Ecofarmer

re-settled in Hungary from Rochdale, Lancs, England, and into a little village, doing a bit of greenish farming hoping for a quiet life... but stuff just happens...

Sunday, January 31, 2010

hybernating plus fascists first local lurking

I meant to make more beautiful snowy pictures for today's blog, but the camera batteries need re-charging as it turned out.
I add Alan's restaurant write up instead - should get some pictures for those, too.
We didn't do much at all besides Alan doing some parts of the solar water warming thingie bits.
We watched the tennis (oz open) with the last final today, ate, read, slept gave English lessons...

The fascist Jobbik party is holding an electioneering meeting in the culture house on Wednesday, I found their flier yesterday in the postbox. I rang up the mayor to ask what is going on, and what a concerned citizen should do about this violent and hate-mongering bunch. (There will be parliamentary elections in Hungary on the 11th April).
He said he was worried, too. However, the legal situation is, that the village council can only stop either all or none of such meetings of legally registered political parties. He said, they already had a meeting in Ujpetre, which was ignored by the population there, they had to close shop and go home. Which is a pleasant surprise, as Alan met in the pub on his Sundays out a few people who were fooled enough into thinking that they were supporters. So, as the mayor wants the village to see all the
"proper" candidates, he allows the meeting, hoping that they will be duly ignored here, too. Also, he checked that they are not bringing heavies, only the candidate and his campaign-mate are coming, and the candidate is a nice and quiet chap, Tamás says, has no idea how the fascists got him to join about two months ago.
We decided with Alan to pass by about 30 minutes after starting time on Wednesday, and if they'll have more than 3 attendees, we'll
stick stickers outside about "rosszabb = csak gyűlölni" or something similar. Or if anyone has better ideas...

so here are Alan's further pieces:

Fordan Center

Bajcsy Zsillinszky Utca

This is primarily a pool hall and as such is not bad, couple of hours pool and and few beers about £12. There is also a restaurant which has recently been tarted up. Unfortunately the food, which was good has gone, to be replaced by pizza. I had my usual ham and mushroom and was underwhelmed. For about £4 you get a greasy Pizza, end of story.
They have Pilzner Urquell on draught for about £1.75 a half liter.
Good for pool or if you've really got the munchies.
Alas no snooker.

Rating for food 2

As a pool hall 6


Talking of Pizza

Kiraly Pizza

Kiraly Utca

Excellent Pizza for about the same price as the Fordan. Local beer that's passable.
The pizzas are good and you can sit outside in the summer and watch the people going up and down the walking street.
Really if you come to Hungary you should try Hungarian food but everyone gets the occasional Garfield moment.

Rating 6

Florian

Florian Ter

Probably one of the best meals I've had in a long time. I had the Venison accompanied with the medium house red, also very good. I kow's what I likes! It was about £7 for the main course, moderately expensive by Hungarian standards but well worth it. I can't remember how much the wine was, I wonder why? It wasn't, however, expensive.
The place has the feel of a local cafe but is none the worse for that. Tucked away up some back streets it seems a good example of traditional Hungarian cooking.
No I don't have shares, but if any came up I might buy some.

Rating 8.5

Monday, January 18, 2010

dental blues



it's over and done, The Big Dental Job I was worried about for the last few years and postponed it and postponed it... well, it was a smaller trauma and cheaper than feared long live the lovely Dr Radnai of Pécs! Though I still feel like if something bashed me in the mouth with all those injections and hammering but I am enormously relieved that it is over, and the other silver lining is, that as for the last 4 days I'm eating healthy and liquidised food, I lost 2kgs already!
I discovered new wonders, I put all the left over kiwis from xmas with some bananas in that until now underused kitchen utensil, and I got something much nicer than a milk shake without any other ingredients. I have to stop eating icecream, my throat hurts...

