Memorandum Monday breaking a record

Monday greetings and a big wave to everyone.  A nice quiet weekend here with plenty of crochet. Enjoying some sunshine on my sofa - the breeze off the water was too much to enjoy the sun outside for long.


On Sunday afternoon I braved the breeze to watch a world record attempt - not in the marathon that finished in the park near me - but for number of felted stones

The ladies who are organising the local yarnbombing have been working with local Brownies, Cubs etc covering stones in felted wool in order to challenge the record.  I can't remember the exact numbers but the standing record is a few hundred and they had made 1150 - enough to fill in all of the outline (of a horse) but I didn't manage a good photo of the completed pile due to everyone else trying to get a photo too.  A recording of the event has been sent off for verification of the new record.

Hope you all have a good week.

6 word - wide

joining with Miriam's lovely meme

Snap in Budapest

Budapest is stunning with lots of grand architecture both sides of the Danube.  I took this panorama while on a boat Buda is on the left and Pest on the right - the 3 close ups were taken at different times

The statue from the top of the hill is Lady Liberty - the only communist era statue that remains in the city but it was kept as it was such an iconic image on top of the hill.  You can also buy a bottle opener of this image, makign use of the way she is holding up her arms!

I loved all the ornate detail on the bridge - reminded me a lot of the decorations in Vienna - not surprising given that Austria occupied Hungary for many decades.  There are soaring birds on the top of many structures and plenty of other triumphial decoration.

This church is a great example of the mix of architectural styles in many of the buildings - the coloured tiles are made in Hungary and used on many buildings.  The architectural style borrows from several classical and European forms - the same is true on many buildings - as the great architects tended to have travelled widely in Europe and so used all the bits they liked when designing back home.

There really is a lot of grand architecture and lots of decoration on the buildings - I got a crick in my neck from looking up so much.  I was suprised at how little evidence there is of the decades of communist rule in the architecture in the centre of the city.

Enjoying all you snap sets and happy to see so many of you still taking part each week.

Monday Memorandum chicks

A big sunny wave to you all on a nice spring morning

Plenty of new life on the river this week

goose, swan, duck, gooseander

These would have made a good snap set but I already have a Budapest set ready and these are too cute to not share. 

I spent an interesting afternoon on Saturday at another new activity - Forum Theatre.  The idea is to use theatre to examine an issue - both for the people creating the piece and the audience.  At the performance there is a play about 10 minutes long which shows the main character trying to reach a goal but being thwarted along the way.  Then the audience is asked to think of things the main character could do differently and the play is run again but the audience is invited to stop the action and try a different approach or choice for the main character.  It results in some very ineresting discussions. 

Wishing you all a good week.

6 words Goal

Joining Miriam in her lovely meme

Snap on a food tour

I booked one tour beforehand for my trip to Budapest - a culinary walking tour with Taste Hungary.  I've been on several food tours before in other cities and really like them as a way to experience the culture and taste a wider range of items than I'd be likely to otherwise.

We started in the food market in the middle of town (top photo) - a massive building full of stalls and locals doing their shopping and tourists.

On the ground levels were bakers, spice sellers (lots of paprika), lots of fruit and vegetable stalls, sausage, pork and poultry sellers.  I loved seeing all the food on display and not a pre packaged selection in sight. Downstairs are the smelly things - mostly fish and pickles.  Upstairs are cafes.

I had a wander around the market on my first day as it was very close to my hotel. I enjoyed some strawberries - which were just in season.  I also discovered some fabulous mini cheese scones that were warm when I got my bag.  I bought them after seeing a local lady pop one into her mouth as soon as she had her bag and the look of pleasure on her face made me want to try them - they were delicious.

I was surprised to see that the pork shops were selling crackling and 3 different types of animal fat - people buy a block.  The poultry places had every part of the birds on offer.

So back to the food trip.  We started as many Hungarians would with a shot of Umicon - an aperitif that is said to have digestive qualities - first time I've drank spirits in the morning for a very long time.  Then another local norm - langos - a piece of deep fried bread dough covered in garlic oil then sour cream and grated cheese - very tasty although I was glad we each had a portion and not the whole thing.  I like that Hungarians are not embarrassed to have garlic breathe.

Then to a sausage stall for a selection of sliced meat - all tasty.  Then downstairs to the pickels stalls (middle photo).  A whole aisle of stalls displaying pickled gherkins, peppers, melon and more garlic.  They were lovely and crunchy and some were spicy - they are a great compliment to the rich bread and meat.

