Category Archives: Hungary

Happy New Year 2018

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It’s nearly mid-January and I have only just found the time to write this new year post. Even though we have up until the end of January in France to do so, it’s still better to wish people a happy new year within the first week of the month. But lack of time is the story of my life at the present. Working full-time as a freelance technical and legal translator (I am now certified with the courts as well), looking after a large house and garden, cycling in the warmer months and hiking in the winter seem to take up  most of my time.

Jean Michel with his sons on the left and my son and daughter on the right

After a delightful Christmas with all our children – my son from Boston, my daughter from New York and Jean-Michel’s sons from Brest and  Limoges – in addition to my brother,wife and three sons, from Sydney, we welcomed in the New Year in front of a blazing fire, with warm thoughts for all our family and friends.

The cathedral in Angoulême

Travel-wise, 2017 was not quite as exciting as 2016 when we spent three months away altogether. However, we had a welcome short break and change of scenery in Angoulême at the beginning of February, followed by a most enjoyable week in Cyprus at the end of March with warm days and blue skies. We particularly liked the northern, Turkish part of the island with its wonderful painted monasteries.

Kykkos Monastery in northern Cyprus

We came home to spring, always the best time of the year in the Loire Valley. In April we had a fun day in a vintage car traffic jam in Blois with our friends Susan and Simon who take visitors on tours of the Loire Valley in their 1953 Citroën Traction Avant. I checked out family photos of my baptism so we could dress the part.

Jean Michel and I dressed for the part

The end of April took us to the Médoc (a four-hour drive south) for another long weekend where we combined cycling with wine-tasting and a breath of sea air. Living in the centre of France means that we are well-placed for this type of excursion.

With our power bikes on the banks of the Loire

In May, we finally made the decision to invest in electrically-powered bikes for two reasons – to save our ageing knees and to free us from restrictions related to the lie of the land. Our plan was to go to Romania in June, a country we have avoided up until then due to its very hilly countryside. We were not disappointed. Jean Michel applied his usual thoroughness to choosing the right bikes for our needs and we can now go quite effortlessly up amazingly steep hills. In fact, I’m more worried going down but our disk brakes are reassuring.

Said to be the oldest grape vine in the world – in Maribor, Slovenia

So, on 1st June, we left Blois with our bikes on the back of the car for a holiday that took us to Lake Iseo in the north of Italy, Maribor in Slovenia, where we tested our ability to scale new heights on our bikes, Eger in Hungary where we nearly got washed away in a freak flood, then Sighisoara in Romania, home of Dracula and sister city to Blois, which we used as centre to visit the fortified churches of Viscri and Biertan.

Sighisoara, home of Dracula and sister city of Blois

Suceava was the next port of call from which we cycled to many very beautiful painted churches, reminding us of our visit to Northern Cyprus. In Marmures, we stayed with a Romanian family where the head of the house spoke French and we learnt a lot about this still very backward part of the country with its beautiful wooden churches and friendly people.

The wonderful town of Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic

We then started on the road back to France, via Levoca in Hungary, then the absolutely enchanting village of Czesky Krumlov in Czech Republic where our hotel had a garden overlooking the castle, the perfect place for a picnic in the evening twilight after a hard day’s riding. We then stayed in Slavonice before crossing into Germany and discovering Burghausen with its marvellous hillside castle. It was good to be back in a country where I could at least read the signs!

Sigmaringen on the Danube in Germany, near its source

To end our journey, we decided to return to our beloved Danube using the little village of Herbertingen as our base. Taking the train and cycling, we went as far as the source of the Danube at Donaueschingen.

View of Lake Iseo from the top of the hill

By the 28th June the weather was starting to deteriorate so we changed our initial plan to spend a couple of days in the Black Forest and went to Orta San Giulio in Italy instead where rain and shine alternated enough to let us ride around Lake Orta and up to the sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, at an altitude of 700 metres! Once again, our power bikes proved their worth. We arrived home via Lyon on 2nd July, having been in eight coutries and covered 5,000 kilometers.

The church of Souvigny on one of our local bike rides

In July Jean Michel went walking in the Jura Mountains for 9 days with his sons while I stayed home and worked, looking forward to my retirement in June 2020 more than ever! I did discover a bike route into Blois that avoids the main road though. We then cycled as much as we could during the weekend and evenings until the weather turned too cold.

