English family settle in Hungary...and everything that goes with it!
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.
Sitting on our veranda we can see and hear pretty much what’s going on in the village all day. We live on the main street so most of the traffic we recognise and wave a cheery “Jo Reggelt Kivanok” (Good Morning in English), to passers by. Our village is a dead end and is usually very quiet.
But not today! I could faintly hear some music getting louder as it came down the hill towards us. What could be going on, my camera at the ready I took a leisurely stroll down to the gate. This is what I saw…
A group of people walking in a procession accompanied by some Hungarian music. I spotted a man at the front of the procession, carrying a stick full of ribbons and dressed smartly with an interesting hat.
The music became louder as the musicians walked slowly past. I suspected something was happening down at the church. A wedding perhaps? These days with the Covid19 virus around the rules around marriages are different in different countries.
My waiting paid off, the music again could be heard in the distance as the wedding party left the church and made their way up the hill, past our house and towards the lake, presumably for wedding photographs.
The day was especially hot, in the early 30’s degrees centigrade, very warm for walking in the village but a treat for everyone to see.
I later found out that the happy couple’s parents live in the village and dad is our local daily bus driver.
I was intrigued to know the purpose of the gentleman with the ribbons and hat so asked a local Facebook group to give me some background of his purpose.
He is the “Master of the Ceremony”. In Hungarian “Vőfély”. The person who brings fun and joy to the wedding. He creates a good vibe with guests with games and jokes. He is the one who tells short poems to start the different courses of the dinner and makes a funny toast to make the guests drink…creating lots of laughter.
The Vőfély gets a ribbon for each wedding they have participated in. Some Vőfély are very popular and booking him is usually the first wedding related planning that the future bride and groom secure. He is a paid professional.
Those aren’t feathers in his hat as I first thought. It’s a type of wild grass, called “árvalányhaj” (literally, “orphan girl hair”). It only grows in a certain valley in Hungary and is protected by the government with massive fines if picked!
It was also interesting to learn that at midnight of the wedding, the Vőfély manages the ‘sale of the bride’ (when guests pay or bring their gifts and dance with the bride).
The final lovely touch was that I was offered chocolate sweets by one of the wedding party. It would have been rude to refuse.
As the musicians passed for a second time I felt fortunate to have captured this special moment in this young couple’s lives. I have also learnt a great deal about Hungarian weddings.
Perhaps I will catch another one soon.
Have you ever come across a wedding by chance, did you take photos?
Already in August, where are the months going? The past month has brought many changes to our “too big” garden. I have spent many long hours weeding and digging, planting and pruning which I have to say is very rewarding!
“When we put the effort into the grounds it rewards us with her treasures”
Hungary is a country of Hibiscus. Every village you travel through the verges are lined with pretty hedges of Hibiscus flowers. We have them growing in various places around the garden, I have noticed they self seed very quickly. Severe pruning of ours last spring helped to keep their shape. They seem to come in a variety of pinks and whites, lilacs and purples. I just love them.
I have a constant companion by my side, Haley Husky helping out wherever she feels necessary! Mostly she just hangs around getting under my feet until something catches her eye then off she charges!
There is a tale about these plants. A Hungarian neighbour donated about 12 rather large knobbly tubers! I had no idea what they were but planted them anyway until suddenly they burst into bloom. Such an elegant plant needed identifying, I contacted my English expat friends and they kindly identified it for me. “They are cannas – or canna lily. Can be big or short, pink, yellow, red, green leaves or dark leaves.” I think they are gorgeous and will lift them before winter ready for planting out again next spring.
I planted this sunflower corner a little later than I usually would. The idea was to create some sort of natural pleasant looking screen to hide the corner and add a little colour. The sunflowers have just started flowering and I am beginning to see it was worth the effort. Haley (the dog) dug up one of the 10 sunflowers, I managed to redig it but did not expect it to survive. I made an attempt at fencing them in to prevent future Haley trouble! I am glad to say little sunflower made it despite being smaller than the rest. A cheerful resilient plant and very easy to grow. This patch will multiply next year as this year’s seeds drop into the ground.
We have had great crops this year, a variety of different peppers are all ready for picking. This is our first year growing so many peppers. Every time we bought peppers from the greengrocers last year we gradually saved the seeds of our favourites. We have grown them in a variety of places including a raised flower bed. We added mature cow fertiliser to just this bed in the spring to see how the peppers performed. Extremely good results so plan to add manure again next year. The only issue we had was annoying flies hovering over the pepper bed. Next year we shall choose a different area for the cow manure.
Our sweetcorn has had medium success. Early intervention from a digging dog perhaps affected the future outcome. The corn produced was fat and a good yellow. We decided to plant another late corn patch as we both love it cooked straight from the branch onto the BBQ. We keep the husk on to act like a steamer. Super delicious.
The courgettes were a great success but have realised they need plenty of space to spread out. We had one the size of a marrow which was great for a baked spicy meat stuffed marrow. We were wise to grow only 2 plants, we don’t eat a lot of them but it was something we wanted to grow.
Our only successful apple tree, looks very full of crunchy apples. The other tree did not produce any but looks still very alive. They are not quite ripe enough to pick yet, they would still be a little sour. Maybe another month before harvesting them. Super proud of this little tree.
A little colour in the sunflower garden, created to cover an unsightly corner. The butterfly landed by chance on the sunflower whilst I was looking through the viewfinder. I was very happy. Unusual to see anything but a black centred sunflower so was surprised to see this all over yellow beauty.
We decided to invest in a lawnmower, something petrol driven and not too heavy to handle. We searched everywhere, in the local towns, online, large hardware shops, on the roadside (twice) until we had done sufficient research to buy one. We finally brought home this very manageable mower. Raphael our 15 year son excitedly tore himself away from his PS4 to have a “play” with the lawnmower! He said it was “super-easy”….. I am glad he said that because now he has a weekly job!
Wonderful watermelons emerged from the frame Eric had built in the spring. We originally planted 4 but lost one, perhaps just as well because they seem to take up a huge amount of space. Eric has been religiously watering them daily whilst it is so hot. There were lots of flowers opening but not developing any further. Finally, we have 2 very healthy melons waiting to be eaten. Never having grown watermelons before we weren’t sure how to tell if they were ripe. I have since found out that you “tap to hear hollow” ….we shall follow this advice.
