Not Dracula’s Transylvania

This weekend’s CIEE excursion was to the town of Kalotaszentkirály in the region of Transylvania, Romania for three nights. Several students know people who have participated in this program previously who would tell us that it was a very rural village and the trip was tough and exhausting but that we absolutely had to go. And they were right (even if we didn’t get to see Dracula’s castle)!

We got up before the sun on Thursday morning to be at the bus for 6:30 a.m. and prepared for a long journey. The stop at the Romanian border was pleasantly quick considering they had to individually register 26 of us and we were not complaining. From there it was another hour to the Transylvania border.

Once we reached our intended region, we stopped at the Körösfeketetó Fair, the biggest and most famous weeklong fair of the Transylvania region. It was essentially set up like a flea market with a mix of traditional items, authentic antiques, clothes and shoes, and odds and ends. A rain shower surprised us and we hurried us back to the bus for the final leg of the trip as everyone finished shopping.

The village of Kalotaszentkirály was far more modernized than we were led to believe, but it was definitely more rural and closer to the vision many of us had of “Eastern Europe” than what we have found in Hungary. The Transylvania region was a part of Hungary until the Treaty of Trianon in 1920 so, despite being in Romania, most people we encountered spoke Hungarian.

We split into groups to stay with host families in the village, most of whom spoke only Hungarian. It was the ultimate test of what we’ve learned in our language class so far. The host families were incredibly hospitable and we will all miss the home-cooked meals we were treated to throughout the weekend!

Friday we went to the salt mine in Turda (Salina Turda) where we tasted the salt from the ceiling, yelled into the echo chamber, and rode boats in the lake at the bottom. The mine was active from approximately 1075 until closing in 1932.



It reopened in 1992 as a tourist attraction with a sort of amusement park (which is far more profitable than mining salt by hand). The park includes the boat rides, a Ferris wheel, and games such as mini-golf and billiards.



From the mine we decided that the weather was nice enough to follow through with a hike. We went to a mountain that was more like a cliff and climbed our way up (and back down). It was like walking through seasons – we went from sweating and stripping off as many layers as appropriate at the start to freezing and bundling up in the rain at the top.

The views as we climbed were incredible and it felt amazing to reach the top, even though we were in a cloud and could not see a thing. It was a tough hike that took a little over three hours total but everyone agreed that it was worth the effort and exhaustion despite not having a view from the top!

St. Michael Roman Catholic Church

Reformed Presbyterian Church

Saturday we went to Kolozsvár (Cluj in Romanian) where we visited the Reformed Presbyterian Church that (Hungarian) King Matthias gifted to the city in thanks for their help and hospitality towards his mother when she gave birth to him there in 1443. It was a very plain looking church that contrasted greatly against the very ornate Saint Michael Roman Catholic Church we saw next.

After having a little free time in the city, we went back to the village to witness the invitation to the Harvest Ball hosted by the local youth (around 15 to 20 years old). This consisted of the youth in traditional clothing (boys on horses and girls in a carriage singing) and one boy dressed as a “clown” on a donkey yelling out the invitation. He said if you didn't show "may the legs of your bed break" so obviously we had to go.

Before the ball we went to a small market town where we watched a man make chess pieces. We proceeded to spend as much of our Romanian leu as we could to avoid having to exchange the currency again.

That evening we went to the ball, where we watched the youth perform and we danced the night away – first with folk dancing, then more of a club style. I got to dance the last folk dance with one of the locals (who, thankfully, spoke English so he could actually tell me what to do)! It involved a lot of spinning and it was a blast!

We were supposed to make another stop on our way back to Hungary but the rainy weather made it impossible so we headed straight back to Budapest. We were all sad to say goodbye to our host families (and their cooking) but we are all happy to be back in our own beds. It’s home sweet Hungary!

A Revolutionary Weekend

This has been a weekend swirling in solemnity and joy in the form of an excursion organized by Pesti Srác (the Kids of Budapest Foundation). The trip was in commemoration of the youth who fought in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the nationwide uprising against Soviet occupation and policies.

Fighting only lasted about three weeks before the Soviet army crushed the rebellion in mid-November. Approximately 3,000 Hungarian civilians were killed. October 23, the day the revolt began, is now solemnly celebrated as a national holiday in Hungary – and joyfully celebrated as my birthday anywhere I am.

Memorial at Kisfogház (Small Prison)

Our excursion began at the statue of Pesti Srác before we visited “Kisfogház” (Small Prison) where many revolutionaries were held until being executed. Kisfogház is still a functioning prison with a separate section for the memorial of the revolution. We also visited a memorial chapel and burial ground in Kiskunmajsa for those who fought.

Kiskunmajsa Memorial Chapel

As part of the overnight trip, we also had plenty of fun in light of these sobering visits. Most of the group, consisting of CIEE and Hungarian students, spent much of Saturday afternoon enjoying the thermal bath offered at our lodging in Lakitelek. The relaxation of the afternoon was in stark contrast to the traditional folk dancing we learned in the evening, providing a good (and unexpected) workout.

Sunday brought us to the National Historical Memorial Park where we were treated to (and tested with) archery with composite bows similar to those used by the original Hungarians. Our shooting skills, on the other hand, were nothing like that of the original Magyars.

There we also watched a horse show demonstrating the use of medieval Hungarian weaponry. Judging by the Hungarians’ laughter, I think it would have been funnier if we had an English translation.

The last event at the park was viewing the cyclorama (panorama painting) “The Arrival of the Magyars.” The painting is 15 meters high and a seamless 120 meters long wrapping a cylindrical room and is one of 40-50 panoramic paintings in the world.

Our final treat was a wine tasting at the Galantai family winery, where we tried four Hungarian wines aside pastries, followed by gelato at Szervánszky Caffee.

It’s safe to say that, despite somber moments and remembrance, everyone was in very high spirits as we boarded the bus for the final leg home – well, our home away from home.