Budapest Fireworks 2010 Video

This years fireworks might not have been the best ever, but considering the fact that it for a long time looked as if there would be no fireworks at all, it was very nice. Below you can see a two minute video giving our visitors a taste of what the fireworks in Budapest August 20th 2010 were like.

For a video showing the fireworks in Budapest 2009, go here!

Budapest fireworks 2010 video

Budapest pictures

Below you can find some more Budapest pictures. They were all taken in August 2010, so they are quite fresh (as we write this post). We hope that you will like them. For more pictures, check out our multimedia section, or go visit our Facebook profile!

Budapest pictures

Gellert Hill
Gellert Hill
Elisabeth Bridge and Gellert Hill
Elisabeth Bridge and Gellert Hill
Elisabeth Bridge and Castle
Elisabeth Bridge and the Castle
Danube Cruise
Danube Cruise
Cow on the menu
Cow on the menu
Castle by night
Castle by night
Castle by day
Castle by day
Big Market Hall
Big Market Hall
Liberty Bridge with the Gellert hotel in the background
Liberty Bridge with the Gellert hotel in the background
Hotel Gellert
Hotel Gellert

Hungary worlds 33 best nation to live in

Hungary the 33rd best nation in the world
Hungary the 33rd best nation in the world

The famous and popular magazine Newsweek has just recently published their list describing 100 nations and their standard of life. Based on eduction, health, quality of life, economic dynamism and political environment they have made up their lists presenting the best and the worst places to live in of those 100 nations investigated.

The winner was Finland, followed by Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Luxembourg, Norway, Canada, Netherlands, Japan and as number 10, Denmark.

Hungary ended up in a 33rd place, after Slovakia and Estonia, but before Lithuania and Costa Rica. The worst five nations were Uganda, Zambia, Cameron, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.

See complete results and statistics

August 20 – Hungarian national day

August 20th is the national day of Hungary. That means that this Friday grocery stores and most shops will be closed, while restaurants and cinemas normally remain open. August 20th is celebrated in Hungary as it is the nameday of Hungary’s first king, King Stephen (István).

Most Hungarians stay at home and enjoy the date as a normal day off. The last years a big attraction has though been the Red Bull Air Race, which unfortunately was cancelled in Budapest this year. Earlier they also spoke of cancelling the annual fireworks (to use the money help people suffering from the floods in Hungary instead), but a company from Szombathely offered to stand the cost for an alternative and shorter firework show. Therefore at 21.00 there will be hopefully beautiful fireworks along the Danube in Budapest (see Fireworks 2009 video) !

There will be some special program by the Saint Stephens Basilica during daytime August 20th.

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Duodji – Sámi Handicrafts: Ethnography

Sámi Handicrafts
Sámi Handicrafts

An exhibition named “Duodji – Sámi Handicrafts” was just opened in the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest. The exhibition will be available between August 8 and November 28, and is connected with the exhibition “How we see the Finns“, also available until November 28, 2010.

Duodji – Sámi Handicrafts
Museum of Ethnography
August 9 – November 28 (2010)

Budapest museums

More about the exhibition (press release):
Ilmari Tapiola (b. 1955; Sámi name Gáva-Jon Ilmar) comes from a village of Kaava (Gávva) on the Teno River (Deatnu) in the municipality of Utsjoki. Tapiola is both a reindeer herder, an entrepreneur in the field of fishing tourism and a maker of handicraft.
When he was young, the prospects of Sámi handicraft were poor, especially as concerns the handicraft made by men. Industrial products had replaced the tools, dishes, containers and other objects in which things were kept that had been traditionally made at home, and there were only few masters of Sámi handicraft left.

Ilmari Tapiola learnt the basic skills of Sámi handicraft on the courses held at Christian Folk High School of Inari, where his teachers included Ilmari Laiti and Juhan Rist. In 1974, Tapiola left – with two other Sámi from Finland – for the Sámi High School of Jokkmokk, Sweden, to continue his training there for two years.

The handicraft exhibition of Ilmari Tapiola displays chests, dishes, bowls, boxes, knives, reeds, shuttles, horn spoons, belt buttons and hooks. Tapiola’s handicraft is characterized by distinct designs and strongly dyed stylized ornamentation that has been carved on the pieces of handicraft.

