Budapest, the Danube makes the beautiful.
If ever there was a city in Europe steeped in history, it’s Budapest. Budapest’s history begins with its oldest city: Obuda, occupied by Celtic tribes until the Roman conquest in the 1st century B.C. Obuda, which the Romans called “Aquincum”, was founded in 89 on an ancient Celtic settlement. For four centuries, it was the capital of the Roman region of Pannonia. Aquincum comes from the word “aqua” (with water), in honor of the many thermal springs for which Budapest was famous. The Magyars arrived in the region in 896 A.D., and seven Magyar tribes of fearsome warriors came together to defeat the Romans. Today’s city was created on November 17, 1873 by the merger of Buda – then capital of Hungary – Pest and Óbuda..
In the center of the city flows the Danube, Europe’s longest river and a major contributor to the country’s history with its waterways. This is the first image you see as you stroll through the city, reminiscent of Paris with its majestic bridges leading from one bank to the other. Not so in the old days. In this winter of 2017, it’s cold. This is not unusual, as the climate here is continental, and sunrise often offers soft images with lots of mist that sometimes only disperses in the afternoon, enveloping the images in mystery.
Budapest is such a pleasant city that you shouldn’t forget your bathing suit, whatever the temperature or time of day. In fact, it was the Romans who gave Budapest the name Aquincum, in reference to the thermal baths they were already frequenting. So it’s with mixed feelings that I get into the water, never to leave for a long time to avoid the biting cold. Just enough time to strap on the ice skates for an exhibition on the local public rink before warming up with a coffee or chocolate with the famous “kürtőskalács” chimney cake, originally from Transylvania. But the cold and snow always bring the mind back to ground reality before setting off on imaginary or real night-time adventures as described by the poet Domagoj Sirotinja.
Budapest
by Domagoj Sirotinja
Thousands of bulbs present, giant bulbs, carved by rain, lights in the heart of Pest, in the lair of Buda la royale, in the eyes of sporty girls, on bridges that are as many legs, in the still-present flame of Petőfi. And this big wheel that overlooks the city, these lanterns which fall in free figures in the deep movement of the night, when the Jewish quarter and these ruin pubs become the center of the party. And wine will send its stars, and the moon will be full of surprise, and Cseh Tamás will echo on the fronts of his rolling worms until dawn! It will be for the awakening a constant journey, perched on the ridge between east and west, nestled in this country surrounded by Slavic lands, open to all winds of character, embracing the Danube and its solitary wolves. @ Edi Sorić
Budapest (Hungary) – January 2017