The blue mosque in Istanbul

September took us for a week to Istanbul which we loved. We rented an apartment just next to Galacta Tower which proved to be the perfect location. It had a quiet little balcony and small garden which provided well-earned rest after a day out in the busy streets of Istanbul. We often set out quite early to visit the sites to avoid the crowds.

Our wisteria in spring

On the home front, our automatic watering system is up and running but we don’t quite have a mini Giverny as initially planned, mainly due to our clayey soil, but we are learning as we go.

View from the garden of our new rental apartment in the historical part of Blois

Renovation of the studio flat I bought last year is making progress at last and should be ready for holiday accommodation this summer. We plan to offer an 18th century decorative experience with all modern conveniences. It is ideally located in the most historical part of Blois known as Puits Chatel and even has a little shared garden.

Typical house in the historical quarter of Blois near the rental apartment

I’m still keeping up with my daily photo on Loire Daily Photo even though Aussie in France is vitually at a standstill but I hope to be able to post more in the future, especially when I retire!

A Lunch Stop at Gyor, Hungary

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We’re on our way to Ybbs an der Donau in Austria and Gyor seems like a good  halfway point. We arrive at 12.30 just in time for lunch. We find an indoor parking lot so we won’t be restricted with regard to time (we still have our two parking tickets from Szeged) and set out to discover the historical centre of Gyor which is Hungary’s third largest industrial town.

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We are immediately attracted by the centre. It’s spacious, clean and bright with many typical baroque buildings – the blue sky and sun help of course. We debate about whether to eat at what looks like the largest tourist restaurant in town  – Palffy’s – on the main square, Szechenyi Ter, and wander down to the Danube, taking photos on the way.

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Matroz Czarda with its vaulted ceiling and open door beckons to us (the temperature is not quite high enough to eat outside comfortably) and we are given a table for six as it’s the only one left. We both choose Hungarian ribs which turn out to be some sort of pork (no sign of ribs) with a tomato, onion and paprika sauce, served with French fries.  I’m happy with it but Jean Michel regrets the ribs.

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I see there are three different red house wines by the glass so I ask the waiter the difference. On is a wine and soda mix, one a cola and soda mix and the other straight wine. I later learn soda water was invented in Gyor.

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Next stop, the cathedral, Bazilika Szent Laszlo Herma, nearly a thousand years old, consecrated in 1033. Its neoclassic façade dates from 1823 and its baroque interior including a marble pulpit from 1743. What a mixture!

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I am keen to see the Xantus Janos Museum, which is said to house a good ethnic collection. Unfortunately it’s closed but we can’t find out why.

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We have a cup of coffee at Palffy’s for the view then return to the car park by which time it’s 3.30 pm. Next stop, Ybbs.

Cycling in Hungary – An experience

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It’s finally going to be warm enough to cycle – 16°C at 1 pm going up to 19°C at 3 pm. Jean Michel has checked all our Eurovelo 6 maps, plus the local map from the Tourinform office. We can cycle from Baja to Dunafalva, and back, he tells me, a round trip of about 40 K.  There are two villages along the way. I can already see myself cycling leisurely along the Danube and having a rest stop in a café or two along the way. with a view of the river traffic.

The Danube in Baja
The Danube in Baja

We set off from our hotel at 2 pm naively imagining that the itinerary will follow the river, but we can’t find the Eurovelo 6 signs. After a few wrong turns, we’re finally on the right road – an ordinary sealed road leading out of town that proves to be dead boring for about 8 K. We could be anywhere in the world – a levee with maize on one side and trees on the other, totally obscuring the Danube from sight and one flock of sheep.

A flock of sheep alongside the levee
A flock of sheep alongside the levee

Szeremle creates a small diversion with two churches and a stork’s nest on top of one of them.

You can just make out the stork's nest over the nave on the left
You can just make out the stork’s nest over the nave on the left of the white church

The levee road turns into gravel with quite a lot of pot holes but improves a little bit after about 5 K before becoming an easy sealed road that we share with cars. There is no real improvement in the scenary except for a couple of glimpses of the Danube.

The levee road with its potholes
The levee road with its potholes

We reach at sign saying Dunafalva/Danaudorf to the left but continue to the ferry that crosses the Danube to the village of Dunaszekcso opposite. However, time is getting on and the path on the other side of the river that will take us back to Baja is entirely along a forest and in the shade.

