Tag: countryside

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Looking Back at 2023 Surprising, Satisfying, Special, Plan for More in 24!

Please tell me why, my year passed so very quick?
Let me look at my photos, that will surely do the trick!
I’ll pick some great memories to refresh my ageing brain
and write down my thoughts that are running like a train!

The New Year has started, what surprises will she bring?
A new baby, what joy, Nanny Sue once again!
A new job, much needed, for Raphael our youngest son,
seasonal work in Austria, he’s having a ball and so much fun!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM HUNGARY

Snippets of 2023 through the eyes of my camera. A fun packed year exploring and enjoying events in our little rural village in Hungary and trips abroad to Ibiza and Croatia.

SUMMER
WINTER

January 2023

SNOW

My excitement for snow never wanes! Like a little kid, wanting to get wrapped up immediately and venture outside in the crisp snow, crunching underfoot taking photos with my camera. This is the start of the year and I am on the lookout for original and different shots. 

Kisszékely village with the viewpoint in the distance top right.

This is my favourite snow shot of the year. I was just randomly walking around the village and spotted this wheelbarrow. I liked the fact that a mundane piece of equipment is instantly transformed into a pleasing shot when covered in snow. 

February

INQUISITIVE MR FOX

We are fully aware that foxes live in the empty house next door. We hear them at night bumping around and there are droppings evidence during the day of their nightly patrols of our garden. I have never seen any of the fox family during the day until this snowy morning in February. Mr fox sat boldly glaring at me as I crept VERY slowly towards him. He allowed me several shots before nonchalantly turning his back on me and climbing up the barn roof out of sight.

March

Dawn sky with a field of lavender ready to explode into life. I got up very early and slowly walked up the side of the valley. The sky constantly changes creating a gorgeous array of pinks and blues. Just beautiful!

Aren’t these the cutest little piglets? They live on the local farm surrounded by masses of woodland for them to roam and explore. This very healthy pig gave birth to about 10 piglets and will give birth to another litter later on in the year.

April

Road Trip

Eric and I often just jump in the car and pick a random destination to travel to. On this particular day in April, we ended up next to this gently flowing river with a quaint tiny cottage looking pretty in the spring sun.

I was not the only one walking the river bank that day. This handsome water turtle scurried away as quick as he could when I approached…..but not before I took a picture of him!

I am not normally a big fan of snails…a garden pest! I made an exception, this snail looked quite magnificent munching through our greenery. No problem getting down low to take the shot but by gum what a struggle to get back up again!

May

MAY DAY

Our village Maypole is put up every year, decorated with colourful ribbons and balloons. The villagers, adults and children get involved in this traditional event. Traditional songs are sung as the villages link arms and sing enthusiastically whilst circling the Maypole.

I think this shot encompasses Hungarian village life. A villager lovingly tends his tidy garden, appreciating everything growing. The Maypole pops up tall above the trees. Village life is so idyllic. 

SIMONTORYNYA CASTLE DAY

Every year, Simontornya holds a Castle Day which I always enjoy…much colour, noise and excitement. Many interesting people visit from all over the county, it is a real family event. Community spirit is everywhere and is extremely heartwarming.

This is Simontornya Castle Tower built in the 13th Century in the next village very close to us in rural Hungary. The whole event revolves around activities taking place inside and outside the castle. The purpose of this traditional event is to revive the history of Simontornya Castle.

The girls wear traditional dress, but then whip out their modern mobiles to record the moment for their respective Instagram accounts!

My free entertainment was a mock battle with live LOUD canon fire and guns…..I jumped like mad, unwisely I had positioned myself with my camera on the front row!! I quickly retreated to the back row! Lesson learnt for next year!

Would you like to see more of my photos? Click this link

KING CHARLES CORONATION

The Coronation of Charles III and his wife Camilla as King and Queen of the United Kingdom took place on Saturday 6th May 2023 at Westminster Abbey, London England.

Even though I live in Hungary I have not forgotten my roots, nor my interest in the Royal Family (I am from the Princess Diane era). The good the bad the ugly!

My good Kiwi friend, Jackie, lives in the same village and also follows the British Royal Family with interest. I was excited to be invited to a British High Tea on Coronation Day outside on her patio. What a splendid spread from a great baker and also a very good friend.

The Union Jack cake made a great photo and tasted as delicious as it looked. We drank Earl Grey tea from a china teapot and later, cheese scones lathered in butter and sipped full bodied red wine from decorated glasses.

June

DUNAFOLDVAR

We picked a beautiful day in June to visit picturesque Dunaföldvár. After just a forty minute drive, with clear roads, we arrived at this historic riverside town on the banks of the River Danube. The cobbled streets and pretty houses lined the roads up to the hilltop castle.

This is the impressive bridge over the River Danube viewed from the castle restaurant on top of a hill.

