Hungary

Tranquility of Hungarian village life.

Paloma, our motorhome is hiding us in the shade and peace and quite. The current European heat wave has finally beaten us into submission, we have booked into a campsite, which offered a shaded pitch to avoid the worst of the heat.

In coming to Hungary we’d made up our minds we take the opportunity to see just what rural life is for normal Hungarian village folk, and for a few more days at least stay away from the tourist traps….. Perfect

We have pitched up atTranquil Pines far far away from the normal tourist spots of Balton and Budapest.


Thankfully the brilliant British campsite owners (Andrew/Sharon) have integrated themselves into village life  with not just the Hungarians but with the local Roma community as well.

The site itself has a unique vibe, with much of it created by people from the world over, thanks to the workaway volunteer programme, where in return for a meal and place to rest your head, you swap 4 or 5 hours of work a day. Andrew and Sharon, have been blessed with some exceptional people, helping create the bar area, campers kitchen and many of the hand painted signs around the site.


But more luckily for us they were able to offer us a glimpse of what rural village life is like here…

The ramshackle houses with dirt floors, missing roof tiles but perfectly tended vegetable plots.


​the villager whose keen to sell his house for just 2,500 euros, but not until September after his harvest!


 To the abundant fields that surround the campsite, full of fresh fresh produce and the rather ornate picnic bench.


It was a lesson that we can all take  heart in , being grateful for what we have ! as we saw an elderly villager manually ploughing (with a yoke). The bells toll at 6am to start working on the land and then again at 7pm when it’s time to finish. I guess they all opted out of the EU working time directive ……

As part of our rural Hungarian stay we wanted to eat a bit of the local ‘home cooked’  Bogrács Hungarian Goulash, which is cooked the traditional way over an outside fire pit, ever luckier for us one of the neighbours had been by earlier in the day and shown Sharon how to bake the local style of bread.


 little did we know just how tasty this meal really is, I think a version will make it to Paloma recipe books…..

Even finishing the meal with a traditional toast with the home brewed ‘Pálinka’which runs at around. 56%

A spectacular storm greeted us early In the morning, with ear bursting claps of thunder and a freakish purplely pink sky filled with fork lighting.

This did nothing to disperse the heat……

We took a walk into the local village on our way we managed to see how the storm from the other day had taken it toll on the fields, with some still flooded and a few bales of hay now past their best.


First off we spied the church with its rather intresting artwork on the steps each one depicting a scenario from the crufixtion 

And then the local bar/pub.
We were unable to stop for a beverage, as its opening times are 5.30am until 10am and then 4pm until 9pm. Apprently its local custom to have a sweet black coffee and a Pálinka’ before you start work !

Taking our time to retrace our steps does give one the opportunity to reflect on how unwesternised the smaller villages of this country are – 

A true slice of Hungary, which will stay in our hearts and minds for sometime to come.

Andrew, Sharon we thank you !

Paul.

One thought on “Tranquility of Hungarian village life.

  • Thank you to Paul for inspiring words that explain life in the “real” Hungary, for taking the opportunity to embrace the local traditions and customs that we hope will remain for years to come.

    Reply

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