(Not all) Rainbows and butterflies...

Well, it seems that the honeymoon phase is over and I am faced with some real challenges of my exchange year in Hungary. While things are still fresh and new and exciting, reality has begun to set in a little more each day and my patience and emotional strength are being tested... Attitude is all I control right now, and even that is difficult to curb in the present. Things aren't always as they seem, and I'm being reminded that not everyone's promises are unconditional and whole. However, a positive attitude can prevail over any adversity or aversions that come my way...

In the end, "All shall be well..." -Julian of Norwich (and Maggie Hugg, Academy for Educational Development)

St. Stephen's Day: Holiday at Lake Balaton.

20 August marks an important national holiday in Hungary, and I am grateful to have found local friends to show me the proper way to celebrate. St. Stephen's Day refers to the day on which the relics of Stephen I, patron saint of Hungary, were transferred to the city of Buda. The holiday commemorates the Foundation of the Hungarian State, and is celebrated much like the American Independence Day, with fireworks, BBQs, partying by the water (where possible), etc.

My friend Ádám has a family holiday home in Alsóbélatelep and kindly invited me to stay up there for the weekend. I just lucked out, because, as it turns out, there isn't a better place to be on holiday than Lake Balaton with fun people. Ádám is currently living in Glasgow, Scotland, and is only back in Hungary on holiday. He came back to see his family, hit the Sziget Festival last week, and spend some time on the lake... I met him at just the right time and really appreciate all he has done to show me a good time!

He invited a bunch of friends from a bunch of places to gather at his family home on Balaton... friends from Sopron (Hungary), Glasgow (Scotland), Budapest (Hungary), Stockholm (Sweden), Sydney (Australia), London (England)... it was rad! It was all kids (twenties, early thirties) and most people spoke English, so I was able to communicate quite well with everyone... and even learned a bit of Hungarian over some drinks! We had a blast! This is our crew hanging at the beach and back at the house...

The highlight of the weekend for me was swimming in Balaton in the morning hours (but long before the sun came up, around 2 or 3 am)... it was amazing! After many hours of 'celebrating,' everybody walked down to the lake from Ádám's place and went in the water. It shocks me that nobody patrols the lake at night and that it is 'okay' for people to go swimming whenever they want, and really do whatever they want. It's quite different than the strict regulations we deal with in the States. No worthwhile photos survived this adventure...

On the last night, we went to Balatonboglár... just down the south shore from Alsóbélatelep for the Harvest Festival (Szüreti Fesztivál), the annual wine festival celebrated on the weekend of St. Stephen's Day each August. Balatonboglár is the professional centre of the south shore wine region, and is referred to as the "town of grapes and wine." It was ridiculous; people were pouring into the streets and there were dozens upon dozens of wineries letting the wine flow like water... I'll say no more.

Pécs: European Capital of Culture.

I spent the day in the beautiful city of Pécs. The United Nation recently named this southwest Hungarian gem the European Capital of Culture for 2010... and deservingly so! The streets were filled with people and there are programs happening all over town all year long! Everywhere I looked, there were gorgeous theatres, museums, galleries, libraries, sculptures, cafés, fountains, and people...












The art presence is said to be booming in Pécs, so I look forward to seeing more soon. I really dig this sculpture of (Hungary's own) Franz Liszt on the balcony of the Archiepiscopal Palace (the hair is so rad). Op-art pioneer Victor Vasarely was born in Pécs and his museum is just one of many in town. Of course I couldn't really dig into the art scene with only one day, but I'll be back (plenty)! I'm stoked to discover it's only an hour away, so I know I'll be hitting it up when I need a taste of the city and don't want to head into Budapest.

Our friend Ákos, a Pécs native, showed us around and took us up to the top of the hill for a look over the city... totally beautiful, totally Central European... it reminded me of Prague with all of the red and the tented roofs, etc. Then, on our way back through the city, I witnessed the most beautiful thing I saw all day... a genuine Magyar Vizsla. His name is Pluto... so sweet, so soft... yet, of course, he just made me miss Luna like crazy...

So, when I got back to my flat in Kaposvár, I rushed to Skype Bryan and Sarah to see if I could get in touch with Luna. They were home and it worked... I was able to see her and hear her...but it just made me sad. Unfortunately it made Luna sad too. Bryan said she was shaking and crying... and she kept running to the window looking for me... she could hear my voice, but certainly didn't understand what was going on. I felt like it was a big tease. Regardless, it was good to see her and hear the stories of her new life in Rochester... they say she is doing well and I'm certain she is. So, even though I think about her constantly and wish she was with me daily, it gives me peace of mind to know that she is in good hands while I'm away...

Kaposvár International Music Festival.

