The eightysecond week of the pandemic

I realised that at the end of last week's post I forgot to include some photos from our walk with Roy across Liberty Square. Here are some of them, showing the sights there.

The Russian memorial

George Bush the elder in bronze

Fountain in Liberty Square

The Basilica

Thursday was spent preparing for our trip to Monoszló for harvest and meeting up with old friends we haven't seen for 18 months to 2 years. On the way down we did some geocaching and I must admit it was probably one of the most pleasurable caching days for a very long while. It did start with a bit of a cock-up, as our museum piece, aged Tom Tom took us yet again to the wrong place. However, we managed to correct it by going to the another place we could approach the cache equally easily. Unfortunately there was a thick fog on by the lake, so photography was out of the question.

The old military tower, now renovated

Who's waving to me from down there?

Tower and aerial on Kab-hegy

This was once a tank training ground

The next one, however, was really brilliant. An old military watch tower has been renovated to serve as a look out tower. It was built during the war by the Germans, then used by the Russians for decades and now you can walk up and have a look at the 360 degree view from the top. I did go up and it was fantastic.

The three dishes pointing in different directions

The massive satellite dish

The church ruin in Taljándörögd

The church ruin in Taljándörögd

 

The next one was near a set of 3 enormous satellite dishes, then a medieval church ruin, followed by a lovely old ethnic German village called Pula. After that I walked to the top of a big hill where there were some nice views and a couple of old cemeteries. Eventually we visited an old abandoned quarry where I had to climb up only 50 metres, but the terrain was a scree of near vertical quarry side. All fours were the best method up and on your bum on the way down.

Pula church

An old pump in Pula

Old bridge over the stream in Pula

Cross in the cemetery

We arrived at our friends by 5pm and were welcomed with lots of smiles, kisses and cuddles. These have been in very short supply for the last 19 months, so we both enjoyed them. The main event of Friday night was celebrating, albeit a tad late, Roy's 80th birthday. Ági brought the cake, David managed to get a bottle of Navy rum, (not easy to find in these parts) and Pityu presented Roy with a large bottle of mulberry pálinka.

The birthday boy cutting the cake

Pusser's rum and mulberry pálinka

Saturday was the main harvesting day and I managed about 2 hours worth before my lower back gave up. We only had to do one side of the vineyard, as the upper bit had been done 3 weeks before.

Here's a Hungarian breakfast for you

Roy, David and Ági giving a toast

Dinner on the patio

Pityu, our host

There were many people round the table the night before, I think we numbered 16. Not all of those came over the following day for the harvest, but the numbers were adequate for the task at hand. I was paired up with Pálma and her daughter, and we had lots of lovely chats while picking. The guys did the harder work, which was carrying the grapes to the press and, of course, doing the pressing. Pityu has a manual press, which is quite hard work, but all got done on the day.

Pálma hard at work

Richard with his hopper

Pityu's press house

Big plump bunches

Sunday we did go over for a bit of fig picking, which resulted in some delicious green figs on my breakfast cornflakes the morning after. The bunch of people that gathers at Pityu's house and vineyard are really the salt of the earth. They are great company, really nice to be with. On Sunday afternoon our trip home was a bit hectic, several traffic jams, one of a whole hour to do a few kilometres, tired us out.

The hills around Monoszló

The views over the vineyard

David is having a rest

Figs

This week has now been dedicated to doctors and the dentist. My ultrasound results seem OK and Roy has now got the proper temporary bridge in, which he will have to use for the next roughly 6 months, while his jaw heals, the implants are put in and finally, once everything is in and has healed, the permanent bridge will go in approximately March or April next year. Still no sign of the eye op, but he has adjusted to the level of sight he does have quite well. I do all the driving and he has now given up wearing his long distance glasses, as they wouldn't help much. He still wears his reading/computer glasses, and manages to spend quite a time online.

Sense and Sensibility, my 40 year old book

Sense and Sensibility, the 1995 film

I finished my book mentioned last week and now re-reading Sense and Sensibility, which I have first read about 40 years ago and also watched the film recently, so now I am not only enjoying it, but permanently comparing the script of the film with the book. Great fun, I love Jane Austen so much, it gives me endless pleasure.

Stefanie Martini in Prime Suspect 1973

I have picked up a few series on TV that have started again, plus one, that has been on about 4 years ago, but I have never seen it. This one is Prime Suspect 1973, about a young Tennison and as there is a book from Lynda La Plante called the same, I'll have to get it soon. Bloody Brexit now causes heavy charges, even on books: customs, VAT and handling charge, but I will do it all the same.

Robson Green and Tom Brittney in Grantchester

I am also watching Grantchester again, which I still enjoy due to its interesting story lines, good script and excellent acting. Another one I discovered was Hollington Drive, on which the jury is still out, but hopefully I'll be able to decide one way or another after the second episode this week. The guy from whom we buy our plums had phoned, asking us to go and fetch them, but we couldn't, due to the dentist's appointment. Unfortunately it is raining now, so it'll have to be next week, once the lane has dried a bit.

I heard a cough from downstairs, so the master of the house is awake. I have to go now. Next post, hopefully, next Wednesday.