Riverside and The Rakpart restaurant with a beautiful outdoor eating area, perfect for people watching and soaking up the atmosphere of the mighty Duna!

Would you like to see more of my photos? Click the link

IBIZA BEACH WEDDING

The absolute highlight of my year. Travelling over to Ibiza in Spain to watch my youngest daughter marry on the beach to the love of her life. This photo feels special, romantic, perfect, togetherness. A VERY proud mama, lots of happy tears and happy memories. 💓

The table settings were beautiful. The lilac scarf is not a napkin as I first thought. The Spanish custom at weddings is that as the married couple joins the guests at the reception party, loud music welcomes the dancing bride and groom with every guest waving their scarves energetically above their heads and shouting good wishes…truly memorable!

Our treat to ourselves was to book into a super adults only hotel on the beach. An absolutely beautiful location, enormous breakfasts, gym and spa and very tidy rooms. This photo captures a little bit of everything…direct access to the beach, sun loungers in the forest, crystal clear pools and not too overcrowded for June.

July

HARVEST FESTIVAL

With promising July blue skies, the people of the surrounding villages gathered together in Kisszékely to make preparations for the annual Harvest Festival procession. Certainly a good day to be out with my camera and so convenient on my doorstep.

There were some new additions to the procession this year including a very lively and spirited foal learning the ropes on “how to lead the procession”!

These two horses regularly participate in the village Harvest Procession and are decorated traditionally as are their riders. The horses have a little munch on the grass just before the start!

No Harvest is complete until it has an array of seasonal sunflowers. These arrangements adorned the stage, set up for the traditional dancing later on in the evening.

ANNUAL MOTORBIKE RALLY

Kisszékely is taken over for a weekend in July by the annual motorbike rally biking around the village. All ages take part and everyone has a lot of fun. A campsite is set up next to the swimming pool and a marquee is erected for a variety of foods and refreshments.

Our village is a dead end so the bikers travel around the village, up the hill out of the village and back again. Lots of loud toot tooting can be heard all over this normally peaceful village. As the bikers pass it is clear not everyone has safety in mind!

This image makes me chuckle every time and one of my favourites from the rally, entitled “Three Men on a Bike!”

We are so blessed to have a village swimming pool with camping grounds, open fires and stone ovens. The campers wander around admiring each other’s pristine bikes and I hear lots of Ooooo’s Ahhhhh’s and Wows!!

If you would like to see more of the Motor Bike Rally click here

SPOTTING STORKS

Twice this year I have been fortunate to get decent stork photographs. I am particularly proud of these two. The first was taken in the nearby village of Dég nesting on top of the street lights in the middle of the village green. Every passing motorist can see them as they gaze curiously around them, their beaks slightly open cooling themselves from the burning heat. These storks are nearly big enough to leave their nest, they will soon be ready to take the leap of faith!

In flight and carrying a snack. I could not believe my eyes, camera ready I took a series of shots with his wings in varying positions, he is a graceful bird with a huge wing span. This magnificent bird, it is said, signifies the arrival of Spring in Hungary, I watch out in anticipation for the first sighting every year.

August

SZENTENDRE

My dear husband once again agreed to be my taxi and drive me to Szentendre, a place I have been longing to photograph for some time.

Szentendre is best known for its Mediterranean atmosphere, beautiful Baroque architecture and colourful artwork housed in museums scattered across the town.

It was a hot day and there were people milling about everywhere. I walked up and down the streets looking at the arts and crafts on sale, also admiring and photographing the suspended lampshades… along with many other people!

Lunchtime and the street cafes begin to fill up with tourists, some eating lunch others just stopping for a cooling lavender ice cream.

I walked over the bridge and as I looked over, there was an outdoor art exhibition going on down below, next to a small river. I went to investigate. What an interesting stroll, accompanied by the sounds of 2 talented street musicians. 

BUDAPEST PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

“When in Budapest….Photograph the Parliament Buildings” Another one of my photographic goals was achieved this year. I took many photos of the magnificent Parliament Buildings and several bridges lining the River Danube.

If you would like to see my photos of the beautiful Szentendre, Bridges and Budapest click here

SPOTTING SUNFLOWERS

Living in the Hungarian countryside it is usual to see the fields packed with bobbing sunflowers at this time of year. They brighten the landscape and give the farmers a valuable crop to harvest for sunflower oil. 

I LOVE photographing sunflowers, every year I choose a different location…this field is on the way out of our village. 

Closer to home, this sunflower is in our garden. My photo has had some success in a global photographic competition. 

September

Kisszékely village celebrated a Jubilee Mass at St George’s Roman Catholic Church commemorating the 200th anniversary of its consecration.

Kisszékely village church waiting to celebrate its 200th birthday.

The church was full, overflowing at the back with parishioners and visitors. Music played and sung by the neighbouring village choir was absolutely beautiful to listen to. The congregation then went on to enjoy a full day of celebrations and merriment!

