An adventurous trip
Oct. 14th, 2015 10:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wiseheartThis is an entry I intended to make on Sunday already, but I was so dead that it's taken me three days to get around doing it. You'll see why.
So, on Saturday (October 10) we made our annual autumn trip with the other teachers, organized by our school. It was an amazing programme for a single day.
First, we went to Tolna, where we visited the 204-year-old textile workshop, about the only place in Europe where they still make the traditional Hungarian Blue Print Cotton with the old, time-honoured methods... mostly by hand. It was amazing, simply amazing. I might have to use some of what I've learned in some future Halabor story - they do have a Haradric corner, so why not? If they have a Haradric rug-maker in town, they could have a blue print maker, too, right?
The products are simply breath-taking. I could have spent all my money there. But I had to hold back. So I only bought some small bags, filled with lavender, for our wardrobes. They are pretty, smell wonderful and will stay a reminder of this visit.
Then we left the workshop and discovered that our coach wouldn't start again. We were supposed to be on Szekszárd in an hour's time - we had a tight schedule - but the only bus line from one town to another went one in an hour. Ah, well. We tried to fill out the time by walking around the main square of Tolna, where was nothing to see. It was cold, with a promise of rain.
Finally, the bus came. The locals blanched slightly when they saw 50+ people wanting to board their bus, but, surprisingly enough, we fit in without great difficulties. So we arrived in Szekszárd an hour too late, but our guide, an old lady, didn't find that she should let us have a coffee and find a toilet first. Such things are for weaklings, apparently. We were cold and miserable and more than a little rebellious, but we went sightseeing nonetheless.
I don't wish to say anything about that part of the day. If I never see a sculpture in a public park again, it will be too soon. Especially sculptures that didn't really say us much before and won't mean to us anything in hindsight. Ah, well. At least the
So, on Saturday (October 10) we made our annual autumn trip with the other teachers, organized by our school. It was an amazing programme for a single day.
First, we went to Tolna, where we visited the 204-year-old textile workshop, about the only place in Europe where they still make the traditional Hungarian Blue Print Cotton with the old, time-honoured methods... mostly by hand. It was amazing, simply amazing. I might have to use some of what I've learned in some future Halabor story - they do have a Haradric corner, so why not? If they have a Haradric rug-maker in town, they could have a blue print maker, too, right?
The products are simply breath-taking. I could have spent all my money there. But I had to hold back. So I only bought some small bags, filled with lavender, for our wardrobes. They are pretty, smell wonderful and will stay a reminder of this visit.
Then we left the workshop and discovered that our coach wouldn't start again. We were supposed to be on Szekszárd in an hour's time - we had a tight schedule - but the only bus line from one town to another went one in an hour. Ah, well. We tried to fill out the time by walking around the main square of Tolna, where was nothing to see. It was cold, with a promise of rain.
Finally, the bus came. The locals blanched slightly when they saw 50+ people wanting to board their bus, but, surprisingly enough, we fit in without great difficulties. So we arrived in Szekszárd an hour too late, but our guide, an old lady, didn't find that she should let us have a coffee and find a toilet first. Such things are for weaklings, apparently. We were cold and miserable and more than a little rebellious, but we went sightseeing nonetheless.
I don't wish to say anything about that part of the day. If I never see a sculpture in a public park again, it will be too soon. Especially sculptures that didn't really say us much before and won't mean to us anything in hindsight. Ah, well. At least the
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This is an entry I intended to make on Sunday already, but I was so dead that it's taken me three days to get around doing it. You'll see why.
So, on Saturday (October 10) we made our annual autumn trip with the other teachers, organized by our school. It was an amazing programme for a single day.
<lj-cut>
First, we went to Tolna, where we visited the <b><a href="http://www.kekfesto.com/">204-year-old textile workshop</a></b>, about the only place in Europe where they still make the traditional <b><a href="http://www.kekfestocotton.co.uk/">Hungarian Blue Print Cotton</a></b> with the old, time-honoured methods... mostly by hand. It was amazing, simply amazing. I might have to use some of what I've learned in some future Halabor story - they do have a Haradric corner, so why not? If they have a Haradric rug-maker in town, they could have a blue print maker, too, right?
