Weekend Trip To Szolnok

We decided to take our first trip outside of Debrecen this weekend. It was a test run of sorts to see if we could actually do a trip on our own. We picked the city of Szolnok because our CETP friend, Emily who lives there invited us to a "Goulash Festival." Plus, other CETP friends were said to be going there as well. We left Saturday around 12:30 and arrived in Szolnok around 2:00. Our train trip there was easy (which on the way back it wasn't, but we'll get to that soon). We first went to our hotel to drop off our backpacks (we can finally travel light). And then headed to the festival that was happening just across the river. We enjoyed all the sites, smells (well most), and general atmosphere of the festival. As we were walking to go meet our friends we came across this reenactment that made us laugh.

While at the festival we enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new friends. We enjoyed our goulash and had our first taste of palinka, which is a strong hungarian brandy made from different fruits. I had a plum one. We only had one shot of it because it is so strong. If I had had a second shot my head would have definitely been spinning! We toasted our palinka to the school year and hopefully everyone making it through okay.

goulash at the festival.

After the festival we said goodbye to our Budapest friends who had come and were heading back that night. We then went to dinner and enjoyed a lovely hungarian meal outside. Luckily we had Emily with us to help translate the menu (there was no English menu available).

Museum.

Today we went touring around Szolnok with Emily who showed us the museum, the market, and the general sites of the city. It is smaller than Debrecen, but still bigger than many cities in Hungary. It has a small town charm that makes you feel quite relaxed.

A beautiful garden near the city.

Ben standing in our balcony at the hotel.

We enjoyed our visit, but around 1:00 it was time to head back home. We got on the train to go back to Debrecen, but it was packed full. There were no seats left so we had to stand. We thought that maybe after a few stops people would be getting off and then we could sit down. Well just the opposite happened! As we travelled from town to town we kept taking on more people than we seemed to be letting off. So half through our journey in the town of Pupspokladany we saw a huge line of passengers waiting to come on the train. Me and Ben exchanged looks and both said, "Yeah right!" As in yeah right you all are not going to fit! Guess what we were right!

We sat at that train station for an hour while standing on the train while they tried to figure out how to fit all the people on. I think they ended up having to attach another car to the train just to make it work. We stood there (and eventually I sat down) waiting and waiting with nothing, but hungarian messages being said in the train terminal. What they said who knows?

Waiting in the train (and tired of standing).

Finally we began to move again after an hour of waiting. I enjoyed the last part of the train ride the most knowing we would soon be getting off.  Thank goodness the weather was nice and the train was not stuffy. We looked out our open window and saw beautiful crops of corn, sunflowers and endless fields of grass. Ben and I joke that we live in the Kansas of Europe and after this train ride I believe it. Yes, this part of the country is very flat, but it also has a mystical charm to it. Looking out across the plains it is hard to believe that for thousands of years people just like me have traveled across them. The scenery seems familiar to me for some reason...giving me a sense of deja vu. When we finally arrived in Debrecen I breathed a sigh of relief...we were finally home.