How lucky to be whisked away to the Hungarian countryside to the summer cottage of a friend over a holiday weekend when city dwellers, Budapest residents and tourists were a few hours away celebrating St. Stephens Day on the Danube River, the one that separates Buda from Pest.
Their summer home is within a few minutes of the well renowned Lake Balatan. To the left are some wild berries growing in the fields just outside the Lake Balatan region.
Before or after I was beat in ping pong by my friend’s 15 year daughter, we feasted on various cheeses, liqueurs, wines, breads and meats, Hungarian style.
Every minute of it was splendid including the hour long nap I got on the lake’s edge, together with hundreds of other Hungarian families who were there to get away from city energy and 9-5 work days, other commitments and responsibilities.
It was a holiday weekend after all and the only thing I could think of was our Labor Day or Memorial Day or our 4th of July or any of ’em in the states where families took off for a little solitude when staying couldn’t provide it.
Below are a few shots of some of the food we shared together only hours before we zipped back to Budapest to partake in the fireworks along the Danube River in celebration of the annual St. Stephens Day they have every summer.
None of the women of my hosts spoke English which was sad for me as I was so looking forward to sharing stories, asking questions, getting inside scoops and generally learning about rural and city culture through female eyes.
So alas, I ended up getting slaughtered in ping pong, eating meats and cheeses with some fabulous folks in the countryside and partaking in weekend “energy” Hungarian style, one which attracted locals from within an hour or two radius, not tourists who were all crowded into the Budapest for the annual festivities.
Below is traditional Hungarian paprika.
A finished product of homemade Chicken Paprikesh. Here’s how it worked. They threw some green and yellow pepper with Hungarian paprika into a pot which hung over a hot fire. They sauteed this with onions in a BORGACS, a traditional pot which Hungarians use to make goulosh, then they slowly added the chicken, the ground pepper, water and some other spices which they stirred and left on the fire for about an hour.
We shared jokes and talked about many things including food, ping pong, American and Hungarian culture and even social media. We had a laugh when we talked about some of the Hungarian words and how long they are, definitely not easy for a tool like Twitter which restricts you to 140 characters. Try this Hungarian word (one word only): ELKELKAPOSTTASITOTTALANITOTTATOK. Crazy right? The Thai language doesn’t disappoint on long crazy words none of us can pronounce and certainly there are surnames in Thailand that are equally as long. And then there’s the nearby town of BALATONAKARATTYA. Crikey, it’s not quite the same as Memphis, Toronto, Orlando or Richmond.
Below is a video short of the fireworks along the Danube several hours later while thousands gathered on both sides of the Danube River.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
