the big visit

So, amazingly enough, we had some friends from NY visit lil old Hungary this past week.  The week was full of LOTS of wine, LOTS of sun, LOTS of laughing and LOTS of adventures.

I think we really fit everything in, visiting Budapest, then Eger, then "the weekend house," and finally the mountains.  All the food that I've been loving these past few months were tried and tested by the NY-ers and they LOVED it as well (--Sometimes so much that someone was ordering 2 meals in one night!)

me, ay and ben's mom enjoying a mid-afternoon wine break

out to a delicious dinner with a little froccs!

jumping shot in the pest square

that dingy hole-in-the-wall BEAN place that I cant get enough of!

Wine tasting down in the "Valley of Beautiful Women"

It was so great that they got to come visit.  We were talking about how pictures and words on this thing can never compare to actually being here in Hungary.  Pictures and words can't really do it justice--there is an unmistakable vibe here.  Pictures don't let you taste the food or admire all the architechture at once, and pictures don't always show the beautiful pale colors of the buildings. 

They said they never would have thought Hungary had so much culture, food, and life to offer.  Back in the states, we don't hear very much about this tiny little country because they stay out of the news and out of the drama!  People here just want to enjoy their wine, drink their ever-flowing mineral water, and "enjoy the life." 

I'm just really glad I was able to share this experience with them, because now someone else gets it.  They understand why it will be hard to leave after living here, and they were here to feel and get to know this little city for what it's worth--which is so much more than I can type through my blog.

i have to leave THIS?

A bigger entry coming soon about shenanigans with my NY friends this past week.....but right now I just need to appreciate that these photos sum up my life here and I'm really going to miss it.

the days, they just go on by

Every day here is some kind of magical adventure.  Even with a "real job." Why would I give that up?  (The answer is pursue my dream-- which sometimes feels like some capitalist answer to a real dream, but whatever--no one really cares about that, do they?)

When I tell people June 17th is the day that a period ends this long saga of photography, exploration, nature, deep breaths of ridiculously fresh air, blogging, teaching, loving and living simultaneously...I always follow it with a lip pout.

...The truth is, I've found yet another home here.  I know that that is what happens when you live somewhere long enough, but once again the meanings of words are blurring when I travel to and from Hungary. 

"Coming" and "Going" don't feel like Coming and Going-- Somehow, it feels all the same even though these words are supposed to have completely opposite meanings. 

In the famous words of Conor Oberst, "You're either coming or you just left, but you're always on the way..."

life lesson 348

Make plans, but never take them too seriously....

Be flexible so that bumps in the road don't mess up your flow, only lift you up a little bit, and let you back down easy.  Be easy.  Think of your bod like it has "shocks," (Yes, like a car--maybe they call them shocks for a reason) and you don't want to wear them out.  So ride those bumps, get used to being jolted and shoved around, that way if you ever hit a smooth patch, you'll appreciate it more.  Smooth sailing is for the boring. 


...That being said, maybe planning on your plans changing can help you actually plan your future in a more successful way?

csipkéskút

This weekend we got to go to this awesome ranch at the top of one of the mountains in the Bükk.  A HUGE house, complete with 6 hotel rooms on the property, a coral with at least 40 horses, and even a dread-lock dog (a Puli!)

A lot of fresh air, bonfires, lots of people, about 30 liters of wine, fat on the fire (oh yeah, forget marshmallows here--they roast FAT!), nature, mountain biking, and being lacksidasical in the sunshine.







 We spent Saturday morning making dandilion chains......even the Puli,who's name was Negro, got one. I can't make this stuff up.

A few nights spent in the mountains is most definitely the best type of weekend that can be had.  No technology, no noise, and no worries.  Just trees, trails, air, and lots of giggling.

puli the dreadlock dog...the filthiest animal ever!

Check out his funny horse teeth

bogracs!

 

Think about having a birthday party with little kids on a hot summer day.  Now think about saying the word "popsicles," and think about the stampede of children you would get.  This was almost exactly the same, except bigger, smellier, and wayyy dustier!

This was the nightly "dinner time call." 

....It's 10 PM on Sunday night, and it only just started raining now :)