The film that changed my life

This weeks blog entry will be a little bit different than what I usually write beacuse this week I will write about the movie that has had the biggest changing effect on my life and this is The Lord of the Rings Trilogy based on the epic tales of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Probably the first thing I should tell is what was it that had such a big effect on me. Fisrt of all I always liked films that relate more to the medival times than the modern ones. And if think about these films than we see that they are clearly an imaginary representation of the old world laced with a bunch of miythical beasts.

The second thing that made the films fit to my liking is that it had everything in it which makes a film good. Just to list a few for example the sites, the effects, the animations, and what I especially liked the most were the war scenes in the last two films of the trilogy.

But now comes the part which gave a me a whole new way of life and there were the archery scenes because I always likedcarchery but after watching the first movie was when I tried out archery for the first time and since then I go out doors a lot more then before. And it didn't only make my life healthier but fitter as well.

Exploring Greece (Part 3)

Now the time has come to finally conclude this already two entry long story which is just screaming for its end to make it a whole. And one more thing that probly needs mentioning here is that this is the last entry on this topic.

So after Mycenae came Nauplion Which was the first modern age capital of Greece before Athens. The city itself wasn't so big but it did have a feeling of peace and tranquillity which is come to think of it is quite odd because the city not only had one but two 12th century forts in it. Never the less it was a nice place and the sea food which we got there wasn't bad at all which is a big thing for me cause I actually hate sea food. But in Greece everything had a different taste well the fish probably did because they were caught fresh just that morning and by lunch it was already on my plate.

Then the next stop was Epidaurus which can be considered as an ancient form of insane-asylum which if we think about it was well before psychology was first introduced. The stange thing was that it didn1t even look a bit like an insane-asylum because it had everything which every ancient citizen could get in a city. So Epidaurus can be caonsidered as an isolated city for the mentally ill. Another interesting thing is that this was the only such city in ancient times so probably a lot of people from distant landes came here also seeking salve.

It was time to leave the capital from where we explored the Southern part of Greece however the way back to the North of the country also had a lot of sites to see even though by then we thoght that we have seen everything worth seeing. But only now came the most mystical places that Greece has to offer. First up was Delphoi home to legendary oracle that has shaped the lifes of all who ever went there for guidance. I didn't really get to felll the spirituality of Delphoi maybe because I am pretty sceptic about these paranormal beliefs.

Then before heading to our final destination before heading home we spent the night in a hotel which had a perfect view at Mount Olympus which is where our final trip will lead us. The day has finally arrived and we were all set to explore the home of the ancient Greek Gods. On thing was very interesting that we could never see the top of the mountian where the gods are said to live. However we did see the Bathtube of Zeus which is a beautiful mountain spring and is said that it's water has mystic powers. I can tell you if it has hasN1t Mystic powers but one thing is for sure that it quenched my thrist after that long walk up Mount Olympus.

Since there was nothing more to see in Greece we packed up and went home the way we came from with a Little detour through Thessaloniki which was named after Alexander the Greats' sister and also home to the Tower of Winds. And after buying souvenirs at every stop on the way home we finally reached the Hungarian border and were welcomed home by a beautiful sunset.

So this is the end of this very long story ends I hope I managed to give everyone a clear picture about just how interesting Greece really is. And thank you for everyones attention.

Exploring Greece (Part 2)

And now comes the long awaited second part of my story in which you can get to know a lot more legendary sites. If I remember correctly I left off last time in Athens just after being to the Acropolis.

Since we were on the upper peninsula of Greece we went to the most Southern part of it which was the Temple of Poseidon located in Sounion. However we didn't just go there because of the ruins we went there before night fell to see how the sun sets over the Aegian Sea. And I have seen a lot of magnifisent sun sets but this one surely takes the cake.

