Budapest Daily Photo

Happy Holidays

2009-12-07T13:29:00.002+01:00

Been absent far too long and will be again as I am preparing to leave for the holidays and be back the second week of January. Wishing all of you a gentle and meaningful conclusion to the old year. Give yourself time to count your blessings before planning for an even more meaningful 2010. Yes, you can you simply need to want to. And you all do, don't you?

I'll leave you with this bit of wisdom that sums things up rather eloquently.

Theme Day: Doorways

2009-11-01T00:16:00.000+01:00

This must be my favorite topic - doors/doorways! Enjoy November Theme Day and be sure to visit the interpretations of other photographers --> Click here to view thumbnails for all participants Thank you for stopping by.

Theme Day: Contrasts

2009-10-01T06:27:00.004+02:00

Because yesterday would have been an "If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors" day, I chose this magnificent door as the contrast photo (the black and white) for theme day. The location is a pedestrian street in downtown Budapest.

Enjoy Theme Day by viewing as many entries as you can to appreciate the varied interpretations of all participants. Have a wonderful day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Farewell to Matyi

2009-08-29T12:15:00.003+02:00

A little over two weeks-ago my favorite of the cats had to be put to sleep. She drastically lost lots of weight and showed up one day from the attic and was not strong enough anymore to even walk.

Spent the day cradling her, praying and crying. By the end of the day her limbs were cold and eyes dilated so when the vet opened I've taken her in to be relieved of further suffering.

According to the vet it is an untreatable disease that attacks the immune system and is very contagious. Now I'm watching the other cats to see what will happen. Gigi spends too much time laying around day and night and merely licks the juices off the food, so I'm bracing myself.

So the photo on the right of the screen is now minus one furry friend, the black beauty who had the most rambunctious personality of the three.

History is Preserved in the Countryside

2009-07-13T09:31:00.004+02:00

This is the only butcher shop in the Town of Bajna. The young man laboring behind the counter is the grandson of the fellow we used to buy meat from before leaving Hungary in 1963. The sign on the wall is probably also from that era when there were no glass cases for the meat and the butcher did the fondling of the meats on both sides of the counter. Oh, yes - grandpa had quite a reputation in the village.

Each time I go in there I try to persuade the man to sell me the sign but he rather enjoys it and allows people to photograph it.

Theme Day: Shadows

2009-05-01T00:30:00.005+02:00

National Guard helicopters out on exercise provide an ideal shot to be offered for May's Theme Day. Photograph is courtesy of my brother J. Molnar.

Please be sure to visit the other participants in this theme day by clicking on the link provided. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants Enjoy!

Blessed Easter

2009-04-11T00:50:00.000+02:00

May you and your loved ones find the peace and promise of Easter.

If It's Wednesday...It Must be Doors

2009-04-01T03:28:00.003+02:00

This is not a traditional doorway that you've become used to seeing here - but it is a doorway. Before and beyond it are visual delights as well as those for the palate. Can you guess where you are?

Considering that it is Wednesday, I wanted to stay with the 'door theme' - but because today is also April Fool's Day I've taken the liberty and confused your senses by presenting a photo from Harrod's department store in London. Yes, on my way to the US I took a short detour.

Andrassy Blvd Villas

2009-03-31T15:20:00.003+02:00

A walk down Andrassy Blvd had provided me with some lovely images of old villas that are now used as embassy, businesses or residences. Don't know anything about the buildings that appear here, there are presented solely for their aesthetic value.

Melody from Hungary

2009-03-09T15:13:00.003+01:00

It had been far too long that I've written and pretty much lost for words still, but there is music that speaks to the heart. This is one of my favorite Hungarian entertainers and this particular song appears here with a particular person in mind whose blue eyes and beautiful smile is so much missing from my life.

Theme Day - Paths and Passages

2009-02-01T00:03:00.004+01:00

Margaret Island in the middle of the Danube in Budapest is one of my favorite spots. You are in the city yet so far. This photo was taken on one of the peaceful paths by the fish pond.

Be sure to visit the blogs of other Theme Day participants. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors

2009-01-21T05:04:00.001+01:00

Another beautiful Italian doorway for your visual pleasure.

Liszt Ferenc Ter

2009-01-19T18:59:00.005+01:00

Last week during my visit to the city I walked through Liszt Ferenc Ter with a camera in my hand. It was icy and chilled and the statue of the poet Attila Jozsef seemed to reflect this well. Here he is, judge for yourselves.

