when summertime is done

Budapest – Gül Baba rózsakertje (the rose garden of Gül Baba)

the flowers of the Břeclav Jewish cemetery

why make so much of fragmentary blue

follow with May’s fairest flowers

Burg Liechtenstein

Maria Enzersdorf

I feel as if the grass were pleased

Föhrenberge

Easter Monday

Klosterneuburg – 10. Internationale Orchideenausstellung

at the violet hour

cacti

I open wide the portals of the spring

I lift my heart as spring lifts up a yellow daisy to the rain

I was born, I suppose, like anyone

Well, actually yesterday, but I can’t keep up with the changes in my life anymore, haha.

life has loveliness to sell

Wien – Schmetterlinghaus (Butterfly House)

Budapest – the plants beneath my feet, a retrospect

I grow old, I grow old, the garden says

Budapest – Kozma utcai izraelita temető (Jewish cemetery at Kozma street), the succulents

Budapest – Budai Arborétum, the upper garden

Budapest – Budai Arborétum, the lower garden

things that make me happy

I can’t believe it’s been more than a year since I last posted in this series. That tells tales about my circumstances lately. I’ve failed miserably with my New Year’s resolution of sharing more of my life here anyway – not that I don’t have a life because I rather do, but it seems I’m not good at getting personal. What I’m good at is taking photos of buildings and flowers, so this place has inevitably became kind of a travel blog, but without the joys and excitement of actual travelling. You know, something like an unofficial Budapest Guide for Weirdos (and for all who enjoy looking at dead butterflies and old medical instruments). This is a lose-lose situation, I’m afraid.

But there are still the small things, like…

…this super cheap waffle place and their raspberry mousse that tastes just like I remember it from my childhood.

…pretty bees on pretty flowers.

…visiting museums.

…doing small trips.

…summer food.

…thrifted summer clothes. Too bad I’m seven kilos overweight (oh well, waffle place, hello).

…the first outdoor swim of the year at Vadaš Thermal Bath in Štúrovo, Slovakia. (Okay, it happened more than a month ago. I’m actually  writing this post since years weeks. I hope one day – if life allows me – I can get back to real-time blogging.)

…going on a holiday! I haven’t been on a summer holiday since 2009 (ten days at the Bulgarian coast. I’m still dreaming about it). (I usually do budget travelling, that means Venice in February, Prague in October and that epic Moravian road tour in December. I haven’t felt a cold that freezing in my entire life than I did at a bus stop in Moravske Budejovice at 22.30 pm last winter.)

Vácrátót – Nemzeti Botanikus Kert (National Botanical Garden)

the woods are lovely, dark and deep

Budapest – Orczy-kert

the month of May was come

Oh, well. I totally saw this coming: the month without books. I dutifully read my two sentences every morning at 5.50 am, before closing my eyes in the hope of gaining 20 more minutes before having to get off the bus and face my job the world outside but my heroic efforts clearly weren’t enough. Next time. Or not. Whatever.

Here are some May photos instead of my usual unimaginative documentation of book titles. Because looking at poppies feels good.

spring was like a call to me that I could not answer

Tata – Angolkert (English Garden)

The English garden in Tata was constructed in 1783 and was intended to be a palace park for the Esterházy family. Unfortunately, their residence itself lies two lakes further on the other side of the town, so this garden was somewhat out of reach. This fact caused some discomfort which was solved in the typical Hungarian way of generous extravagance: instead of setting up a park near the palace, they had a new summer residence built in the far away park. English gardens were considered to be modern and fashionable right back then, and since we had the deep desire to keep up with European standards (which desire we’ve already given up since then), it was clear it must be an English garden with all its accessories. So what do you need for a well-equipped English garden?

1. Plants. And high trees. Plenty of them. Check.
2. Some water, preferably a lake and/or fountains. Check. Both. Unfortunately, the fountains do not work anymore, but honestly, what is still working in Hungary? You see.
3. Cute bridges over said water. Check.
4. Ducks. Check.
5. A greenhouse with exotic plants. Check.
6. Some ruins. If you do not have any ruins, don’t give up. You can build your own. From parts of original ruins situated somewhere else. The result will be somewhat eclectic in style but very romantic. So, ruins, check.
7. The same with caves. If you don’t have them, build them. Check.
8. Religious place where you can worship God(s)/Mother Nature/Goddess Diana. Or in this case, Allah. Hungary was part of the Ottoman Empire for more than 150 years and those years didn’t pass without a trace. We got used to the Turks and their exotic ways (and their coffee. Definitely their coffee). We got mixed with them. They took our women for their harems and our children for their army. They grew to love us and, according to my Turkish friends, they still do love us. It’s an unrequited love though, because we Hungarians never ever value anybody else but ourselves. That’s what makes us the sympathetic and friendly people we are. Haha. But we still want to show that we are a hospitable nation and that Turks are always welcomed at their former residence country. That’s why we built a mosque. But it’s also important to show that they are supposed to stay only for short periods. Definitely not for another 150 years. And only in manageable amounts. That’s why we built said mosque so small that only five people fit in it if their rugs are spread on the floor. And that’s also why we keep this mosque closed all the time so that even those five people can’t have access to it. I’ve told you that we are a nice, hospitable nation.

Anyway, the English garden is beautiful even without an insight into Hungarian history.