Then came the real fun part of the trip when we went to the Port of Piraeus that lies just on the outskirt of Athens. From there we went on a whole day boat trip to three unique island in the Aegian Sea. The first stop was Poros a remote little island filled with tourist and beatiful sites. An important fact to know about this island is that it lies right next to Ithaka where the legendary kingdom of Odysseus was. The second stop was Idra where the sea is said to be the cleanest and the bluest which as far as I could tell is a very accurate statement. And the third and final stop before returning to the mainland was Egina where the biggest amount of pistachio is grown in Greece. Besides buying pistachio I also went for a swim in the sea and I must say that the water was just perfect.

The next day after the boat trip came another long bus trip but the sites that were included in it were worth it. First we traveled over the Corinthian Channel which was originally based on the plans of a Hungarian architect. Then came the first historic stop on the the lower peninsula which was Corinthos one of the oldest trading cites of ancient Greece. The ruins of the city were quite fasinating especially the tails and facts that our tour guide mentioned there. It was very good there except for the fact that when I wanted to take a piece of stone from the ground I was stopped by one of the security guard so I came home from Corinthos empty handed.

The next stop was the legendary city of Mycenae which is where the conflict began which provoked the Trojan War one of the biggest wars in ancient times. But the city itself and the surrounding areas had such a huge influence on me that I felt like I was sent back in time even though it does sound kind of silly but that's what it really felt like. What caught my attention the most were not really the ruins but the artifacts inside the museums for example the Golden Burial Mask of Agamemnon. Come to think of it The Loin Gate, and The Treasury of Atreus were infact the most exciting sites.

I thought that I could finish this story in this entry but there are still so many things that I have remembered and want to tell so please be patient till next week when I will surely conclude my story of exploring Greece.

Exploring Greece (Part 1)

Last time I wrote about a very recent event but now I will take you on another journey back in time to the summer of 2007. It was a memorable journey in many way but there was one thing that I will not forget while I live and those were the spectacular and historical sites of mythical Greece.

But before telling more about the birth place of mythology I will talk about the long and exhausting journey of getting there which was probably one of the longest trips I have ever been on. After getting over the Hungarian border at Tompa and started on the journey through Serbia which was such a long part of our trip that we had to stop for the night in a hotel near the capital of Skopje. By the second day we reached Macedonia where we also made a short stop at an ancient Roman excavation site but after that we didn't stop till we got to the land of Greece more precisely Olimpic Beach where we had a dip in the Aegean Sea and a good night sleep.

On the third day we really kicked into gear and started to explore the truly historical sites and scenes of Greece. First up was the Valley of Temph where the Shrine of Apollo and a beautiful chapel which was bulit into the side of the valley was located. Then came the Meteora's the medival monasteries on top of the uniquely fomed hills. The site was truly amazing but the best part was when we had a chance to see one of the monasteries from the inside. It was very amazing especially the chapel which was full of holy pictures and gold icons wherever we looked. Here I mde a very important discovery which was that frape is the best coffee I have ever drank. And I also won a real gold plated icon on the bus with the help of a lucky-bag game.

Our next stop before reaching the capital was The Hot Gates of Thermopylae where the great battle between the Persians and the Spartans was. Unfortunetly the centuries have shaped the surrounding areas so that Hot Gates have completely wanished even though the location where we were was really where it all happened. But today all that we can see is a slab of marble on the top of a steep hill which if you can read it preserves the last words of Leonidas and his men before they fell.

After these few historic stops we continued further down South to our true destination Athens. Our stay in the capital was quite long but still we never had one dull moment because each day was filled with sites and traditional Greek meals to make us feel even more at home. Just to list a few we had gyros, tzadziki, musaka and a lot of other delicious meals all accompanied by some Greek wine. And we also had some ouzo one night as well the most famous short drink besides metaxa in Greece. And one of the most interestig things that we saw there was the changing of the President's guards which was similar to the one in London but different as well. And another thing to mention here is the Panathenic Stadium where the first modern olympic games were held.