The products are simply breath-taking. I could have spent all my money there. But I had to hold back. So I only bought some small bags, filled with lavender, for our wardrobes. They are pretty, smell wonderful and will stay a reminder of this visit.
Then we left the workshop and discovered that our coach wouldn't start again. We were supposed to be on Szekszárd in an hour's time - we had a tight schedule - but the only bus line from one town to another went one in an hour. Ah, well. We tried to fill out the time by walking around the main square of Tolna, where was nothing to see. It was cold, with a promise of rain.
Finally, the bus came. The locals blanched slightly when they saw 50+ people wanting to board their bus, but, surprisingly enough, we fit in without great difficulties. So we arrived in Szekszárd an hour too late, but our guide, an old lady, didn't find that she should let us have a coffee and find a toilet first. Such things are for weaklings, apparently. We were cold and miserable and more than a little rebellious, but we went sightseeing nonetheless.
I don't wish to say anything about that part of the day. If I never see a sculpture in a public park again, it will be too soon. Especially sculptures that didn't really say us much before and won't mean to us anything in hindsight. Ah, well. At least the <b><a href="http://www.visitszekszard.hu/en/info/sights/museums/mihaly-babits-memorial-house.html" mihály="Mihály" babits="Babits" memorial="Memorial">Mihály Babits Memorial House</a></b> would have been marginally interesting, had the guide lady not talked our head off with insignificant trivia. I actually like the poems of Babits, but more of that and she'd have put me off him entirely.
After that, half of our group went totally belligerent and we left the guide lady with the rest of her victims and headed off to the <b><a href="http://www.mezeskalacs.hu/muzeum">Petrits Gingerbread, Candy and Candle Museum and Workshop</a></b>, which is another amazing place to go. Unfortunately, the website is in Hungarian, but what's interesting are the pictures anyway. Just click on the buttons of the top menu bar one after another and you'll see beautiful things.
For me, the most interesting part was the short film where they showed how they work. I never knew there were 4 different methods to make candles by hand, and don't even let me start on the candy making, because I simply don't have the vocabulary to explain the details. Not even in Hungarian, I'm afraid.
Anyway, after this visit we learned that the mechanics who came from Budapest with the spare parts didn't manage to fix our coach. So we went to the <b><a href="http://bodribor.hu/">Bodri Wineyards</a></b>, that is to their restaurant where dinner was booked, by taxi. By that time it was raining like crazy, and have I mentioned that we were cold and miserable? It doesn't matter; dinner was plenty and tasty, and even though I don't drink wine (or any other kind of alcohol, really), spirits were high by then, and we sang a lot. People from the other rooms came over to listen to us - half the teachers' choir was there, so we put up a good show.
Finally, another coach from a different town was sent, and we actually managed to get home around 10 pm, much to Mum's relief, whom I called every couple of hours to report her about the current state of things. *g*
So, on Saturday (October 10) we made our annual autumn trip with the other teachers, organized by our school. It was an amazing programme for a single day.
<lj-cut>
First, we went to Tolna, where we visited the <b><a href="http://www.kekfesto.com/">204-year-old textile workshop</a></b>, about the only place in Europe where they still make the traditional <b><a href="http://www.kekfestocotton.co.uk/">Hungarian Blue Print Cotton</a></b> with the old, time-honoured methods... mostly by hand. It was amazing, simply amazing. I might have to use some of what I've learned in some future Halabor story - they do have a Haradric corner, so why not? If they have a Haradric rug-maker in town, they could have a blue print maker, too, right?
The products are simply breath-taking. I could have spent all my money there. But I had to hold back. So I only bought some small bags, filled with lavender, for our wardrobes. They are pretty, smell wonderful and will stay a reminder of this visit.
