There's a bakery right next to where I live, which is really good for breakfast. I've been going there pretty consistently since I got here, and since the beginning I knew that there was always some frustration between me and the workers. If I had to guess, I'd say it started on the first day when they realized that I didn't speak a word of Hungarian, and then when I tried to pay for a 200 forint pastry with a 10,000 forint bill. But, the tension has finally subsided--I had my first english-free encounter today. I started off by saying "see yah", which oddly enough is "hello", and then pointed at what I wanted and held up my index finger to indicate 'one'. Since I had gotten the same thing a many times before, when she told me the price in Hungarian I had exact change ready, and then said "thank you" in Hungarian. All in all, I think she was pretty impressed at how well I've adjusted. She'll tell her coworkers, and word will spread.
Also, I went to a small town just north of Budapest called Entendre or something like that, which is a little touristy city on the Danube, with some really great views. I went with a group of 7, and we tried to have a picnic, but got attacked by mosquitoes. I took some pictures, and as promised, here they are---
I think this is called the Plague Cross, and on the right is some cool building in Budapest.
This is me with the Danube in the
back. The views from Entendre were amazing.
So, I think that's enough for now. Hope everyone is doing great. Let me know of any new developments.
I think this is called the Plague Cross, and on the right is some cool building in Budapest.
This is me with the Danube in the 
6 comments:
Nice pix, Kyle. The town you visited is Szentendre. Here's a little history for your blog readers out of the NYTimes:
At its center is a florid Baroque cross erected in 1763 by a Serbian merchants' guild to mark the bypassing of Szentendre by an epidemic of the plague -- although it is now at the focal point of the recent outbreak of commercialism.
During the Bubonic plague, farmers would bring their food to a plague cross, then later, townspeople would go and take the food, putting money in a box...so as to prevent infection from human interaction.
Szentendre (accent on sen - first syllable) was built by the Romans as a garrison in the 1st c. ad. Celts lived there next.
The town went through a number of reincarnations until, thanks to its complete demolition during its invasion by the Turks, it was rebuilt in the late 17th century with the unified Baroque face that remains today.
The new settlers were mostly Serbian insurrectionists fleeing the Ottoman Empire after the fall of Belgrade. They were followed by Hungarians, Germans, Slovaks, Greeks, Romanians and Dalmatians.
Serbs gave the town Mediterranean overtones. Seven Baroque Orthodox churches, with pear-tipped steeples, can be found nowhere else in Hungary. They each represent one of the seven communities from which the Serbs came.
The Serbs later left- another story...You'll have to explain the serb/croatian conflagration to us after you learn more.
Very interesting...good pictures. You're beginning to look like Moses with your long wavy hair. Don't know if God will call on you to do miracles.
Happy to hear you're communicating, even if it takes both body & facial languages. Isn't it amazing how human beings across the world are divided by their culture and languages.
Like Georgia said, the land was occupied by so many different cultural groups: Turks, Celts, Greeks, Serbs etc..
That reminded me of the Tower of Babel in the Bible. When God caused confusion in the language of the people so they cannot communicate with each other.
As you can see, knowing a different language and being able to communicate is an important skill.
P.S. Try not to pay for your pastry with 10,000 forints. You are running low on your bank. Check it often so you don't overdraw.. :)
i like pictures..., and you should get a tumble-log. check it out at tumblr.com,
my friend has one for his china SA experience (andrewseid.com)
wow kyle, im glad that you informed of your blog. you were probably just being a trickster and wanted me to find it on my own, out of desperation to know how one of my true good friends is doing in a far away land....im glad to see your face...nothing gay or anything. you dont seem any skinnier at all which is bad becuase i plan on being three times bigger than you when you return, and i mean straight muscle! ill try not to write on blogs or facebook walls anymore until i get your address, becuase id much prefer to write. much love--nick--
oh and remind me to tell you about an idea i have...it's revolutionary and i need some insight...good stuff!
Post a Comment