But what really astonished me was the Acropolis which I had only seen in books before but being there at the birth place of culture itself was more incredible than I would ever have imagined. We have seen the Theater of Dionysius where Sophocles' dramas were first played, we also saw the Odeion, the Parthenon, the Kariatides, the Areos Pagos and the Agora as well. It was really great to see all these historic places if only it weren't so damn hot there it would have been even better.

However there is still a lot more to talk about unfortunetly you will have to wait till next week for the other half of the story so don't go nowhere.

The Easter Holiday

As I have mentioned in my previous blog entry it is now time to tell what has happened to me on my latest journey. To start off our destination was Gyula which is way over on the other side of the country compaired to where Pécs is located. It was a long trip about 312 kilometers which included going over the Danube the Great Plain and the River Tisza twice.

Finally we reached our destination and had no trouble at all finding the Corvin Hotel where our accommodations were. It was a really nice place with is authentic dining places one on inside and one on the outside. Unfortunately because of the bad weather conditions we couldn't dine outside at all. And as soon as we checked in we went to have a look around the city and see if there were any special programmes due to the fact that easter was only two days away. As we have suspected there were a lot of interesting activities on saturday and sunday like concerts comedies and everything. We also went to see the castle and the thermal bath as well which is said to be the best in the country.

The next day was spent pretty much the same way because after we had breakfast and the weather turned better we went back to the castle where the easter programmes were held and spent some time looking around the bazaar. And you won't belive this but as soon as we got back to the hotel it started raining like hell. So with nothing else to do I finally had a chance to check out all the fancy wines in the hotels shop which was one of the reasons we went there in the first place. It was a dream come true for me beacause now I could get my hands on some Romanian wine which was long missing from my collection.

On sunday my mother had the idea of going over to Romania and checking out Arad since we were so close to the border and all. Arad itself was a lot like Budapest but the surronding areas were very poor and under developed which made me very sad to see the once proud Eastern Region of Hungary so uncultivated. But it was good altogether and it also made me realise what a good life I have. And when we got back I persuaded my parents to do the formalities and aslo buy the wines I wanted the day before we left so that we don't have to do it in a rush when we leave. Then we went to see the evening show but it wasn't very good and it was raining as well.

The time of our departure has arrived so we packed up our bags and went home the same way we came from. However we did make a few stops like in Békéscsaba to make a few photoes to remember this trip by and also to put a few in my blog enrty to make it more colourful.

This week I will not write about niether things that happened to me in the past nor about what happened to me recently. One of the reasons for this is that I spent this week mostly with preparations. If you want to what I was preparing for than stay tuned till next weeks blog entry when I will reveal all the details of my newest adventure. See you all next week.:)

The Summer Party

In the summer of 2007 after the final examinations were over and high school finally ended was when I realised that something was missing from having a really good summer break. At first I didn't what it could possibly be but then it came to me. It was my high school friends who I haven't seen since the banquet so I decided to throw a little party and invite all my close friends.

Unfortunately not everyone could make it to the party but those who count were there. It was a fine day to hold a party beacuse the weather was warm and sunny all day long. My parents prepared quite a big feast for us so we didn't have any problems with what to eat. Then to work off some of that great meal we started horsing around and we did some fencing too. Thankfully no one got hurt except for the swords.

It was getting pretty late and one of us had to go home so the rest of us escourted him down to the bus stop and after he left we went back to the weekend house and started getting ready for the frying. It was very cool with the fire roaring and guitar music in the air. Then at about midnight we went to hit the sack but we couldn't sleep so we started telling high school stories until we fell asleep.

The next morning when we woke up we had breakfast which was the same meal as yesterday because there were still a lot left overs. After breakfast we geared up and went home to get some sleep cause sleep was just about the only thing that we were short off.

The Journey to England

In the spring break of 2006 me and my classmates went on a ten day field trip to England. This was the height of our high school events which everybody waited for anxiously. The day of our departure has came and so we set out on our journey to explore what England has to offer.

