A Touch of Imagination: An Intelligent Traveler’s Guide to Hungary

A Touch of Imagination: An Intelligent Traveler’s Guide to Hungary

By Chris Wilkinson

Copyright 2013 by Chris Wilkinson

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Introduction Part II - Why Travel To Hungary

Chapter One – Ancient Arrivals

Chapter Two – Middle Ages

Chapter Three – The Turkish Occupation & Fight For Independence

Chapter Four –Digging In The Dirt

Chapter Five – Wild Life

Chapter Six – Up Up & Away

Chapter Seven – Distant Shores

Chapter Eight – Feasting Soaking & Drinking

Chapter Nine – Architecture & Culture

Chapter Ten – The Golden Age

Chapter Eleven – The Great War

Chapter Twelve – This Land Was Their Land

Chapter Thirteen – The Troubled 20th Century

Introduction

The first time I visited Hungary was in April of 2010. I was on a trip across parts of Eastern Europe that had taken me from Sofia to Bucharest then by air to Sarajevo. Budapest was going to be a mere stopover on the way to Belgrade. In those days (only three years ago) there was a direct train from Sarajevo to Budapest. As the train was exceedingly slow, I decided to spend the night in the first Hungarian city I would come to after crossing the border, this was Pecs. On the way out of Bosnia the train crawled through the mountains. Once it entered Croatia the train might well have made it up to 50 kilometers per hour (30 mph), even though we were passing across the pancake flat plains of Slavonia. Finally, the train pulled up to a bright green and yellow building, the border entry point to Hungary at Magyarboly. The border station was freshly painted and festooned with flags. Whereas in Bosnia and Croatia the customs inspectors had barely even glanced at my passport before stamping it, at Magyarboly a female and two husky male inspectors looked me directly in the eye, asked a series of pointed questions and took the time to inspect both of my bags. I noticed that their uniforms were immaculate. This was a quite a contrast from the Balkans. These people were serious, official and gave the impression that Hungary was an important place that not only deserved my attention, but also respect. It soon became apparent that Hungary was a much different place than its neighbors.

When I got off the train at Pecs I entered a whole new world. On my way to a hostel where I was to stay the night I entered Szechenyi ter. On all sides, grand edifices surrounded the square. There was a mosque that had been converted into a church, a magnificent statue of a fearsome mounted warrior towered above the languidly strolling pedestrians, building after colorful building gave the square a tasteful and eclectic stylishness. I had never even heard of Pecs and was already in love with it. Later in the early evening I walked upward into the hills above the city. Down below I could distinctly identify the spires of Pecs Cathedral. And this was just the beginning!

Budapest was shockingly grand. Sure I had heard of Budapest before, but it was always on the back end of a phrase that extolled the great cities of Europe. Don’t miss Prague and Budapest or Vienna and Budapest. The subtle meaning was that if you had to choose, Budapest was the missable of these duos. Nothing could be further from the truth. The city’s vibe was magnetic. Its otherworldly architecture and rich historical heritage was incredibly seductive. I left Budapest after several wide eyed days, but it never left me. Neither did Hungary.

The next year I found myself in western Hungary, choosing it over the Croatian coast. Two other trips would take me to all four points of the compass across this magnificent land. By now I was head over heels, not just for Hungary, but also for a Hungarian. I met the love of my life Krisztina in August 2012, in less than a year I married her. It was all quite a whirlwind and I would not trade it for anything else in the world.

So what is it about Hungary that attracts me? All of the above and a whole lot more. To learn about the whole lot more, you have to read this book.

What This Book Is About

Perhaps the best way to define this book, is to start by describing what it is not. This book is not a travel guide in the conventional sense. You will not find any directions or best places to stay. For that matter there are no reviews of eateries or pubs. There are no detailed maps. The lack of maps is ironic because this book is mostly about one thing: Places in Hungary.

Places in the sense of what they can tell us about Hungarian history, both natural and cultural. Places in the sense of how they can help us relocate the past not just in Hungary, but most importantly within ourselves.

This book is probably best described as a series of essays written in both frustration and exultation. Frustration, at the guidebooks and popular sources that do not go deep enough into what makes Hungary one of the most fascinating places in Europe. Exultation at Hungary’s intermixture of both the dark and light hearted. It is a microcosm of the vicissitudes of European History. It has been built up, ran over, conquered and freed, torn apart and stitched together. It is constantly on the mend and tearing open old wounds. It is western, eastern and central European in its outlook. But most of all it is Hungarian. There is no place like it in Europe and I hope this book helps those who are interested understand it a little better. More than anything I hope it casts a fresh light on the Land of the Magyars. Please go there and see it for yourself. If you have been there once, go back again. It is worth a second look or in my case worth a lifetime.

Introduction Part II

Why Travel to Hungary?