If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors

2009-01-07T11:59:00.002+01:00

This is still in Rome from our visit last year. The door was on one of the monuments rather than an actual door in daily use. Still spectacular, don't you think?

Happy 2009!

2008-12-31T19:56:00.002+01:00

If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors

2008-12-31T00:53:00.001+01:00

This being New Year's Eve and a Wednesday I chose a festive door from our trip earlier this year to the Eternal City. It looks festive, mysterious and cheerful - befitting for the last day of the old year and in anticipating the new.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T08:52:00.003+01:00

Wishing you and your loved ones a peaceful Christmas!

If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors

2008-12-17T09:01:00.004+01:00

The door here is almost an excuse, what I had hoped to convey was the mood. Yes, we are still in Rome and this little 'alley' is along side of the Spanish Steps where you can come up to the top in a less crowded fashion with some colorful spots along the way. There is a wine bar, a restaurant and fine porcelain shop at the top.

The intimacy of the small alley, the curves, the steps and certainly not lastly, the colors of the buildings that glow like melted gold in sunlight.

If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors

2008-12-10T00:20:00.000+01:00

As long as I'm here looking and it is Wednesday, let me post a beautiful door from the city of Rome. The photo was taken during our annual spring vacation.

The Dark of the Morning

2008-12-06T06:58:00.003+01:00

For some reason (perhaps the rain clouds) it is as dark at 7 a.m. as if it were the middle of the night. The weather is mild but it had been raining every afternoon and during the night for the past week. Strung my 'icicle' lights indoors and the combination/contrast of the dark and bright things got philosophical. I would like to wish you all a wonderful week-end for whatever you set out to do. Maybe Kenny Rogers will help you also to set priorities. How many of you remember this song?

St. Nick's Day

2008-12-06T00:10:00.003+01:00

Some places he is called Santa, others St. Nicholas and in Hungary the man in red who comes riding in a sleigh is called Mikulas. Unlike in the US, he is celebrated on his own day, December 6th. According to custom children clean their shoes before going to bed and put them on the window sill where Mikulas will come during the night and good boys and girls will receive treats while the rest will get switches placed in their shoes.

Were you good this year? Don't forget to clean your shoes before going to bed and leave them on the window sill for Mikulas to find them.

Slipping off quietly

2008-12-02T09:30:00.001+01:00

My brother phoned to tell me that Mother passed away quietly at 9:30 this morning. She was an amazingly compassionate, energetic woman who was never too tired to make our favorite dish. She had been sick for a long time and had suffered much. She is now at peace. It will be a lot tougher for my brother - the two of them were very close. This is a picture of my Mom and my son on his last visit to her.

Anniversary/Birthday

2008-12-02T00:18:00.005+01:00

Just noticed that my blog passed the one-year mark in November! Is it me, or do the years really go by faster and faster?

As much as I've enjoyed finding and posting the shots, visiting your blogss and reading your comments - I am afraid that I will be tapering off from daily postings. As you know by now, the only thing in life that remains constant is change. New directions require energy, attention and so I will have to divert from here to put elsewhere. Know how much I've enjoyed sharing this year with all of you and occasionally I will surely be back and visit - but it will not be as in the past.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season. Keep a balance in your life so you can enjoy what the holidays are intended for.

Theme Day - Circles

2008-12-01T00:06:00.004+01:00

Being in the middle of Europe there are a number of countries that surround Hungary. Some of these countries are, as is Hungary, members of the EU but have not yet adopted the Euro as their official currency.

For my circles I've emptied my pocket of the Zloty (from a trip to Warsaw), Sk from Slovakia, Kc from Prague, Euro from Rome, a dime from the US and domestic Hungarian coin samples. Let's see the interpretations of others for this theme day - have fun!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

5th Hungarian New-Wine and Cheese Festival

2008-11-29T13:40:00.008+01:00

Vajdahunyad Var (pictured) is the location for the festival this year in beautiful City Park. Although it is raining, the weather is at least milder.

In addition to the festival, today is the first day of Advent and Christmas lights will be lit for the first time this season throughout the city. While in City Park there are many other options for entertainment: the ice skating rink (the first in Budapest) is open for young and old, restaurants, Szechenyi baths, the Zoo, Hero's Square and the famous Gundel Restaurant.