wp62d8560a.png

Issue 29

Spring 2008

wp599e93b1.png
wp52b40157.png
wp5533b116.gif
wp4ddbce98.png

Previous

wp5533b116.gif
wpf4d155fc.png

Next

STRAY NEWS
wp599e93b1.png
wp5533b116.gif
wpf4d155fc.png

Next

wp52b40157.png
wp5533b116.gif
wpff2e62cd.png

Previous

wpb3751fa5.png

wp986f249d.png

wp3f989a71.png

wpe3b0d2fd.png

wp7c3cb0f0.png

wp4080ff91.png

wp737562d7.png

wp3087a991.png

wp8c9a3ab8.png

wp3366417e.png

wpb9d42e0c.png

wpc3dd7e91.png


wp937be001_0f.jpg

Mah Jong - Chris Rush
If you have the characters to face the dragons and square the circles with bamboo you might like to try Mah Jong. Chris Rush would like to start a group in September so if you are interested in playing, contact him. He proposes holding a non playing meeting before September in order to establish numbers, discuss meeting days, times, frequency, rules and venue etc.

Cultural Visit to Budapest

On March 14th thirty three adult music appreciation students embarked on a cultural nine day journey to Budapest for the International Music Festival. Harry Gibson organized this trip with his usual thoroughness and élan. There are several of us also belonging to the U3A who attend Harry's  classes in music appreciation and this was a follow up trip to studies of Hungarian composers.

The history of Budapest goes back to AD 100 from when the Romans occupied the area for 500 years. Since then many other forces had settled there for a while like the Mongols and the Turks. This was a much troubled land.  Since 1990, when free elections took place resulting in the victory of democratic opposition over the Communists,  a new bourgeoisie has emerged.

 Budapest is a fascinating city full of contrasts. The Buda (old town) side sits on a hill alongside the Danube crowned by a mighty fortress and castle. The Pest side is flat and full of interesting architecture, influenced by the secession period and with excellent neo classical buildings as well. The opera house is monumental from the outside and magnificent inside and in competition to that of Vienna and Prague. Concert halls are a delight with excellent acoustics and enchanting bright  interiors. Churches mostly baroque, Catholic and overwhelming with beautiful interiors and exterior decoration.

The whole city is blessed with monuments, ranging from the revolution to those of famous composers, and of course, monuments to remember the plague.

We did lots of sightseeing and St. Stephen's Basilica was my very favourite, with its imposing neo classical style of architecture, dedicated to Stephen the first Christian King. It houses a most unusual relic, the mummified forearm of King Stephen.

On the Pest side is also the fantastic Parliament building and from a distance having a very similar look to the Houses of Parliament in London with a similar situation along a river, the mighty Danube.

We happened upon National Day with lots of celebrations and song and entertainment going on everywhere.

The culture is wonderful in Budapest, operas, concerts, theatre, it is all there and every evening we enjoyed one of these.

Accommodation was very comfortable with all mod cons and delicious food, especially the famous Hungarian desserts.

We arrived back home exhausted, full of the most marvellous culture, satisfied to the brim with fascinating sights, and another successful journey in our repertoire.

 

Siggie Mattison

PS: Budapest is a spa city and has fantastic treatments against all kinds of ailments.