note. the water is much more deeply blue-torquiose than these pictures suggest!
Hare Krsna. Rather than sit and wait for my time to come to retrun to Canada, i thought to get out and at least see a little of the country.
So far, attempts to contact the devotees here met nothing but cold shoulders, they do not seem to want anybody visiting thme, and do not reply to emails etc unless one pushes the issue. It is a strange thing, their aloofness and lack of communications here quite cultish and sectarian. Otherwise, i had intended to spend my time at the Krsna valey farm or the farm led by Paramadvaiti Swami, or evenvisit the Chaitanya Math, but they do not reply to direct inquiries by email, although they advertise themselves be internet to some degree. This lack of follow up is no doubt curtailing the sankirtan movement here. They like to be impersonal, distant, and take no responsibility when it comes to real people to deal with.
So, instead i wanderred off on my own adventures...
Hungary boasts Europes largest inland lake, Balaton. Boarding the train in Budapest, 45 minutes brings you to the northernmost marshes. A half hour later, one is surprised to see a panorama suddenly unfold of a truly torquoise colored lake spreading our and stretching to the horizon, surrounded by low uncrowded mountains and calderas of volcanic origins covered in trees and greenery. Some of those mountains are of a conical shape, sloping steeply to point like trangles set atop the detritus accumulated from eons of wear and tear.
White swans, tall cranes, green-blue headed mallard ducks and their dull colored mates, are all seen swimming the waters. Bullrushes sometimes line the shore, other times tumbled rocks and earth come right to the waters edge. One sees red tiled roofs of houses across the lake .
Many small cottages, lined in streets, are every few miles. these are small quiet villages, red, yellow, sienna, and orange painted, looking cozy and well kept and clean, with tall trees and shrubs and grass growing eveyrhere. A bright positive feeling, unlike most of the rest of Hungary, dominates here. Locals carrying gocery bags, pulling baggage-like trolleys on two wheels , and young people with book bags and back backs, board the train and walk the paths and streets. Train service is regular, and farily cheap, efficient and comfortable, though gross looking and heavy, as is associated with the Iron curtain countries.
Fonyód
There are many hotels and rentable cottages, boats and cruises for hire. The cottage country stretches for many miles along especially the East/south shore of the lake, but also the west/north, although there is no train on the west side. Ancient forts sit atop mountains, stone works and crumbling, ornate iron Christian crosses atop. Many churches with the typical tall spire are seen as well, some Catholic, some Orthodox, and looking more like minarets.
The people are simple and mostly good, friendly enough, and easy to talk with, although almost no English is heard. In all my times in Hungary, almost three months, i have not seen a single Chinese or Asian or hardly a dark skinned person, except one black man in Budapest working for the railway, so the culture is all white Christian. If there are muslims here, they do not make it apparent!
The style is short hair mostly, and many shaved heads, so i was right at home in that regards. Lots have a sikha like tail, as well, a curious style very popular and convenient for devotees with the same appearances. The young women laugh much too loudly i have noticed, and dress in slacks and the like, almost none of the young wear dresses or skirts,
unlike the somewhat older ladies who all wear skirts, few slacks. The people dress like in any other european uniculture style.
The graffiti on the walls is truly artistic, and well formed and colorful, alsmot desirable though they put it everywhere including on the train windows! I think drugs culture is absent here, but drinking is tolerated and alcohol is everywhere, corner stores, etc I suppose in a grape growing country, that is to be expected. The canend beer drinks have names like Demon, and Hell, beleive it or not!
Fonyod is nice. Near the train station is a park with childrens play areas, places for boats and a fisheremans wharf decorated with men with rods and buckets and bait. One can walk out a promendade that juts into the lake, such that on one side the lake mirrors out towards Budapest, and on the other towards Austria. Fonyod is at a pinch point, where the lake narrows, and one can see the other side clearly, about a mile distant. In tourist season, many small shops selling pizza, trinkets, longos, and other eatables are there, many dozens of them set in small malls almost like at a circus.
I sat in a depression of roots near a large tree overlooking the water. I sat peacefully amongst camomile flowers and enjoyed prasadam of a hunk of swiss-like cheese, a long john chocolate covered pastry with lemon creme filling, a fresh sweet juicy paprika pepper, an ice tea drink, a marzipan chocolate bar, and a handful of cashews, which set me back all of maybe four dollars total! In Canada, that would have run 20 dollars easily. Yes, its a tough life in Hungarys cottage country!