Kaposvári Nemzetözi Kamarazenei Fesztivál. Freshly back from Sziget, I am greeted by the local chamber music festival! I am excited to be able to go out to see the people, see the shows, and then walk back home to sleep in my bed.

This afternoon, I was cruising through the main city square on my longboard and got stopped by a reporter for KaposTV, the local news station. She asked to interview me for the evening news... ha, I find it entertaining that I stick out like a sore thumb around here... and from my perspective, I see the people laugh at me, give me strange looks, and speak to each other in Hungarian about how weird I am. It could be true, it could just be in my head, but it's funny nonetheless... certainly not bothersome. I just laugh.

Then I saw a great concert in the evening at the Corner Restaurant: Jam-Session Találkozó featuring Tamás Somló (of the famous Hungarian rock band Locomotiv GT). The gig was in a classy little underground ballroom... just a short walk from my flat. I went solo and spoke with no one (except the bartender, of course)... but it was cool to be just an observer of the language, the local music scene, and the culture. It was funny because all of the dialogue between band members and audience was in Hungarian, yet most of the music was American songs with vocals in English. So, I could sing along to Prince, Marvin Gaye, Bon Jovi, James Brown... but in between the songs, I had no idea what was being said, and just laughed when everybody else did. It really is funny, so I didn't have to fake laughing at least...

The Sziget Report.

Wow! I'm just glad I'm still a kid... otherwise, there's no way I would've made it seven days and six nights in a tent on this festival island... surely no grown-ups could last. The Sziget is like nothing I've ever experienced before.

First of all, there are people from all over the world, and naturally there are languages from all over the world... so there is true cultural amalgamation. It's not just a bunch of people boasting an 'art and culture fest' because they offer different kinds of foods and have people dressed in ethnic garb... it's a proper melting pot. However, that being said, it wasn't until the very last night of the festival that I met another American.

Europe is well-represented, especially the Netherlands, France, Germany, and the UK (and of course, Hungary)... but nobody from the States comes abroad for this festival. And, they should!

There's no way I can give a proper breakdown of the entire festival, but I will try to hit a bunch of the highlights, random thoughts (par for my journal entries), and provide a sneak preview of the three-hundred plus photos I snapped... Perhaps it's best to just comment on some of the photos, and let the story tell itself... though you'll just have to go sometime to get the full effect!

I left Kaposvár with Csaba (Rita's brother) and friend Tamás... First we went to CC's place and I had a chance to meet his wife and two beautiful kids. We had some lunch (and palinka, of course). Naturally, we had to start the party appropriately, as we were heading to Eastern Europe's largest festival. Oh, palinka is a native Hungarian liquor, a fruit-brandy, commonly shot amongst friends... for whatever the occasion. Of course, I wouldn't want to be rude, so I vow to endorse the ever-relevant idiom... when in Hungary... Then, we stopped at Bor's flat in Buda where I tried out his bow... okay, now to the festival!

Without getting into all of the colossal differences of programing, setup, schedule, layout, efficiencies, etc... I should note that once we arrived on the island, there was plenty of (people attempting their best to be) English speakers to help ease the contrast. I exchanged my ticket for a camping bracelet and an officially became an "islander" (as they referred to us) for the week. By the time we got in, got a beer, hit the ATM, got distracted by all sorts of people, places, and things... it was pitch black and I was trying to set my tent up in a practically full camping area. No problem... I threw it up and went to see my first band as a Hungarian resident... German artist, Peaches. She's crazy! Her stage presence was bawdy yet entertaining to say the least. One thing I really dug was on the last tune, all of the members of her band played beams of light as a string instrument... they had these huge green rays coming from the stage that they plucked as one would a harp... pretty freaking cool. And, after Peaches, was punk rock journeymen... Bad Religion. They are just classic and it was cool to finally see them.

I quickly learned that Hungarians like to party late... and I mean late, even by my standards! I love it! This photo was taken at sunrise as people are spilling out of one dance tent into another... this is just my speed. I love that other people think it's natural to be up and feeling full of energy at four, five, six in the morning. And, I'm not just talking about a small group of people at one party tent until the wee hours... I mean mainly everyone at the festival! There were parties happening all over the island until sunrise everyday!

