Monthly Archives: July 2010

Dózsa

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Last Saturday night we went to see a dance at Szeged’s open air theater. The production was called Dózsa and it was a folk-dance production about the life of Hungarian hero György Dózsa. For those unfamiliar with Hungarian history, just imagine they made a folk-dance production about William Wallace.

György Dózsa was a 16th-century professional soldier of fortune and (probably) nobleman who became famous first for bravely defending the Kingdom of Hungary against the invading Ottomans. Leo X’s papel edic gave legitimacy to this Crusade and Dózsa was appointed the leader of the movement, recruiting students and peasants to fight.

Not surprisingly, the peasants and other lower classes weren’t paid well (or at all), fed or clothed, and they revolted. When the landowners and nobility demanded the peasants come home to work the fields, they banned together and started brutally killing the landlords, burning homes and castles to the ground. In fact, they nearly destroyed Buda.  Dózsa actually wasn’t all that thrilled with this turn of events, but he wasn’t able to control the peasants either.

Ultimately he was captured, along with some followers. He was brutally (with a capital B) tortured (forced to sit on a heated iron throne and a heated iron crown was put on his head, mocking his ambitions to be a leader or king). His followers fared even worse—some flesh pulling, mutilation, forced cannibalism.  Pretty horrifying medieval torture stuff.

It’s a little unclear why he was turned into a Christian martyr figure, though that was emphasized in the 19th century, after some record (and I use that term very loosely) of monks who claimed to see the Virgin Mary in his ear when he was dying.

Anyway, as usual, it all worked out for the Ottomans. Because after over 70,000 peasants were tortured, killed or suppressed, they didn’t really feel motivated to fight for the kingdom anymore, and the Ottoman Empire easily swept into Hungary (in some cases, even seeming like saviors).

The dance was spectacular, actually. There were amazing folk dances and even guest dancers from Turkey and Romania. Very high energy.  Amazing set design. During the death-scene Dózsa climbed into this HUGE iron helmet, which was set on fire. Plus being outside at the theater is incredible. The night air and cool breeze shooing away the heat of the day.

During the play they really emphasized the Christian martyr connection, with a brief part of the play dedicated to how Dozsa would fight for Capital Him, God, instead of the landowners and nobility. I found it to be bizarre, since it really changed the historical importance and legend of the man who, despite being a nobleman and with absolutely everything to lose, wanted to help the little guy.  If anything, his story shows how the papacy corrupted wholly and in cooperation with the wealthiest of the kingdom, something that wouldn’t change in Hungary, at least, until the 19th century. The resulting laws of the Hungarian Diet increased the status of the nobility and even further decreased the rights of the peasants.

While there were countless Christian warriors at that time fighting in crusades, and perhaps Dózsa and his men fought the Ottomans under that guise, when the peasant revolt began, it no longer had to do with fighting for some greater power, but rather fighting for the people.

Despite the glitches in historical accuracy, the dancing was really great, and isn’t that the important thing? I’m really glad that we got a chance to see it, and I hope that we’ll see another show this summer (hopefully an opera!).

Summer Rides

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Even though the summer heat has been really brutal the last few weeks (over 100 this weekend in Szeged), Györgyi and I haven’t missed out on a few really nice Friday evening bike rides. A bike is definitely the best way to see the city. In five minutes you can go from the top of the castle to St. Stephen’s Basilica, from Buda to Pest and into all of the secret nooks in between.

I have a feeling that throughout the history of Budapest, the square in front of the basilica probably hasn’t seen that many Marin Co. California beach cruisers like the one Györgyi rides. It looks good here, though.

There is an irresistible fountain next to Szabadság ter (Freedom Square) near the American embassy.

Every time I’ve gone by in in the last few weeks there are kids emerging, soaked, from the fountain innards, or disappearing behind its high wall of water.

It’s another great example of interactive public art in Hungary. And on a hot day, even the most proper people stick a leg or arm in. I road through about halfway during the afternoon. It was deliriously refreshing.

After dinner, we road to Duna Park, which is just a few blocks from our apartment, to have an ice cream sunday. Duna Park is home to the city’s most expensive club sandwich, which naturally and shamefully I adore. It’s also where all of the sunglassed Hungarian celebrities hang out. It’s like the Hungarian Ivy. But all of the starstruck mystique is lost on me because I don’t really know who they are, except for Fenyő Miklós, who lives nearby and is always there in his orthopedic training shoes and who Györgyi describes as the Hungarian Elvis.

Our last stop of the night was at Holduvar, the restaurant/beer garden on Margit Island. We ordered two large Fröccs, (pronounced fruch). It’s a favorite Hungarian summery drink that dates back to the late 19th century when Ányos Jedlik invented soda water.  Yes, a Hungarians invented soda water (and Vitamin C and the hologram and the ball point pen and genius hair and the ability to catch a cold from an open bus window).