His themes include braids, plaits, basket-work ornamentation, stars and suns, but sometimes he decorates, freehand, his work with natural motifs and figures from the Sámi drums. He makes his handicraft both for the use of his own family and for sale.

The handicrafts of the exhibition are made of “hard” materials, that is, from birch gnarls and the high quality antlers of a bull reindeer. The gnarl lids of chests and containers and the handles of gnarl cups have been decorated with antler inlays. Some knife sheaths, reeds and shuttles are made from only one material: horn.

The carvings on the horn are made visible with the help of a colour that has been ground from charcoal. Air compressor tools have made it easier to work the materials, but it is now more difficult to actually get a hold of the materials that one needs.

The exhibition was conducted with the help of Finnagora and the Museum of Ethnography

Heat wave and Sziget Festival

Some people say a new heatwave is coming to Budapest this week. It probably depends on what weather forecast you see, but if its true, it should turn very warm from Tuesday/Wednesday. Great news, though I am afraid that it might become a bit to hot, at least for me!

This coming week the annual Sziget Festival starts as well, and all big news companies speak about all the mud still on the island, due to the heavy rain this summer. But, with a new heat wave coming up, this will hopefully not create big problems.

Tonight will be the start of the festival, though the official start is on Wednesday. Kispál és a Borz will enter the main stage of the festival at 20.00!

Budapest events and concerts

Some pictures from Pannonhalma and Hollókő

The summer is a great time for excursions in Hungary! Many Hungarians travel towards Lake Balaton to spend their summer holiday there, while others travel around to visit cities and areas they have never seen before.

One kind of tourists are those so called “World Heritage” tourists. They check out every single World Heritage site in a nation, and then travel on to check out more in other nations. If you are interested in World Heritage sites, then you have 8 places to visit in Hungary: (by clicking on the links you will leave our Budapest Guide, and move on to our Hungary Guide)

  • Budapest
  • Caves of Aggtelek Karst
  • Fertö Cultural Landscape
  • Hortobágy National Park
  • Necropolis of Pécs
  • Old Village of Hollókö
  • Pannonhalma
  • Tokaj Wine Region

We have recently posted pictures from Hollókő and Pannonhalma on our Facebook profile, but under this text you can see some of these pictures here as well! You can see more pictures from Pannonhalma and Hollókő by visiting the Hungary Guide.

Pannonhalma and Hollókő pictures

Hungarian Formula 1 results 2010

The Hungarian Grand Prix 2010 is history and this year Mark Webber (RBR-Renault) won the race. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) ended up on the second place, while Sebastian Vettel (RBR-Renault) ended up third. Michael Schumacher ended up on 11th place!

This years race was a success as always, and it is just to get ready for next years race which is expected to be held July 29, 30 and 31st at Hungaroring. More information will be given concerning this at our Formula 1 page.

Standings for Hungarian Grand Prix 2010

1.     Mark Webber, RBR-Renault
2.     Fernando Alonso, Ferrari
3.     Sebastian Vettel, RBR-Renault
4.     Felipe Massa, Ferrari
5.     Vitaly Petrov, Renault
6.     Nico Hulkenberg, Williams-Cosworth
7.     Pedro de la Rosa, BMW Sauber-Ferrari
8.     Jenson Button, McLaren-Mercedes
9.     Kamui Kobayashi, BMW Sauber-Ferrari
10.    Rubens Barrichello, Williams-Cosworth
11.    Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP
12.     Sebastien Buemi, STR-Ferrari
13.     Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India-Mercedes
14.     Heikki Kovalainen, Lotus-Cosworth
15.     Jarno Trulli, Lotus-Cosworth
16.     Timo Glock, Virgin-Cosworth
17.     Bruno Senna, HRT-Cosworth
18.     Lucas di Grassi, Virgin-Cosworth
19.     Sakon Yamamoto, HRT-Cosworth

Ret.     Lewis Hamilton, McLaren-Mercedes
Ret.     Robert Kubica, Renault
Ret.     Nico Rosberg, Mercedes GP
Ret.     Adrian Sutil, Force India-Mercedes
Ret.    Jaime Alguersuari, STR-Ferrari