Category Archives: Weekend Plans

The Szeged Zoo

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Opened in 1989, the Szeged Zoo is the youngest zoo in Hungary. But despite being the new kid on the block, it is the largest zoo in the country. Györgyi and I wanted to visit for a while, and when the weather finally permitted, we headed over there for the afternoon.

The zoo itself is spacious, wooded and quiet. And addition to its lovely inhabitants, it seems as though the zoo safety committee has a sense of humor:

Ouch! I love these.  Very macabre. But honestly, I’ve lived in Hungary long enough to know that Hungarians need clear, vibrant threats in order not to break rules, such as not crossing into restricted areas and petting the Savanna’s carnivores.

 

The young giraffes and meerkats were definitely the highlights of the day.

 

Especially because despite the enclosures, you could really get close to the animals. There is something pretty thrilling about being a few feet away from a tiger, lion and panther.

Another great thing about the Szeged Zoo is that they have a whole area dedicated to regional animals and animals typical to Hungarian farms, past and present. Farm dogs, mangalitsa piglets and sheep.

This area seemed to be the highlight for little kids, especially because it featured a petting area.

 

I just couldn’t get enough of those safety signs though. I love the expressions on the faces of the safety sign bear. If he wasn’t chewing your fingers down to their bones, he looked concerned about you drowning or getting electrocuted.

We were at the Budapest Zoo maybe two years ago, and it was nice in its own way. But there was something sort of disappointing about gazing into the wrinkles of the elephants while trying to block out the noises of honking cabs and tour guide megaphones. The frantic energy of the Budapest Zoo made me feel sort of sorry for the animals.

But the Szeged Zoo has the same essence of the city of Szeged. Calm. Relaxed. No one and nothing is in a hurry to do anything except enjoy the day.

It was hard to get an animal to stay awake long enough to take a decent picture. I felt pretty good about that.

Mrs. Peacock with the Pisztoly

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During a recent trip to Tesco, I had the overwhelming urge to play Clue. For those of you who didn’t play board games between 1940 and 2011, Clue is a simple little murder-mystery game. I’m not sure if kids are encouraged to play these types of games anymore, lest their sensitive imaginations turn toward the macabre. Though every generation has their dangerous games. My mom and her sister favored mumbly-peg, the cherished, outdoor game where kids threw pocket knives at each other’s bare feet.

When I saw the game at our local Tesco, I had to have it. So last weekend when we had a few friends over, we decided to play Cluedo, as it is called outside of North America. It was actually a lot more fun as an adult, especially when playing with four rather investigatively savvy central-European women. I was clearly out-matched.

Barnabas didn’t make it past the first round.

Fridays

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It’s Friday at noon.  I know this for certain because I can hear the church bells ringing. The sound has carried across the river from Dom ter where the seminary students are scuffling through the corridors trying to make midday prayer. Do church bells still ring out midday in America? I’m not sure. I know they rang in Slovenia, and in Prague too when we were there two springs ago. Maybe it’s exclusive to Europe and small towns. And to churches who still has a person willing to climb into the tower and grab the rope.

Last night we drove around the city a little bit, hunting tree shadows on side street garages. Then we went out for pizza and a few beers.  We called it “going out for a soup” so that we wouldn’t feel too guilty for indulging a little bit before the weekend. But it’s been sort of a celebratory week. Last week I found out that dancing girl press is going to publish my chapbook, Slap Leather, next fall! Yay. And on top of that we finalized our logo for the new company.

So, January is settling in. The weather should be pretty enjoyable this weekend here. A full 50 and sunny tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it, and also to the Steelers game. On Sunday we’re planning a little day trip to a flea market. Some people apparently sleep in their cars outside to get the first rush-through. Others bring torches to light the 5 a.m sightline when the doors open. O winter weekends–szeretlek!

Visegrád, Esztergom & St. Stephen’s Skull Wrapped in Chiffon

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The last week has been a rainy mess, so we have been a little bit off of our itinerary plans. Luckily we had a relaxing week in Budapest before the majority of our other traveling begins (Monday we are off to Florence).  Last weekend there was a little spot of sunshine and we drove to a few neighboring towns.

Our first stop was Visegrád, which is a town 40K north of Budapest and right on the Danube. The real attraction there is visiting the fortress and getting the most spectacular view of the Danube bend. The Roman initially built a fortress in Visegrád, but the Mongols destroyed it in 13th century. The fortress that we explored was rebuilt in the 13th century when the Mongols left Hungary, during the reign of King Béla IV.

After Visegrád, we drove another 20 minutes northwest to Esztergom to visit its beautiful basilica. Esztergom is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary and it has played a really important religious and royal role through the centuries.  The official name of the basilica is the Primatial Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed Into Heaven and St Adalbert.  The title makes me feel a little sorry for the after thought that is St Adalbert. The build itself is the tallest in Hungary and the the 18th largest church in the world. But that’s not all. Plopped down right in the corner in a nice little glass case is the old skull (and a few other bones) of St. Stephen, wrapped, delicately, in white chiffon.

We ended the night by visiting our favorite trout restaurant on the side of the road between the two cities.  Trout, almonds, steak potatoes, huge salads and beer was the perfect reward to a very full (and holy) day of traveling.

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August 20th

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I try to start out each morning with a perfect long coffee espresso. Sometimes I add 7.5 grams of 10% cream and sometimes I add 2.5 grams of raw sugar. The star, of course, is the espresso.

In college, or after when teaching, I could pound a liter of black coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts on my way to school, especially before an early class.  And there were plenty of nights in grad school when I had to stay up late defending theory papers fueled forward only by fear and a venti latte from Starbucks.

I think that moving to Europe really brought out my love for coffee, which I think is central to many Americans. Only I didn’t know how wrong I had been drinking it for so many years.

