ago we would not have had that privilege. My granddaughter will be 4 this year and starting nursery school soon, I do miss her. Maybe next year when this disabling pandemic is over (or controlled) I will be able to reconnect in real life.

So that was just a little update of what has been happening in our lives at the moment. This weekend is the annual Harvest Festival in the village. A wonderful occasion that I shall be photographing, watch out for the next blog entry. 😃

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Heatwave Hungary!

Phew, it is hot!!! The temperature is reading 37 degrees Celsius 98.6 Fahrenheit, 2.30 pm. Hungary are experiencing their first heatwave of the year. Perhaps it will reach an all time high of 41 degrees Celsius? The farmers and villagers are praying for rain as the ground is so parched and crops are in need of water.

I tend to take water for granted, but here water is valuable, not to be wasted and reused if possible. There are water pumps in the street for those villagers without mains supply. It is quite humbling to see villagers filling their bottles from the pumps. Yesterday our water pressure took a severe drop and some people in the village higher up the valley had no water at all. Through the village Facebook site, I gathered there may be some broken pipes in the village but it also coincided with the annual “fill the village swimming pool up” which may have affected the water pressure.

Water pumps line the village streets

The Hungarian government have issued a state of emergency during the heatwave advising people about health and safety precautions and general health tips to stay safe in the heat. Interestingly if you see a child or pet in a hot car…call the emergency services, I worry they might be some time getting to remote places!

So what have I been doing this week?

Out and About – Been out and about to Székesfehérvár (I can just about pronounce it!) and came across some staggering poppy fields on the way. I have tried to take photos that are slightly different.

We also passed a good looking riding stables and just had to stop. It was a good opportunity to take a couple of photos of these gorgeous horses..

We then collected milk from the local farm, the cows were ambling around just waiting to be photographed!!. This one caught my eye…on further examination later on my PC I noticed the close up…. of the tongue!!! HaHa!

There were also sheep asleep on the roadside sheltering from the blazing sun. These are racka sheep, an ancient type of sheep, said to be living here with us in Hungary since cc. 970…

Finally stopped off for a coffee at a friend’s and admired her beautiful water-lilies. We had a lovely day 🙂

We ventured out again and admired the local lavender fields in the village.

Kisszékely Lavender Fields

Then a visit to the lake…I am pursuing an elusive heron…I know he is there but thought I would have a better chance walking by the lake so as not to distract this flighty bird. Sadly not to be seen!

We then went onto the tops and admired the hay bails Lol!!

Impulsive intrepid Eric (my husband) decided to drive through the forest…I was worried the car would tip at the deep tractor ruts along the way. Thankfully we made it safely back to home base 🙂

Brexit – The UK has now left the European Union which means as residents we need to re-apply for our status in Hungary. There is lots of red tape, paper filling and lengthy visits to get through before we can be issued with this valuable status. We are lucky in Hungary and have until 31st December to submit our paperwork, some European countries require these documents by the 31st June. So with plenty of time to get organised I managed to print of the lengthy 18 page document, fill them in and get the required passport photos needed for the documents. I needed help finding a place to get the said photos, friends helped for which I was very thankful. They don’t appear to have photo booths here like in the UK, it was a case of doing it online and going to the local chemist for printouts.

Gardening Progress

We invested this year in a large polytunnel to grow tomatoes and watermelons. Six weeks later we have baby water melons and masses of very healthy tomatoes. We have found if we grow tomatoes outside they become infested with bugs and do not yield their maximum crop. We are hopeful this year we will have a good harvest to preserve to last us through the winter.

Something else new this year is our living fence. Next door neighbours have a very unsightly wall and I wanted to grow a fence of sunflowers to hide it. After collecting hundreds of seeds last year I planted a long line, in the Spring the length of the wall. In between the sunflowers I planted marigolds, again from seeds collected from last year. I think it will give a staggering long lasting display and cover the ugly wall!

The weeding is never ending with weeds shooting up on a daily basis. The only way to keep on top is little and often, preferably around 5.00 am in the morning before it gets unbearably hot.

Preparations for the big 60 Birthday at the end of July!

So the time is approaching for the big 60 birthday. Age to me is a number but it is nice to celebrate the special ones. Covid19 has put a stop to any romantic weekend away so the revised plan is to have a meal at the local castle restaurant, sitting outside with the hotel and spa facilities available and the added bonus of an outdoor pool. We went to have a look and it looks super. Of course, I took lots of photos.

Finally… I have been asked to write a daily piece on two different pages on Facebook about family life in rural Hungary. I was very flattered and am enjoying promoting this fantastic country and what it has to offer. It also gives me an opportunity to continue my photography capturing special moments during our time in Hungary.

