Looking Up

“Look up,” is what we were instructed to do some twenty-five years ago when first we came to Budapest. And those words remain to this day as something of a mantra to be given to friends and visitors who arrive as strangers to this most captivating of cities.

A typical apartment building on the Pest side of the Danube.

So it was earlier this week we had occasion to be in the main post office of our district. Now, this is something in the past we would avoid unless absolutely necessary. Notwithstanding the long queues, a legacy of the previous, socialist regime, all too often we would finally arrive at the window only to have the curtain swept across, indicating the position closed, with no other possibility but to rejoin another line. Even then there remained the concern of having the correct papers for whatever transaction we hoped to effect. Never was purchasing a postage stamp more difficult.

But all that, as with so much else, has changed. The post office counter staff have obviously all graduated from charm school, the endless queues are replaced with a numbered ticket system and, armed with our ‘ID for Foreigners’, we romp through the business of the day.

Falk Miksa utca - a tree lined street close to the Parliament. 

Architectural detail in Falk Miksa utca.

Anyway, less we digress further, we positively skipped out of the post office in near record time and, taking full advantage of the warm sunshine, headed off in the direction of the numerous antique shops to be found in Falk Miksa utca, one stop away on the 4-6 tram.

Alas, either we were too early in the day (it seems that the opening hours of antique shops do not conform to a regular pattern) or, in anticipation of the long weekend coinciding with All Saints’ Day (a public holiday in Hungary), the owners had decided to absent themselves. Whatever, as our American friend would have said, “What are you going to do?”

Answer, nothing, beyond enjoy the day. Which we did, wandering through some of the streets and squares we had not visited in some time, looking up as we went.

The Parliament, glimpsed through the trees.

Vigadó tér with the recently restored concert hall.

Once the headquarters of a shipping line, soon to become an hotel.

One of the joys of Budapest is the proximity to the Danube which, rising in Germany, snakes its way through Hungary on its journey towards the Black Sea. The panorama, as part of a city landscape, is surely like no other and, particularly seen at night, can never be forgotten.

Looking up to the Liberty Statue and the Citadel positioned high above the Danube.

Reflections on Reading

As some of you who have been with us over a number of years will know, we do not have a television. This is not for any puritanical reason, it is simply that decades ago we came to the conclusion that it took up too much of our time, time that could be spent on other, although not necessarily more worthwhile, things. Reading.

A somewhat bemused Teddy contemplates books to be read.

Books are, in our view, one of life’s greatest pleasures. Not only do they inform, but they offer the reader the opportunity to enter into other worlds, to encounter different characters, to experience unfamiliar or unknown situations, to consider ideas from a fresh perspective even, for which there should be no apology, to indulge in pure escapism. They encourage thinking.

A selection of novels by William Boyd.

William Boyd is a writer whose work we greatly enjoy and which is, at least certainly for us, always worth re-reading. Whilst ‘A Good Man in Africa’ was his first novel, it was only much later that we came to read that having initially been hooked by ‘An Ice War’ - an unusual take on the First World War set in the heart of Africa.

Recently published and ready to be started.

And only this week we were advised by Bestsellers, our English language bookshop here in Budapest, that William Boyd’s latest novel, ‘The Predicament’, was awaiting collection. Apparently, although we have yet to see, a character met previously in an earlier book is set to reappear. But it is not all fiction.

An ideal stocking filler for Christmas.

Our friend, Petroc Trelawny, and following on from his fascinating account of growing up in Cornwall, ‘ Trelawny’s Cornwall’, has this week had published his ‘Classical Music Puzzle Book’ which is, having already dipped in, an absolute delight.

An insightful account of two very controversial figures.

The Duke and Duchess of York, by which titles they were known until very recently, are the subjects of Andrew Lownie’s ‘Entitled’ in which, drawing upon the accounts of some 300 people, he appropriately describes their lives in terms of ‘The Rise and Fall’. Whatever anyone’s feelings about the couple, and everyone will have his or her opinion, it is impossible not to wonder at, indeed marvel at, the hugely excessive sums of money that have passed through their hands during the course of their marriage and divorce.

Lance Hattatt and ‘Dark Runs the River’.

