Tag: nature

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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 🍁🍁🍁

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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.

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Everyday Life in Hungary

Storks, Sunflowers and Sunsets!

Storks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunflowers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunsets

“Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn“

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

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

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

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

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset”

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

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

“Sunsets, a farewell to the day”

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

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

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

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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.

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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.

Categories
Everyday Life in Hungary

Cruising around pretty Tamási, Hungary

Tucked away behind the main town of Tamási is Tamási wildlife and game park. A large forested area open to the public to see the deer in their natural surroundings. Unfortunately, I could only explore the grand approach to this huge fallow deer park but not go inside due to the Covid19 virus.

At this current time the forest park is closed but there is lots of information about the history and location to be found here.

The approach road follows a good sized pretty lake with vantage points all the way round. I am not absolutely sure about the history of this quaint wooden building but I think it’s a love house??

Weeping Willows and rushes surrounded the lakeside which gave such a romantic feel.

I could see the little wooden house between the rushes. A young couple stood in the perfect beauty spot, oblivious to me taking photos. They were actually the only people I saw on my walk.

The little wooden bridge to the the love house.

The romantic bridge I crossed to reach the love house had hundreds of padlocks on it. A common sight in the capital Budapest but the first time I have seen this tradition in rural Hungary.

My last picture of the love house, after much patience and waiting the young couple finally left. I returned over the bridge and carried on.

The lake looked rather brown today from this angle, which was a shame as I have seen it bright blue in the past. I always like to look at the various boards dotted around in these forestry parks. I might not be able to understand the text but I look at the pictures to glean my information.

My trusty companions, my son and my husband fed up with waiting for me…they don’t mind really! 😉

One half of the lake was set aside for breeding frogs….there were hundreds of them making a hell of a noise!

I came across this MASSIVE tree trunk, with beautiful mosses growing all over it. It was quite magnificent. I rather liked the fence too, perfect for our garden, I have pinched the idea!

Leaving the deer park behind we ventured up into the hills surrounding Tamási. Every turn we made led us through many attractive little lanes, quite charming.

At the highest point, I looked back and realised how steep the road was and how high we had climbed. This chap stood majestically at a crossroads with his bunch of grapes at his side, this was vineyard country!

I don’t think this property was occupied but it made me look twice particularly at the thatched roof.

Castle, Wine Museum, Viewing Spot.

We did not see the castle but we did get some spectacular views and enjoyed driving through the many vineyards.

Stunning view across the flat terrain of Tolna County Hungary.

We passed the satellite aerial on the way up, you can see the vines in the foreground.

Finally just a bit of fun: These shots were taken by my son, of me taking shots of the wooden love house!

We had an excellent family drive out with lots to see and photograph. We finished our trip with a picnic of Gyros chicken with salads and sauces in wraps from our favourite place in Tamási… Dam Gyros.

There are so many beautiful interesting places to explore all just on our doorstep. We are so lucky. Watch out for more walks around the charming villages and settlements in the Hungarian countryside.

Do you like exploring new places? I do. I would love to hear of new places in Hungary which are worth taking my camera too. Drop me a line in the comments. Many thanks.