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Chatting to a Newspaper Journalist, Making Bacon, Building a Tandoori Oven!

A few weeks ago whilst browsing Facebook a journalist asked to interview expats living in rural Hungary. That’s me, I thought so  I contacted her and said I would be happy to talk with her.  She writes for the Budapest Times and travels around the country with another person who is a travel guide.  We met up at a local restaurant and chatted for almost 3 hours.  Her tape recorder came out on the table, I was a little apprehensive at first but it was all good and went very well.  After a while I forgot the tape recorder was there!

When we had finished chatting they both wanted a tour of our village so I took them to all the pretty places.  They were very impressed.  The article was published recently in the Budapest Times and here it is

I was overwhelmed by everyone’s good wishes after it was published, I almost felt like a celebrity!  Added to that the journalist was extremely complimentary about my photographs and suggested I join a Facebook group who would appreciate them too.  I joined, and was approached by a gentleman who asked if I could start a regular feature posting my photos with a little text about rural life in Hungary! Of course, I said yes!!  Sometimes I need a little push in the right direction.

Kisszékely church overlooking the valley
Life in the slow lane, Kisszékely village
Kisszékely lake

So, in other news…

Making Bacon

We all like bacon in our house and was a little disappointed with Hungarian bacon so decided we should make our own smoked bacon. We invested in a meat slicer and bought a huge piece of belly pork with the skin on. Next, we removed any bones and cleaned the meat thoroughly. We then pricked the meaty side very well with a fork, made a salt and brown sugar coating 50/50 and rubbed it in very well all over. Then we wrapped it up so it was sealed (carton or cling film) and put it in the fridge for 2 days. After 2 days, we removed the pork from the fridge, washed it well to remove the coating and dried with it with kitchen towel. Now for the smoking. We created a homemade smoker from wood we had in the garden and cold smoked the bacon for 3 days in the smoker. The aroma around the garden was tantalising. Finally, after 3 days we sliced and ate it. The bacon freezes well if necessary. We shall never buy bacon again, it was so delicious and had a gorgeous smoky taste.

Our dog sat very patiently throughout the whole procedure hoping for a quick bite!

Preparing bacon
Dog watch!

Building a Tandoori Oven

The boys in my life, my husband and my son have been busy in the garden making a Tandoori oven this week. Neither of us had built or cooked on a traditional tandoor before… originating from Turkey. I assumed it originated from India…!! How wrong I was. We did a virgin run yesterday and the results were fantastic. Apparently, according to our guests, you could smell the beautiful cooking smells all over the village! Our Hungarian neighbour was out gardening and was very curious to know what Eric and Raphael were building….he kept nodding and saying “egen” (yes in English) when Eric explained he was making an oven, I don’t think he really understood! We marked the occasion by inviting a couple of friends who live in our little village to be our virgin tandoor tasters. We had a very fun afternoon, with lots of laughter and good conversation. The food was great, expertly cooked by Chef Eric and enjoyed with great company, New Zealander Jackie and her Hungarian husband Gabor.

Raphael and Eric building the Tandoor oven
Finished!
Before the fire
Filling it with wood
Lighting the fire
Eric and his lighting tool!
Fire at both ends!!
Preparing the meat
More meat
Even more meat!!
Cooking
Pavlova cake for dessert

We have a “Kings Chair” for Eric made from repurposed tyres… Jackie and Gabor posed for pictures. We had a fabulous Tandoori Day!

Gabor and Jackie
Jackie

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

June has arrived!

A surprising few months in our little village of Kisszékely, Hungary.

Sunrise, Kisszékely, Hungary

Our winter seemed to be especially long this year and only provided two days of snow! I am English (a bit obsessed with the weather) and love the snow. I had been waiting patiently for the snowfalls we had had in previous years, very disappointed it was not forthcoming.

I longed for the spring to hurry up and arrive along with warm sunshine early mornings and light evenings. I was keen to get back to living mostly outside which I enjoy most. The link below will give you an idea of the snow that fell in January 2021.

Winter Wonderland https://youtu.be/la8U2BMhP0c

Finally by the end of May all the tell-tale signs began to appear signifying the start of beautiful spring.

First Signs of Spring

The first signs of spring in Hungary are the returning storks from their far off migration in central Africa. Storks are a regular sight in most rural villages, making their homes on top of telegraph posts or chimney pots…apparently a sign of good luck. Storks usually return to their birthing place year after year to begin the circle of life all over again.

