Gyula: Road to, Pictures of

As it turns out, we have really enjoyed living in Sarkad.  We live in the center of town and everything worth anything is well-within walking distance...well almost everything (Sarkad Zoo -- coming soon).  There just isn't much to do outside of grocery shopping and stalking horse carts, though.

Now, where Meliss works is quite a different story. Gyula is a tourist town of about 30,000 people. Fortunately, we are going to be able to move there in the next few weeks and as much as we both hate the idea and process of moving...and even though we will be moving to a MUCH smaller flat...a flat with 12 foot (37 meters) walls that are currently covered with cobwebs and other insect(y) type things...and even though the flat is a bit further from the town center (15 minute walk), it's worth it.

But first, we have to get there...and that means the bus. 

Our main mode of transportation (Meliss takes this EVERYDAY)
We took this picture during a brief rain shower and if you look closely you
can see the large plastic bag this lady put over her baby -- seems safe.

Of course no hamburgers or ice cream

I just did a lesson with my classes on "annoying things." One of the prompts was, "It gets on my nerves (which they pronounced nervesh) when I'm on the bus and...".   Here is a short list of their responses:

A) I can't sit down

B) I have to stand and have nothing to hold on to

C) There are smelly people 

D) People cough on me

E) It's late

F) It's early and leaves without me

Coincidentally, these are the same complaints I have heard from Meliss when she gets home from school (especially "C," as Meliss is exactly armpit high in Hungary).  So, everybody hates the bus...not just us. 

However, while everyone hates the bus, it doesn't have the stigma attached to it like at home. So, people may hate the bus, but people still take the bus. 

Bus parking lot (in Gyula)...you can see our "line" forming on the top right

Here's a pic from my poor wife on a normal bus ride home...don't believe me?

The next day...and EVERYDAY

Basically, Meliss gets on the bus to Gyula at the busiest time of the morning and then gets on the bus home at the busiest time of the afternoon.  Now, for most people this would be "annoying," but if you were verging on the cusp of full-blown OCD before we left the States, this is a nightmare.  There is not enough Purex in the world.

Of course, I will be taking the bus everyday on the opposite route after we move but it's not nearly as busy!

While we are on the subject of buses, I guess it's a good time to address the "getting in line" situation here in Hungary.  It has been three months now and this is (luckily, I suppose) the biggest pet peeve we have.  We had always heard that Europeans have a different sense of personal space than Americans. Nowhere can this be seen better than when you are "standing in line." 

Take an ATM machine in America, for example. We all, almost instinctually, give that 3-5 foot bubble for the person to do their business and it's obvious to everyone except total jerkholes that you are in line. 

That's how we approach things in Hungary -- also, we are last in line for everything here.  It seems that if you are not less than a foot away from the person in front of you then you are not in line.  Can you imagine the DMV without a "Take a Number" system? Yeah, it'd kinda be like that.

This is true in grocery stores, post offices, banks, the butcher, etc. (pretty much any place people are supposed to line up in an orderly fashion) but especially, the bus.  Since we rarely know exactly when a bus is going to show up -- and have to plan for getting on and then off the wrong one -- we show up 10 minutes or so early. We stand there and wait. Then, as the bus pulls up and the doors open people just start walking in from all sides and angles. It's not even like merging where one lane goes then the other...it's just a crazy-ass free for all to get on the smelly, dirty, grimy bus. 

Meliss came home one day half-pissed and half-laughing because someone was pushing her from behind and when she finally turned around it was like an 80 year old woman. It's crazy. 

***Side note -- Meliss came home another day and told me about the sick woman on the bus. Surprisingly, the bus stopped along the side of the road to let her out to throw up...but not before she poured Orange Fanta ("don't you wanta") all over her head to try and cool herself down. So yeah, the bus is pretty awesome.***

We have just accepted it at this point. There are times when we don't even realize we're not in line until someone walks in front of us. Oh, well. Neither of us are the pushy-shovy type so we just passive-aggressively bitch about it while we wait for everyone to pile on the bus. But DAMN! it's annoying. 

Also, one day Melissa's bus got in an accident. A car was jutted out too far into the intersection and the bus scraped past it. Meliss said the bus almost tipped over when all the people craned to the crash side to see what happened...also, that the bus driver was really ticked and was screaming at the other guy. Then, all the people had to get out and walk to the next bus stop to wait, but Meliss was close enough to walk to school.

You think this looks bad -- you should see the other car!

Just a little scrape...but the way these folks drive it's just a matter of time

Meliss thought they killed someone because she just heard a screech and a thump and then a bunch of people screaming in Hungarian. She told her colleagues at school about it and they just laughed. Well, all except Csaba who told her that his bus driver recently got arrested because he was drunk. So, that's comforting.

Rush hour on the way to Gyula

Passing said rush hour

More rush hour

Anyway, the road from Sarkad to Gyula takes about 25 minutes.  On the way out of town there is a 24 hour produce market/zoo?/classic car show...place. 

We'll have more on this place later...

Just beyond Sarkad Zoo (not the real name) is a round-a-bout. If you go straight-ish past it, then you are heading to Gyula. If you go right-ish, then you are heading to Békescsaba. This is always the fingers crossed point for us -- but so far so good!

From there, we cross three different parts of the Körös River (for which the bus line is named). I think it's the White Koros, Black Koros, and Fast Koros (I'm not putting those umlauts in every time -- it takes forever -- hmmm, maybe I should use a Hungarian keyboard).

Not exactly the qwerty style we're used to...hell, it's not even dvorak!

But, it has all the squiggles, slashes, and dots you will ever need

Fehér means white

More Koros

Then, the cemeteries...

Most of the graves are raised -- easier for the vampires to get out I guess.

After that, a few herds of sheep (not pictured), and we are on to Gyula...

Not only do we get to finally get off the bus...but then we get to walk around this place!

Gyula Centrum -- Meliss walks thru this everyday on her way to school (well, not now cause it's frozen).

Next to the fountains is this thing...

This is on the ground -- we walked all around it 'til we figured out to look at the reflection.
Focus on the ground, not the chick in black leather hot pants and high heels!

Ahhh, that makes more sense -- kinda feel bad for stepping all over it now.

Melissa's school is about a block away from here -- but straight past the fountains is a walking street.

Shops and restaurants

Over some creek (not the Koros)

We walked under the bridges and there are a few cafés along the way (but a lot of mosquitos)

World clock at the crossroads of the walking street(s)

It was 11:00 PM at home when we took this picture...I think?

Of course, a random fruit and veggie stand

This place did not have Budweiser, but we took the picture anyway...they did have Coke

And random train tracks...probably historic for some reason

Back towards the bus station is Melissa's school...

Not even going to attempt to write the name of it...

Ok, I've been told I have to...

Gyulai Romai Katolikus Gimnazium, Altalanos Iskola, Oveda es Kollgium

Helicopter landing pad right outside -- we didn't know what this was until Meliss saw a helicopter land

Inside...

Faculty lounge...or something to that effect

A busy day at "the school that will not be named again."

Ok, so that's a good portion of Gyula. More to come...like the castle and thermal baths (mental note: have mom and dad send swimming trunks...or even a 1920's style swimming suit with suspenders...anything but speedo's).

But as we go, here are a few clips from Melissa's students trying to cheer the Cardinals on to their Championship run!

Up next: Our 10th anniversary in Eger, Hungary!