October

RIJEKA, CROATIA

Our English friends flew over to visit us this month for a late Autumn road-trip over the border to neighbouring Croatia.

A very smooth 5 hour journey to an idyllic part of the Croatian coast. We swam, we ate we had fun. The weather was beautifully kind and we managed to cram in plenty of photo opportunities!

We managed to visit the famous Rijeka Fish Market early in the morning, competing with local fishmongers for the best catch. A huge variety of fish stacked and displayed on tables greeted me everywhere I looked! What a choice! 

If you would like to see more photos of our road trip to Rijeka, Croatia click on this link

OZORA

Another village not far away from us, rich in history, famous for weekly car-boot sales and the home of The Ozora Music Festival held in the summer months. Every time we visit there is something different for me to photograph.

This is Ozora Castle, furnished inside in the Renaissance style, you can hire the whole castle for functions and events! How grand would that be?

A typical Hungarian village square, with a sheltered bus stop, pretty pastel houses, changing autumnal trees and a river running through the centre.

OZORA: Home to Castles, Car Booting and Music Festivals!!

If you would like to see more photos from our day out in Ozora click this link

November

The weather is changing as the year comes to a close. The various birds in the garden come searching for food on a daily basis. I have hung a bird feeder up so I can see it from my window. The hanging basket makes a good “waiting perch” before dashing over to the feeder when it becomes vacant.

“Fog on the Water” I love the moodiness of this photo…the mystery, stillness, silence….peaceful. I enjoyed my walk that morning. A different perspective in the fog. 

Winter snow and a struggling rose, not sure whether to wake up…the weather has been surprisingly warm for November then snap, cold with snow! Bizarre!

December

RAPHAEL OFF TO AUSTRIA

Much excitement in our house as our youngest son Raphael takes off to work in The Austria Alps. He travelled cross country on the European train starting his journey in Budapest, Hungary. Here he is, early morning ready to catch his train. A great way to travel Europe. Good luck son 🍺

CHRISTMAS

The outdoor kitchen and seating area on the village green are beautifully decorated in preparation for the local photographer to come and take Christmas photos. 

The village organised an Advent event in the local pub. Temperatures were below freezing at this outdoor event but that did not stop many people coming to enjoy the super entertainment, Hungarian finger food, mulled wine and a generous tombola. We danced to keep warm under the twinkling canopy of fairy lights decorating the open sky. The friendly community spirit was oozing that night, I am glad we braved the cold.

For more photographs and information about the Kisszékely village group responsible for the Advent event, please visit their Facebook page via the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/meseskisszekely

As usual, throughout the year I have taken many, many photographs! I have limited myself to three photos per event for this blog post, it was so hard to choose so, in the end, I selected my significant favourites. I have added a link to the blog posts for more of my photography.  Please do go and take a look and see why I LOVE photographing my adopted country Hungary so much.

I have had an excellent year blessed with good health, lots of fun, interesting outings, good friends and great photo opps! I am expecting more of the same next year. As this year finishes, the page turns, we start anew, what does 2024 have in store? I shall record the memories to look back on and enjoy. I wish you all the best for 2024 and thank you for your continued support on my blog, it means a lot. ❤

Categories
Road Tripping 2023

Exploring Interesting Dunaföldvár Riverside, Hungary – A Day Trip

If you would like to see a photo in a larger size, simply click on it to enhance your viewing experience.

We picked a beautiful day to visit picturesque Dunaföldvár. After just a 40 minute drive, with clear roads, we arrived at this historic riverside town. On the approach road, I could not help but notice this VERY pink coffee shop!

Established in 1988 named Marcipán Cukrászda meaning Marzipan Confectionery.

I have visited here before and ate sumptuous icecream and drank delicious coffee. The outside area is lovely and comfortable perfect for people watching come rain or shine.

This is their exquisite website, beautifully photographed creations.

In most of the villages and small towns we have travelled through there are these hearts placed in a prominent place on the roadside. I was curious to know why they were there and the purpose of the bottle tops. I discovered that the plastic caps are collected and sold for recycling with the money going to disadvantaged children in Hungary. Excellent idea!

Recently I have noticed that screw caps on plastic bottles are now attached to the bottle… I read this on Google:

“The move to attached caps is an important step in making recycling easier for everyone. The new design ensures that the cap stays connected to the bottle after opening, so that it is less likely to be littered and making it easier to recycle both parts together.“

I think it is a gallant idea to recycle but I worry the disadvantaged children will no longer benefit from the collected caps in the hearts. Just my thoughts!

Leaving the coffee shop we headed towards the castle. The wooden castle gates leading up to the castle area were made in 1994 by the woodcarver István Csepeli. It gives a rather dramatic entrance to the castle.

Looking In!
Looking Out!