The Tomato Experiment
Eric watched a YouTube video giving ideas for recycling eggshells. He knew they were full of protein and therefore good for plants, we eat lots of eggs generating lots of shells… so thought a little experiment was called for.
Picture 1: One seed in each shell, filled with all purpose potting compost.
Picture 2: Taken today a VERY healthy tomato patch but way too overcrowded and in desperate need of attention.
Picture 3: Eric takes the pruners to the bottom leaves and removes non fruit bearing branches. This allows all the goodness to flow where it is needed most. It also allows light and air to circulate more freely.
Picture 4: We have extended the support poles by adding some spare rubber tubing slotted onto the ends of the white poles. This creates more space going upwards and hopefully more growing stems. Eric spent a long time pruning and then tying the stems up.
Picture 1Picture 2Picture 3Picture 4
Up in the main vegetable plot we grew a large amount of tomatoes. Some we were given and some we grew from seed. We also bought from a roadside vendor. I think we had a bit of “lost in translation”, we asked for small tomato plants as in young not as in small tomatoes that we brought home!! We laughed when we saw that one of our beds was full of perfectly ripe miniature tomatoes. We also laughed when we discovered miniature pear shaped tomatoes and round red ones on the same stalk! What’s going on there!
We did manage several beds of large tomatoes that we cropped and preserved in jars. We mainly use it to make sauces or pasta dishes that require tomatoes. A great staple to have in the country garden kitchen.
Paprika Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Wax Peppers (the yellow ones) and other Hungarian varieties. I spent an afternoon preserving the mountains of peppers I had cropped. I wish I had worn gloves, my fingers stung for hours afterwards. I know for next time!
From Bush to Wash to Pickle.
Another new activity for us, preserving our own produce. Research on the internet revealed just how easy it is to can and preserve, pickle and freeze. This jar of pickled hot peppers lives in the fridge and tastes very good with cheese or hams or as a side dish. We have found the longer it stays in the jar the less super spicy it becomes, just a regular hot spice! A good incentive to eat.
The freshly washed peppers on the chopping board are ready to be prepared for another pickling session. I shall choose a different recipe and later compare the two for the best taste and for future preserving.
The elderberries have ripened and are ready for picking if the birds don’t get to them first. I shall be making Elderberry Syrup.
After an exhausting day following me around Haley decides to chill on the grass to get her breath back ready for more mischief!
I have grown super tall sunflowers this year successfully in an old oil barrel. The pretty snails have a liking for the courgette leaves. They do not seem to cause as much damage as the giant slugs.
The last picture is an attempt at growing kiwi fruit. We visited Croatia last year and saw an amazing 30 year old kiwi vine adorning a huge wooden frame. We thought we would have a go growing from seed. Apparently I need a male and a female to be successful. I have 5 on the go but won’t know what sex they are until they flower…then sexing them begins.
I truly love gardening and nothing gives me more pleasure than watching, waiting and seeing Mother Nature do her yearly cycle. My garden is where I choose to spend the most time. I can have quiet time and reflection time and love planning what to do next outside. Gardens are extensions of our homes and act as another “room”. Hungarians are very proud of their gardens and produce some beautiful displays. We are aiming to do the same.
Next Month September Update My Hungarian Rural Garden
Yesterday my ever patient driver, my husband, took us for a cruise around the villages of rural Hungary. I never know what’s going to be around the next corner, so my hand is always on my camera ready to take that next memorable shot.
It is sunflower and sweetcorn season in Hungary with fields and fields of brightly coloured yellow heads bobbing in the wind. The sweetcorn stands erect and solid lining the roadsides not quite ripe yet but will be soon bulging with tasty corn.
Cheerful Sunflowers everywhere
Nearly mature tall sweetcorn
Our route took us past many of the roadside sellers with stalls overflowing with different melons. The area is called Cece and is famous for its excellent growing conditions, low lying ground and plenty of rain. The melons known in Hungarian as Dinnye are sweet and delicious so we regularly stop like many others to buy them. I particularly like the Galia melons.
Entering the village of Sáregres we were greeted with these super storks. They perch on top of telegraph poles in most villages in Hungary. Soon these youngsters will fly the nest and return again next spring to nest and raise their young.
The immaculate church in the village has a 30m high tower in front of the western facade and was built in 1884, last being renovated in 1925. Inside there are 450 seats for worshipers. The 2 church bells cast in 1868 were sadly requisitioned in World War 1. The church now houses 3 bells bought jointly by the villagers of Sáregres.
Around the village rambling roses and geraniums add pockets of cheerful colour.
A little further through the village, we spotted some sheep…..not unusual but what was slightly strange was they were living in a house! Not something you see everyday!
Most rural villages have wells for pulling water. Years ago this was the Hungarian’s only source of water. This is called a counter-balance well in Hungarian Gémes kút. We have a well in our garden but not with the poles. Nowadays most of the wells are filled in and are purely for decoration. Pretty nevertheless.
My next photographic moment came only a few hundred metres later. Eric kindly stopped the car to let me investigate. In the middle of this tiny village was a Potter… in Hungarian Fazekas. I have indulged in pottery myself in England so was keen to see inside the tiny workshop. It appeared to be in the Potter’s house.
Outside there were pots drying everywhere taking advantage of the hot sunshine.
Inside were shelves filled with rows and rows of the potters work.
We chatted with the Potter (in broken Hungarian) and found that he can do commissions, which was useful to know as I am on the lookout for a vase for cut flowers. He might be my man!
We bought some plant pots and this lovely bird bath all just costing pennies. I want to paint this before putting it outside. A lovely addition to our garden.
Leaving the potter we travelled a little further and discovered Rétimajor. Intrigued by the sign we went to have a look at what was there.
The grounds were gorgeous, lined with apple trees, little bridges and colourful flower beds.
This pretty little thatched hut sat on the water’s edge with views over the lakes and canals.
After a little research, I realised this area had been awarded money from the EU to support the extensive fish pond production based on traditional techniques, including the conservation and enhancement of the surrounding countryside. It would appear that global warming has affected the fish and their environment over many years.
For more information and spectacular photos of this amazing fishing area click here. (in Hungarian).
The grounds house a museum showing examples of fishing equipment and fishing techniques used in bygone times. I did not go inside.
One end of the museum had been painted with a fishing scene.
On the site there is a highly regarded restaurant – Golden Carp Fishermans Tavern which we shall certainly visit in the future. The former water tower and blacksmith workshop were converted to create the restaurant, keeping the original wooden ceiling seen here.
