Eastern European Odyssey – Part II

Tags

adoptee, adoption, Expanding horizons, Horses, Hungary, Pusta, River Cruise, Travel

To wander is to be alive.
― Roman Payne

Travel gives one a chance to look at life from a different perspective. Since I view the world through “adoption colored glasses,” I think of what I see and do as a way to escape my adoption conundrums, a means of moving beyond the lens of my own existence. A recent Viking River cruise to five countries—Hungary, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania—truly expanded my horizons.

The trip was full of castles, fortresses, history, beautiful landscape and cultural wonders. That said, the small gem-like experiences are what I most cherish. One such gem occurred on the third day of our 10-day journey. We were in Kalocsa, Hungary. A short drive from town took us to the Bakodpuszta Equestrian Center.

Surrounded by many acres of farmland, the horse center is part of a working farm. Residents of the Hungarian Pustza (roughly translated, this means “grassland” or “treeless flat place.” ) love their horses and cherish the tradition of horsemanship. For centuries, people in this region have relied on the elegant Hungarian Warmblood breed for transportation, settlement and defending their land.

The morning was cool and overcast. Our group of twenty travelers were welcomed with shot glasses of rakia and slices of bread with pig drippings and paprika.  Thus fortified, we climbed into the bleachers that faced an oval-shaped dirt field. At one end, an oboe player serenaded us with mournful ballads. In seconds, the horses and their riders appeared, galloping around the ring. Adding to the going-back-in-time feeling, the riders were decked out in baggy royal blue trousers, capes and gallant black hats. Definitely made us feel at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. It was thrilling, heartwarming. Beauty in motion. The following photos are just a few of the highlights…

The show took me back to my 12-year-old self when I drew horses, wanted to own one, and was literally in love with horses. Just about everything, I’ve learned, can be part of adoption recovery. Or maybe it’s just that I’ve “recovered” enough to stop “recovering” and start living. Whatever the case, I’m grateful for that special morning.
To learn more about Hungarian horsemanship, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVWWtOrYrDY

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Join Elaine on Mondays for reflections on adoption and life. Please comment and share your own transformative.journeys.

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Adopting Other Countries – An Odyssey through Eastern Europe

Tags

adoptee, adoption, Booklover, Budapest, Chain Bridge, Danube River, Handicrafts, Hungary, Personal growth, Sailing

“Wherever you go, you take yourself with you.” -Anonymous

It’s been said that others can know us better than we know ourselves. A close friend once told me that because I’ve resolved all those thorny “adoption issues,” I would now be free to live my life. Resolution? Being “over it”? Could that be possible? At the time, I thought that my friend was being overly optimistic. Wasn’t it true that the feelings of abandonment and alienation would never vanish, that freedom was an illusion? However, maybe, just maybe, my friend was right. Last night, I returned from nine days aboard a Viking longship, sailing on the Danube River through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. I opened myself up completely to new experiences, to learning about countries that had been just names, to people and cultures previously unknown. Welcome to this account of my five-country odyssey through Eastern Europe.

I went with Viking River Cruises, an excellent travel outfit that hires superb guides in every place you visit. The formula is simple: sail mainly at night, tour about on foot and by bus every day. Our first day was spent in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. An enchanting city that straddles the Danube, Budapest used to be two cities: Buda and Pest. Buda is on one side, and it’s full of Art Nouveau buildings, castles and palaces; modern Pest (pronounced “Pesht) is on the other. The magnificent Chain Bridge, along with eight other bridges, join the two-cities-in-one.

Herewith, a pictorial travelogue illustrating my journey’s beginning…

Open air arts market near our Hotel. Lunched on goulash and bought handcrafted stationery.

Bomo Art booth  – journals to book marks, hand crafted, no two alike!

Leaving Budapest for Kalosca. Just outside the Sofitel Hotel: flower-filled park and military statuary.

The famous Chain Bridge, Castle District in the background (Buda in the background). About to set sail for Kalosca.

Budapest took my breath away. It is historic, quite beautiful, endlessly fascinating. On a personal note, I feel that the previously divided nature of this capital symbolizes my adoption journey, a kind of coming home to unity. However, Budapest is just the beginning. Please stay tuned for more chapters of this adoptee’s Eastern European travelogue.Here I am with Tina, artist/businesswoman whose book arts boutique (www.bomoart.com) was a highlight of our first day in Hungary.