I particularly liked the simplicity of this photo. The blue sky made a fabulous backdrop.

Dunaföldvár castle was built during the 14th/15th Century. This map shows what it would have looked like many years ago.

The Dunaföldvár bridge (built 1928–32) pictured below, is the only bridge over the Budapest-Baja section of the Danube. It is called the “Beszédes József” Danube Bridge.

Situated in the castle courtyard is a super restaurant with spectacular views over the Danube. We ate a delicious meal here.

Take a look at their website, easily translatable to English

This vintage car was displayed outside the restaurant for everyone to admire.

And this was painted on the outside of the restaurant.

A statue of the famous geographical explorer and African researcher László Magyar is situated in the castle courtyard. He is recognised and remembered because he studied as a scholar in Dunaföldvár.

The Castle of Dunaföldvár built on the banks of the River Danube.

Dunaföldvári Evangélikus Templom – Dunaföldvár Evangelical Church, next to Foldv Art Gallery.

Leaving the castle we decided we wanted to get down to the banks of the Danube. There were pleasure boats taking people out for excursions.

We spotted jet skiers enjoying the river with the water cruisers.

The Danube has been given a number of different names: The British say River Danube, Dunăre in Romanian, Donau in German, Dunaj in Slovakian, Duna in Hungarian and Russian, Dunav in Serbian and Bulgarian.

Looking upriver industrial factories lined the banks. I think the white domed building is a toilet paper maker!

I do enjoy “People Watching”…these two caught my eye with their matching towels and wearing bathrobes? Bear in mind this is a pier….and she was ambling along pointing to the water, the River Danube…perhaps suggesting a quick swim??….he does not look too convinced!

The excellent restaurant “Rakpart” overlooks the River Danube. We sat in the outdoor dining area just chilling and chatting. This was my view from where I was sitting. The boys with the football balance this shot very well. I love the flash of red from the boys’ shirt and the potted geraniums.

I read that this restaurant was under new ownership and was getting great reviews, they have a Facebook page and a website but it is currently under construction.

https://www.facebook.com/rakpartetterem/

The outdoor seating area was very pleasant, the service was quick and the food fantastic. I even managed to capture a little dog on his travels!

People watching again….What is this guy so deep in thought about? He has paused his eating…must have been important!! I liked the playground in the background added some needed colour.

My last “People shot”. I rather liked this mans casual stance, looking out over the river, hand on hip, waiting perhaps? The dog has pricked his ears…maybe she’s coming back!

Time to move on crossing more bridges over into another county. I noticed this car and trailer in front with his non matching number plates. I have got used to seeing different sights in Hungary. It is a common sight to see bike riders with no helmets, motorbikes with no number plates and many unroadworthy cars.

The bridge shot in black & white, I love the framing and the lighting, an atmospheric shot.

We made a turning off the road and came across these “Fishy Signs” attached to a tree. When it came to translating them Google was not at its best!

With Google’s strange translation!

I opted for the pier direction and admired the floating fishing piers and numerous boats on the River Danube.

I spotted this man peacefully fishing totally oblivious to me taking photographs.

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

Here he is again taking off with his prize lizard in his beak.

After my excitement of spotting a close-up stork AND getting decent photos, we made our way back through the pretty town driving (or slowly bumping) down the tree lined cobbled streets!

Floral arrangements on front doors gave the area a quaint opulent look.

Finally, as is the case in most towns and villages, decorated bicycles can often be spotted dotted around cheering the place up.

Once again thanks for reading this far, I hope you enjoyed my photos and will return again soon to read more blog posts.

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

October Delights Strolling Around The Pretty Village of Kisszékely, Hungary

Such a beautiful day, early morning sunshine convinced me it was time to have a walk around the village. I never know what to expect on my walks, there is always something interesting to look at at any time of year. We have had a lovely warm late summer this year, the flowers are still growing enthusiastically.

This ~Welcome Bicycle~ sits elegantly in front of one of two lakes in the village. It looks rather healthy and no doubt much loved by one or several of the villagers.

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

I started my walk from just outside of the village boundary. On the approach into the village there is another “Welcome to Kisszékely” sign, beautifully complemented by the popular red Geraniums.

My initial intention was to walk as far as the busy animal farm a little way out of the village, then make my way back. There are usually many different animals to look at and photograph. Horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, llamas, pigs and deer, but none to be seen. Each day the animals are let out into certain fields on certain days. It is a bit of pot-luck if the animals are on the roadside enclosure. Today was not my lucky day…either they were somewhere else (different field) or they had not been let out yet. Undeterred, I walked up a dusty farm track, up the hill to see if I could see “ANY” kind of animal!! Nope not today, instead I took photos of deer tracks and would you believe my shoe print on the way up the track and then on the way down!