Then we left the market and walked a few blocks to a popular restaurant that specialises in meat - a meat with meat meal is common here with pickles providing the vegetable content.  We had several sausages and roast duck leg.  All very tasty and filling.

We then walked around looking at several building to make some room for our next stop - an old coffee house and the lovely array of cakes in the photo (we each had a taste of each one).  The apricot tart was my favourite - big Austrian influence in the cakes and pastries - and the coffee culture comes from the earlier Turkish occupation.

We finished our tour with some wine tasting - Hungary produces great wines but doesn't export much.

4 hours after we started I left feeling very full and happy.  I'd highly recommend these tours - if I'd been staying longer I'd be tempted by their Jewish food tour and their dinner over 4 restaurants tour.

Lots of lovely food, locally grown and produced, and not a goulash in sight!

Looking forward to seeing what snap sets you have to share this week.

Memorandum Monday city break

A big warm wave to you all.  I did plenty of  'new' over the weekend because I was in a place I've never been before - Budapest

Its one of the European cities that has always interested me and so finally I went and thoroughly enjoyed the bustling, cosmopolitan city - fabulous architecture, delicious food, easy to get around on public transport - just what I want from a city.


I travelled on what is reportedly the most scenic tram journey in Europe - tram 2 goes along the side of the Danube and they have kept some of the older model trams to add to the atmosphere

and I enjoyed a boat along the river - I chose the public ferry which does the same route as the fancy dinner cruises

and I luxuriated in one of the thermal baths which take advantage of local hot water thermal springs

and I sat by a very poignant memorial to those who were killed on the edge of the river during the Second World War

I'm just sharing a few tastes here as I took several hundred photos that I need to sort through - some good snap collections in there so I promise more details then and some more thoughts about the city and what I saw and did then as I sort through those too. 

Off to catch up on laundry, food shopping and blog reading now.  Hope you all have a good week

6 word chase

thank you Miriam for a weekly challenge to tell a story with a photo and 6 words

snap delicate

Another subject matter that is widely seen as a pest to be removed

when I went into the garden for some much needed weeding, I couldn't resist playing with my camera first - I had to take these unseen as the camera was nearly on the ground then sort through for the good ones.

Just dug up loads and removed flowers and buds and the rest of the seed heads but I know there will be lots more flowers next week - they know how to survive!

Thank you all for your continued interest as fellow snappers, commentators and silent visitors

Memorandum Monday spring

 

lots of lovely fruit blossom around - it all seems to have suddenly appeared over the last week.

we have not had the fabulous sunshine that seems to have graced much of southern England lately - fog coming in off the sea comes with living on the East Coast.  But it did clear and the sun came out on Sunday afternoon such that I had my first eat outside ice-cream of the year - it felt like half the local population was doing the same from the length of the queue and the scarcity of an empty bench.

I had 2 scoops in a tub - Turkish delight and coconut and both were delicious.

Even though the weather is improving, I'm still making animal hats for family - make one and everyone wants one!  There are pipe cleaners in the ears so they will stay upright 

wishing you all a good week and sending a big wave

6 word friend

joining Miriam for her lovely meme - a photo and 6 words to tell a story on a weekly theme

Snap a squirrel

I took the scenic route to meet friends for coffee and walking through the park I spotted a squirrel pottering around on the grass.

I know that some people think of them as tree rats or an alien pest that has decimated the indigenous red squirrel

but I still think they are cute and fun to watch

I love that bushy tail

Loving all your snap collections - I am still getting a 'mail delivery failure' message after leaving a comment on many of your blogs  - so if you have not received an email to say I have commented please check your blog as I do visit everyone who links

Memorandum Monday in colour

I enjoyed creating with colourful yarns over the weekend - colour inside very much needed as the weather was grey much of the time - still grey and wet this morning as I look out the window.

At my crochet, knitting, cake and coffee group on Saturday morning we were chatting about colour preferences when putting together several colours.

some prefer to use a range of shades within the one colour

some like to use a range across 2 colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel

some - including me - like to include a contrast - a colour on the opposite side of the colour wheel

What is your colour range preference - does it differ when thinking about clothes, interior decor and making things?  I like to include contrast in all of these and rarely go for shades within one colour.

And what was I making you ask - inspired by a piece I saw a the makers faire - a sunny piece to hang in my living room

 

Hoping you all have a good week with some sunshine