And to conclude on a personal note, we are so appreciative of the compliments we have received for ‘Dark Runs the River’ as well as the good wishes for its success.

Tempus Fugit

'Dark Runs the River'
Lance Hattatt's debut novel

Time and tide, or so the old adage would have it, waits for no man. With that in mind we can scarcely believe it is now some four years - something of an admission - since our last post, 'Heracles' in the Drawing Room. But we have not been idle. In fact, far from it. ‘Dark Runs the River’ is the result of an idea which began as nothing more than that, an idea, one which, slowly, over time gradually took shape, going first in one direction, then in another, until finally it came together into something which, after considerable revision,  could possibly be called a manuscript. And so, a novel was born. Intrigued? Click on the link Dark Runs the River for the publisher’s preview. 

Unpacking advanced copies - excitement - prior to publication day 15th. August, 2025

Since publication, 15th. August, 2025, it has been something of a whirlwind with both a book signing, here in Budapest, and a ‘Literary Luncheon’ held in the small Devonshire coastal town (although we tend to think of it as a village) of Budleigh Salterton.

Signing copies of ‘Dark Runs the River’ at Bestsellers, Budapest

Bestsellers, the leading English language Bookshop in Budapest, took the brave decision to order what seemed like an alarmingly large quantity of books for the occasion and which, seeing them stacked on the table, did cause the two of us to feel somewhat apprehensive. In the event, it proved to be a complete sell out with several people having to be content to wait for further supplies to be reordered. With Hungarian champagne flowing, and delicious canapés to enjoy, and friends from near and far (including two who flew in especially from Stockholm) it turned into the most joyful of evenings.

In readiness for the ‘Literary Luncheon’, Milena’s Café. Budleigh Salterton, Devonshire 

Milena, of Milena’s Café, is known throughout Devonshire and beyond for the ways in which she combines the traditional with the innovative, using locally sourced ingredients, to produce dishes which not only look appealing to the eye but taste delicious. She did not disappoint and the lunchtime sped by with a great deal of mirth, merriment and, not least, the meeting up of friends old and new. Such fun!

Some of the first reviews (abridged) which appeared shortly after publication 

And now, two months on, it is particularly touching, and gratifying, to read the reviews placed on the websites of Waterstones and Amazon in praise of ‘Dark Runs the River’. For those who may be interested, ‘Dark Runs the River’ may be ordered from Amazon, Austin Macauley (the publishers), Bestsellers (Budapest), Foyles, T.G. Jones, Waterstones and leading booksellers worldwide.

Your thoughts are, as always, greatly appreciated. And do look out for our next post!

'Heracles' in the Drawing Room

'Heracles', oil and acrylic on canvas by Orr Máté

Some time ago, most likely before the end of 2019, although the actual date is of little importance, we found ourselves in the Budapest studio of the painter, Orr Máté [in Hungarian the surname always precedes the first name]. Over the years Máté has become a very close friend and so whilst visits to his studio are not infrequent, it is always exciting when there is new work to be seen on the easel or, as does occasionally happen, an opportunity to turn the pages of his most recent sketchbook.

A preliminary sketch for the painting 'Heracles'

And so it was that we happened upon the preliminary drawings for a painting, 'Heracles', featuring the centaur, Nessus, in conflict with the Nemean lion. Not only were we captivated by the drawings themselves but were, in discussion, intrigued by the mythology of the Ancient Greeks given a new relevance to the present day.

A sketch for 'Heracles' taken from Orr Máté's sketchbook 

Of course the fate of Heracles is well known. But in this instance, in portraying the centaur entangled with the lion, Máté chooses a pose for his subject matter that seemingly embodies violence in a most brutal form and yet, on the other hand, one that also suggests its opposite. Here, in the artist's own words, we see, "a wide range of conflicting intense emotions: aggression, passion, the feeling of vulnerability, the feeling of power." The intended ambiguity becomes consistent with the experience of life.

A first drawing of the Nemean lion for the painting 'Heracles'

Interestingly, in looking at the early sketches, Máté gives the centaur a beard, later to be replaced with a more Hellenistic head, reminiscent of the sons of Laocoon depicted in the sculpture 'Gruppo del Laocoonte' and said to represent the original icon of human suffering. However, in the final work the composition is both balanced and harmonious, framed by two columns appropriated from the 'Ara Pacis Augustae' altar in Rome which, in themselves, become an allegory of peace.

