Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1987. július-december (41. évfolyam, 26-48. szám)
1987-11-26 / 44. szám
Thursday, Nov. 26. 1987. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO 11. HUNGARY Transdanubia, the rolling western part of Hungary, interspersed with plains and river valleys, and imbued with history. The Danube Bend is Hungary's most romantic area. The river has carved a pass for itself through the hills, and on either bank there are ruined hilltop castles to catch the eye. Beneath lie historic towns, and around, forests, spas and delightful places for excursions. Szentendre, the "capital" of the Danube Bend, is a tiny town with cobbled streets and alleys climbing up the hill-sides. Tiled roofs, Baroque houses and Orthodox churches preserve the traditions and Mediterranean origins of the refugee Serbs who founded it. Gyor is the meeting place of three rivers, halfway between Vienna and Budapest, and a centre for aquatic sports. The present downtown skyline developed in the age of Baroque, but the street pattern is early medieval. The museums are housed in historic buildings, while the world-famous Gybr ballet performs in a modern theatre. Sopron, in the Alpine foothills, is the Hungarian provincial town, with the most historic buildings of all. It's also a resort, noted for its climate and wines. Koszeg's most attractive historic building is its medieval castle, housing a museum, a tourist hostel and an open-air auditorium. The slopes of the nearby hills are clothed in chestnut groves. Szombathely was the western-most limit of the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD. Among the relics is a shrine to the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis. The Balaton Uplands seem to have a castle, a ruin or a tiny medieval church around every corner. The wines from the Badacsony and Szent-György-hegy vineyards on the slopes above the lake defy description. Székesfehérvár, a city more than a thousand years old, is on the route to southern Transdanubia. Over the centuries after the Hungarian conquest of AD 896, it was the royal seat where kings were crowned and buried, Diets were held and royal weddings celebrated. The restored Garden of Ruins in the Baroque inner city offers unforgettable relics of the medieval golden age. Szekszárd is famous as a town, for its wines and for the game reserve just outside at Gemenc, a live museum of Hungary's forest, water and field life that's a paradise for hunters, particularly for its deer. The sárköz, to the S. of Szekszárd, is a district with a handful of villages where the age-old customs and folk crafts are still alive today. Pecs, on the slopes of the Mecsek Hills, has a marvelous setting. The Turkish djami (mosque) on the main square was built in the 16th c. Nearby is a cathedral dating back almost a thousand years, and the newly excavated remains of an early Christian mausoleum. But those are just some of the attractions in many people's favorite Hungarian city, which has numerous museums and picture galleries too. —*3^____ Tokaj r-" Eger ■ Sopron ">—Szentendre Gyo’r .T, _ Debrecen * fSZe9 , Kecskemét £ Székesfehérvár ) Szombathely Kalocsa f \ Szekszárd J V Szeged r \ Pecs ) ) V £$.*u.ru /— '' A /----^ The Great Plain is Hungary's bread basket, and also a land of orchards and vineyards for the aromatic wines associated with sandy soil. For centuries horses have galloped here and great flocks of sheep and herds of cattle cropped the puszta grass. Kecskemet, the birthplace of Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967), is the headquarters of the Kodály Institute of Music Education, visited by teachers from all over the world. The city is famous for its architecture, particularly turn-of-the-century Art nouveau, and the old has been tastefully combined with the new. Bugac puszta in the Kiskun National Park is the place to see the puszta life and customs of old. Szeged's associated with Pick salami produced there and the fishermen's soup in the inns by the meandering Tisza river. But don't forget the cathedral, or the open- air-festival every summer. Kalocsa is the other centre for paprika. It's an archbishopric too, and nurtures the most colorful folk art traditions you'll find, particularly embroidery and wall painting. Hajos has a separate village of old cellars across the fields. They're graded historic buildings, and the wine's good too. Northern Hungary is a land of hills and castle ruins, watchtowers,ski runs and deer. The main attraction of Eastern Hungary is the Hortobágy. Eger. This Baroque city at the foot of the Bükk Hills is well known to wine buffs. It's the home of Bull's Blood of Eger and many other wines worth sampling. Amidst the 17th and 18th c houses is a well-preserved Turkish minaret. The castle was the scene of two historic sieges of the Hungarians by the armies of the Ottoman Empire. Tokaj. The home of Tokay, the king of wines, the wine of kings. Aszu is the one not to miss, but the others are good too. There are vineyards everywhere on the hill by the meeting place of the Tisza and Bodrog rivers, at the border between the northern hills and the Great Plain. Debrecen, the greatest Great Plain city, is sometimes called the Calvinist Rome. Hungary's third largest city, much of it is a resort area, for the Great Forest that embraces it has a system of lakes and some excellent medicinal hot springs. Hortobágy. Go back in time. Savor the romance and wide open spaces. To preserve the unique puszta fauna and flora, 52,000 hectares have been declared a National Park, and Unesco has declared them a biosphere reservation. Magyar Editor Attends Labor Conference Panelists at a labor union conference heard Editor Jim Lustig speak on housing. The conference held November 6 and ) 7 at New York University was sponsored by Cornell and Empire Labor Colleges. The purpose was to evaluate the role of the trade unions to the politics of the 80’s. Jim was invited to speak by Roger Kieran, Professzor of Labor Relations at Empire College. His presentation at the panel "Homes for the Homeless" dealt with his idea for building low cost housing in America. His proposal was that the billions of dollars in union pension funds be invested in a nationwide program for low cost housing. That this money should be supplemented by Federal State and City funds. At a time when pension funds are reputed to have taken a beating in the stock market, when the need for decent housing is greater then ever, this proposal is very much in order. He pointed out that this was a ready made issue for the construction unions. Discussion was intensive. It included mention that unions have a tradition of building houses. That Jesse Jackson, democratic presidential candidate is on record, that pension funds should be used in this manner. It is an issue that will continue to grow. Hungary envoys office-hunting TEL AVIV (JPFS) - A team of Hungarian diplomats has arrived in Israel in order to buy or rent premises for their interest section, which is due to open in Tel Aviv in about two months' time. The team, which Israeli sources say is "technical" in nature, also is expected to seek housing for the diplomats who will staff the lowlevel mission. Israel and Hungary recently signed an agreement re-establishing diplomatic relations and providing for the setting up of interest sections in Tel Aviv and Budapest. Hungary severed relations with Israel in 1967. An Israeli team of "technical" experts is due to fly to Budapest soon to prepare premises and accommodations for the Israeli interest section and its staff. * I MONTREAL, Que. It is with regret that I must inform you that my dear mother is not well, she has lost hearing and can only see to get here and there, cannot read, watch TV. Needless to say she enjoyed tremendously over the many years reading your paper and she has asked to convey her regrets and to thank you for giving her so many years of superb reading. Unfortunately I cannot read Hungarian out loud, so under the circumstances please cancel her subscription. She sends her love and regards, and wishes you all good health and to continue your writing and stating the true facts as you have always done. Good luck. Edith E> Szeler> daughter- 7"