Another rather gruesome drawing on an outside wall.
Exhibits of old boats surrounded the museum along with a wonky sign!
Leaving Sáregres and making our way home we stopped on the roadside to enjoy some very delicious yellow plums.
….and once again admired the amazing sunflowers Hungary has to offer.
Hungary has plenty of surprises everytime we go out. We really love this country we call home. We shall be venturing out again very soon to explore the pretty villages of rural Hungary.
We moved to Hungary 3 years ago coming from “unpredictable weather” England! Now we can plan our days out as the summer weather is predictably hot! Today we are visiting the beach, the Hungarians call it “Strand” and my trusty camera will make some photographic memories.
All my younger life I had associated beaches with sand, I had never considered beaches with grass before. Hungary offers plenty of beaches around Lake Balaton some sandy and some with grass. Eric and I have not actually swam in the lake before so it was to be our “virgin visit”! Our son has visited and swam in the lake so I asked him what he thought about grassed beaches. He actually said the experience of visiting the beach with grass was ace, far better than with sand. The grass was cool on his feet, there was shade if he wanted it and access to the water was easy.
We were excited to visit Lake Balaton and take a swim in “The Hungarian Sea”. As you can see I made some preparations, then prepared a packed lunch and finally into the car before 9.30 am.
Using our elderly SatNav we managed to negotiate Siófok city centre and reached our destination around 11.00 am. Free parking was available in the many side streets and paid parking was situated right next to the entrance….we chose paid parking, working out at 50p an hour. The beach was reasonably quiet at this point and there was no admission charge (some beaches charge an entrance fee).
We made our way through the many trees and found a spot close to the waterfront. We wanted shade and sun. This beach seemed popular with families with small children and their little areas had been set up with tents, towels and many inflatables. No dogs were allowed on this particular beach but there are others that catered specifically for dogs dotted around the Lake.
It was very noticeable that everyone spoke Hungarian, no foreign tourists just yet. Sadly the world pandemic has affected the tourism industry in every country, not just Hungary. It was good though that finally people can get out and about and enjoy the Hungarian summer. There was a definite air of fun with laughter in the air, splashing in the water and music drifting in the wind. Great atmosphere!
As we are retired we have no restrictions when we have a day out so we try to go midweek in the hope it will be less busy. We visited on a Friday and it was pleasantly full. We sat on the grass and social distanced ourselves as much as possible. Nobody wore masks. Difficult to social distance on the chairs and parasols as they were so close together.
This couple spent a very long time inflating dinghies and floatables to take into the lake. Eventually they were all set to go. There were many activities on offer for messing about on the water…the paddle boarding appeared popular working out at about £7.50 an hour.
Away from the lake shore was a large collection of shaded marquees and eating establishments to cater for every taste. On this occasion we did not try the food as I had made a picnic packed lunch. For future visits we will definitely try the food.
There was a huge seating area outside this restaurant and inside too. I noticed how clean everything was, no litter anywhere which was nice to see. Inside they were serving fast food similar to McDonalds.
There were tents selling ice cold beers, fruity ice creams, pizza and pastas, langos, various coffees, soft drinks in fully stocked fridges, lots of variety.
The WC block was easy to spot, immaculately clean with a lady on the door taking coins for toilet tissue. Inside there were also shower facilities if needed.
As the morning turned into afternoon and the temperatures were soaring past 33 degrees Celsius it was imperative we had a swim. Metal staircases jut into the lake with railings to help you get in the cooling water. We walked for a long way out as the water was shallow, perfect for children as the floor of the lake was soft and sandy.
My husband and son had another dip a bit later whilst I “People Watched” and took more photographs.
My opinion has been changed, Hungarian beaches are beautiful, well maintained and in my opinion better than sandy beaches where you scold your feet, eat the sand with your dinner and get it in your eyes!
The only negative would be….and we did not experience this, is as there were so many trees around it could be a problem with bugs and pesky mosquitoes in the early evening.
By 3.00 pm we had had enough and prepared for the long drive home. The car park by now was full to capacity and we were glad we had parked close by. I think my tip would be: Get there early!
Finally, I took this short video so you are able to appreciate the pretty beach side surroundings of Siófok Szabadstrand. It is certainly worth a visit if you find yourself travelling around Lake Balaton in Hungary.
July has arrived in Hungary along with soaring temperatures and thirsty plants. Watering is a twice a day affair otherwise the poor plants suffer from dehydration. We had talked about a dripper system for the vegetable plot this year but it never materialised.
The wheelbarrow is a favourite spot for this bird…always on the look-out for our dog Haley!
At the front of our house, we have giant sunflowers creating a beautiful display and an eager feeding ground for these friendly finches. Lifting the blinds in the morning this is what I see, a great way to start my day. I do believe these are greenfinches?
We have regular butterflies and a multitude of other insects visiting the garden. The cricket sat for ages on the garden chair and the butterfly lazily sunned itself whilst I took photos.
CricketButterfly
The first of our second generation peppers began to flower in late June progressing onto larger specimens in early July. These are of the spicy variety and when harvested will be preserved in jars. All our peppers were given a layer of cow manure at the beginning of the season, I’m hoping for great results.
Flowering PepperSpicy Pepper
When we moved to Hungary we inherited a well, fully functional if you have a pump, the water is way down. This is our third summer here and have encouraged the plants surrounding the well to grow randomly. This beautiful yellow plant is a blast of colour to brighten this corner. I have no idea of it’s name but it makes FABULOUS dried flower arrangements.
Inheriting a garden is always exciting, each year something else pops up that you had no idea was there. This year the “Well Garden” has acquired a young walnut tree that we did not plant but want to encourage it to grow, it’s doing very well at the moment. The tree at the front is a prolific flowering pink and white Hibiscus….it will be flowering very soon. Over the well is rampant forsythia, stunning flowers in the spring. It will need tidying up before the winter.
We had a very sturdy loft ladder made of very solid wood and wanted to incorporate it into the well garden somehow. Due to a “lost in translation moment” with our Hungarian gardener, he took it upon himself to chop out the steps. Not what we wanted….oh dear! We rescued a few steps and will keep adding plants to fill the gaps. It will come to life next year…the gardener has been forgiven. 😀
“The Well Garden”
We live in sunflower country and most gardens have at least a few adorning their gardens, we are no exception. This spectacularly tall sunflower display is ALL self seeded from last year, travelling from the front of the house, I suspect the wind and the birds helped this process. Haley our dog sitting regally like she owned the place!!