Then we left the workshop and discovered that our coach wouldn't start again. We were supposed to be on Szekszárd in an hour's time - we had a tight schedule - but the only bus line from one town to another went one in an hour. Ah, well. We tried to fill out the time by walking around the main square of Tolna, where was nothing to see. It was cold, with a promise of rain.
Finally, the bus came. The locals blanched slightly when they saw 50+ people wanting to board their bus, but, surprisingly enough, we fit in without great difficulties. So we arrived in Szekszárd an hour too late, but our guide, an old lady, didn't find that she should let us have a coffee and find a toilet first. Such things are for weaklings, apparently. We were cold and miserable and more than a little rebellious, but we went sightseeing nonetheless.
I don't wish to say anything about that part of the day. If I never see a sculpture in a public park again, it will be too soon. Especially sculptures that didn't really say us much before and won't mean to us anything in hindsight. Ah, well. At least the <b><a href="http://www.visitszekszard.hu/en/info/sights/museums/mihaly-babits-memorial-house.html" mihály="Mihály" babits="Babits" memorial="Memorial">Mihály Babits Memorial House</a></b> would have been marginally interesting, had the guide lady not talked our head off with insignificant trivia. I actually like the poems of Babits, but more of that and she'd have put me off him entirely.
After that, half of our group went totally belligerent and we left the guide lady with the rest of her victims and headed off to the <b><a href="http://www.mezeskalacs.hu/muzeum">Petrits Gingerbread, Candy and Candle Museum and Workshop</a></b>, which is another amazing place to go. Unfortunately, the website is in Hungarian, but what's interesting are the pictures anyway. Just click on the buttons of the top menu bar one after another and you'll see beautiful things.
For me, the most interesting part was the short film where they showed how they work. I never knew there were 4 different methods to make candles by hand, and don't even let me start on the candy making, because I simply don't have the vocabulary to explain the details. Not even in Hungarian, I'm afraid.
Anyway, after this visit we learned that the mechanics who came from Budapest with the spare parts didn't manage to fix our coach. So we went to the <b><a href="http://bodribor.hu/">Bodri Wineyards</a></b>, that is to their restaurant where dinner was booked, by taxi. By that time it was raining like crazy, and have I mentioned that we were cold and miserable? It doesn't matter; dinner was plenty and tasty, and even though I don't drink wine (or any other kind of alcohol, really), spirits were high by then, and we sang a lot. People from the other rooms came over to listen to us - half the teachers' choir was there, so we put up a good show.
Finally, another coach from a different town was sent, and we actually managed to get home around 10 pm, much to Mum's relief, whom I called every couple of hours to report her about the current state of things. *g*
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2015-10-14 09:24 pm (UTC)How is your cold? All that rain can't have been good for it.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-10-14 09:45 pm (UTC)I also fixed the miscoded links, so you can see the rest of the places I've seen. *g*
(no subject)
Date: 2015-10-14 10:12 pm (UTC)Good thing you had Sunday to rest up though.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-10-14 11:12 pm (UTC)They "iron" the bales of fabric by rolling them up on wooden beams and they have a... well, a machine that looks like a bus made of wooden planks, which is filled with a ton (!) of rock, and it's then pulled and pushed to and fro over the fabric. That's how it gets smooth and shiny, apparently. It's moved by an electrical engine now, but they used to have horses to move it in earlier times, like in those dry mills.
The manufacture has gone from parents to children for several generations; the son of the lady who's the actual owner right now actually studied computer science before deciding he wanted to carry on the family craft, after all.
BTW, your lucky snowman is finished. I even gave it a sloppy hat. I hope you'll like it. But it won't be posted until the 1st of Advent. *is evil*
(no subject)
Date: 2015-10-14 11:30 pm (UTC)Glad you got some enjoyment and tales to tell out the trip.
Having looked at the provided links, I now have an itch to travel and see the sites in person - that 'candy & candle" workshop looks amazing and those blue clothes? beautiful!
(no subject)
Date: 2015-10-15 12:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-10-15 01:31 am (UTC)I've never heard of any fabric manufacture like that, I'd love to see it in action.
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Date: 2015-10-19 02:32 am (UTC)