Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Sunday, October 7, 2007

October Vásár

In Debrecen, there is a fair that happens twice a year. It's more like a market, with stalls lining both sides of a web of roads. I was there for four hours and have yet to see more than half the stalls.

Every 200 meters or so, there is a food stall where you can buy 2 foot-long kolbasz (Hungarian sausage), csirke és hagyma (chicken and onions), and bread to go along with the various meats. I could not resist the first food stand I passed because the vendors were cooking the meat right on the grill. I bought a kolbasz with two pieces of bread and it was to die for. Every 300 meters, there is also a candy stand that sells mainly gummies in various colors and shapes. I got some gumimaci (gummy bears) and some long gummy tubes filled with white taffy.


In addition to food, I bought a scarf from a scarf stall. All of the most beautiful and unique scarves that I had ever seen were before me and they all screamed Hungarian. I managed to pick one from the bunch. I choose it for its lovely design and combination of gold, black, and sky blue threads. Unfortunately, when the weather turned from sunny and 70 to bone-chilling, I realized it was time to put my purchase to use. I did look somewhat comical and my friend Teagan, from Australia decided to take advantage of that fact and take a picture of me in my pitiable state.

Besides shops, there was a live band playing that had interesting music. When I saw how they were dressed, however, I almost choked on my kolbasz. They were dressed as Native Americans, only wearing the most ridiculous outfits ever! I had to take a picture of them because their idea of what Native Americans were like was so off the mark. I wonder if they even knew what they were doing. Apparently, they come to Debrecen about once a month and are somewhat popular.