I chanted rounds from point A setting out, to point Z returning, a journey of some nine hours in all, so it was both refreshing and sobering and uplifting all the way! the totla coast was less then 35 dollars. Except for the subway system, which is massive and so loud, that one must plug ones ears and i am sure many people have noise-exposure type hearing loss merely fron riding it daily, or even from one station to the next,all is peaceful and quiet. !
Bupaest is bustling, but still peaceful compared to most Western cities, and one need never fear tough guys or gangs, cause i didnt see any. The toughest guys around seem normal and pretty reasonable there! Everything in Hungary has a lock, a gate, a grill, so one would think the Vandals were invading from ancient Germany, but I have never seen any sort of criminal appearance even here, so far, other than a drunk or two sleeping in the park or begging at the train station.
It looked like a good place to settle and live peacefuly, a dream. Hare Krsna
from a commercial site:
Some Facts About Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton has remarkably clean waters. Its size is 50 miles (80km) long, varying in width from 8.5 miles (14km) to 0.9 miles (1.5km). The narrowest point is at the Tihany peninsula. Major settlements include Badacsony, Balatonalmádi, Balatonfüred, Fonyód, Keszthely, Siófok and Tihany.
Getting to Lake Balaton from Budapest: Lake Balaton is about an hour's drive from Budapest. Highway M7 to Siófok is the quickest road; to get to the northern shore, turn off the M7 onto Route 71 for Balatonfüred. Trains from Budapest's Déli Station run to all main resorts. Buses leave from the Népliget bus terminal. Another option is to take a personalized tour with a local guide. MypersonalBudapest offers Lake Balaton day tripsfrom Budapest, including wine tasting, sightseeing, meals and more. Tours can be customized to your wishes.
Insider Tips:
Passenger ferries are a great way to get around. Ferries run from Siófok to Tihany and Balatonfüred, and from Fonyód to Badascony and Keszthely. Another great way to explore Lake Balaton is by bike - you can actually cycle around the lake. Need a break away from the beach? Go to the north shore and make a little detour to visit the famousporcelain factory of Herend, located near the city of Veszprém.
Things to Do and See at Lake Balaton
Since Hungary is landlocked, Lake Balaton is often affectionately called the "Hungarian Sea". This nickname isn't far from the truth, as the region was once covered by the ancient Pannonian Sea (around 10 million years ago). Lakeshore villas and resorts began to appear in the 18th century, primarily catering to the wealthy. In the 20th century, as more and more people discovered this hidden gem, many resorts and cottages were built in the area. Today, millions of people come here every summer to enjoy the warm waters.
South Shore
Sailboats in the Balatonföldvár harbor
Balaton's south shore is almost entirely built up with a continuous chain of resort towns. Most of the beaches are grassy, but many resorts have artificial sandy beaches. The largest destination is Siófok, known as the "Party Capital of Hungary", which attracts many young partygoers in the summer. Another city on the south shore is Fonyód, from where ferries take passengers across the lake to Badacsony, a popular wine region on the north shore. As an interesting fact, maps from the 14th century still show Fonyód as an island, and Lake Balaton being much bigger. A famous wine region to visit on the south shore is Balatonboglár.
North Shore
The north shore has cooler and deeper water. The hills offer wonderful scenery and excellent wineries. The major resort towns on the north shore are Keszthely and Balatonfüred. Keszthely is the site of the famous Baroque-style Festetics Castle and the Balaton Museum, which displays geological and archaeological exhibitions. Balatonfüred is a historical bathing town home to the annual Anna Ball. Balatonfüred is also known for itswineries. Other attractions include the Tihany Peninsula, amid the picturesque village ofTihany, and the wine-producing Badacsony Hill, a volcanic mountain as well as one of Hungary's prominent wine regions. Cistercian monks planted the first vines on the slopes in 1375. The wine produced is Pinot Gris; however, it is still called Szürkebarát by the locals, meaning, "grey monk". Hike to the top for fantastic views of the lake. Finally, a favorite spa & wellness destination on the north shore is Hévíz, located only a few miles from Lake Balaton.
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