Miss Haley Husky, in HER garden.💜
There are 2 sorts of cherries on the trees here in Hungary, sour and sweet. We prefer the sweet ones to eat straight off the tree or you can collect them and make jams if you have any remaining….we didn’t!
Sweet CherriesSour Cherries
We have 2 sweetcorn patches, the first one the corn is already visible and should be ready for cropping probably next week. We planted another bed about 4 weeks later for continuous corn throughout the summer months. Our favourite way to eat them is straight from the plant and onto the BBQ! Delicious!
Sweetcorn
Young Corn
Not everything has been successful in our garden and we nearly lost our watermelons…or should I say they just did not grow, we were going to pull them out but suddenly the other day these yellow flowers appeared….could this be the start of a watermelon? I will keep you updated.
Watermelon
The tomatoes all over the garden are doing amazingly well, they guzzle water constantly and there are flowers everywhere. Won’t be long before we have a bumper crop. For the first time this year, we experimented with crushed egg shells, adding them to the hole before planting the seedlings, to see if it improved the tomato’s growth and production. So far so good. It is supposed to add extra calcium where needed, I have heard mixed reactions about this method. Best that we try it first before making a judgement.
Tomatoes
Our raised bed full of peppers is coming on very well and you can see in the buckets on the ground, potatoes. We tried to grow potatoes previously but they were all attacked by a beetle and we lost the lot. This year we are trying the recycling bucket method.
Spicy Peppers
Other experiments we are trying this year. From seed, tomatoes are raised in hollowed egg shells, then transferred to the ground….after crushing the shells gently around them before planting them out. The other tall plant is from seed, a pomegranate. I have already prepared the ground ready for planting and will go into the ground this evening.
Egg Shell Tomato Seedlings
Pomegranate
This is a third year rose, bought in Hungary and thriving well. It had a bout of greenflies early on but now clear. Underneath the rose is our marigold bed. I planted 6 varieties of marigolds in the hope of plenty of colour. We are getting there, the smaller ones have flowered now just waiting for the larger ones to explode, should be any day now.
RosePetunia
I love petunias and was fortunate to have been given a few last year from a neighbour. She warned me they would self seed everywhere and have a second wave of flowering later in the year. She was right, I hope they do the same this year, they are so cheerful.
Mixed Flower bed
This is the front of the house, looking onto the road. As you see the sunflowers are healthy and strong but unfortunately for poor Haley block her important view of the street. It was a good lookout for her passing doggie friends!
Haley
Much as I adore Haley, our Husky, she is a major nuisance in the garden. Digging is her game and she is good at it. We have areas in the garden she is “allowed to dig” which generally works OK. However, on this occasion my cordoned off new sunflower patch got the “Haley Digging” treatment and she managed to kill one of my 10 new plants. In the first picture you will also notice another suspicious hole…she was guarding it so I would not fill it in! Naughty girl!
My lovely Hibiscus is just about to burst into flower in the “Well Garden”
Hibiscus
This is the bottom third of our garden, the buildings you see on the left are the neighbour’s house. We have planted 8 walnut trees which will eventually give us our “Walnut Corner”and a great screen with the neighbours.
There are numerous bare patches on the “lawn”…that’s what I call it but Eric refers to this area as the side garden! The bare patches are when the garden was a building site with piles of concrete, rubble and stones everywhere. We removed the rubble and prepared the patches for grass seed, that was 10 days ago.
Now the new grass is popping through and will hopefully give a good green covering in the coming weeks. I am always hopeful 😁
Our neighbour’s wall… a fascinating place for “dog sniffing”! The house has been empty for the last 3 years and this half finished extension is housing some sort of animal that has been driving Haley crazy! It could be foxes as we have seen them in the garden or rabbits, cats, lizards or even mice. She spends hours sniffing and watching, crazy girl!!
Sat on our veranda I looked up and this is what I saw…a vibrant blue sky with puff balls of cotton wool clouds. Just gorgeous!🧡
Now as the evening approaches the sun goes to sleep and the moon gently comes out ready to do the whole cycle again tomorrow. Every day nature has something new to offer us it’s wonderful to be able to appreciate it here in our adopted country of Hungary.
Living in Hungary has meant we experience 4 definite seasons every year. This is wonderful as we can plan our gardening around the climate for maximum production.
We are now in sunny hot July and daily temperatures are soaring into the 30’s (C). I LOVE hot sunny weather but along with the long balmy days comes the annoyance of mosquitos. The UK had very little mosquito activity so it was quite a shock to be bombarded with them every single day!
My gardening schedule had to change as I was getting bitten to death early evening despite the fact I was applying lashings of mosquito cream!
So with a little effort and rearranging my gardening tasks, I managed to avoid mosquitoes altogether! I had identified that mosquitoes in Hungary were prevalent in the evening, (I know it is different in some countries depending upon the species) the time I did most of my gardening. I decided to change my essential gardening to early mornings. Early being before 7.00 am! After a little more research, I realised that not only would I be avoiding the mosquitoes but I would be giving my garden a super boost… just what it needed!
By changing to morning gardening I have at last (I think) conquered the mosquito issue. Early morning gardening brings with it several other benefits to both me and my garden.
8 BRILLIANT reasons to do your gardening BEFORE 7.00 am
🍒If you are going to cut flowers from your garden, pick them first thing in the morning when the stems are full of early morning dew, this will in turn make them last longer.
🍒 If you are going to pick fruit or berries wait a little until the dew has dried and has been absorbed into the fruit. These cherries still have their morning dew.
🍒 Weeding becomes so much easier as the ground is soft and the rampant weeds are easily pulled from the ground.
🍒Watering your flower gardens and veggie plots first thing in the morning gives your plants a great kick start to begin their day. The first drink of the day is truly beneficial to both humans and plants.
🍒 If you are going to feed your plants a fertilizer, first thing in the morning is the best time, as they absorb the fertilizer far more efficiently.
🍒 Remember your feathered friends who you share your garden with. Fill up their birdbaths and bird tables regularly as you will surely benefit from returning birds with their beautiful curious ways.
🍒 I have found that I have far more energy in the morning even though I get up early at 5.00 am when it gets light. I am not alone in my early morning gardening, neighbours are also out tending to their plots before the sun becomes too unbearably hot.
