Debrecen (HU)

„Debrecenbe kéne menni,
pulykakakast kéne venni…”

(We should go to Debrecen,
to buy a turkey there...)

goes the Hungarian children’s rhyme… and so did we this weekend!

The aim was to see the exhibition of Aba Novák as it closes today (last minute trip), plus to see a bit of Debrecen as well, as it has been quite a while since I have last been there. I still love the atmosphere of that town – a very imposing Protestant church on the Main square!! Where the pedestrian area start and where the tram runs also through… one tram line across the town from the railway station till the loop around the forest and the spas and the university. No.1.

We have also enjoyed the wellness area of the famous Aranybika (golden bull) Hotel with the painted frescos (and a combination with socialist architecture), but then returned to the other side of the square – and on our way we promenaded across the Debrecen Civis Korzó (Prom) where there is a set of programmes in the coming weeks. The Magna Cum Laude concert attracted many locals and visitors to have a beer along!

The weather was not warm enough for the local open air pools, so we went for a walk in the Nagyerdő (like the ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ in Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh) and shared a hut with the mosquitoes when it started raining! The area is a leisure time destination for all - lovely water lilies on the pond!

Also to have some sport activities in the weekend programme we have tried the tennis courts of the University – Debrecen is also a university town, and the oldest and nicest buildings usually host the faculties, even the gardens are worth a visit! –, it was just great to have a play especially that my friend C is an excellent player! (http://eng.debrecen.hu/)

On the way back we have discovered the new M3 Archeopark (www.m3archeopark.hu) that lies on the crossing of the highways M3 and M35, and is the first landscape history and archaeological leisure park. Should check out the 4^th National Mother-in-Law Festival they organise next weekend!