1) Visit the Crossroads of Europe – Where East & West Meet

Hungary lies at the crossroads of Europe. It sits in the Carpathian Basin which has been invaded, conquered and reconquered numerous times, including by the Magyars – what Hungarians call themselves – who decided to take up residence here for the past 1,100 years. Consider that the Magyar people have their roots in the east. They are thought to have come from the area around the Ural Mountain range (in central Russia). Yet in the year 1000 King Istvan (Stephen) was crowned as the first Christian King. This in effect turned Hungary toward Western Europe and away from the Eastern Orthodox world. Since that time, their orientation has been a constant push/pull between western and eastern forces. Consider that for 160 years most of what is today Hungary was occupied by the Ottoman Turks from the near east. This was followed by nearly 250 years of Austrian rule from the near west. After World War II Hungary was forced by the Soviet Union to turn eastward again for four decades. Now they are a part of the European Union, a clear expression of Western values. Hungary offers a taste of the both the familiar and exotic. Sometimes you feel like you are in Austria, sometimes like you are in the near east and then you realize that you are in Hungary.

2) It’s Affordable

Hungary is good value for the money to say the least. In the 2012 survey of the British Post Office Travel Money, Budapest rated as the most affordable of 25 European capital cities (see note below). Hungary may be in the European Union, but it’s not a member of the Euro Zone. Hungarian currency, known as forints, goes much farther for those keeping an eye on their budget. And if you think the costs in Budapest are low, just wait to you visit the countryside.

3) A Language Like No other In The World

Fool your friends and learn some Hungarian! No kidding, Hungarian is one of the most complex and complicated languages ever conceived. Consistently rated as one of the five toughest languages in the world to learn, it has no current kinship with any other European languages unless you count some archaic Finnish or Estonian. Do not let this stop you. Plenty of Hungarians speak English. But if you learn even a smattering of Hungarian you can become one of only about 15 million super clever souls. Koszonom!

4) See Where the Iron Curtain Really Came Down

And you thought it happened in Berlin. Hungarians have a way of fooling the rest of the world. They probably never taught you in history class about the Pan European Picnic of 1988 near the western Hungarian city of Sopron. That’s where the first East Germans were able to cross en masse to the west. Hungary’s border guards turned their backs - in a good way - not only on those flocking to freedom, but also on the Soviet Union. Only Hungarians could turn a picnic into a revolt. Europe has never been the same again.

5) The Wine Is Incredible

Make a pilgrimage to Villany or Tokaj. Sip wine in the Valley of Beautiful Women. Hungarian wines have come to prominence since the end of Communism. There are a range of micro climates in the highly varied hill country of northern and southern Hungary. It’s perfect for growing grapes that create just the right vintage. The wines come in a wide variety that will wet the lips of even the most discerning palette. And while you’re at it, be sure to drink the Bull’s Blood!

6) And we could go on and on. Chess at a thermal spa, the world’s most astounding parliament building, horsemen that obey ancient traditions, ruined castles, palatial mansions, narrow gauge railways, caves and subways that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and much more. Read the following articles to learn more. Join me on an unforgettable journey into the heart of this wonderful nation.

One Other Thing…

Budapest Is the European Union’s Most Affordable Capital for Travelers

The British Post Office Travel Money has just released their 2013 City Costs Barometer comparing the costs of 25 European Capitals for tourists. And this year’s winner is Budapest!

We knew Budapest was affordable, but this cost comparison really crystallizes the affordability of the Hungarian capital. The barometer takes into consideration such costs as for meals, drinks, sightseeing, city travel and hotel accommodation.

Consider that travel costs in Budapest are just 39% of Amsterdam’s, 43% of London’s, 59 % of Berlin’s and 80% of Prague’s. Closer to Budapest is Vienna, just a two and a half hour train ride away, Budapest costs are only 57% of Vienna’s. To sum it up, Budapest is and will continue to be a great value to travelers.

As an added bonus, imagine how affordable the Hungarian countryside is right now. Costs there are in are only 60-70% of Budapest ones. It’s time to hit the road, rails and trails throughout Hungary. There will never be a better time!

Chapter 1

Ancient Arrivals

Aquincum – The Path of Empire

Obuda was the place where the first city in Hungary developed. Known as Aquincum, the city had a population of 50-60,000 during its heyday between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD. To put that figure into perspective consider that Budapest would not attain this number until the 19th century, that’s over 1,500 years later!

Aquincum was the capital of the Roman province of Pannonia Inferior. In the first century AD the Romans conquered the Celtic tribes living throughout the area. They followed this conquest by erecting forts along the Danube, one of the largest posts was at Aquincum. It was a place of great importance. This can be seen by the fact that Roman Emperor’s from Domitian in 86 AD to Valentinian I in 374 AD visited it. Aquincum, hosted two Roman legions by 214 AD. The legions gave a huge boost to the local economy. They were stationed there because Aquincum was at the limes or limit of the empire in the northeast. The Danube was a formidable barrier in helping protect the empire. It formed a natural boundary that helped keep the barbarian tribes to the north and east at bay for several centuries.

Aquincum is not on the main tourist route. It is in a district of the city north of Buda, known as Obuda or Old Buda. Visitors do not come to Budapest because of its Roman history. Most westerners equate ancient Rome with either the city of the same name in Italy, Gaul (modern France) where Caesar completed his greatest conquest or even Hadrian’s Wall in northern England (much further on the frontier than Pannonia). Truth be told, Rome would not have held its empire for so long if not for places such as Aquincum. At one time Rome had four of its twenty-five legions stationed here. These frontier forces kept the barbarian hordes away from the heart of the empire. When the barbarians did break through