🍒 My final reason is of course the most important one – I am no longer contending with the pesky activities of the Hungarian mosquito. A joyous reason indeed to do “Early Bird” gardening.
We have been here 3 years and have only just realised that a simple change in timings has made the world of difference both to me and my garden.
Every month or so we take the long journey to Siófok usually to visit the bank. Yesterday was no different except now the virus restrictions have been lifted there were lots of street cafes and restaurants open for business. Time for a bit of sightseeing and then lunch.
Siófok is Hungary’s second most popular holiday destination after Budapest. The town can boast a 17-kilometre-long coast, with over 1,000 hotels, plenty of bars, restaurants and night clubs. Siófok is one of the richest municipalities of Hungary due to tourism. Hungarians often call the town “the capital of Lake Balaton”, as it is the largest town on its shores and acts as a touristic hub for the southern shore of Lake Balaton.
Approaching Siófok city centre the roads were lined with beautiful flower arrangements decorating the lampposts. There were hundreds of them on both sides of the wide road. The photo does not do them justice as we were speeding along! I wondered how they organised watering the many arrangements?!
We managed to park up the car and take a walk across the busy square towards the bank. It was mid-morning and the street cafes were just beginning to fill up. I particularly liked the colourful geraniums sitting on the pavement, such a colourful display.
In the main square of Siófok, at the foot of the Water Tower is the statue of Count István Széchenyi placed in the middle of a circular fountain in 2012. The large bronze and chrome steel statue depicts the Count standing on the first steamboat of the Balaton, the Kisfaludy, as Széchenyi was the founder and lifetime president of the Balaton Steamship Company.
I could not resist taking a shot of the fountains. The bubbling sounds were so relaxing, great on a hot sunny day.
Seats all around the square accommodate weary walkers enjoying ice creams. A view from above captures the famous statue of Count István Széchenyi.
Siófok Water Tower
The Water Tower is a well-known attraction of Siófok, standing in the centre of the town. The tower was fully renovated in 2012 and houses two panorama elevators taking guests to the rotating Belvedere floor where you can enjoy staggering views over Lake Balaton. There is also a cafe if you need refreshments.
Siófok Water Tower – more information in English – here
A little closer to the lake and we came across a range of different eating establishments. This one had street food on offer.
A little closer to the lake and we came across a range of different eating establishments. This one had street food on offer.
Another selling Gyros.
We finally settled on Mustafa’s to eat our lunch, a Turkish/Mediterranean menu with a huge selection of dishes. We wanted to sit on the pavement and do some people watching!
Mustafa’s is a great place to eat good quality, tasty, inexpensive food. The surroundings were lovely with a pretty outdoor garden, TV included!
Our menu ….and the sticker on the pavement reminded us we are still vulnerable during this pandemic. It was pleasing to see this restaurant was taking things seriously.
So to our menu…an enormous pizza..
…with Falafel, Salad and Chips and Chicken Breast Caesar Salad. Beautifully cooked and politely served, I would certainly recommend Mustafa’s.
After finishing our meal and walking up the street we realised that Mustafa’s owned the full block, restaurants and takeaway. Impressive.
I discreetly noticed the local police constabulary seeming to be enjoying a Mustafa’s at lunchtime.
Adjacent to the restaurant were these beautifully manicured flower gardens and pretty parks.
Looking further into the park made it very inviting but alas we had no time left on our parking so we had to make a move.
The Siófok mini-train goes about its daily tour of the area. Riders can get on and off at various points around Siófok.
If skateboarding is your “thing” then you will be very comfortable in Siófok amongst the street skaters. I preferred to just sit and watch!
A lake resort would not be complete without a gift shop for tourists to pursue and buy trinkets and toys. This was one of many lining the streets.
Karika Tura was out in the sunny square offering Henna tattoos to anyone interested.
Travelling out of the town we encountered many railway lines with rather attractive crossings.
Waiting for the train to pass I hung out of the window and took this shot of a little cafe on the corner. The brightly coloured blue chairs caught my eye along with the lavender in the pretty flower bed.
This is my special man who took me out for a wonderful lunch and as usual, was my taxi for the day and a second eye for my photography. Thank you very much 💕
I hope you have enjoyed our little trip around Siófok there is so much more to see we will need to visit again one day very soon.
Let’s PARTY meant very late nights, thick beery hangovers the next day and a mass of clearing up to do! As we got older our taste in entertainment changed. No longer did we feel the urge or the need to go out every night and have a blow out at the weekends. We discovered very civilised “dinner parties”. There was no need to shout and yell at each other like in the nightclubs but a chance to have a decent conversation with the aid of good food, good company and delicious wines.
Wearing a jacket even when it’s hot!
I feel the cold, more so than I did in my younger days. My hands and my feet get really so very cold. My solution, is more layers, more movement. I also LOVE socks, I have many warm woolly ones, that makes my feet nice and toasty, winters are painfully cold in Hungary.
Taking photos of people and things, not themselves
Guilty of this habit! Never have I been comfortable with “selfies”, I am not good at it and I would prefer to be on the other side of the lens.
Reading my Kindle instead of hardback books
Despite convincing myself years ago that I would NEVER get a Kindle, I succumbed when we moved abroad. My hardback collection is still in England, I shall be reunited with it sometime in the future. I love being able to slip my Kindle into my handbag and take it out with me for an opportunistic read.
My handbag is a suitcase
Long gone are the days of only carrying a small clutch bag with only the essentials for a night out. Nowadays my large handbag, now renamed “Sue’s Suitcase” by my husband is full of emergency supplies like tissues, a manicure set, glasses, a phone, hard candy, cardigan etc etc …!! I am covered for every eventuality whilst we are out and about in Hungary. Husband and son always thank me for being organised when they require something from the said suitcase!
Discuss the weather
As youngsters, the weather did not influence our lives as much as it does now we are many years older. I remember vaguely my parents talking about the weather, it always seemed important to them. When I became an adult myself I have to admit to scrutinising the weather daily, through habit and necessity. When my children were small, we walked everywhere and living in England meant the weather was always unpredictable. We needed to be dressed appropriately for those frequent rainy days. Now living in a country with predictable weather it’s great, no more guessing.
I love a good wall calendar and have used them for many years. My youngest daughter suggested to me that I should be using an online planner, as it’s way more efficient. I didn’t really want to do that as I prefer to see everything in front of me, to me it’s more visualising and pleasing.
