28.1.09

The Malev saga

Another day, another news about Malev, and the future of the national carrier

As we posted before, the russian 'investors' has been out of the board of directors, the russian bank (which is a creditor for the Abramovits broters, the original investor)took their stake in the airline, will sell it to Aeroflot, so Malev will be flying under Aeroflot wings.
The problem is that to keep the national carrier sign, the major stake must hold by hungarians (right now two individuals), so Aeroflot can take max. 49%.

Today another company asked for money from Malev, the security company claim for 200 million hungarian forint (0.8 million USD) unpaid bills.

25.1.09

Extremly Hungary

Extremely Hungary
is a yearlong festival showcasing contemporary Hungarian visual, performing, and literary arts in New York and Washington, D.C., throughout 2009. The festival reveals the roots of Hungary’s thriving contemporary culture and its impact on American society through a broad spectrum of events at leading cultural institutions in the two cities. Chairpersons are George Soros and Kati Marton.

From 24th January, you can follow or attend to interesting contemporary art exhibitions, performance art, see a collection (partial) of famous Zsolnay porcelains (the original and full is in Pecs), but there will be concerts like Roby Lakatos and Friends, Beata Palya (world music with folk and gypsy), but also you can watch movies about Hungary and made by hungarian directors.

Oh, dont forget to enter (if you are able) or simply join to see The MOST FABULOUS MUSTACHE CONTEST

See the event calendar in NYC, and Washington D.C as well,
and if you are still interested or more interested in Hungary and Central east europe..
contact us, and we give you a great deal of travel package.

19.1.09

stike on ferihegy airport, malev in trouble


The strike continous on Ferihegy airport in Budapest from today 4pm, as the speaker of the union told hungarian media.

They did not reach agreement with the Ferihegy airport managment company, so they will go on strike till a not known date.

It is not known how many percentage of the union workers will join the stike, so noone can tell which flights are going to delay or cancelled.

While Malev , the hungarian airline, is struggling to keep the ‘national carrier’ status, as the russian part of the managment handed their resignation over last week. Boris Ambramovits and his brother resigned from the managment as they can not keep their promises made during the privatisation.

OTP the largest bank in Hungary maybe the buyer of their stake, but minority stake will go to a russian bank (which gave credit to the russians). The russian part will go to Aeroflot later on, but still not clear who will pump the money into the airline, since it has huge debts at the ferihegy management company, and the leasing money for the planes (remember they ordered several new Bombardiers during autumn).

18.1.09

Budapest Bamako Rally



The 4th Budapest-Bamako Rally has started yesterday from Budapest to
arrive to capital of Mali around 15days later.

The authentic rally is now in 4th year, started with a crazy idea to mix the charity work with a fun wacky race. Of course you can find big four wheel drives here as well as on other rallies, but several real strange vehicles are always in the crowd, like VW Buggy, Ikarus citybus or old Peugeot and russian Lada.
The drivers are also usually not pro drivers, but everyday family daddys...
The race is not a real race, there are a winner but everybody is a winner who can make the long way to Bamako through the sahara desert and maybe back. Since not everything is coming back. Many car bring aid and charity stuff to Mali, others want to sell or simply give away their car/bus as gift for locals and come back by plane.
Others try the way back as well with the old scrap car, sometimes takes a month the way back only.

So everyone can be part of the wacky desert race, why don't you? Join to Budapest Bamako Race in 2010...what you need only a registered car, a lot of time, and some money of course


Would you like to know more? Click here
Join the daily updates

16.1.09

High air pollution in Budapest


Due to high airpollution in Budapest visitors are asked not to be outside all day long.
Cars were abandonded partially, and travellers better use the mass transit system, which is running with extra cabs, buses, metros.

The high pollution is not mainly about the car traffic, but thanks to winter weather conditions, windless foggy weather.



Update on ticket prices in Budapest :
1 way ticket : 290HUF
10s ticket : 2600HUF
1 day ticket : 1500HUF
Tourist ticket : 3700HUF
Weekly : 3700HUF

Short way to the metro (only 3stops) : 240 HUF
Changing ticket for the metro (you can use it on two underground, like if you change line) : 450HUF

9.1.09

Winter on the Lake Balaton


Although you can not ski in Hungary (only a little bit), the country still has its own winter attraction.

