Eastern Europe Travel Notes

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Slovakia: Prague
[NYT Feb 20, 1994]
Could you give me any information about folklore and folk dance classes in the Czech Republic? -- Myrtis Mixon, San Francisco

A. There are a number of options.
- Cedok, a Czech travel agency, offers one-week folk dance courses for groups of at least 10 on special request. The classes are held in castles in and around Prague. The courses, including lodging, meals and dance lessons, cost about $350 a person. More information: Cedok Inter travel, 18 Na Prikope, 111-35 Prague 1, Czech Republic; 241 971 11, fax 232 16 56 (the dialing code for the Czech Republic is 42; the Prague code is 2).
- In Moravia, annual folk dance summer schools are organized by the Armed Forces Folk Art Ensemble in the city of Brno. Program information and prices can be obtained from Vojensky Umelecky Soubor Ondras, Attention Cestmir Komarek, Post Office Box 541/A, 602-00 Brno, Czech Republic; (42 5) 411 820 46.
- Artama, an organization that promotes amateur art, provides information on all folk festivals in the Czech Republic. More information: Artama, 7 Kresomyslova, 140-00 Prague 4, Czech Republic; (42 2) 438 471, fax (42 2) 438 935.
- A Prague tour operator, Dvorana, puts together dance trips, including a Folk Dance Week tour from July 30 to Aug. 6 and a Moravian Folklore Adventure from Aug. 13 to 18. More information: Dvorana, Spanielova 1275, 163 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic; (42 2) 302 1330, fax (42 2) 301 8267.
- Information on all folk-art-related events in the Czech Republic may also be obtained from the Czech Folklore Association in Prague: Folklorni Sdruzeni C.R., Attention Zdenek Psenica Senovazne, 24 Namesti, 110-00 Prague 1, Czech Republic; telephone and fax (42 2) 242 146 47.

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Prague to Warsaw night train 1993 - DON'T - Can't lock doors on first-class compartment & forbidden due to sleep, due to "hooligans". For $50 dormitory car with guard. Plus don't go to police, as they will hold onto your passports.

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Slovakia: Bratislava
Arkadia - 3 Beblaveho Street, just below the castle - inexpensive - try grilled goose liver.
Madarska - Hviezdoslavovo Square, near the National Theater.
Rybarsky Cech - I Zizkova St - rococo building along the Danube - fish.
View: flying saucer-like restaurant-cafe above Slovak National Uprsing Bridge.

Nightlife:
Star Sladovna - 32 Cintorinska OR Old Malt House/Mammoth.
Velky Frantiskani - Dibrovovo Square - one of the famous wine taverns with Gypsy or Slovak folk music, in centuries-old building.

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Austria (+ see recipe files)
Vienna - St. Stephen's Cathedral - take elevator to observation deck.
Kunsthistorisches Museum <<<
Belvedere Palace (Klimt, Schiele) + Stökl (cozy restaurant).
Grand dining: Hotel Palais Schwarzenberg.
Schönbrunn Palace
Hundertwasser House - 3 Kegelgasse, corner Löwengasse. Take the U-1 subway from its State Opera-Kalsplatz stop or from Stephansplatz to Schwedenplatz and proceed (free transfer) by N tram to Hetzgasse stop.
Kunsthaus - 13 Untere Weissgerber Strasse - U-1 subway to Schwedenplatz, proceeding by N tram to Radetzkyplatz.
Number 1 streetcar runs the whole length of the horseshoe-shaped Ringstrasse.

St. Marx Cemetary (6-8 Leberstrasse) - 2 miles from city center.

Saturdays along the Linke Wienzeile: Stiegengasse and Eggerthgasse flea markets. Art Deco lamps. Alpine farmers with wine, apples, old lederhosen. BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS 1990.

Vienna woods/Wienerwald: Stretch from Kahlenberg Heights in the north, westward in a gentle arc through the Föhrenberge (Fir Mountains) towards Baden in the south - 540 square miles.
Northenmost salient of the Alps. The farther from Vienna, the more beautiful the villages and the countryside. Once Vienna had heavily fortified walls, only torn down mid-1800s (and became the Ringstrasse).
Famous wine villages: Grinzing, Nussdorf, Neustift am Walde - close to being Vienna suburbs. Heurigen = wine taverns - now may be full of Japanese + tourists. But still good:
Perchtoldsdorf - 8 miles from city center.
The Helenental - valley 8 miles south of Perchtoldsdorf.
Heiigenkreuz - beautiful Benedictine monastery.
Gumpoldskirchen.
Need good map: Kompass series.
(20-minute walk from end of D tram line (up Zahnradbahnstrasse to the Beethovengang to the Wildgrubgasse, following the "Wanderweg" signs) puts you into the vineyards, dotted with Heuriger taverns)

Baden - spa town + gambling.