Drink a lot of tea
The older generation does seem to drink many cups of tea. I know people who seem to continually have the kettle on for their next cup of tea. I used to hear my parents inviting people around for “a cup of tea and a chat”. A very orderly affair sometimes with freshly baked buns for the chattering guests. Tea is readily available everywhere, quick to make and provides a satisfying refreshing drink. My personal favourite is Vanilla tea although I am also partial to an Earl Grey cup of Tea.
Bingo is ALWAYS associated with the older generation. I am surprised by this as in my hometown in England there were Bingo Halls filled with bingo players of all ages. Holidaying abroad in all-inclusive resorts often have bingo sessions to help entertain the guests. There is online Bingo that I have experimented with and believe me it can become quite addictive. I soon lost interest when the summer months arrived.
The comfortable look
I followed fashion trends when I was younger through the 70’s and 80’s changing with the latest fads enjoying having what I considered to be reasonable “fashion sense”. As I have got older my style and how I wear things is very different. I deserve to be comfortable and relaxed in the clothes I wear now. For so many years throughout my working life, I would don a smart business suit and wear make-up and jewellery every day. Now I still like to look smart but my look is either long floaty dresses or shorts and teeshirts through the summer months. Winter is for leggings and wellies!
Love receiving mail in the mailbox
I do so love to receive mail in my mailbox. Am I old fashioned to enjoy the thought and effort gone into a letter sent to me? Post nowadays is either bills or circulars. Most of my communications are done through email. Thoroughly impersonal but quick and reliable.
Slippers are fabulous, they keep my feet warm and clean. The theory is that my floors should be cleaner too but when my husband and son don’t wear slippers… we have words!
Wear a dressing gown….
On a cold winter day when I know we are not expecting visitors during the day, I slip my long super warm dressing gown on…I have convinced myself that it’s a housecoat!
We have ALWAYS had a landline telephone and I could not understand why so many other people just managed on mobile phones. It took me a long time to finally part with the landline and rely solely on mobile technology. Looking back we were wasting money having both means of communication. Now our mobile phones are peaceful, not full of nuisance marketing calls like we had in England and I have learnt everything I need to know how to operate my Android phone efficiently.
The advantage of being older is that you can nap when the mood takes you. It is now acceptable to fall asleep in front of the TV or with a magazine laid open on your chest. My husband takes full advantage of this privilege regularly.
Cruises
We are certainly not ‘cruise’ people, but we do know people who have had fantastic luxurious cruises in their later years and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Everything is laid on for guests with plenty of varied lively entertainment. Unfortunately, I suffer from sea-sickness quite badly so have never had the desire to go cruising.
Crosswords/Jigsaws
‘Crosswords are for oldies,’ I used to say about my mother-in-law. Every day without fail she would do the daily newspaper crossword. Nobody was allowed to fill any of the clues in and her aim was to complete it within the day. Not many people nowadays buy newspapers as computer technology has replaced them. News is available through numerous different outlets online making the humble large page newspaper a dying breed. I discovered crosswords by chance whilst waiting for a flight to visit my daughter. I picked up a book of crosswords and took the plunge, and started crosswording I am now hooked!! I discovered jigsaws only last year and completed my first 1000 piece puzzle over the long winter.
Youtube beats any Encyclopedia
Technology has enhanced our lives tremendously. When I was a youngster and had a question, I was directed to the family collection of Encyclopedia Britannica. Dust covered heavy books full of interesting facts filled our bookshelves at home usually providing the answer. It is so much easier now with huge capacity search engines to help you discover ANYTHING. My husband is particularly hooked on YouTube and has been entertained for many hours on topics he is interested in.
Get up early
We don’t have to get up early but we do. No longer is it a necessity to get up at a specific time. We are retired and do not have jobs to go to. We are free to lie in if we want to. Rural life in Hungary usually starts at 6.30 am with everyone up and about before it gets too hot in the summer months. I love first thing in the morning sitting on our veranda enjoying a cup of tea and the early morning chattering of the birds. We also go to bed reasonably early too, we have no time constraints.
We are not ‘old’
How old is old? When I was a child I thought my parents were old. When I was in my 20’s, 40 sounded ancient! I am now nearing my 60’s and don’t feel like that number. Age is a number that doesn’t have to be scary. As we age our life experiences change to suit that phase in our lives. With age comes experience and knowledge which we hopefully can pass on to future generations. Who knows what the world will have to offer our grandchildren. No doubt they are looking at their grandparents now and thinking how old fashioned we are!
Let me know if you know of any other differences between the older generation and the youngsters of today. I am sure I have missed loads.
This challenge was kindly provided by P.A.Moedfind more details here
This week, we are challenging you to capture “A Quiet Moment.” Maybe it’s a walk early in the morning or the time you sit down with a book and a cup of coffee. Include shots captured at home or in your neighbourhood, or from a trip to a faraway place months or years ago. It’s totally up to you.
My Submissions
Watching the glorious Hungarian sunsets are magical. For this shot I was sat high up the side of the hill looking across the valley, watching the ball of fire gently descending behind our village church until it was totally out of view. A very relaxing peaceful moment.
Kisszékely Church, Hungary
“Sunset”
On a crisp autumn day, the walk around the village fishing lake is so peaceful. The only sounds are the birds foraging for food and the crunchy leaves underfoot. The bench is a welcome sight on a long walk. Just the occasional ‘plop’ from a fish rippling the water or a duck quacking to his friends.
Kisszékely Fishing Lake, Hungary
“Autumn Peace“
I like the sound of water, especially the gentle wooshing it makes in these fountains it is inexplicably soothing. So pleasant just sitting and relaxing in the hot summer sun, time stands still….but not the fountains!
Siófok Fountains, Hungary
“Fountains”
My last ‘Quiet Moment’ photo is entitled “Reflections”. The trees make fabulous reflections in the lake all year long and is the perfect place to come for some indulgent reading or photography.
Kisszékely Fishing Lake
“Reflections“
Please do join in with this challenge. I hope to see you there.
As we get older our goals in life often change. What we wanted and predicted for our future at 16 is perhaps far different from the actual reality of living at 50.
Our lives had been generally predictable in the sense that we had been mentally timetabled to ‘fit in’ to society. We got up, we went to work, we ate at regular mealtimes, then slept, ready for the same again the next day! This was not a bad thing, just reality.