After my “no show” of animals I headed back towards the village. I was amazed at how green everything was, the warm weather has delayed Autumn but not for long I am sure. This photo is actually all about the winding road snaking up the hill and around the corner. The canopy of green trees worked perfectly to give a little mystery to my photo.

Traffic jam! Not really….. just a very frequent sight backwards and forwards through the village.

As you can see from the photo below, not all my photos are picture perfect. No doubt, if I was carrying a mobile phone my shot would be way better. The story behind this photo is that this is Henry Heron and he lives on the lake but he is extremely flitty and flies off at the slightest sound. I have been trying for years to photograph him but with little success. So today I was so excited to see my “first animal” and it was Henry! I quickly launched my camera into position, jammed it to my eye and pointed it in the right direction. As you can see my camera kindly autofocused on the foliage in front of my fleeing subject. Very frustrating. I don’t think I have got the patience to be a bird watcher!

Henry had made a hasty retreat and was now circling the lake presumably looking to perch somewhere and observe humans like me!

Here is Henry again as he circled some more.

Black and white Henry, his wing span is huge similar to a stork.

When I uploaded this photo it immediately reminded me of a certain very popular soap opera. If I said Hilda Ogden and Flying Ducks would you know what I was talking about??? I am sure British of a certain age will know!

I found this interesting piece about the flying ducks.

And if you have not guessed already it was Coronation Street.

https://coronationstreet.fandom.com/wiki/Flying_Ducks

After the excitement of the heron and ducks, I took a moment to stop and appreciate the October countryside. How very peaceful it was, stood leant up against a tree just listening to Mother Nature.

Walking back towards the village, I always get a feeling of being welcomed when I approach the signs. That is obviously the intention. The Council workers work very hard keeping the village neat and tidy, regardless of the weather! Temperatures get very high in the summer months making outdoor work uncomfortably hot.

This is a recent addition to the welcome sign, you might be wondering what it says? The translation is: Thank you for 800 years of Kisszékely. The village settlement is 800 years old which automatically called for lots of celebrating amongst the villagers.

And the other side: Come back to Kisszékely!

Baratok Tava – Meaning Baratok Lake This fishing lake has verified medieval origins which is quite unusual. The lake access is down a steep path winding through the trees until you come to a clearing and there is Baratok Lake. 

This was the first thing I photographed when I reached the clearing, “Sunny Gerrie’s” an expression my husband and I use to describe geraniums!!

At first look at the lake I spotted this white, what I thought was a discarded rubbish bag…it was moving slowly, I assumed propelled by the wind…but it got faster and faster until I squinted through my camera some more, extended the zoom and realised that it was a remote controlled boat!

I had not seen boats on the lake before other than an odd rowing boat. This was new to me…then I spotted the men on the opposite bank, remote control in hand looking pleased with themselves.

Normally I encounter this sort of lake activity – fishing! It is not free to fish, apparently you need to buy a pass for a nominal fee to enjoy the fish of this lake. I have never tried fishing, it does appear to be a popular sport in all the rural villages of Hungary.

My first thought when I looked down the length of the lake was Tranquility. I can understand fishermen coming down here for day fishing, it is so peaceful and has such beautiful surroundings.

I love the magnificent Weeping Willows. They bow their lengthy branches almost to the the waters edge, but not quite! I took photos from both sides of the lake.

This is Baratok Lake’s seasonally decorated fishing pavilion. There is a covered veranda to the side if you wish to sit and appreciate the view of the lake. There is an information board with photos of various fish with their species name that live in this lake.

Around the other side of the pavilion is this garden scene where a little imagination is needed! It made me stop, look twice, then laugh!

This is such a welcoming Autumn photo. Those crunchy brown leaves were shouting to be walked upon. I enjoyed the pleasure!

Dotted around the lake are lots of wooden piers and a wide variety of seating arrangements. If I was going to be fishing and sitting for some time (which the majority of fishermen do) I would choose the green wooden bench. I could not contemplate sitting on that very flimsy uncomfortable looking chair in the second photo. However, it did make an interesting thought provoking shot.

This giant Weeping Willow stood silently as I took my first photograph. By the time I had finished walking and turned back the wind had suddenly picked up. It was now blowing, whooshing and whispering to itself. I do like the ‘sounds’ of nature.

Transformed into a Windy Willow!

Late summer colour continues to brighten up the village with gorgeous displays of roses and marigolds at many houses.

Magnificent marigolds brighten the path.

Abundant Berries and huge wood piles are a common sight. Preparations for winter, chopping and stacking wood is underway. Massive deliveries of uncut wood are unloaded by delivery trucks at this time of year, just like this one. Owners can then look forward to having a winter supply of fuel.

Berries
Logs for Winter
Name tag on a wooden pier

A very pretty stylish hanging basket display worthy of a photo.

This is the other lake in the village, complete with a firepit, benches for picnics and leaning trees. I shall do a lake tour of this lake another time.

