Mythical Kings on Heroes Square

Our second family visit to Hungary was even more amazing than our first visit. We find Budapest the city continues to be a kaleidoscope of images and shapes.  It is vibrant and bustling day and night, and welcoming to native Hungarians and visitors alike. Budapest is a place of contrasts  with displays of monuments of mythical kings guarding museums of fine arts and

Hungarian countryside

science. Not far away we find tributes to Holocaust victims near ancient churches with statuary of Stalinist era leaders relegated to museums. As we ventured to the southern border cities of Bekescsaba, Gyula and Szeged we found countryside that appeared to be unchanged for hundreds of years leading to modern superstructures.

Remnants of Communism

St. Stephen's Basilica

Museum

Memory Tree

Diana our photographer

As we complete this series of blog posts we give a big thank you to Diana our family photographer

In leaving Hungary, we find a resilient, enduring people standing poised to be a creative voice in the 21st Century.

The road to Bekescsaba

We drove from Budapest around Kecskemet to Bekescsaba to the birth town of Janka Perlrott and Vilmos Perlrott Csaba. Since our plan was to work on family genealogy research we drove on to the town of Gyula, the county seat of Bekescsaba.

Birth Records at the Leveltar

It was amazing to see the antique birth and marriage registries with hand scripted entries and to actually be able to “turn the pages of time”.  There is a house record book for the corresponding time but the office that maintains that book was already closed for the day. So we will leave the location of the house where Alan’s paternal great grand parents lived to another day.

Gyula on the Romanian border

Church at Gyula

Gyula Town Center

We did meet a local museum director who told us about a Galleria in Bekescsaba that had an exhibit several years ago and the Galleria was currently located in Csaba Centrum.

Csaba Center

We decided to head there to check it out. Alan had quite the surprise after expecting an antique location, much to Diana’s delight.  Csaba Centrum is actually a very large three level shopping mall! So we stayed and checked it out by shopping. Interestingly, one could pay with a credit card in the currency of one’s choice which made the location very shopping  friendly.

On the road to Szeged

On Saturday we drove from Bekescsaba to Szeged somehow avoiding crossing the border into Romania on the way out of Bekescsaba. The rain dissipated as we neared Szeged and again we correctly missed the border crossing into Serbia!

Diana. Esther, Alexandra, David, Gabi, and Alan

Once in Szeged center we headed to Alan’s cousin Gabor’s house. There we met Gabor’s wife Esther for the first time and greeted their children David and Alexandra when they came home from school. Yes, it was a Saturday and they had a makeup day of school to cover the time off taken when they celebrate the May Day holiday on May 1st.

Restaurant on the Tisza

Gabi and Esther took us to an incredible fish restaurant on the bank of the Tisza River. There is a chart on the side of the restaurant marking the height of various flood levels, the last of which required a rebuilding of the restaurant.  The meal was excellent and everything especially the fish was incredibly fresh. We all started with a hearty fish soup served family style with crusty bread and spicy peppers on the side. Main course servings of fried catfish and sturgeon were amazing and quite huge. Although it was lunch time it certainly felt like we were eating dinner.

Menu

David Speed Skating

Later in the afternoon we had fun watching cousins David and Alexandra in a Speedskating exhibition. Both of them are on a Speedskating team representing Szeged and have skated in several competitions. We found it fun as we had never seen an in-line Speedskating event let alone imagine that it takes place outdoors.

Alexandra Speed Skating

The Szeged Speedskating Team

When we returned back to Gabor and Esther’s home we had some very excellent cappuccino and very yummy homemade gluten-free apple oat cake while we watched a family video. Later the rain returned but stopped just as we were leaving with a view of “Sunny Szeged”. We then headed back to Budapest to finish packing so we could be ready to leave for the Liszt Ferenc airport at 4 a m the next morning.

Bagolyvar - Owl's Castle

Genealogy Research

A short walk from our apartment led us to an afternoon session conducting genealogy research at the Leveltar (Registry).

Customer's stamps

Alan then made a stop at a philatelic auction house on behalf of a customer.

Birthday Fireworks

Then in the evening after trying to outwit the GPS that kept thinking it was in Warsaw we headed out for a lovely birthday dinner at Baglyovar. The entrees included a mixed grill on a “wooden platter”‘ and veal Viennese style.  However the surprise of the evening for the “Birthday Boy” was the brightly sparkling gluten free birthday cake. And did it taste amazing!

Alan's Dinner

Diana's dinner

Alan and Diane at Bagolyvar

Hosok Tere

Mythical Kings at Heroes Square

After consuming a pleasant well lit birthday dinner it was time for a  short walk to Hosok Tere (Heroes Square) to view the statues of the mythical kings at night guarding the Museum of Fine Arts as well as the Natural History Museum. Budapest is a lovely city to sightsee at night brightly lit with transportation shuffling all night long.