Some of our friends loved the regimented organised lifestyle but others hated living by the clock, just working hard to live comfortably.
As Eric and I neared our retirement age our thoughts and conversations often wandered to all things new. A new life, a new country, early retirement and challenging changes, we were ready! We wanted all that and wanted it SOON!!
The question was: Could we afford to retire early?
A VERY important question everyone should ask themselves. It is essential to do the maths, and double check every financial outgoing you have against your total income and earnings. Devise a basic spreadsheet and estimate what your expenses might be in the future. Then ask yourself the same question again.
Fortunately, our sums added up so we made the brave exciting decision to retire early to Hungary, located in central Europe. Moving from city suburbia in England to exquisitely beautiful rural Hungary was quite a dramatic change! Nearly 3 years later we do not regret our momentous move overseas.
If you are lucky enough to be able to retire early, you have a lot going for you. I sat down at my computer and thought of all the good reasons why we are enjoying living overseas so much. I wanted to share my thoughts with you to see if you agreed with my experiences?
I have compiled a list, in no particular order that are applicable to our family here in Hungary. Although you will see that most of them are generic and apply to any country that you choose to live in. So here goes:
TOP 16 ADVANTAGES OF TAKING EARLY RETIREMENT and MOVING OVERSEAS
We don’t have to work anymore
Budapest Hungary
A pretty obvious advantage, I think you would agree, is that you no longer have to clock in and out of work every day. Now retired, there is nothing nicer than waking up early in the morning to the sound of the dawn chorus, then drinking a leisurely cup of coffee on the veranda and chatting with my husband Eric. No time pressures whatsoever. Of course, there are no rules in retirement, if you retire early and want to try a different career, earn a little money, you have plenty of years ahead of you to do this.
This is an EXCELLENT advantage for us. It doesn’t matter what age you are having a short siesta in the afternoons or whenever you want is perfectly acceptable even good for you. Revitalise and rest your system for later on. Spain for example does this as part of their lifestyle, during the hottest hours of the Spanish day siestas are very common. Hungary gets hot during the long summers so we often take a ‘nap’ during the afternoon. Waking up in the morning when we want is wonderful, puts us in a good mood for the rest of the day.
There are no restrictions only those you make yourself.
We slowed down our way of life
Leaving our busy lives behind in England meant that being thrust into near isolation in rural Hungary was quite hard in the beginning. Everything in England was monitored by the clock. Our routines were the same every day, the clock guided us. Here in Hungary, we tend to listen to the environment to tell the time. The dawn chorus waking in the early morning, the chickens announcing they have laid their eggs, the church bell chiming daily at 12 noon, a sign it is lunchtime across Hungary. The ice cream van ‘singing’ down the village streets meaning it’s 3 pm, the dogs barking at 7.00 pm as it’s their dinner time and finally the pesky mosquitoes coming out after sundown, meaning it’s time to retreat inside from the veranda. Frequently I wonder what day it is, as the days and weekends seem to merge into each other. I cannot risk getting too relaxed and easygoing over the days of the week as I need to remember when to put the wheelie bin out with the rubbish!
We have never wasted money in the past and I had always considered my housekeeping skills, over the years as good enough to make sure our cupboards were always full. Moving to Hungary in the middle of nowhere with limited access to shops has meant we have become much more aware of costs and how to achieve little shortcuts. We have learnt how and where to buy in bulk, how to preserve fruit and veggies, how to grow a productive garden, and how to cook from scratch on a regular basis. All these little things give us a more cost effective lifestyle and it’s great to learn new skills. We both cook so take lots of pleasure using our own home-grown produce. It is so satisfying and cost efficient and almost a challenge to reduce the supermarket spend each shop. A worthy sensible advantage of retiring and moving abroad.
We can shop when it’s convenient for us
Oh, what a pleasure it is to shop when it is convenient for us. Living a working existence in England meant we had to shop on Saturdays along with hoards of other people. Now shopping is actually a pleasure, a leisurely affair where I can stop and examine items I want to buy without a voice in my ear telling me to “hurry up”! We have the privilege of shopping during quiet periods on weekdays. The queues at the checkouts do not appear as daunting as they did in England. I feel no frustration at having to wait in line, perhaps it’s because I have lots of time now we are retired. *note: At the time of writing shopping restrictions had just been lifted in Hungary as the Covid19 pandemic was easing.
Reading becomes a daily activity
I am an avid reader of books, always have been. Eric however prefers to read news headlines on his PC. His regular ritual first thing in the morning, was a nice way to catch up on world news. Since arriving in Hungary and adjusting to the changing seasons I have come to realise I read more extensively in the cold winter months. I read about 2 books a month. Sadly, I left most of my hard copy books back in England (they are in safe hands being looked after by my daughter) so have started developing a bookcase here in Hungary. I have a small selection of Hungarian recipe books, books of Hungarian poetry, travel books about Hungary, the shelves are filling up. My main reading is done on my beloved Kindle, one I have had for years and has never let me down. The “To Be Read” list is very long, full of books that took my fancy at some time or other. I read my Kindle before I go to bed, it’s a lovely way to end the day. Retirement has made me explore different reading topics I would not normally entertain. Research for this blog, for example, reading about the history of the country we have adopted as our home is extremely interesting. I would not have had the time in England to indulge in so much reading.
Our friends circle changed
“Ladies that Lunch” Hungary
Making new friends can be difficult particularly when you retire abroad. We had to make a REAL effort to put ourselves out there in the community. Both of us wanted to get involved in village life and enjoy the cultural events throughout the year. We became quite visible and known in the village as “that English family”. We have integrated well known by sight by most of the villagers. They always have a cheery wave for us. Our village has less than 300 residents, some of the homes are holiday homes owned by Hungarians in Budapest. They spend summer in the village or even come down just for weekends throughout the year. Two other English couples also have holiday homes in the village, we are the only permanent residents here. Another stream of new friendships has come from one of the Facebook groups I belong too. A group of predominantly English expats living around Lake Balaton frequently meet up and socialise. They are also an excellent support network full of advice and guidance.
Holiday whenever WE want
The coves of Croatia
Another GREAT advantage of retiring early is that you can if you want, see the world, indulge in some new experiences, explore areas of the world you had only dreamed of. We use Hungary as our base, and explore out and about whenever we can. We are located in central Europe with 7 exciting countries to visit bordering our lands. Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia. A 5 hour drive away has taken us to the beautiful country of Croatia. We had an excellent time, ate plenty of fresh fish and photographed the stunning scenery. Our horizons have been broadened by moving here. Researching holidays and booking them is way cheaper when done out of season. You have the benefits of quiet streets and easily accessible tourist attractions. The holiday season lasts through until October so Autumn is a great time to travel around here in Hungary.