It's snowing again, less than 5cm, but winter lost it charm now, seems too long, even though I remember those record warm days in December... I know it's all weather and food again - but unless you want to know the list of our reading matter and the TV and DVD and radio programs we consumed I can't think anything else to add.
except:
Anna's big pigs and some future ones, strictly in the big pen only, might continue as a feature, against our resolve - but we lost some bargaining power, as we'll need her help when we'll be away in February (yes we've done the on-line check-in; all those people who haven't yet forgot us - we'll be in Milnrow 11th - 18th of February). But the freezer I mentioned previously is filling up with lovely lean pork steaks and hurka.

the promised pictures are the new green house in front of the wine press room, and the top of the (full) rain water collector tank.

if Alan adds more of his findings (we've been to the bar Coffein) on one of the dental days) I will add it to this blog. But they'll be eventually on the web site, too.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Pécs is now officially Capital!!

Yes, and it was on the telly, very impressive opening program.
http://english.sina.com/life/p/2010/0110/298872.html
The prime minister said, this year not only Budapest, but Pécs
is also the Capital of Hungary, as well as the Cultural Capital of Europe. So there!

I honestly'll do the picture of the new green-house-ish bit
Alan and Martin made, I also forgot to report the grande work
of clearing the polytunnel, taking off the old plastic, so it is ready now for the brand-new one which was bought, and delivered by the kind help of Dodi.
Anna's smaller pigs now have gone to piggy paradise, and I am still waiting for a share of piggy meat, now that the freezer has been duly cleaned and re-packed which resulted a lot of space in it, and some idea about its contents... so that's where all the carrots were, at the very bottom!
I also forgot to mention, that we had a guest over xmas - she arrived on the 23rd of December and had partaken in most of the festivities, she was of the best type - she paid -and- she insisted helping with the dishes, even did with Alan some outside work, and was enthusiastic to do lots of searches about goat fecundity issues...
She left on Saturday, she is staying in Pecs now, she needs some medical help, she has some complicated issues, let's hope all turn out to be ok, best wishes.
We still feel a bit dozy and lazy, and why not. Alan manages to do a few jobs a day - fixed the light in the cellar and in the small room in the guest house.
Also he started on this new project - of which the first instalment follows below!


(Alan:)
It occurred to me that a good excuse for visiting all the bars, restaurants and places of ill repute in Pecs would be to do a guide for visitors, after all it is a European Capital of Culture for 2010.
In consequence, I'm over the year going to put together a totally unscientific and personally biased account of what I think is good and what I think is not.

A good tip if your on a budget is to look for boards outside restaurants, (etterem). These advertise set meals, usually a soup and a main course. Typical price ranges from 600huf (£2), to 900huf.

Number 1
If you were even contemplating going into either of Pecs's Golden Arches of doom, please don't. Hungary is justly famous for its food. Give the environment and your digestion a break, go somewhere real.

Number 2
The Murphy's Pub, Kiraly Utc.a Close to SzechenyiTer (Square)
OK its a fake English Pub, moderately convincing at that.
A little expensive, (by Hungarian standards)
In the summer I like to sit outside and drink the Pecsi Lager, (about 500huf for half a liter, just under a pint)
I've always enjoyed the food, good portions and well done. Average price about six to nine pounds for a main course. I recently had a chicken pörkölt (stew) which was excellent). However Eva had a spicy chicken salad which she said wasn't spicy and Martin had Gypsy steak, (cigány pecsenye) which he said was not sufficiently garlicky. The chips where good though.
They tend towards panüEuropean cuisine but the Hungarian section, though small, I like.
The service is pretty good, they speak English and German to supplement your smattering of Hungarian.

Rating: 5 out of ten as my bench mark.

(hm - maybe we should accompany these write-ups with pictures...)

Sunday, January 03, 2010

BUÉK and Happy New Year and all that!


the fireworks for Pécs opening of the year of being Cultural Capital was spectecular;
we preferred Pécs Ska to New York Ska (too jazzy);
Alan was happy with his prez - will make a picture of it for the next blog, the cake was lovely but far too big for people who ate and drank far too much;

Adele and Andrew: the card was just lovely.

had some hearty meals and drinks but now, alas, kids have gone for their usual time and space
journey somewhere quite far far away... still, we can stare dreamily at the xmas lights drinking port and eating cakes
for a few more days, wondering if the goats are just fat or maybe pregnant...