Fröccs is a combo of wine and soda water. I have to pause here for a second because I’m guessing my mom probably just passed out hard reading about the sacrilege that is to combine wine and water (except in church).  BUT, it’s actually quite good and a perfect summer drink.

We stayed for just one drink before biking home. And it was enough. By about 11:30 all of the underage American kids had snuck out of their hostels and were piling around the bar in their hammar pants and American Apparel dresses. As soon as the first girl asked the bartender, “Do ya’ll have Sex on the Beach?” in her perfect Georgia accent, we were outta there.  That’s summer in the city. Kind of great all around.

Like Toddlers and Tiaras, but for Big Rigs

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This weekend Szeged will host the 20th Annual Truck Festival! The organizers say that there will be 400 trucks participating from all over the world, even the United States (do people really ship their semis to Hungary for this?!).

We saw the gathering last year across the Tisza and it looked like a roaring good time.  There will be a laser show, music acts and even a speed race (so keep your kids inside and off the roads, folks).

But the highlight will be the truck beauty pageant, which I guess is kind of like Toddlers and Tiaras, but for 12,000 pound big rigs.

I don’t know who made this poster but I want to shake his hand:

A cowboy hat on top of the Szeged sign?!  Part of a Dom cross accidentally masked out in Photoshop!  Trucks rumbling through what seems to be an American west desert road!  P-U-R-E genius.

Anyway we won’t be able to go because we have to attend a wedding and a carrot festival. But next year, I’ll be there with bells on.

Bike Night

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Friday evening I met Györgyi at her office in the Chain Bridge Palace. It was my first full weekend with my new bike and I wanted to take advantage of hitting a few of our old favorite haunts in one long, summer night out on the town.

We rode up the castle to a little back alley beer pub right next to the Labyrinth on Uri u. It has four tables and they are almost never occupied, except by locals, despite the tourist attraction next door. This is probably due to the fact that there are several big touristy pubs closer to the main castle roads. But with the lack of tourists also comes the lack of tourist prices, so it’s a pleasant place to sit for an hour before dinner. I haven’t been there for two summers, so it was really nice to go back.

We road back down around 7 in order to make it to dinner by our reservation time. In July, the sun brushes Buda with the most incredible light. From this view, we could see Fisherman’s Bastion just peaking out of the greenery. And gliding down the castle road was the best cure for the evening heat that lingered all the way through dusk.

We had dinner at Iguana, local TexMex eatery. Luckily we called for a table just in time, because about 10 minutes after we arrived, the whole place was full. Györgyi is deep in thought here about whether we should have a shot of Tequila. We did. But just one. We didn’t want to fall into the river on our bike home.

Iguana is one of the only places in the city where you never hear anyone speaking Hungarian. This might have something to do with the fact that the American embassy is right next door, though American and Brit ex-pats and visitors are really skilled at sniffing out the Mexican joints in just about any town.

For our last stop of the night, we pulled into a riverboat two blocks from our apartment for a night cap. The sun had set and the sky and water were competing blue hues. It was nice to sit on a boat a little further away from the center of town, because the only noise you could really hear was the splashing water against the boat, the chatter beginning at the bars on the island, and the faint sound of the Roma fiddles as the dinner cruise boats passed the docks.

Only a few things lit the sky by the time we left. The dimming restaurant sign, missing the letters R and E, the kayak docks on Margit Island, and the tiny glow of the river bugs, which from a distance, you might confuse with stars.

New Bike

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So I finally got my dreamy, Italian city bike on Saturday. I was debating about the colors, but when I was in the shop, I just couldn’t resist the powder blue. Now she may not be as hip as Györgyi’s California beach cruiser, or one of my brother’s billion dollar mountain bikes, but riding through the deserted 13th district, past the watermelon vendors and public gardens where people were napping in the sun, seemed to make the city even more summery and spectacular on the back of the city cruiser.

July 4th weekend was really nice. It seemed like everyone in our district was away at the lake or pool so the streets were quiet. I made some typical American food along with a few personal bourbon peach pies, which I served with Vanilla ice cream. I’m not a religious person but if I had to have a ceremony, the personal peach pie would be heavily featured in the rite of communion.

I woke up on Sunday morning to find these little darlings.  Growing in salute of America’s birthday, no doubt.

Alfi

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I never like to post the same pictures here and also on Barnabás’ site, but today, since it was a guest appearance, I decided to do it. Alfi is Györgyi’s Dad’s dog–a faithful yellow lab and permanent resident of the river weekend house. If there was a complete dog opposite of Barnabas, it would be Alfi. He’s silly and carefree and calm, as opposed to Barnabas who is gradually becoming that crotchety camp counselor who roams the grounds at night screaming LIGHTS OUT. The two dogs do have fun together, even though Barnabas steals Alfi’s food, water, attention and territory.

Which is why when Alfi does get an opportunity for a treat, he almost can’t control his blissful excitement:

I absolutely cannot resist how adorable this look of profound anticipation. He is floating on pure joy.