2008
04
kwi
Jó szerencset!
Węgry, Miskolc
Przejechano 6766 km
Gulyasz, Budapest, Tokaji, not property pronounced egeszsegedre… that’s what majority of people think when they hear truly sound Magyar – Hungary. Honestly speaking my knowledge about this devided by Donau country was not better than average… But that’s why it’s worth to travel, meet new culture, live among the other people. My Hungarian part of EGEC – at once the last stage of EGEC, takes place mainly in Miskolc. The 130,000 postindustrial city which hosts one of the best Hungarian universities – Miskolci Egyetem. When first time I looked at the schedule prepared for us by Miskolc professors, I couldn’t belive… The week full of activities – on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday lectures since 8am till 6pm, on Thursday and Friday – scientific excursions which always take all the day. Quite disappointed by organized courses in Germany, I was coming to Hungary with hopes that life will verify the theory and we will have some free time in Miskolc. So it happened - actually professors are very kind, so our timetable is quite flexible now. We shortened the breaks between classes, so now we are finishing even at 3-4pm. What’s more the excursion – although we had just two of them which cannot testify for all the time – are quite interesting and even if they take all the day, there is always some time for rest.
Miskolc in majority of guides is described as a dynamic, postindustrial city with beautiful center. And as one of our professors was saying ”right now… I would like to tell you – Wrong!”No because of accident, Miskolc is called “steel city” – several years ago local smelters and all economy was cumulated around heavy industry – mainly artillery. Hence this city has no center.. is no dynamic and in my opinion it’s even dying. Well of course, if you count opening new Lidl as a parameter which let you say that city is dynamic, then ok… But the truth is completely different. More and more people are leaving this city. The Miskolci Egyetem – part of the city where the campus is located is the only living part of this zone. Actually students who are leaving in dorms belonging to the campus look at this place as self-sufficient. Very rarely you can meet a group of students in the central part of the city, because in fact that one has no much to offer. Yesterday – exceptionally – we had free Thursday, so I decided to take a tour in the city-museums and galleries, which I saw from outside on the first day sight-seeing. I am conscious that if I would have any Hungarian language skills, maybe I would have other impression, but the first museum which I visited was very much advertised, but actually there was nothing what could pay my attention. I went out disappointed, but luckily entrance fee was only 300 forints (€1,16) so I didn’t regret too long ;) My second step was taken in the direction of the center – and here I must stop for a minute and explain you one thing. So-called center is actually spread along the longest street in Europe (6.3km) – which begins as Szechenyi street. There is no main square, as Rynek in Polish cities. Of course it’s possible to find interesting looking buildings, but always the good impression is taken out because of the surrounding. Almost near every nice monument, church, house – there are an old shabby, concrete blocks-of flats or chimneys. You can notice that someone, somehow wanted to rescue the old town, giving people a permission to buy old building, but only if they will renovate them. But it drove to terrible effect of colorful cocktail of buildings facades, which instead of encouraging to visit them, outright frighten away tourists and potential investors.
But Miskolc has also a second face – more natural, more friendly – places where the touch of urban revolution didn’t come yet, but everything is maintained in good condition exactly in that way how it should be. I am talking about Miskolc Tapolca – with very nice SPA and baths – and of course famous Diósgyőr with medival castle and Lillafüred – another holiday resort in Bukk mountains. Soon I will examine both of this places and tell you all the truth, but so far we are delighting by Hungarian wines – during the first excursion to Tokaji mountains, we were invited for degustation of Tokaji wine – in very special place, because in the geodetic central point of Europe ( I know there are at least dozen of such spread in whole Europe, but still they are proud of that). The result of 2 hours of degustation couldn’t be different – all of us continued trip with much better moods and with liquid luggage – each of us bought at least 5 litters of Tokaji.:)
Tomorrow we’re going for 2 days to Budapest – we are already holding Hungarian students’ id, so the trip will be relatively cheap… I will tell you, when I will be back.
Jó szerencset!
Miskolc in majority of guides is described as a dynamic, postindustrial city with beautiful center. And as one of our professors was saying ”right now… I would like to tell you – Wrong!”No because of accident, Miskolc is called “steel city” – several years ago local smelters and all economy was cumulated around heavy industry – mainly artillery. Hence this city has no center.. is no dynamic and in my opinion it’s even dying. Well of course, if you count opening new Lidl as a parameter which let you say that city is dynamic, then ok… But the truth is completely different. More and more people are leaving this city. The Miskolci Egyetem – part of the city where the campus is located is the only living part of this zone. Actually students who are leaving in dorms belonging to the campus look at this place as self-sufficient. Very rarely you can meet a group of students in the central part of the city, because in fact that one has no much to offer. Yesterday – exceptionally – we had free Thursday, so I decided to take a tour in the city-museums and galleries, which I saw from outside on the first day sight-seeing. I am conscious that if I would have any Hungarian language skills, maybe I would have other impression, but the first museum which I visited was very much advertised, but actually there was nothing what could pay my attention. I went out disappointed, but luckily entrance fee was only 300 forints (€1,16) so I didn’t regret too long ;) My second step was taken in the direction of the center – and here I must stop for a minute and explain you one thing. So-called center is actually spread along the longest street in Europe (6.3km) – which begins as Szechenyi street. There is no main square, as Rynek in Polish cities. Of course it’s possible to find interesting looking buildings, but always the good impression is taken out because of the surrounding. Almost near every nice monument, church, house – there are an old shabby, concrete blocks-of flats or chimneys. You can notice that someone, somehow wanted to rescue the old town, giving people a permission to buy old building, but only if they will renovate them. But it drove to terrible effect of colorful cocktail of buildings facades, which instead of encouraging to visit them, outright frighten away tourists and potential investors.
But Miskolc has also a second face – more natural, more friendly – places where the touch of urban revolution didn’t come yet, but everything is maintained in good condition exactly in that way how it should be. I am talking about Miskolc Tapolca – with very nice SPA and baths – and of course famous Diósgyőr with medival castle and Lillafüred – another holiday resort in Bukk mountains. Soon I will examine both of this places and tell you all the truth, but so far we are delighting by Hungarian wines – during the first excursion to Tokaji mountains, we were invited for degustation of Tokaji wine – in very special place, because in the geodetic central point of Europe ( I know there are at least dozen of such spread in whole Europe, but still they are proud of that). The result of 2 hours of degustation couldn’t be different – all of us continued trip with much better moods and with liquid luggage – each of us bought at least 5 litters of Tokaji.:)
Tomorrow we’re going for 2 days to Budapest – we are already holding Hungarian students’ id, so the trip will be relatively cheap… I will tell you, when I will be back.
Jó szerencset!
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