Arch at Heroes Square

Istvan Bocskai

Millenium Monument

Natural History Museum

Museum of Fine Arts

Falk Miksa Arts District

Budapest has an exciting vibrant arts community complete with several fine galleries and large and intimate museums. Also, sections of the city are dedicated to seasonal art festivals. The galleries include a range of artworks from traditional oil paintings and pastels or portraits and landscapes to cubist charcoals and ink sketches to ceramics and  gold and silver works. Museums range from fine arts, photographic displays, while music includes opera and the beautiful Opera House to rock concerts at a sports stadium venue.

Art Gallery

Ferenczy - 150th Anniversary

No blog post on the arts in Hungary would be complete without showing this new 2012 stamp that was issued to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Karoly Ferenczy, who was the best known of the Hungarian impressionist artists.

In Search of the Perfect Gelato

Perfect Gelato

While Alan and Diane visited a Budapest Galleria, Diana went in search of the tastiest gelato in Budapest. With camera in hand, she recorded some of the local landmarks as well as some very exuberant skateboarders catching air in center city! We hope you enjoy the show.

Erszebet Bridge

Teeshirt Kiosk

Street Art

Skateboarding in Budapest

Skateboarder and buildings

In and about Budapest

Budapest at night

Budapest is a vibrant, thriving and exciting city both day and evening. When we arrived at our apartment this weekend we were delighted to find a street craft fair just a few steps away.  Then a day later – “lights, camera, action”!! The crews were setting up for filming a Dutch film on the same street.

We hope you enjoy a few scenes as we traveled around Budapest, a great city for walking, bikes, bus, train, trolley and even razor scooters, but definitely a challenge for driving.

Budapest Market

Facade Relief Sculpture

Liszt Ferenc Conservatory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look at the energy restoring the buildings such as the Liszt Ferenc Conservatory and the arch to the Ernst Museum.

Ernst Museum Archway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The road to Urom

Over the Margit Bridge

In the evening we drove to Urom just past the hills of Budapest to have dinner with long time friends Tibor and Judit. It was wonderful having the opportunity to visit and to have a traditional dinner of chicken paprikash, noodles with sheep cheese and sponge cake soaked in rum and drenched in chocolate sauce. The return drive over Margit Hid took us over the Danube then past the art district of Falk Miksa and back to Hollo utca.

Church in Urom

Tibor and Alan

Family photo

Titanic 100-Year Anniversary Sheet

We visited the Magyar Posta today and picked up some very nice items. Titanic 100 Year Anniversary sheet, a new issue by Hungary, is a sheet that many collectors will find of interest. The limited-edition Steve Jobs Memorial Sheet is also becoming increasing popular, as only 5,000 copies exist.Today, Alan made a trip to Magyar Posta to re-stock his supply of these popular items. For those of you that are avid Steve Jobs collectors we advise you to place your order now before the supply runs out!

The Titanic sheet honors Dr. Árpád Lengyel, the doctor on-board the ship RMS Carpathia — the first vessel to rescue survivors from Titanic. The sheet is valid for postal use with a face value of 1600ft.

Both sheets can be ordered now in our online store.

Steve Jobs Presentation Book

Alan & Diane (Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam)

On the way to Budapest we flew through Amsterdam with a lay over at Schiphol airport. Schiphol is a large bustling place, complete with a casino and simulator ride. Those of you who are enjoying their Steve Jobs commemorative sheet will appreciate the number of Apple products for sale at the airport shops, with chocolate first in the running and diamonds third! After a quick exit from the airport and another interesting ride with Zoltan we arrived at our comfortable apartment which is conveniently located in the center of the city.

St. Stephen's Basilica

Sunday April 15
A leisurely breakfast , a view of Szent Istvan Basilica, a walk along Andrassy utca and then on to the Glass House Museum which is run by the Carl Lutz foundation. Carl Lutz, a Swiss diplomat during World War II saved thousands of Hungarians from camps and gave them housing while issuing Swiss travel documents. He did not do this because he wanted money — he did it because he cared.

Glass House

On the way back to the apartment who could resist tasting the creamy coolness of gelato? And which flavor was better, lemon or chocolate. Oh, check out the photo of Magyar Posta!

Magyar Posta

We are about to head out for dinner to one of the outdoor cafes. Even though it is still a bit chilly the cafes have tables set outdoors complete with heating lamps and blankets to keep their patrons nice and warm!….A bit later….dinner at Menza was scrumptious. We started with creamy pumpkin soup and grilled goat cheese and greens salad. Entrees included grilled chicken, duck breast in wine sauce and sauteed pike fish in creamy mushroom sauce with spinach and handmade potato chips.

Carl Lutz Foundation

Budapest Gardens

Budapest

Our transit was through Amsterdam with an 8 hour layover in Schipol airport. Lots of time to catch up on rest and duty-free shopping. Then on to Budapest.

We arrived in Budapest Saturday evening and got to see a little of Budapest on the way to out apartment.

Amsterdam - Schipol

Tomorrow a little sightseeing and Monday, visiting friends and galleries. Here’s a little of Budapest architecture that we saw on the way.

Budapest - Ferihegy

If you’d like to meet-up, contact us by email at info@hungarianstamps.com, via Twitter @hunstamps or on Facebook.

More to come!

St. Istvan's Basilica

Andrassy Ut