Gardening becomes fun
We had a garden in England, a very beautiful one and I often miss tending to it. Thankfully we bought a property here with land, actually way too much for just 2 of us to manage. Not put off I was determined to get our garden up and manageable and with a goal of producing some fruit and vegetables this year. We are learning how to garden in a new country, the soil is different and the climate is too. The first year we had moderate success with a few things but had a glut of sweet corn and tomatoes. The second year due to health reasons the garden was abandoned and became very overgrown. This year I am delighted to say our garden is coming on very well and we hope to have bumper crops. We are experimenting with different ways of growing things and our knowledge base is improving dramatically. We certainly appreciate eating our homegrown produce and love looking after our little patch of paradise.
Exercise for Health
“Haley” our Siberian Husky
I did not realise how little exercise I did in England. Practically none. We had a car and used it. Moving to Hungary has made me walk more and become generally much more active. I actually love walking with my camera and get out every day with it. As the garden is huge I spend time walking up and down visiting different areas and spots. I started tracking my step count and was surprised to find I was walking between 6,000 and 7,000 steps a day. We own a boisterous husky dog who loves to chase up and down our garden, she enjoys it most anytime I run…..! I’m getting better at running!! Can’t be a bad thing. We have also noticed we are sleeping so much better here in the countryside. Perhaps spending so much time outside and the additional exercise is a good sleep aid for us. Certainly, the air is so much cleaner and fresher than in England, it’s very noticeable.
A chance to own our first dog
Haley our Siberian Husky
We were unable to own a dog in England, our garden was not big enough and at the time we owned chickens. Our son (13 at the time) had been asking for a dog for some time. We promised him, that when we moved to Hungary we would get a dog. And we did! A beautiful husky puppy named Haley. We had to learn how to look after this gorgeous puppy and how to teach her good behaviour and habits. She was quite challenging and disobedient at the beginning but we are finally making good progress in the behaviour department. Our garden is perfect for Haley to tear around and burn off her continuous energy. We all wanted a dog and we have become very close to her. I can’t imagine life without her now, she is part of the family and fits in very well with our retirement lifestyle.
Eat when we are hungry
Home made plaited bread
How relaxing it is now to be able to eat whenever we want to. England required structured meal times, three times a day always by the clock. That was normal and worked. When we had young children, routine was important. Now meal times are dependent on when we are hungry, not when the clock tells us it’s time to eat. Our son for example gets his own breakfast when he is hungry whilst we sit outside having our first coffee of the day. We sometimes have brunch around 11.am and a meal around 3 and fruit in the evening.
I’m finally writing my memoirs
At long last, I have got time to do something I have wanted to do for years….15 years to be exact. I took some online writing courses to improve my writing skills so I could pen my long awaited memoir. I have now started it, enthusiastically writing about my experiences. It’s great to read and enjoy my journals again reminiscing about the past, describing funny memories with Eric. My memoir describes the events leading up to meeting Eric in Canada and the subsequent adventures we got up to there. My aim is to complete the book before the end of the year so am working on it diligently. I am considering self-publishing and have investigated various marketing and publishing options. It’s good to be doing something like this, it stimulates my brain and gives me satisfaction when I have completed another chapter. Eric is very supportive of my project and encourages me all the time. He obviously has a vested interest and is so good at helping me relive the events that I maybe did not accurately record at the time.
Learn a new language he said!
Easier said than done. I have never been very good at foreign languages. I have a smattering of French and Spanish and now a little Hungarian. I cannot believe how hard it is to learn. Only today I wrote a Hungarian word that had 17 letters in it! Added to that certain letters sound different for example the letter S is pronounced SH. Eric is a master of foreign languages and can boast 9 different ones. His Hungarian is at a conversational level and can quite easily get by. I, on the other hand, rely heavily on Eric to translate for me as I am struggling to retain anything in my memory. It’s a hard slog. I watch a little Hungarian TV for practice. I watch Hungarian movies with English subtitles, which helps a lot. I have multiple language apps on my phone. The best way to learn I have found is to listen to Hungarian people chatting with each other, I pick up words that way. But my progress is painfully slow. If you like languages and have the ability to learn your new chosen language then retirement days are the perfect time for learning.
Learning and adjusting to a new culture
Every country has cultural differences and it really was worth reading up about them before we made the move to Hungary. Countries do have different rules and obviously, it was in our best interests to find them out as quickly as possible. I researched on the internet and successfully revealed what we needed to know about customs and traditions. Sometimes things that you consider ‘normal’ are not accepted elsewhere. A good example in Hungary is: There is zero alcohol tolerance when driving a vehicle….unlike England. The police enforce it ridgely and frequently spot check and breathalyse drivers. Still on alcohol, it is extremely rude to refuse a shot of Palinka (fruit brandy) in a Hungarian home, it is considered bad manners and disrespectful to the host. We duly noted this and have not insulted anyone yet!! I love the different village festivals that happen throughout the year, in particular the harvest festival procession that walks the length of the village with singing workers dressed in traditional costumes celebrating the harvesting of the wheat crop.
Rekindled our marriage
When we first met in 2001 – Canada
I wondered how we would deal with early retirement and moving overseas to live in Hungary. We had bucketloads of stress and many setbacks during our lengthy preparations in England until our actual moving day. Thankfully, once here we overcame most hurdles and settled into a more comfortable, easy lifestyle. In the beginning, we had to learn everything from scratch, just paying a bill was challenging or going to the supermarket struggling to read food labels in Hungarian. Eventually, we got the hang of how things worked. We were fortunate to have a willing translator when we needed them, she was very helpful. All the little niggling issues certainly put a strain on our relationship. We finally overcame things together by pooling our knowledge to solve a problem. This meant we communicated far more than we had ever done in England and managed to amicably sort issues out. We had time to sit and talk to each other, laugh at silly jokes and truly appreciate our surroundings and each other’s company. Those first challenging days have brought us closer together so for us, retiring early and moving abroad was and still is, the best thing we ever did.
Have you any thoughts on your own retirement. How has it affected your everyday life? I would love to hear in the comments.
Making Hungary Home 