Finally, Kisszékely is a walkers paradise with numerous forest walks throughout the area. Each walk is colour coded with information boards at regular intervals. For those who like running there is also an annual village trail race, running through the forests with people competing from all over the county.

I hope you have enjoyed accompanying me on my October walk with my camera. There will be more camera-walks throughout the year. Thanks for reading 🍁🍁🍁

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Super September Saunter round the pretty village of Kisszékely with my camera

What a beautiful day to take a walk around the pretty little village of Kisszékely, Hungary.

The September sun was shining and the birds were constantly chattering to themselves as I strolled down the main road with my camera.

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

Village life starts around 7.00 am or earlier in the summer months when the mornings are lighter. Most of the villagers had done their morning chores before I had even ventured out.

Lots of houses display window boxes full of colourful geraniums, they are long lasting flowers and do not need much attention, prettily adding a flash of colour.

There were however the usual grass cutters and people strimming their gardens. This road leads to the cemetery and is always well maintained by either the villagers or the local council.

The village has various properties for sale, some in better condition than others! Eladó means “For Sale”. The one on the left has this amazing Virginia Creeper running up the side of the wall, it changes to a vibrant red in late October. The one on the right is probably better for demolition and rebuilding.

For at least the past 6 years this house has been derelict with no sign up for sale. When someone dies in the village the younger generation would normally stay on and maintain the house. Sadly there are no jobs in the village for the youngsters so they tend to move away in search of better lives and careers, usually to the capital, Budapest. This means that houses lie empty for years.

Some of the abandoned properties are personalised with their name/date on the front door, like this one, dated 1925.

Our home has white plastic drop-down blinds! Some of the village houses have wooden shutters which close from the outside and even the newer renovated houses retain the traditional authentic wooden shutters. I rather like them. Blinds are essential to keep the homes cool over the summer months.

Most houses have some sort of iron railings bordering their property. This one is a fairly common design, the shadows make it interesting to look at.

Most families have at least one dog in their household. I have lost count of the number of times they have made me jump with their sharp barking. I tend to walk down the middle of the road to avoid them!

These interesting structures appeared in several gardens I looked at. In days gone by they would have been for hanging and smoking meat, probably pork.

The September flowers are always a delight to look at and photograph. I think this is a Hibiscus, but am unsure.

Colourful and sweet smelling roses are still blooming in everybody’s gardens, they love the warm weather we are having. My roses are in their third bloom.

The photo on the left is a Sumac tree producing long red flowers that produce a spice, a dye and also is added to medicine. They grow easily here in Hungary. The second photo I think this is a cotton bush adorned with beautiful fluffy heads.

I am totally stumped with this one. At first look, they appear to be conkers (Horse Chestnuts)….but the leaves don’t match!

Kisszékely has many walks and trails around the valley and forests. This is a typical sign indicating on a map where you are and what you can expect to see while out and about. Each trail is colour coded so as not to get lost!

Hungary has many forests and woods, so there is plenty of timber about. This is an upper floor veranda made of wood. A lovely private place to sit and relax.

Walking further up the hill a burst of yellow bobbing flowers looked stunning in the morning sunshine….

…and a lazy butterfly lapping up the sun.

As I glanced through the farm gates I spotted several geese making their way slowly across the grass. I smiled as they formed an orderly queue (except for the last one) and continued on their way. Perhaps looking for water, they certainly knew where they were going.

This is a sad sight to see here in Hungary. Unfortunately, it is very common to have dogs chained up on a permanent basis. I have no words for this sad looking dog.

Further up the hill, I was slightly shocked to see a middle aged man gardening in his underwear!! I was slightly shocked, so turned around quickly and took a picture downhill!!

It is not unusual to have your veggie plot or flower garden on the other side of the road to your house, this is an example of one. The roads are very quiet but it seems a little inconvenient!

There were plenty of wild flowers on my route attracting the many bugs in the air.

A very common sight was lots of red tractors, parked in random places. The first one is “Belarus” produced in the 1950’s and still going strong today. Our neighbour also has a “Belarus”, it is super noisy and puffs out loads of black smoke every time it passes.

This is a water pump, fresh water and drinkable. Water many years ago would come from a well and then pumps were installed on the road side enabling those without water to have it. Most are still in use today, for example, the builders across the road regularly fill their buckets with water for mixing cement, school children replenish their water bottles on the way to school. Watering the front verges outside your property (this is the owner’s responsibility) is easier using the water pumps.

We have many feral cats in the village, all of them very shy and cautious. Here are just three of them, wandering around. They often come in our garden but flee the minute you approach them.

Every village has a church, this is ours, St George’s. This Saturday there will be a jubilee mass to celebrate the 200th anniversary of its consecration, quite an occasion for the village.

