When a Hungarian tells you that he’s going to take you to his favorite Hungarian restaurant, your ears perk up. When that Hungarian turns out to be Hungary’s strongest Strongman where you KNOW he loves to eat, you KNOW you’re about to have an amazing meal.
Akos Nagy was so incredibly generous with he and his friend’s and son’s time while we were in Budapest that it was slightly overwhelming. Training, water park, sauna, tour guide, and dinner. Wow! He told us about this place and that there is a Gipsy band but only on certain nights. As we walked in, the three musicians front and center happily greeted Akos’ and proceeded to give us all an amazing, almost private concert.
The first serenade was an Elvis tune, Love Me Tender. I would love to show you the video I shot but it turns out I completely SUCK at shooting video and had my finger over the sound for everything I shot! I was so sad. After that song, they played a Fiddler on the Roof tune, If I Were A Rich Man. Now, Fiddler has been my favorite musical since I was about 7. I dunno why. But I love it. Being in Budapest, with my new Husband, our new Hungarian friends, listening to an amazing trio of Hungarian musicians play music that has always meant so much to me and it was almost too much. I loved that Akos’ didn’t seem to mind that I teared up a bit and enjoyed the music.
After that, they played the song above, The Lark. It was amazing. As if there were a tiny bird sitting on his shoulder instead of a violin. The man playing the Dulcimer was so incredible I just couldn’t help but stare at the way his hands FLEW across the instrument. He later noticed how enthralled I was with his playing that he made me sit down next to him and played me my own tune! SO incredible!
This entire night probably sums up our visit to Budapest. Amazing food, amazing music, amazing friends. Even with the others barely speaking English, we found enough commonality to have many laughs. Akos’ son, little Akos’ (what we called him) is a charming, adorable 10 year old who loves Lego’s and climbing on National statues, soooooo, kids are pretty much the same all over. OH! Here’s a question, why do European men sing their country’s folk songs and American men don’t? Look, these strong, deep voices singing it out is awesome. Take note ‘Merikans. I have video of that too. Heehee.
Oh ya, the food? It was the best I’ve ever had. And that was after a week of having “the best I’d ever had.” After being home for only 5 days, I’ve already dropped 8 of the pre-wedding and honeymoon pounds I gained from tweaking my diet (incorrectly, obviously) with a new training plan and going absolutely crazy on honeymoon. I feel better but ohhhhhhh, that food. Bigg is spending one last day there today and I told him he needs to go back there and eat the fish soup again. My god it’s good. If I lived there I’d happily weigh a million pounds. True story.
The entire experience has been absolutely incredible. I’ll bask a bit more in it all but then it’s time to get back to work. Games are gearing up and it’s time to get back into it. The house needs some work and it’s time to pay attention to it. Dogs are shedding all over so I have to go vacuum. Again. But they’re Hungarian dogs so it’s worth it. Heh.
My Hungarian brothers! I am here to rejoice with you. The several century-long dream of the people of the land now becomes true; land will belong to the one who cultivates it. Today, some one hundred years after our father Kossuth raised the flag of freedom fight high, the hard working people of the Hungarian soil march to re-conquer their homeland and take what is lawfully theirs.
Imre Nagy
tosabarbell 