The ferry is close to the opposite bank, in the middle of the photo
The ferry is close to the opposite bank, in the middle of the photo

We try to find the centre of Dunafalva but we can’t even locate a church. It looks very rural. We have to navigate around chickens and kittens on the road. The pigs are behind a fence though. We see paprika drying on the farmhouse walls.

Paprika drying on the farmhouse wall
Paprika drying on the farmhouse wall
Some little porkies along the way
Some little porkies along the way

We eventually come to a café. called the Red Moon. I’m very excited because there is a sign on the wall saying Coca Cola, Coca Light and Coca Zero. About 7 or 8 are sitting in a sort of beer garden next to it and all have glasses in front of them. They look as though they’ve been there for a while. They greet us with bemused stares. Jean Michel goes inside the café and comes out with the news that they only have ordinary coke which is no good on an intermittent fast day.

The Blue Moon in Dunafalza
The Blue Moon in Dunafalzva

There is one other café further on, opposite a  new concrete church without a steeple. No one understands what we want.

An occasional glimpse of the Danube
An occasional glimpse of the Danube

We’ve now clocked up 27 K and decide to cycle the 22 K back without stopping so that we’ll make it to the hotel before dark. We take a rest at a picnic table in a park opposite an outdoor way of the cross and get on our bikes again. As we’re riding along the levee a dog starts running along beside me. It suddenly speeds up and crosses the path in front of my bike. I brake quickly and hear the dog squeal. Fortunately no one is hurt! We then take a very bad road instead of the gravel levee road and immediately regret our choice.

The outdoor way of the cross in Dunafalva
The outdoor way of the cross in Dunafalva

It’s getting cooler so I add socks to my sandals and we both put our windcheaters on. It’s a long, boring ride back with the exception of a horse and cart in Szeremle. I’m still hoping for a Coca Zero but the only possibility doesn’t have a terrace which means it will be full of smoke. Smoking is still allowed in bars and cafés in Hungary.

A horse and cart in the main road of Szemble
A horse and cart in the main road of Szemble

Tomorrow we are going to Austria and hope to find more attractive scenery along the Danube. I’m trying not to keep my hopes too high with regard to riverside gasthofs and gasthauses because we know it’s off season. Perhaps that way we won’t be disappointed. The last time we cycled on the Danube in Austria was along the S-bend in the beautiful Wassau region. which was absolutely stunning.

Baja and Pecs – a few surprises

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After our wonderful visit to Szeged with its beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, we arrive in Baja, our Danube destination for the next three nights.  We follow the Tom-Tom and arrive at Hotel Kaiser Panzio (pension) where we’ve booked an apartment as we would like a bit more space and the possiblity of doing a little microwave cooking for a couple of days. We are barely greeted by a sulky-looking woman at reception. She finds our booking and takes us to our ground-floor apartment. It looks like the photos on booking.com (including the strange bed) so we tell her it’s fine.

Our apartment with its strange bed
Our apartment with its strange bed

Before unpacking, I check the kitchen cupboards to see what we need to bring in from the car. They are completely empty. No crockery, no cutlery, no saucepans. Yet there is a stove, a sink, a refrigerator and an electric jug (no micro-wave). How very odd. We go back to reception and I explain in clear basic English that we won’t be able to cook. The woman brings us two plates, two cups and one set of cutlery.  She disappears again and brings back a greasy frying pan, two large flat saucepans and a soup ladle.

Still mystified, we unpack quickly and go shopping because it’s nearly 5 pm. We arrive at a bus station and are totally disconcerted. This is NOT what we were expecting. We manage to buy some white bread and yoghurt but can’t find anything resembling a supermarket. Then I spy an information panel. “Ah”, says Jean Michel, after examining it, “we went the wrong way.”

The fruit and vegetable store
The fruit and vegetable store

We head in the other direction and find the centre of the town which is much more reassuring. We catch a fruit and vegetable store just as they’re closing and a bakery that has wholemeal bread. I ask where we’ll find cheese. The lady says CBA as though it’s given and points the way. It turns out to be a supermarket where we find some Danish and Dutch cheese and a few other things to sustain us until tomorrow.

