Despite my big push to see Hungarian cowboys, we find that the famous horse market isn't until tomorrow. Since we're leaving at 5 p.m. today, my big hunch is that there won't be any cowboys hanging around the Debrecen town square. Had to come up with plan B.
So instead of seeing puszta cowboys tear it up on the Hungarian plains, off we went to see the innards of the town square's templom, the Calvinist Great Church.
This building is the greatest monument to Debrecen's Protestant influence, so important was it to the establishment of Reformation principles in Hungary. Because of this history, Debrecen has been called the "Calvinist Rome".
Calvinist Rome... The term conjures up a rather depressing image. Sounds like a tour bus full of Jehovah's Witnesses in Vegas to me. But whatever.
The layout and design of this place is a departure from the other big churches of Central Europe. Most of these old joints are still laid out in high Catholic style, but this one is just as advertised - aggressively puritanical, and without any color to speak of. You could say it's dull, or you could appreciate it's clear sight lines and clean, no-nonsense fixtures for being less fruity that your average Catholic crib. It all depends which faith and/or art school you belong to.
A copy of Lajos Kossuth's document of Independence - the declaration drawn up in 1849 to serve notice that Hungary had had enough of the yoke of Austrian rule - is on display, as is his comfy chair.
You can go up in the bell tower, though the bell that Rákóczi Ferenc II installed in the early 17th century isn't functioning. They have it trussed up in a cage midway up the stairs. Not sure why it's decommissioned - it still rings. I know because I threw a 20 forint piece at it and got a nice big WONG.
But the trade-off of not having the bell installed is that now you get to have a great view of Debrecen. Everyone taking photos through the four windows, as I read the graffiti on all four walls. One notice from a couple of lovers is particularly sweet: "May our love last longer than these templom walls!"
While up in the belfry I looked down at the town square and noticed the Magda Szabó Kaveház' outdoor section filling up with people. So we clambored down the stairs in a hurry to get some non-powdered coffee and yum decadent desserts before the tables were all taken.
The coffee and csokik exceeded expectations; the service seriously displeased.
Then it was on to Modem, Debrecen's very good modern art gallery, for three count 'em THREE exhibitions.
The one I really wanted to see was Szocreál, the Socialist Realism art retrospective - paintings done by Hungarian artists in the Rákosi era to support the propaganda efforts of the fledgling Communist Party.
The second one was a gallery of Propaganda photos and posters from the Rákosi era. (See a pattern here? I just eat this stuff up).
The others were a Russian Contemporary Retrospective - works of all media types from the 70s to the present.
The first two were great, the Russian Contemporary was OK but a bit patchy. More detailed reports of these in posts to follow.
After three exhibits we had to hoof it fast to get the bags and back to the train station for the 5 p.m. to Budapest. Admired the wonderful station murals again while getting Hungarian-style hot dogs from a convenience stall for the 2-hour ride.
Our companions facing us in the 2nd class compartment this time were a 40-something weightlifting enthusiast and his zoftig wife. I know he was a weightlifting enthusiast because he had a copy of Muscular Development magazine in front of his head the whole trip. A nauseating spectacle - I had to try and look in any other direction than straight ahead for two solid hours to avoid seeing the stupid grimacing face of "Mike Liberatore, America's Top Amateur" on the cover.
Back in Budapest, hot dogs don't prove to be enough so we go an extra stop and eat at Via Luna. This place is nice if you want to have unpretentious Italian food for not too much penzt.
While eating Andi and I discussed the trip.
A: So, how did you like Debrecen?
S: sigh. I'm bummed. We didn't see any cowboys.
A: Well we were only there a kicsi time. Maybe there is a horse market in Buda you can see here.
S: Ah, Buda horse market, that's for rich people. Probably auction off Lipizzaners to expat Swedish telecom executives there.
A: Maybe in Szeged there will be your cowboys.
S: Hey yah. It's near the Serbian border too, a real frontier town. And maybe they have BBQs where they roast whole sheeps!
A: ...With the erös pista what you like so much, only the real kind - not from the jar.
S: Yah! OK so we make plans for Szeged tonight!
Stay tuned...