I’ve told my parents to start practicing on cappuccinos before they come here in less than two weeks. I hope to convert them during their time abroad.

We’ve been running around so much getting ready for my parents, in addition to travelling back and forth from Budapest and Szeged for weddings, that I almost forgot that tomorrow is August 20th and a national holiday.  The day is to celebrate saintiness of King Stephen, though it actually commemorates the anniversary of the holy relic (Stephen’s mummified right forearm and hand) arriving in Budapest. I don’t think it travelled here on its own, but if it did, that would really be something to celebrate.

You can read about my August 20th experience last year here.

We probably won’t be attending any of the festivities this year, though we might watch the fireworks tomorrow night from the part of the river near to our flat.

If you are in the city I don’t even have to urge you to see the fireworks because basically all of Budapest shuts down for them. And they are really a site, so make your way to the river if you get a chance.

As for me, I’m spending the weekend getting excited for my family’s first visit to the “old country” by preparing things for the flat they are going to stay in, and of course stocking up on gin and tonic.  I’ve never been the type to wish away the summer, but this year, I’ve just been looking forward so much to their arrival that I find myself literally counting down the days. So I guess I’ll celebrate that the month is almost over and the fun is about to begin.

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.

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.

Thirty Flames

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So yesterday was my 30th birthday.  It’s shocking to even type that now.  I remember when I was 10 and thought… in just six years I’ll be driving.  I was in the car with Mom on Misty Lane in Copley, Ohio.  And later that night she pulled to a stoplight on Route 18 (this was way before it became an eyesore of commercial development)– and she turned to me and said Don’t EVER do this!– before drag racing a black truck next to us, then pealing onto the interstate.  She won. I hope ten years from now, when I’m the age she was then, I can be that cool.  These might help:

Woo!  Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Györgyi got me these for my birthday.

And my parents sent me the most beautiful turquoise bracelet:

Györgyi also gave me a beautiful ring (story to come in another post):

It’s white gold and ivory and has a Hungarian folk-inspired design to the pattern. It was created by a very rad local jewelry artist, Bence Fördős. His pieces are very unique—think jewelry journeyman meets 22nd-century metallurgist.

So it’s just the beginning of the weekend here and tonight we’re going out for “Mexican” food and margaritas with some friends. And then I suppose I’ll get back to the business of starting my 30s.

It’s off to a bright start, I think.  Györgyi paraded out the cake with 30 candles last night.  And I bowed my head and shut my eyes tightly to make my birthday wishes for the decade ahead of me.

Then I set a little bit of my hair on fire.

Szeged, Bricket & Barnabás’ Booze

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I’ve had a pretty busy week. Organized some submissions, wrote a few letters, revised a paragraph and line here and there, and so on.  On Wednesday, Györgyi had to do some work in Szeged so Barnabás and I tagged along.  I’m not sure if I ever said this on the site, but we have a second apartment in Szeged, which we lovingly refer to as the pit because when we bought it, the city started doing construction on a new tram line just down the road and there was dirt and huge holes everywhere ( & I also greedily and frequently steal lines/concepts/jokes from the best show on television, Parks and Recreation.)

So back to Szeged.

The weather has been so nice here, and even though it rained a little bit on Wednesday in Budapest, it was sunny in Szeged (the City of Sunshine)! So we went to the park in the late afternoon and let our beast run around. We tried to deter Barnabás from going up to old ladies in the search of food by throwing a Frisbee around, but we ended up playing ourselves. Unfortunately now, at nearly six years old, he is a dog who never really learned how to play at anything, so he just looks at us like we’re total dummies when we try to get him to run and chase something. Györgyi has slowly been able to make him bring a tennis ball back to her when we’re in the apartment, but it only lasts for about 10 throws before he runs and hides with the ball on the deck or under the pillows, growling and barking at it.  And that play has taken about a year of repetition.  (Which is just a little odd since he learned how to shake in about 15 seconds when he was getting rewarded with food).

All of the trees are in bloom or are blooming this week. And it feels like a whole new world again.

We wanted to have an early dinner outside, to enjoy the nice weather, so we headed to the restaurant we always go to in Szeged, Kiskörössy Halászcsárda. We call it the fish soup restaurant because that’s what they serve.

Since we didn’t have much to eat all day, we ordered a little appetizer of fish “cracklins”, which is not the same thing as southern cracklins. But, almost as good for you! These are little fish pieces, the best bits that no one eats except in the soup, fried. The best parts, in my opinion, are the cheeks and the roe (eggs). And you can see from my picture the big cauldron of soup. Hungarians LOVE cauldrons and cooking savory things inside of them. I wish someone made chocolate mousse in a cauldron that big.

As we finished eating, we watched the Hungarian summer Olympians (kayak and canoe) who were training on the Tisza River. They won many gold medals in Beijing, so I suppose they aren’t wasting any time in training for the London summer games (and also why they weren’t eating fish cracklins). They looked amazing on the water. The fluid drag of the oars was so calming to watch, and how shoulder to arm to water look like one long limb.

They turned around soon after though because a giant storm cloud was approaching. We ended our meal and made it back to the car before any rain fell. These days are one of the reasons why I really adore Szeged. Budapest is an amazing city to live in. You can find almost anything and do almost anything (except get a coffee before 08:00). But once in a while it’s nice to have a quiet day and a dinner outside on the bank of an old river.

And since it’s Friday, I hope that everyone will have a fun and safe holiday weekend. I’m not making ham because I hate it. I find it torturous to eat, to tell you the truth. So I’m pulling out some Passover recipes instead. Györgyi has secured a 3kg brisket (or as she calls it, bricket) from a Buda butcher, and we’re planning on spending some quality family/friend time in Budapest.  (And with a little attention, hopefully keep Barnabás bácsi away from the booze.)