The main square in Baja at dusk
The main square in Baja at dusk

Back in our apartment, we find a few other annoying things such as the lack of space (there is furniture everywhere and you have to pull out the table to sit down). There are only three chairs although the apartment can sleep four. You have to have gorilla arms to reach the toilet paper and be over 2 metres not to drown in the shower. The dark red frayed towels are non-absorbent and there is nowhere close to the shower to hang them.

Because we carry out own wine glasses, corkscrew, plates, kitchen knives, bread knife, cutting board, salt & pepper, oil & vinegar, tea towels and washing up liquid we are able to have our aperitif and dinner and wash up afterwards. On the positive side, the bed is comfortable (not the pillow, but I always bring my own) and the apartment is clean and quiet.

The Eurovelo 6 bike route
The Eurovelo 6 bike route along the main square of Baja

Next morning, we go back into the centre of the town and are able to appreciate it more. It’s only 11°C  but it’s not rainy and should be 15°C and sunny in the afternoon. It’s 10 am and I am amazed to hear the chimes of the local church playing the Seekers’ Pierrot and Columbine song . I check it out later.

Baja church with the chimes
Baja church with the chimes

Tom Springfield wrote it for the Seekers in 1953 based the melody on the Russian folk song Stenka Razin (or Stenka Rasin). Stenka Razin was a Cossack rebel leader who led a major Cossack and peasant rebellion on Russia’s southeastern frontier in 1670-71. You can listen to the Seekers singing it here if you’re not familiar with the tune.

Tourinform closed!
Tourinform closed!

Our first destination is the tourist office as the Hotel Kaiser Panzio does not provide any maps or brochures. A sign indicates it’s the main square. We can’t find it. I ask at the Wellness Hotel and am sent to the other side of the square. After a long search we find a door that says “closed” and indicates that the Tour nform is on the other side of the bridge, 500 metres away.

Our cappuccino café
Our cappuccino café – we sat inside

This calls for a cappuccino. Jean Michel takes me back to the street on the other side of the square where he has a seen a likely-looking café with local ladies eating cakes. I have a mille feuilles that isn’t bad while he has a rocher. The cappuccino isn’t exactly Italian but it’s better that what you usually get in France and we pay a total of 4 euro.

View  of the Danube from the bridge
View of the Danube from the bridge – you can see we’re off season

We set off over the bridge to the tourist office. The girl is very friendly and helpful and gives me a brochure and map that she explains in English although she has a little difficulty in explaining anything I say. I think she might be more used to foreign English!

The market in Baja
The market in Baja

As we are walking back to the main square to buy more fruit and vegetables I see a man with parsnips sticking out of his shopping bag which makes me suspect a fresh produce market. Sure enough, over to the left, we find a large market with a lot of local producers. We do the rounds and finally buy tomatoes, capsicum, coleslaw  eggs and grapes.

Fruit and vegetable stalls at the market
Fruit and vegetable stalls at the market

We also find a cheese stall. The vendor helpfully says “sheep” in English, which I don’t understand at first because I think she’s saying cheese. She tells me the other cheeses are cow.

Our communication is a little rudimentary but all the prices are displayed and I demonstrate how much I want. Everyone gives us a little bit extra produce after telling us the total amount.  We smile a lot and try and manage to get our tongues around thank you (koszonom) and goodbye (isten veled). Unlike all the other European languages, Hungarian, along with Finnish and Basque, is not an Indo-European language which means it’s out on its own and doesn’t ressemble anything else.

Paprika at the market
Paprika at the market

We also buy a white lace doily for the chest of drawers in our guest room.  I’m sure that 4000 florint (13 euro) is far too much but the lady and her husband look as though they need a bit of extra money so I don’t mind. She throws in a small doily as well.

A sculpteur seen from the road on the way to Pecs
A sculpteur seen from the road on the way to Pecs

Delighted with our purchases we walk back to our hotel to put them away before driving to Pecs, about an hour away from Baja. But first, I need an external hard drive because my excessive number of photos (past and present) is clogging up my laptop. We go into a little out-of-the-way computer shop and are offered a hard case for  the equivalent of 10 euro into which we are to insert a 70 euro hard drive. I can’t  believe the prices and the fact that he doesn’t have one that’s already mounted. We decide to try somewhere else.

