Hungarians are known for their innovation. They have designed the first metro subway, originally drawn by horses in 1847; the articulated bus (1960 put into use); the telephone exchange (1877); of course, the Rubik's Cube and many others, but I love the top picture giving more freedom to the handicapped people. This just makes my heart sing with joy in knowing maybe some of our friends will be able to use something like this!
It is spring here now - and there was a HUGE snowstorm the night before last hitting western Hungary. In our class Thursday afternoon, we had all ready heard of a 30 car pile-up on the freeway to the west of Budapest! Thankfully, we didn't get much here (10 cm ~ 4"), but we walked to class in the rain and walked home with much colder temperatures and snow blowing down on our umbrellas. Yesterday was a holiday (a failed revolution in 1848), and while there were scheduled speeches all over the city of Budapest, they were cancelled due to the storm's vehemence elsewhere. (Personally, I just baked up a storm at our snug house.)
We are learning that as practical and brilliant Hungarians are, they do have some quirks like everyone.... for instance, there is an ice cream truck that goes around our city this winter (maybe all year - we don't know yet). At first we thought, "Really? It's winter!" Silly us! Of COURSE it is winter, but you evidently still need these great ice cream treats - if you can catch the driver. We are used to hearing the ice cream truck blocks/ miles away (depending on where you live) and they slowly parade through the neighborhood/parking lot. Silly us! Not this one! If you hear it, you better run, but be careful.... they go through about 30km/hr or more! Good luck catching it! MAYBE they will even come back through, but forget about them slowing down! We still don't know if the ice cream truck ever stops except for gas - we haven't been that fast.
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