Szögliget, July 19 - Hagyományos arató nap, Gömör-Tornai Fesztivál. Photo by Mendyk Zsolti
Gone fishing
Life in rural Hungary
The following photos were taken over the course of a year in north-east Hungary’s Aggtelek National Park, mostly in the zsákutca (dead end) villages of Tornaszentandrás and Szögliget, where the morning paper arrives in the afternoon and we make hay while the sun shines.
Gone fishing
Wine label
The burning question
The profusion of growth under spring’s heat means the edible environment that is the typical garden here, now needs work. Through weekends and lighter evenings, strimmers on full throttle relegate the peace of the vineyard to a wistful memory. Work over, the wine comes out.
Between laughter at blue jokes, the old-timers at the vineyard cast around at the lush canopy on the hillsides and remark that it wasn’t so green here this time last year until May rolled around, then put this down to ‘global warming’. In the pregnant pause that always follows that statement, time to wonder: ‘what will they think of next?’
Home economics. Photo: Sabina Mesanovic
Break of day with a breath of spring in the air has brought some beautiful molten gold mornings of late
Esztramos from 15km
To the left the distinctive profile of Esztramos (above), which lost 50 metres of its altitude to mining for limestone. The hilltop’s absence makes it easily the most recognisable ‘summit’ for miles around. On its flanks between now and Easter blooms the pasque flower. Beneath it is Rákóczi cave, one of the smallest, most enchanting caves in the entire region and well worth a visit at just 15 minutes’ walk from Juniper Cottage.
Take that you swine!