Most villages have a pub called a “Kocsma” in Hungarian. It opens early…so not unusual to see customers sitting outside at 7.00am in the morning! The second picture a little further down from the pub is a memorial statue sitting amongst a sweet smelling rose garden. It is also where Thursday market sellers come and sell their wares.

All around the village residents have different sorts of letter boxes, here are just four of them. A post van comes daily to the village and if you hang a sign outside your house he will visit you personally. You can pay bills, buy phone credit, collect parcels, anything a Post Office would do. It is very handy. It also caters to those villagers who are less mobile and can’t get to the main Post Office in the next village.

September Flowers
September Berries

If you love horses then Kisszékely is the place to be. There are several riding stables located here and you can take a horse for a stroll around the village and into the forests.

Bright and cheerful houses occupy the village, here are examples of just two of them. Hungarians appear to like colour, it does cheer the village up and makes directions easier!!

Homes that have cliffs backing them tend to have caves sunk into the rock, these are then used for storage or in some cases for wine making or storing fruit and vegetables over the winter season. There are many of these in the village.

My final photo is significant…this is our gardener’s wheelbarrow adapted over the years for easier transportation. It is left on the verge ready for its next job…we are lucky there is minimal crime in the village and it will still be there until he needs it again.

Thank you for reading my post. If you can identify any of the plants in my photos, please let me know what they are in the comments. Very much appreciated and many thanks.

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. 😃

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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

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.

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Lakeside Autumn Delights, Kisszékely, Hungary

A colourful photo-walk with my camera along the beautiful banks of the lakes of Kisszékely, Hungary

We are so fortunate to live in such a picturesque village set in a very green lush valley with two large fishing lakes. The lakes are full of carp, and attract the fishermen from far and wide. There are often weekend competitions. The lake is also home to a huge variety of wildlife including herons and various wild ducks.

Passing through the village this young goat eyed me as I took a photo of him through the undergrowth. He has his own little lake although I suspect it is just waterlogged!

We also passed this staggering Sumac tree, a very common sight throughout the village. The berries are ground into a spice and used in cooking, it has a lemony taste and is beautiful in salads.

Approaching the lake the trees are changing colour rapidly giving a bright warm ambience. The sign indicates our path, it means “Quiet Place”.

Another view of the lake with the dense forest surrounding it. Wild deer live amongst the trees and often venture out onto the roads.

A seat is always welcoming especially one surrounded with bronzed leaves! A time to reflect and admire the views.

A path surrounds the lake but does not go all the way round. Raphael my walking companion …was slightly bored waiting for mother to finish taking photos! I walk slowly, I stop frequently and take lots of photos…he knows that!

This was my view across to the other side of the lake, with the small fishing jetties scattered along the bank. Today there were no fishermen trying their luck.

With blue skies and still waters the reflections are just glorious. Each time I visit the reflections, like the trees, change.

This tunnel of trees beckoned us to walk down its weathered path, inviting us to look further. This certainly is a peaceful place amongst beautiful surroundings, no wonder it’s called “The Quiet Place”.

The tall majestic trees lined the banks of the lakes, each one displaying its own individual beauty.

This is the second lake a few metres further along the main road. I like the combinations of trees better than lake one. It is more pleasing (for me) to the eye. I especially like the Weeping Willows.

Sycamore in the sunshine! They are unbelievably crunchy underfoot!

Finally, strolling home I looked up and was treated to a flock of geese noisily migrating for the winter. I heard them way before they became visible. What a noisy bunch!

This is the last picture which I had to add…walking home along the main street we were greeted by these elegant chickens, a reminder that we are living the rural life and this is perfectly normal here. Ha!

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Ambling around Kisszékely Church grounds – Hungary

October 2020

Kisszékely church grounds

Sometimes I just like to take a gentle walk around the village church grounds. It seems to clear my head and freshen my outlook.

I have lived in a village before when I was a child but all my adult life I have been a city girl!

Now it’s….

Returning to live the village life and taking a step back in time is very rewarding. The villagers mostly live off the land, sometimes a very frugal, simple life. They work very hard but are always jolly and friendly. The village community have welcomed us enthusiastically and it would seem, we fit in nicely. We are the only permanent English family living here.

Kisszékely main street, complete with a shop, pub and church. Winter.

I love to hear the church bell, but did not realise the significance of the daily bell toll. It rings at 5.00 am, I assume to call worshippers to this Roman Catholic church.

Kisszékely church, Hungary, built in 1823 in the neo-classical style.

I was curious, so did a Google search and found these explanations for the daily bell toll at 12 noon and 7 pm.

Why do the bells ring at noon?

“Fearing that Christianity might succumb to the Ottoman Empire, Pope Callixtus III ordered all the bells of every European church to ring at noon, as support for the Christian forces in the battle. It worked, Ottoman forces withdrew and the news of victory reached Europe. The bells at noon became bells of victory.”

