MONIKA VS HUNGARY - PART TWO
May
During my stay on the first Organic Farm during April and May, on one of my days off I was given captainship of a rusty old bicycle, given simple directions (turn right, then right again, then ride on till you get to the only existing landmark in this great, flat, open, wide, stretching, never-ending plain.)
So an hour and a half later I get to my destination - I've never ridden a bike for more than 2 minutes, but thankfully, the country here is completely flat (I am on a farm in the great plains, known as The Puszta, the "badlands".) I went to a big park that was a Historical Memorial Park, and my highlight was seeing the panorama painting - a round room with a mural painted on the walls, depicting when Árpad and the first seven leaders entered Hungary back in the good old days.
Easter Monday was a treat to experience, not only because I have never experienced "Spring" and "Easter" at the same time, but also because a unique Easter tradition takes place known as "Locsolás", where the boys visit the houses where there are girls, recite poetry likening the girls to wilting flowers that need to be watered, etc etc, and then spray perfume on them. In return the girls give them painted red eggs (traditionally, these days they tend to be made of chocolate.) True, the boys that came were all about 6 years old, but I found it funny anyway, I helped little Sara try to remember her poem that she was to say in return as thanks.
Before long I am in full swing of peasant life. After two weeks I think I might not be so incompetent as when I first got here, as I'm a little stronger or at least not every single muscle hurts anymore (just every second or third, hee.) Mornings tend to be the hardest, a cold snap has descended upon us and when I was told that it was about 3 degrees one morning I was ready to have a meltdown.
That's such a lovely Easter tradition.
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