Orr Máté at work in his studio on the painting

A fitting subject for the drawing room? Many would suggest not but for us, in acquiring the painting through the Várfok Gallery in Budapest who represent Máté, we have not only what we believe to be an iconic work but one that connects a distant past with the challenging times in which we live. The masterful  trompe l'œil effect is undoubtedly chilling, the cold marble creates its own stillness, the subdued palette an austerity but, in contrast, there is an energy, a dynamic, an unstoppable force. The painting lives. Here is life. 

'Heracles' in the drawing room, Budapest

Worship From a Distance

A former glass warehouse, originally that of the Venezia-Murano Glass and Mosaic Company, and an outpost of Protestantism may strike one as something of an odd connection. Notwithstanding, those of a curious disposition who have ventured into the Campo San Vio, with its outlook to the Grand Canal in Venice, will have almost certainly been drawn to the imposing doors of St. George's Anglican Church which, consecrated in 1906, has occupied the building to this day.

Lance Hattatt waiting for the service to start

Indeed, the entrance is not without interest, having been designed by Luigi Marangoni in 1920 and which, in part, serves as a memorial to the British soldiers, sailors and airmen who died in Italy in the Great War of 1914 - 1918. A slightly later, 1926, bas-relief by Napoleone Martinuzzi above the doorway depicts St. George slaying the dragon and, together with the statue of St. Michael, alludes to the British military order of valour, the 'Order of St. Michael and St. George'.

Front door of St. George's Church, Venice [Wikipedia image]

It is to St. George's that, when in Venice, we make our way on a Sunday morning, successors to those who in previous times would have been transported to the Campo in a flotilla of gondolas, in time for the Service of the Eucharist where the interior is flooded in light from a series of stained glass window and where the eye is directed towards the altar piece, a C19 copy of 'The Redeemer with Saints George and Jerome' painted by the Venetian Renaissance artist, Giovanni Buonconsiglio.

Sunday in Venice: Going to the English Church [of St George in Campo San Vio]

Drawing by W. Logsdail published in The Graphic, 6 July 1895

The congregation is not large. Made up of a handful of English speaking residents of Venice, it is supplemented by regular visitors, such as ourselves, to which may be added the occasional tourist who finds himself or herself en route for, and in search of, the Peggy Guggenheim collection. But no-one should be disappointed for, regardless of faith or belief, the service is always uplifting and the Chaplain, the Reverend Canon Malcolm Bradshaw, assisted by Philip Gwynne Jones, will always engender much upon which to reflect.

Interior of St. George's Church before removal of the wooden pews.
Image courtesy of Luisella Romeo of www.seevenice.it

And so, in these days of a global pandemic when to travel abroad is both restricted and unwise, we greatly miss our Sunday mornings at St. George's as they once were and will, most assuredly, be so again. Instead we 'Zoom'. Under the technical expertise of Philip, whose rôle as assistant curate now doubles with that of technician, and led by Father Malcolm from the Chaplaincy house, we are able to participate in an online service which, although different, reaches out to an ever growing number of participants.

Monument to Frederic Eden and his wife, Caroline,
who made a 'Garden of Eden'  in Venice 

Our Budapest drawing room may not contain a C19 classical frieze, is without an organ donated by the Dowager Duchess of Northumberland, cannot boast memorials and tablets to merchants, bankers and benefactors, contains not an echo of Browning or Ruskin, but each Sunday, accessing our computer screen, it serves to bring close to us a very real fellowship of people and a city that we know and love.  

Bureaucracy and Brexit in Budapest

We are not for making political statements. At least not here. Suffice it to say that since January 1st., and the end of the so called Brexit 'transition period', life for us here in Hungary has taken on a new meaning.

The National Directorate General for Aliens Policing, Budapest

It began back in 2019 when, at what was described as a 'Town Hall' meeting, but in reality a gathering of hopeful ex patriots in the ballroom of the Marriott Hotel in Budapest, we were informed by the then HM Ambassador that we would be required to exchange our current residency cards at some future point for new, post Brexit ones as we relinquished citizenship of the European Union to be classed instead as Third Country Nationals. It would, we were assured, be a simple, straightforward matter. How things have moved on. Today the British Embassy chooses to communicate through a Facebook page! But that is another story.

