The first weekend in October, Fulbright Hungary organized a wonderful two day trip to Debrecen & Hortobágy Park. This was our first overnight trip from Budapest since we arrived.
In Debrecen, we toured the University of Debrecen - the oldest continuously operating institution of higher education in Hungary (since 1538) - including the library and the beautiful reading room. We visited the English/American Studies department and met some former Fulbrighters there. Then left and headed to the College of the Reformed Church. We toured the college, then did some sightseeing in town including a stop at the American Corner.
Day two included a trip to Hortobágy National Park in Eastern Hungary. We toured the park, or the puszta (plains), by horse-drawn trolleys so we got to see the sheep, cows & pigs there, as well as some tricks by the Hungarian cowboys who stand on the horse backs (and by their horses).
They train the horses not to be startled by the whip so they crack it
constantly (not on the horse!) - this was how they used to train them
not to be startled by gunshots. They also, of course, train them to sit like dogs. :)
We each even got a turn on the horse. The saddles are not belted on the horse like what we ride in the US, so that if they fell off the cowboys wouldn't get tangled up in the horse or stirrups. It definitely felt less secure than any horseback riding I've ever done before.
At
the visitor's center, we toured the museum to learn about what the
cowboys wore & how they lived then visited the craft/food fair going
on outside.
On the way back, our bus drove right by (through?) a parade - just a regular old weekend harvest festival - the kids in the parade were happy to wave back at us :)
We had a really nice time, thanks to Fulbright Hungary. We know we wouldn't have planned that weekend if left to our own devices, and so we're really grateful that Fulbright is willing to put together these cultural outings so we can see more of Hungary during our stay.
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