Our little village does not have resident storks, which is a shame as they are fascinating birds. Imagine my surprise and delight when I saw out of our bedroom window a stork perched delicately on the top of the telegraph pole opposite. I could not contain my excitement and rushed out onto the street to stand and stare at this enormous bird. I took dozens of photos as he seemed to be hanging around and did not object. Our dog was less impressed and patrolled the front fence, up and down constantly. She was obviously eager for some “chasing fun”!!

I asked on the village Facebook page how we could encourage the storks to stay in the village and nest here. Sadly, I was told the food supply is better met in other villages. Apparently they are partial to frogs.

The stork that visited Kisszékely, looking for a mate!

Another sign spring is here are the bountiful fields full of colourful poppies and then the strong pungent smell of the rape seed fields covering the countryside with blankets of bright yellow flowers. Truly beautiful.

Poppies and wild flowers, Hungary
Rape seed fields, Hungary

We seem to have had an unusually high amount of rain recently, which obviously the farmers are ecstatic about. We are too but to a lesser degree….rain means the weeds grow very energetically! Our garden has been covered in dandelions for most of the month of May. We left our grass uncut to give a little help to the bees. As the weather was a little warmer, I took a walk around the village and stumbled on what I can only call “Raining Dandelions” the seeds were flying everywhere, it was quite surreal.

“Raining Dandelions”

I love the spring blossom adorning the trees in the little villages, I constantly say “Look, look how lovely the blossom!”. My patient husband regularly stops on roadsides for me to leap out of the car and take photos! This one is in the next village with a rather spectacular display of blossoms.

Tolnanémedi blossoms

Buy Local

Once a week we do our supermarket shop and often pass through little villages with roadside stalls selling various home grown, home preserved plants, fruits, vegetables and home smoked meats. With so much choice it was difficult to choose where to stop. We were very tempted by a colourful display of hanging baskets bursting with petunias. Last year my choice was Black Eyed Susan’s, this year it is Petunias. The stall holder spoke no English but suddenly said “Várjon” (Wait)…two minutes later a young girl rushed to greet us and spoke in perfect English…a total surprise in rural Hungary. We spent a good amount of time talking about England and subsequently bought two glorious hanging baskets. We also stocked our car with a sack of potatoes, a sack of onions and several tomato plants.

Local Churches of Photographic Interest

I tend to travel everywhere with my camera and usually take pictures every day, even when we go supermarket shopping! This church is in Tamási with the deer outside depicting the presence of numerous deer in the surrounding area.  The Catholic church in the town centre is built on the ruins of a Roman founded temple.

Iregszemcse village also has a visually interesting church. As you can see there are a multitude of electric cables obscuring the view…very normal in Hungary.

The last church photo in this set was taken in Sárbogárd. I was intrigued by the unusual shape. It helped the sky was such a vivid blue. You will notice there is a slight dusting of snow on the ground, taken in late February 2021.

Sometimes our travels take us to Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of the region’s foremost tourist destinations. During the Covid pandemic all the attractions and public beaches have been closed but I managed to access this one which had several beautiful swans gliding across the water.

Local Walking

One of my good friends, also an Ex-pat is an avid walker and wanted to take a walk around our little village. We decided to set off early 8.00 am as walking in the heat later is not too pleasant. Our village nestles between rolling hills with an abundance of forests surrounding us. The walls of the valley are steep and some effort was required to reach our target…the highest viewing point in Kisszékely. We passed bee hives on our way up and then were greeted with an abundance of Acacia trees, specially planted for the bees to make Hungary’s speciality honey. By the time we had reached the viewing point we were glad of the picnic tables for a seat and the sturdy viewing platform, to take photos, it was certainly worth the effort. We were lucky enough to watch a pair of storks coasting on the wind and thoroughly enjoying the early morning weather. Next time I shall have a zoom lens to capture these precious moments.

Acacia Blossom

The beautiful Acacia tree.

https://hungarybees.com/ here you will find everything you need to know about the delicious Acacia Honey.

Kisszékely

A pair of storks in the distance. Vineyards jammed full of growing vines below. What a tranquil sight.

Elaine my walking companion

After spending some time admiring the staggering views, we headed back down into the village through tightly forested areas stopping occasionally to cross little streams and observing animal tracks.

We are lucky that our village has so many walking trails all colour coded with regular information boards describing the wildlife and flora to be found nearby. Extremely useful and interesting.

We are now enjoying much sunnier days and milder nights. Mother Nature never fails to surprise and impress me, particularly in the beautiful countryside of Hungary. I shall be out with my camera again very soon.