One of the mosques in Pecs
One of the mosques in Pecs

According to the Routard, Pecs is a “little jewel  of a city”. We are rather disappointed after Szeged although we there are lots of Austro-Hungarian buildings and the sun comes out which helps.

A church in Pecs
A church in Pecs

We start with lunch at Matyas Kiraly Vendeglo, which offers a set daily menu at 990 florints (3.30 euro). We have a very palatable egg soup and pork schnitzel with coleslaw and a sort of fried rice.

Tourinform in Pecs - hidden in an arcade as usual
Tourinform in Pecs – hidden in an arcade as usual

We eventually find the Tourinform, which is just as difficult to locate as anywhere else! A young girl rattles off the list of things to do in English but doesn’t really understand what I say to her.

Pecs’ main claim to fame is the Cella Septichora, which contains the remains of a 4th century early Christian burial ground. Apart from Pompei and Herculaneum I’m afraid I find it difficult to relate to ruins, especially when you can’t get an idea of the building as a whole.

The mediaeval university in Pecs
The mediaeval university in Pecs

There is also Hungary’s first university founded by Louis the Great in 1367.

The cathedral in Pecs
The cathedral in Pecs

The history of the cathedral, of impressive size, also dates back to the 4th century. Its present form is a Neo-Romanesque reconstruction that took place at the end of the 19th century.

The statue of Liszt commemorating a concert he gave in Pecs in 1846
The statue of Liszt commemorating a concert he gave in Pecs in 1846

By the time our parking metre runs out, my feet are killing me so we decide to forego a visit to Zsolnay Museum’s porcelain collection which I later learn is definitely worth a visit.

The inside of the cathedral in Pecs
The inside of the cathedral in Pecs

Before taking the motorway (we didn’t take it on the way to Pecs), we stop to buy our obligatory vignette in a Shell service station. A Gestapo-like lady gets quite annoyed with our dithering, especially when we don’t know our car registration number . I dash out and take a photo. The 10-day vignette costs 10 euro and allows us to go on all of Hungary’s motorways.

The only Art Nouveau building we saw in Pecs
The only Art Nouveau building we saw in Pecs

We also stop off at the Tesco hypermarket in the hope of finding a hard drive. We come across the same problem as before although they do have an all-in-one hard drive for 80 euro. I buy a 10 euro memory stick instead. We kill two birds with one stone and stock up on yoghurt and local wine as we’ve come to the end of our Italian stock.

The main square in Pecs
The main square in Pecs

Tomorrow, we’re cycling on the Danube at last because the temperature will be 18°C in the afternoon.

Szeged, Hungary – Art Nouveau at its Finest

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We have Andrea from Rear View Mirror to thank for our unique visit to the Hungarian city of Szeged today. She was lucky enough to enjoy it with both snow and sunshine! In 1879, the town was flooded and only 300 out of 5,500 houses remained. Most of the European countries contributed to its reconstruction resulting in one of the first examples of total town planning. Practically every style from the end of the 19th century is represented.

The town hall is the first building we see in Szedeg
The town hall is the first building we see in Szedeg

We arrived around midday and left at 3 pm with two parking tickets on our windscreen! The very nice girl in the excessively difficult-to-find tourist office said they she has been told that foreigners are not pursued for parking fines. Let’s hope so! There are different zones and you need to buy a parking permit from a newsagency. One day costs around 7 euro and you can park in any zone. That was the only negative point about Szeged!

Unger-Mayer house - you can just make out the dancing ladies on the cupola
Unger-Mayer house – you can just make out the dancing ladies on the cupola
Another attractive art nouveau building
Another attractive art nouveau building
The university building
The university building

We had an excellent “business lunch” in a restaurant called Alabardos Etterem es Borozo just near the Cathedral. We had a three-course meal, a glass of wine and coffee for 4000 florints for 13 euros for the two of us. I don’t think we have ever paid so little for a meal anywhere in the world!

The tourist office is hidden away in a courtyard
The tourist office is hidden away in a courtyard
The Reok Palace commissioned by hydraulic engineer Ivzn Reok, which explains its many water motifs. It reminds me of one of Gaudi's creations in Barcelona
The Reok Palace commissioned by hydraulic engineer Ivzn Reok, which explains its many water motifs. It reminds me of one of Gaudi’s creations in Barcelona
The corner of the Reok Palace, my favourite
The corner of the Reok Palace, my favourite

One of the town’s main attractions – the mosaics in the New Synogogue was not open due to a special ceremony so we were not able to see them.