Balaton mostly known as a summer destination, as the largest lake in europe.
But winter cold does not mean that there are no things to do around...
As the lake freeze, and the ice on the top is rising, the local councils are going to select the ice-skating courses on the ice of the lake.

In Keszthely, there are an ice-skating course near the port, which is open from 12-8pm on weekdays, and from 9am till 9pm on weekends. The attraction is FREE of charge.

In Balatonfured, the local eszerhazy beach hosts the skating course, which open for public from 2pm-6pm on weekdays and 9am-7pm on weekends.
There will be several more about the lake as the ice grows

You also can hockey on the ice,or simply just walk around, or play the old hungarian 'wooden dog', which is a chair with two long wood on its bottom to ski on the ice, you can push yourself like when you are skiing...
or ice sailing...which is a sail boat with skiing legs (like a catamaran), and if the wind blows well enough, you can sail around the lake.

Not only Lake Balaton offers such winter fun, but Lake Velence as well (which is only 25-30kms from Budapest).

4.1.09

New years, new tours

In 2009, we are going to introduce a lot new features, new tours and services through our online website and offline agent network as well.

Our newest tour is for bands, amateur or pro, chours or punkrock bands.

Record your single, CD, or make your music video!

We are here to help, with organizing the complete tour…

We have the recording studio ready for you, we have the designers waiting for your master CD to make the best covers, we have the guys ready to make millions of copies of your CD/DVD. And we have the concerts and the fans ready…

We organize everything, no matter if you make concert in local club or church…

We give you not only your CD/DVD recording opportunity, but a true experience of Hungary,Slovakia and of course the main thing…SAVE YOU MONEY…A LOT OF MONEY…

Contact us for details

2.1.09

Out of Budapest, part2

Happy New Year for everyone!

Now we are going further into Northern Hungary, for a daytip out of Budapest.
We finished last time in Mezokovesd, so if we go further to Miskolc, which is the third largest city in Hungary.
Miskolc offers several good things to do around, like the famous thermal cave bath in Miskolctapolca, which is an unique attractions. It is an in and outdoor thermal spa. The indoor is inside a cave, fully renewed, with underwater lights, waterfalls, great family fun.
The downtown of Miskolc also worth a walk, through the new Szinvaterasz and the old Theatre. If you catch a tram, you can go through the city to the Castle of Diosgyor. The castle was built in the 14th century, and served as a hunting castle for the queen. There are many medieval events, knight training during summertime.
Only a couple of kms and we are in the Bukk hills, which surrounds the city of Miskolc. The karst mountains offers many caves, some of it easy to climb and reach, like the Szeleta cave, which is only around 1hour walk from Miskolc. Prehistoric cavemen lived there for over 10000 years from the end of the iceage. From the Szeleta caves, you can reach Lillafured, to see the lake of Hamor and the waterfall of the Szinva creek (which is flowing through miskolc than), theere you can also see the famous Palota hotel which looks like a castle , but was built as a hotel in the 19th century. You also can take guided tours to the two open caves there, the St. Stevens and the Anna caves. And you can take the narrow gauge train back to Miskolc , which takes around 40mins through the hills and forest of the Bukk, or go to see Omassa, which is around 12kms away, where you can see the first steel mill in hungary, and the famous trout farm, where you can buy fresh, grilled fish.
From Miskolc, we go to see the wonderful fortress of Boldogkovaralja. which is partly rebuilt, other in ruins. The view is magnificent from the fortress and the medieval restaurant is also worth a try in the cellar.
From Boldogkovarlja we can go two ways,
the one is to north to see the
Aggtelek caves.

There are actually several caves, all is a World heritage site. But if you are there choose a normal 1hour guided tour to see the magnificent underworld. The caves are beautiful, cold and amazing to see the many different stone and karst creature. There are a long way which ends in Slovakia as well.
from Aggtelek is good to take the road through the Zemplen mountains, which is a young volcanic mountain, offers many wonderful fortress ruins, like Fuzer, and a nice porcelain manufacture in Hollohaza.
You can end up in Sarospatak, which is part of the Tokaj wine region, and where from we will continue our trip next time...