Why do the bells ring at 7pm?

“In association with the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, bells in cathedrals, churches and other locations will ring out at 7pm in a collective celebration of peace.“

During the summer months I hear the 5.00 am bell (the windows are open) and the whole village becomes alive with activity. Hungarians tend to live around the daylight hours, setting off early to the fields in their tractors as soon as it gets light.

Kisszékelyi Római katolikus templom: Meaning, The Roman Catholic church of Kisszékely.

My walk took me up the hill to get a good autumnal photo of the church. The changing colours of the trees at this time of year are sensational.

I was pleasantly surprised when I reached the top of the hill to see a brand new lavender field right behind the church. How lovely for the worshippers to get wafts of lavender when arriving or leaving the church.

Walking past the lavender field and around the corner a welcome seat beckoned to me. I wondered how many stories had been told on this seat? I sat a while and enjoyed my surroundings.

The church steps are steep and well worn. A marathon for anyone! I admire the people visiting on a regular basis. The walk down was lovely. Slightly concerning was the fallen tree!!

Many engraved stones made up the steps, cracked and weathered but still a beautiful reminder of those no longer with us.

Bursting with colour the berries and the leaves looked beautiful in the afternoon sunshine.

By now I had left the church and made my way up the side of the valley. Even the vines on top of the hills were a multi-coloured delight.

Walking higher this was what I could see. A typical Hungarian village scene, houses nestled in the valley with wisps of white smoke escaping from the chimneys below.

From my vantage point I could see the church popping out of the landscape. A beautiful sight.

Time to head back home passing this little gem of a tractor in someone’s garden. No doubt it will be working the fields sometime soon!

A very pleasant circular walk around this surprisingly pretty village of Kisszékely, Hungary.

Do you like walking, exploring your surroundings and discovering new things to photograph and enjoy? It gives me lots of pleasure, and an opportunity to photograph things that I would never have seen living in the city. I am thankful to be settled in the countryside.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Walking the “Wine Way” Kisszékely, Hungary

October Walking Trail – Kisszékely

October Sights to Surely Delight!

We woke this morning to a frosty Hungary! By midday the frost had disappeared and the skies were blue. Raphael and I decided to venture out for another interesting walk along one of Kisszékely village trails.

Kiss Street and the start of our walk.

Pretty orange berries lined our walk.

The sign indicates the coloured dots we must follow through the trail.

“Blackthorn Boulevard”

The trail took us off-road and into the forest. Access to various fields is gained from this path, each field high up on the tops of the hillside.

The path took us through the steep sided walls of the embankment. The dappled sunshine gave a gentle ambience whilst we walked…..

We were so engrossed in the scenery we did not initially hear a man’s voice shouting loudly, “Hello” “Hello”. We turned around and two men suddenly appeared out of a wine cellar in the hillside, carrying various vessels full of wine.

It is winemaking season here in Hungary and these 2 chappies were “doing” their wine. They stopped for a chat and insisted we try their wine! Of course, it would be rude not too, and considered an insult if I had refused. Hungarians are very proud of their wine making abilities and competition is strong amongst the villagers, with gentle rivalry very normal.

The conversation as you can imagine, consisted of odd words and much sign language. My Hungarian is not great, we laughed a lot. They seemed to want to give us more wine but we had to carry on along the trail.

We have walked this trail before and recognised the still fallen tree over the path. The massive trees roots still exposed on the hillside and protruding in unusual shapes gave it an eerie feeling.

Raphael, curious about his surroundings began surveying the boulders and vegetation.

Determined to climb “up” in any way possible, he made a few attempts to scale the rock face!

After he had made several time consuming attempts at the stone face he abandoned it so we could continue along the trail further into the forest. All we could hear was the constant chatter of the overhead woodpeckers and their incessant tapping.

We crunched along the path stepping on these many seed pods from the overhanging trees.

Soon the landscape started changing, we rounded a corner and the hillsides became incredibly steep and dark.

Suddenly we came to a huge clearing with this quaint cottage just sitting there surrounded by trees. It reminded me of the fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood”!

Raphael was keen to take a closer look, whilst I took advantage of the picnic table for a breather. I am not sure if this a residential property or if it belongs to the Forestry Commission. Either way it is very pretty.

It certainly is a very peaceful location.

As is usual along these forest trails, boards are strategically placed for walkers to get an idea of the natural habitat and its inhabitants.

I was on the look out for fungi/mushrooms and came across these beauties. I do not pick wild mushrooms but they are super pretty to photograph.

Our walk was coming to an end, Raphael and I had picked up sticks along the way….. to aid walking he said! He was right! We made our way back with our acquired walking sticks trying to avoid the many falling acorns as we went.

Mother Nature continued to enchant us later that evening. The sky decided to explode into an array of colours just before sundown. What a beautiful way to end our day.