The war memorial with its  vaulted fresques
The war memorial with its vaulted fresques
The cathedral, whose construction started in 1913, to commemorate the great flood, was finally consacrated in 1930
The cathedral, whose construction started in 1913, to commemorate the great flood, was finally consacrated in 1930
The inside of the cathedral
The inside of the cathedral

Another thing we noticed is that Szeged is a cyclist’s paradise. There are bike paths everywhere and bikes – along with horse-drawn carriages – are not allowed on many large streets. Unfortunately we weren’t able to try them out due to the low temperature – 11°C – and overcast sky. It even started to rain just as we got to the end of our visit. However, you can see lots of cyclists in the photos.

A musical clock built in 1936. Colourful figures representing students and academics come out at 12.15 and 5.45 pm every day.
A musical clock built in 1936. Colourful figures representing students and academics come out at 12.15 and 5.45 pm every day.
A palatial-like building near the cathedral
A palatial-like building near the cathedral
One of the buildings along the riverbank
One of the buildings along the riverbank
Along the Tizsa River
Along the Tizsa River

I did wonder why none of the main buildings are along the Tesza River but I guess it’s still subject to flooding.

The neoclassic culture museum built in 1896
The neoclassic culture museum built in 1896
The neo-baroque opera house built in 1893
The neo-baroque opera house built in 1893
An oriel window on a decorative façade
An oriel window on a decorative façade
Grof Palace built in 1912-1913
Grof Palace built in 1912-1913

I don’t know whether we’ll ever come back to this part of the world, but if we do, I hope we’ll catch Szeged on a warm sunny day so we can appreciate it even more. But despite the overcast sky, light and open spaces are synonymous with Szeged.

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: Visiting Lisbon – Parliament House in Budapest – Being Polite in French

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This week’s Blogger Round-Up takes us to Lisbon in Portugal with Jenny and John in Brittany, a place that is definitely on my shortlist while Adelina from Pack Me To visits the inside of the Parliament Building in Budapest which we didn’t see on our visit to Hungary last summer. Margo Letsz from The Curious Rambler, whom you met last week explains the importance of being polite in France, which you may remember from my post on bonjour. Enjoy!

Things to see and do in Lisbon, Portugal

by Jenny and John in Brittany, who recently left Stockport, England to live in France where they are renovating a house to create a B&B.

lisbonLisbon is an amazing city, there is so much to do and so many places to visit, I am not going to go into much detail as the pictures say more than a thousand words.

The one thing I would recommend though is to go on the trams, we did not work them out and just jumped on one we saw, you can pay on the tram or get a day pass (the day pass is highly recommended as this allows you to travel all day and costs approx the same as two rides when you pay on the tram).

We travelled to the end of the line and then back again, the tram ride is fascinating as at times you can touch the buildings you are passing it gets so close. Read more

Inside the Hungarian Parliament Building

by Adelina from Pack Me To, a Chinese American who’s been traveling for as long as she can remember and has lived in the Netherlands and Hungary. She loves telling stories, and eating and exploring her way around the world.

budapest_parliamentVisiting the Parliament building in Budapest has been on my to do list for a long time. I had seen photos of the inside of the Hungarian Parliament building, which looked spectacular, and I wanted to see it for myself. A building that looks so magnificent on the outside is sure to look glorious inside right? I was not wrong.

I had a bit of a false start on my visit to the Parliament. The first time I went, I was informed that the tour for the day was only 30 minutes long instead of the regular 45 minutes, but the price was the exactly same. I decided to go back another day. Read more

It pays to be polite in France

by Margo Letsz from The Curious Rambler, who lives in Nice, France where she likes to bask in the sunshine, study the French language and blog

At this café in Nice, France, minding your manners can significantly reduce the price of your coffee.

question-010Of course, this was meant as a humorous way to remind customers to be polite, but it’s a great illustration of the French attitude toward good manners.