Graz - in the wine-growing southeast - second largest city - center of Austrian writers and artists. Grandhotel Wiesler.

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Hungary
Budapest - BE CAREFUL OF GETTING VASTLY INFLATED BILLS IN RESTAURANTS!!!
12/23/1990 - In broad daylight in the crowded Vaca shopping mall, shoulder bag cleverly opened. LEAVE PASSPORTS AND OTHER VALUABLES IN HOTEL SAFE & CONCEAL CREDIT CARDS AND CASH IN ZIPPERED WAIST BAG!!
Avoid Pesta hotel hub across from the palace, esp. at night.
One man had Mace sprayed face while walking on the beach at Lake Balaton & lost valuables.

Ibusz Private Rooms and Apartments, operates 24 hours a day at Petofi Ter 3 in Budapest; 118-4842 (the country code for Hungary is 36, the city code for Budapest is 1). Rates start at $18 a night for a double room. (10-27-91 NYT & 11-20-91 BG)

[Nov 1990] Marco Polo - "One of best Italian restaurants anywhere in Europe" - opened by Italian importer of Hungarian beef who married a Hungarian. In former library of the Hungarian Hydrological Society. $95 for two.

Sense of exuberance, food, witty articulate handsome talented.
Central market bursting with fruits, flowers, cheeses, peppers.
Hilton built around the ruins of a 13th-century Dominican church atop Castle Hill.
Have dinner at the Matyas Pince, where only the best gypsy bands play.

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[NYT 1-19-92] Folk Dance -
Fridays -
The Teka at Almassy Teri Szbadido Kozpont (Almassy Square Free Time Center), 6 Almassy Ter, seventh district, 5 pm - midnight. 500+ people. Faithful village music.
The Zsaratnok group at Lagymanyosi Kozessegi Haz, 17 Korossy J. Street, 11th district. Balkan (Serb, Macedonian, Greek, Bulgarian).

Saturdays -
Kalamajika plays at the Belvarosi Ifjusagi Haz (Downtown Youth House), 9 Molnar Street, fifth district. Béla Halmos (fiddler) helped found the dance movement. Best practitioner of Szek Village music this side of Rumanian border.
Pontos Ido at XII Kerulet Polgarmesteri Hivatal (Twelfth District Municipal Building), 23-25 Boszormenyi St. (Lackluster, but visiting musicians liven things up.)

Sundays -
Meta at Jozsefvarosi Klub (basement), 13 Somogyi Bela St, eighth district. Has woman leader & uses bagpipes.
The Hora dance house, with Israeli dances taught by Israelis (usually not to live music) alternates between the Il Kerulet Muvelodesi Kozpont (Second District Culture Center) on Marczibanyi Square OR the Almassy Teri Szbadido Kozpont. Hungarian Jewish Cultural Organization = 142-6924.

Tuesdays -
Muzsikas at Szakszervezetek Fovarosi Muvelodesi Haz (Union Culture House), Fehervari St 47, 11th district. Most polished & internationally known.

Wednesdays -
Tatros plays Csango music at the Il Kerulet Muvelodesi Kozpont (Second District Culture Center) on Marczibanyi Square. Music from far reaches of Rumania. Popular sound. Five minute walk from Moscow Square.
Falkafolk plays Balkan at Szakszervezetek Fovarosi Muvelodesi Haz (Union Culture House), Fehervari St 47, 11th district.
Tukros at the Ferencvarosi Muvelodesi Haz, 27 Haller Street, ninth district.

Thursdays -
Mezo at Czerepeshaz, 28b Vezer Street, 14th district.

First dance is always from village of Szek, an island of Hungarians amid their enemies the Romanians.
Tanchaz
Csárdás
Bela Bartok & Zoltan Kodaly had collected earlier.
Zoltan Kallos = noted collector.