During the days, I spent most of my time chilling out like most people... there wasn't a lot of partying during the days because the debauchery doesn't start until around 23:00. Though there was plenty to do, both in the hot sun and in the cool shade of the tents and villages. From various civil organizations such as the Green Courtyard (environmental protection / fair trade cafeteria) to a Reading Park to the Digital Funfair to the Ability Park (sensory games / wheelchair park) to the Agora (cultural meeting place and symposium) to the WAMP (Hungarian design fair for artists / galleries) to the Hungaricum Village and Wine Garden to the Ambient Tent Garden (teahouse / workshops / experiments) to the Tarot Labyrinth (3D maze of self-exploration) to the Museum Quarter to the Octopus Multi-Art Site (all kinds of workshops and free exploration: monotypes, cyanotypes, painting, creative sewing, stencils, etc) to a Bike Fashion Show to a Sound Workshop (sound experiments and creative instruments) to the Poker Tent to the Theatre and Dance Tent (ridiculous experimental theatre and hilarious embarrassments) to Yoga Villages and Chill Workshops (no shoes allowed, amazing)... even a marriage tent... they've thought of it all! These are just some ways why Sziget is like none other!

Just check this out... people are everywhere playing games and enjoying the sun... and yes, those are giant slides on the hill...

Museum Quarter.





Creative Sewing Workshop.










Chill Area. Click this one... it's worth it! This place was ridiculous. Yes, it really was as cool as this looks...




Sound Workshop.















Art Walk.







Sand Sculpture.














Hungaricum Village. Traditional Hungarian Folk Dancing.





Street Performers.






Seven highlights, musically speaking...

Tony Allen (Nigeria). One of the best performances I saw all week was Tony Allen's set on the World Music Stage Thursday. This dude is the co-creator of Afrobeat, alongside the great Fela Kuti... much respect for the drummer / director for Fela's Africa '70! More recently, he's played with the Good The Bad and The Queen and Charlotte Gainsboug... check out all of these projects!

Gorillaz (UK). This was the biggest sell for me... and it was worth all the hype. Damon Albarn is wizard! I have always dug his work with the Gorillaz, Blur, The Good The Bad & The Queen, etc. but this is his most outstanding production to date. They packed the Party Arena tent to max-capacity and had the place going crazy the entire set. They segued in and out of all the jams... and even out of Dirty Hairy into I Want You Back (Jackson 5)! So rad. So rad.

Oi Va Voi (UK). This experimental band from London is definitely the coolest band I just stumbled upon. I didn't have a plan to check them out, but I'm so glad I did. They've got a unique blend of Eastern European sounds (including Hungarian folk influence), contemporary electronic, with world music. They are Devotchka meets Gogol Bordello meets David Byrne meets Béla Bartók meets Arcade Fire.

La Boum (Germany). Another stumble-upon... I discovered these guys as I was making my way from one island village to another, playing on the walkway. This indie ska band has a big big sound and takes it to the streets. There is simply not enough songs with megaphones in contemporary music today, and these guys all sing through megaphones and have the energy of a well-exercised vizsla!

Hjaltalín (Iceland). I heard a lot about these guys around the festival grounds and had to check 'em out on the Budapest Jazz Club Stage Saturday. They are truly original and totally cool. An indie seven-piece art rock jazz project with a bit 'o grit... I'd call them Sigur Rós meets Pink Floyd meets Jethro Tull (with a bassoon)!

Yeasayer (USA). Experimental creators from Brooklyn, New York... I've been waiting to see these guys for a couple years now and I'm happy to see them at their first ever Hungarian gig. We (the band and myself) were among the only Americans on the island, and so I had to go front-row to support. There really wasn't a lot of people there to see Yeasayer and it's a shame, because they killed it.

Major Lazer (Jamaica). This was the most crowded that I saw any of the performances all week... and it makes sense. Dudes throw a party! Europe goes crazy for a DJ team that can rip the jams all night into the morning, and that's exactly what Major Lazer did. I've never seen anything like it... people were literally ripping tree branches off of trees on the island and marching them into the party tent. It was an invented forest in the middle of the concert-ground... freaking wild.


Random supplements...

I met some really hip people and some kind folks from all around the EU... and somehow I ended up with a VIP pass for the last three days of the festival. I was able to hang by the side of the stage in a VIP terrace for the Iron Maiden show and hit up some other VIP areas too. Iron Maiden was cool, just because they're festival veterans and they can still play to six-digit crowds in Europe... I don't get it, but people go crazy for them. To me, it was like going to see Kiss. It was fun though.

It absolutely down-poured Friday night. The storm was so wicked that they had to postpone all of the performers on all of the stages until the rain let up. In the meantime, people got weird and dove through mud puddles... naturally.

I have always thought (and still think) it's hot when girls wear high-tops with skirts. For some reason this never got popular in the states, despite my encouragement... but someday the girls back west will get it. I dig the style; it's a great look... especially Sk8-His!

I was never a fan of house music or jungle deejays... but perhaps I just never got it. After seeing some of the talent at this festival, I get the appeal and can appreciate the art. I'm still not going to listen to it in my flat when I'm chilling out, but I can dig it in the live party. And, it seems like Europe definitely has the edge on this scene...

Sziget was epic. Check it out for yourself someday; you'll be glad you did.