The journey was longer than any trip I had ever been on and none of us enjoyed the fact that we had to spend our first night on the bus and to make matters worse the heating on the bus broke down so it was freezing. However the second night before we sailed over to England was spent in a nice motel where we could enjoy to comforts of sleeping in a bed once again.

The next morning we sailed across the Le Manche channel and finally reached the shores of our destination. Our first stop was Canterbury where we did a lot of sight seeing and then we continued to London where we spent two days but it was barely enough to see the most important sights. After that we went to Cambridge for some punting where some of us almost took a dip in the river. Our next stop was Tintagel which is where Arthur's Camelot is believed to have stood. And our final most important stop was Stonehenge before leaving England.

Before we started on our way home we stpped in Amsterdam for a day so that the bus drivers could have a rest and also to check out the famous Red Light District. Then we got back on the bus and besides one stop in Austria we didn't stop till we got back home.

An important discision

Last summer I came to a very difficult choice to make. Wether to go to Lake Balaton with my friends or to stay in Pécs and help my father to make the wine rack. There were arguements on both sides which made it even more difficult to decide.

For the first option there was the fact that I have already agreed to going there and I didn't want to disappoint my friends by saying that I can't go. But on the other hand I didn't want to leave my father alone with this work after he went through so much trouble to arrange everything for the construction of the rack. After thinking long and hard about it I got to the conclusion that making something together with my father is more important than being with your friends at least it is to me.

And so was it worth staying here and doing the wine rack instead of going to Lake Balaton. The choice is yours to decide if my choice was right or wrong. However keep in mind that you can go to Lake Balaton anytime but making somethig as nice as this is not an everyday feat.

The Study Trip to Portugal

This story happened to me about a year ago in the last year of high school. Our school was chosen to send a small group to an international assembly of students with other students from other European countries. All the arrangements were made and so we set out on our journey to Portugal.

It was quite a long trip getting there but it was worth it after we had a chance to look around and gaze at the beautiful sites of Coimbra where our accommodations were. Although the trip was not entirely a vacation because we had loads of tasks and assignments to do. As well as two meetings each and every day but we also had our share of free time. For instance going to see something new in Coimbra or going to the local disco every single night.

But no matter how beautiful Coimbra was it was nothing compared to what the city of Porto had to offer. Like the magnificent view from the castle or the walk on the river bank looking at the wine barrel transport ships called rabelos. But what really caught my attention was the Sandeman factory which is one of the most famous port wine producers known throughout the world. So for me the best part of the vacation was the guided tour of the factory and the wine-tasting at the end of it. And I must say that the portuguese do know what fine wine is all about.

And the worst part of the trip was the trip home but whenever I start to miss Portugal I have a look at the five bottles of port wine I brought there and that always brings up good memories of the people I meet and time I spent there.

My First Real Bow

It happend more than two years ago on my eighteenth birthday. It started like any other boring tuesday i got up and went to school. But the twist occured after the school day was over.

My parents came for me and took me to a place i have never been before. For my great surprise it was a hunting accessories store where they also sell bows and arrows. I always wanted a real bow after trying archery at Sümeg for the first time. Unfortunetly we had to wait infront of the store because the sales man was having his lunch break. However we didn't have to wait long till the salesman came back and opened up.

At last we got into the shop and went strait to the back of the store where the bows were. My father showed me one of the bows he thought would fit me but I didn't even like the way it looked like. Then some guy came over to us and asked if we were looking for a bow for me. His name was Schell József and as soon as we said yes he started looking for a bow that would suit me best. After a short while he found what he was looking.

He took a black leather covered bow of the shelf and draw it up. Then he gave it to me to try and pull it out. I strained the bow and he said that it fits me perfectly. Then he also helped me to pick out a few arrows and also the equipment that is required for archery. Before he left he mentioned that he has an archery club where I can learn the basics of achery and that I should join. It wasn't such a big club but still I learnt everything there is to know about archery there.

So this is how I started archery and what I have mastered there I am now trying to share with my friends who want to try it out.