Budapest Spring Festival - March 16th - April 1st, 2007
Palace of Arts - Béla Bartók National Concert Hall
1095 Budapest Komor Marcell u. 1.
555-3300, 555-3301
March 28 - Márta Sebestyén and her guests: the Muzsikás group, Ferenc Seb?, Béla Halmos, Balázs Szokolay Dongó, Mátyás Bólya, Andy Irvine, the Bisserov Sisters, the Vujicsics and the Söndörg? groups will appear.

http://www.budapesthotels.com/touristguide/Tancz.asp
http://wherebudapest.hu/2001_03/hungarian_dance_house.html

Google: Bela Halmos Budapest

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http://wherebudapest.hu/
Szentendre - 20 kilometers north of Budapest along the Danube.
SoHo on the Danube: An Artist's Village [NYT 11-18-90]
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Holloko, dans les montagnes du nord-est de la Hongrie et à 60 km de Budapest, est un exemple exceptionnel d'habitat traditionnel volontairement conservé. Ce village, qui s'est développé surtout aux XVIIème et XVIIIème siècles, reste un témoignage toujours vivant des formes de la vie rurale avant la révolution agricole du XXème siècle. Les maisons reposent sur des soubassements de pierres, les clochers des églises sont en bois, et les murs blanchis à la chaux. Hollóko est inscrit sur la liste du Patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco depuis 1988. <<<
http://www.bourlingueurs.com/hongrie/page_04.htm
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Pecs - mosque Hassan Jakovali + grill with locks
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[NYT 9-27-92] the Orség - uncharted region - tip of western Hungary, next to Austria & Slovenia - "behind the back of God".
Ancient villages and medieval churches. Long harsh winters. Home-made fruit brandy = palinka. Potter = Fazekas.
Oiszentpeter, the central village, is 160 miles west of Budapest, about a 4-hour drive.Trains to Kormend & Szombathely. Ispank & Szalafo are the most charming villages. (If they cook breakfast, leave a few extra dollars.) Rooms $10 for double. Peasant houses = paraszthazok.
Pityerszer open-air museum - settlement with "bun-topped" houses. From Oriszentpeter, take road to Szalafo and follow signs. Walk around looking in through the windows.
Fazekas Haz, Fo Ut (Main Street), Magyarszombatfa Village - preserved potter's house and kiln.


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Bulgaria
Actuel - May 1990
17 UNESCO reserves
Ce qui frappe, ce sont ces couleurs. Couleurs des paysages, couleurs d'un peuple fier, avide de rencontres et d'échanges.
A Sofia, les pavés son jaunes, le dômen or de la cathédrale Alexandre Neva éclate au soleil relayé, la nuit, par la gros étoile rouge du parlement. En plein coeur du pays, ce sont les roses dans les champ de Kazonlac au pied de la chaine des Balkans. La Bulgarie est le premier producteur mondial d'essence de roses.
La cueillette dure un mois, du 15 mai á 15 juin.
Reste le bleu de la mer Noire, aux Sable d'Or, á Albena Duni ou Sozopol.
C'est le deuxieme pays au monde en beautés naturelles incensées.
Plovdiv fut le fief de Philippe II de Macédoine en 342 avant notre ère. L'ancienne ville Thrace a tourjours fasciné le voyageur. Lamartine habita cette maison.
Les moines, eux, ont traversé l'histoire, á l'abri du monastère de Rila, un chef d'oeuvre d'architecture.
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Slovenia: Ljubljana

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Serbia: Belgrade

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Croatia:
Plitvice = Nacionalni Park Plitvice (UNESCO)
By bus from Rijeka, Ljubljana, & other cities, even from resort towns like Rab. 50 miles inland from main coast road.
Three good hotels in the park - Bellevue, Jezero, Plitvice - change $25 to $60 a night for two in summer (1989).

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Croatia: Dubrovnik

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Cruise through Ukraine (Sunset June 1990)
Vienna to Kiev 13-14 days
Akademik Viktor Gluschkov - 300 passenger Soviet
Mozart - 212 passenger Austrian
Ukranian only is 10-11 days including 2 days in Moscow & 1 day in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Midway point is Ruse, Bulgaria - change to other ship.
$3,315 for Dnieper-Danube / Ukraine $2,565.
Stops at Kiev, Zaporozhye, Kherson, Odessa.
Exuberent beauty of Kiev - largely rebuilt since WW2, hilltop. St. Sophia, 11th century Byzantine church with lavish mosaics.

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