In France the “courtesy words and phrases” are very important and NOT optional.  Fortunately, they’re easy to master, but if you can’t manage them in French, at least say them in English.  More than likely, the French will understand you and think that you’re a polite person who doesn’t speak French – which is, of course, much better than being thought of as a rude person who doesn’t speak French. So if you want to be polite in France (and I’m sure you do), here are some easy words and phrases (along with my attempt at phonetic pronunciation) to help you on your way. Read more

Weekly Blogger Round-Up: New Year etiquette in France – Christmas produce markets – Authentic restaurants in Budapest

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For this week’s Blogger Round-Up, I have two posts related to Christmas and one from a new member of the blogosphere on Budapest. Phoebe from Lou Messugo explains the do’s and don’t’s of wishing people a merry Christmas and happy new year in France while Susan from Days on the Claise takes us to the last market before Christmas – but it’s not too late because the same scenario will be repeated for New Year. Our new blogger is Anda from Travel Notes and Beyond whom you have already seen in one of my earlier posts. You’ll love her suggestions for authentic restaurants in Budapest. Enjoy! 

Merry Christmas, don’t mention New Year

by Phoebe from Lou Messugo, a traveller, francophile, expat, mum and foodie now living in Roquefort les Pins where she runs a gîte after many years of travelling and living in Asia, Eastern Europe and Australia.

Christmas_cardsIt’s the build-up to Christmas and every time I see someone I won’t see again until after the new year I wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year…if I’m speaking in English to a non-French friend.  However, if it’s in French to a French friend then it’s a more generalised greeting “bonnes fêtes de fin d’année” which means happy end of year celebrations and is more like the American “Happy Holidays”.  I could say “joyeux noël” (happy Christmas) though it’s less common but I mustn’t wish them a Happy New Year.  It’s considered bad luck to wish Happy New Year before midnight on the 31st. Read more

The Last Market Day Before Christmas

by Susan from Days on the Claise, an Australian living in the south of the Loire Valley, writing about restoring an old house and the area and its history and running Loire Valley Time Travel.

loches_market1Saturday was the last market day in Loches before Christmas. I took a few pictures to try and give a sense of market shopping, but to be honest, it isn’t easy to take photos and shop at the same time.

Standing in line at the cheese stall. Note the pair in the background exchanging the standard cheek kisses in greeting. The cheese stall had twice as many staff as usual and there was still a queue, so they were doing good business. Read more

Restaurants in Budapest

by Anda from Travel Notes & Beyond, the Opinionated Travelogue of a Photo Maniac, is a Romanian-born citizen of Southern California who has never missed the opportunity to travel.

butapest_mattjas-pinceBudapest is not short of good restaurants, cafés, and bistros, but finding real authentic ones that are also a good value for your money is not easy. As in any big city with a plethora of choices, visitors get confused by the internet reviews and recommendations, often sponsored by the restaurants themselves. Like many others ahead of me, I had my fair share of disappointments and paid my price for the knowledge I gained in this field. Below is my list of recommendations, based on what I feel makes a good value restaurant. Read more

 

 

Monday’s Travel Photos – Szentendre, Hungary

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Szentendre, pronounced San-ten-dray, is a charming little town on the Danube about twenty kilometers north of Budapest, very popular in summer it seems as it is easy to get there by boat, bus, train or bike, but only crowded between about 10 am and 6 pm. After that, you can wander down the main street and only meet the locals. And we had one of our best dining experiences this summer at Muvesz in the Main Square. The architecture is mainly 18th century baroque and there are no fewer than nine churches!

The Main Square with its cobblestones
The Main Square with its cobblestones
Blagovestenska Greek Orthodox Church
Blagovestenska Greek Orthodox Church and the Baroque cross erected in 1763 to celebrate the fact that the plague bypassed the town
The Marzipan Museum
The Marzipan Museum
We often saw these tiled roofs with their unusual dormer window
We often saw these tiled roofs with their unusual dormer window
A local shop where the Hungarian owner was very helpful and friendly despite our lack of a common language
A local shop where the Hungarian owner was very helpful and friendly despite our lack of a common language
Painted angels
Painted angels
Blagovestenska Greek Orthodox Church
Blagovestenska Greek Orthodox Church

Cycling through the town after 6 pm
Cycling past the colourful merchant houses after 6 pm
The waterfront at Szentendre after the 2013 floods
The waterfront at Szentendre after the 2013 floods
Stone church with painted medallion
Stone church with painted medallion