'Get Ready for Brexit', 'Town Hall' meeting, Marriott Hotel, Budapest

Nothing could be more misleading. Yesterday, at the National Directorate General for Aliens Policing, we presented ourselves for interview, submission of application, photographs and finger prints, thus complying with the current ruling.

Way In.

The National Directorate General for Aliens Policing is a force not to be reckoned with. Situated in a desolate, outlying suburb of Budapest it is housed in an isolated, heavily protected former villa with an armed guard in attendance. Indeed, the possibility did cross our minds that in former times it might well have been a centre for serious interrogation.

Car Park - we arrived by taxi.

But before ever reaching that point, it became necessary to engage the services of a company to assist us with, and take us through, the application process. The form, some ten pages in length, in Hungarian, once downloaded had, on completion, with attached photograph and an additional paper, signed separately, to be scanned and forwarded to the Directorate before an interview date could be considered. That we also were required to include some authorisation from a Hungarian lawyer is neither here nor there.

Top page of ten pages needed for the registration application.

The interview itself passed almost without a hitch. The photograph attached to the application form, which itself had of course been sent in advance, was deemed unsuitable on the hard copy. Happily we were prepared for all eventualities and, knowing from past experiences that the gas bill of some date in 2011 might have to be produced, we were well equipped with a selection of holiday snaps, so to speak, from which to choose. That we had failed to mention the date of our marriage and the precise place of issue of our most recent passports did not, in the event, prove an impediment.

So, retrieving masks and gloves in line with Covid-19 rules and regulations, we fled the photography and finger print booth and made our escape. As we left, the steel, electric gates silently closed behind us.

Gates firmly closed.

The new documents should arrive, courtesy of Magyar Posta, within 30 days!    

  

Two of a Kind

Recently, whilst watching a dramatisation on YouTube of Henry James's splendid novel, 'The Spoils of Poynton', we rather delighted in Mrs. Gereth's somewhat disparaging remark, "Not a double door in sight."

Double doors leading from the Drawing Room

Now, we should not wish to boast, nor indeed resort to hyperbole, but the fact remains that we are, to paraphrase Mrs. Bennet and to continue in a literary frame, "in possession of" seven sets of double doors.

Such good fortune, if it can be seen as such, arises from the expansion of Budapest during the late C19 when, following The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 which re-established, albeit partially, the former sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hungary, the city fathers sought, through somewhat grandiose projects, to rival the street architecture of not only Vienna but also of Berlin and Paris.

Andrássy út, Budapest, 1896, courtesy of Wikipedia

Today, living off Andrássy út, a principal boulevard set to equal the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and lined with Neo-Renaissance mansions and townhouses, we are the beneficiaries of such early town planning and are able to enjoy ornate plasterwork, etched glass, shuttered casement windows, enfilade rooms and, of course, double doors! 

Original Victorian stove in the Dining Room

What attracted us to the apartment, some twenty years ago, was not, it has to be said, the disrepair, even wanton destruction of the Socialist years (as the Communist period is now referenced), the evidence of multiple occupancy by five families, but beneath the layers of crudely applied paint, the gas pipes hammered against the walls, the festoons of wires and cables, the broken panelling and patched parquet, something worthy of restoration could be detected for there, concealed in dust and detritus, were the splendours of a bygone age.

Pier glass and fitted furniture in the Main Hall

So, today we relish the detail to be found in solid brass window catches and door furniture, in carefully carved wood, in ceiling roses, in original pier glass, in fixtures and fittings, all now over 150 years old, and of soaring ceiling heights and, of course, double doors!

Architectural details around the apartment

However, this is not to disregard, or disrespect, those for whom this period, this style, remains anathema. Those who cherish the run down farmhouse, those who favour the Spanish hacienda, the convenience of the bungalow residence, the cosiness of the thatched cottage, the reassurance of Tudorbethan or the modernity of the converted loft apartment. Each to his or her own!

We, unlike Mrs. Gereth, are prepared to concede on every point. But we do have double doors!!