RUDAS BATHS of BUDAPEST : 450 YEARS OF HOT MINERALWATER SINCE THE OTTOMAN TURKS : MINERAL WATER DRINKING CURE : WONDERFUL PLACES IN HUNGARY #33

OOOH.... The Ottoman Turks.... who killed two-thirds of the Hungarian population...Can we love something they left behind when they were defeated? (There are Moslems in Hungary and no doubt some of them are descended from the occupiers.) How about if we improve upon it?

Well, there's architecture and there's history. These baths have been used for 450 years and the water still flows. For some time the baths were men only but now you can select a time to emerge yourself with others of your gender or not. (No getting naked!) You can soak in some history as well as relax and emerge feeling better. 

RUDAS FURDO (RUDAS BATHS)

Excerpt:

The centerpiece of the bath today, the Turkish bath, was built during the 16th century in the period of the Turkish occupation. Below the 10 m diameter dome, sustained by 8 pillars, there is an octagonal pool. The swimming pool, operating as a therapeutic swimming facility and with a sauna, was built in 1896. The thermal bath has been visited from 1936 o­n exclusively by men.

In its drinking hall, the water of the springs Hungária, Attila and Juventus can be consumed for the purposes of a drinking cure.

The blog attached is rather fun... 

BATHS BUDAPEST  This site gives more details about gendered bath times and:

Excerpt: What makes Rudas Bath stand out is the modern rooftop panorama pool overlooking the river Danube and its many Budapest river cruise boats, the Parliament, the historical bridges and more. Also, Rudas Bath boasts a 16th-century thermal bath in its core, called the Turkish Bath.

Click on the label Wonderful-Hungary to get to the entire series on this theme.

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FATHER'S DAY ??? MOTHER'S DAY ???

In Hungary, Fathers Day (Apák Napja) is the third Sunday in June, which is June 21, 2026. Today!  It coincides with International Father's Day.

Mother's Day (Anyák Napja) is also celebrated, the first Sunday of May, so the dates changes. In the United States it's celebrated on the second Sunday of May. (This is also true of Canada.)

In Hungary, people are not as materialistic as some are in the West. Gifts that are appreciated are appropriate flowers (often seasonal) original poems, traditional songs, nice foods, and little gifts.

The holiday origins are credited to Americans and the United States. Now Mother's and Father's Day are celebrated all over the world, but on different dates; there is no International Mother's Day.

International Women's Day on March 8 is celebrated in Eastern European and Balkan nations, such as Albania, which combine Mother's Day with International Women's Day.

HUNGARIAN and HUNGARIAN-AMERICAN STEREOTYPE : PALINKA IS OUR REMEDY, a CURE FOR EVERYTHING

I enjoy investigating and commenting on Hungarian and Hungarian-American stereotypes so much I kind of hate spoiling this one with a definitive article (below) about drinking Palinka. But here's the thing, this is a stereotype of the Hungarians very much more than the Hungarian-Americans because there just isn't much Palinka to buy here. I don't think I've ever had a taste of the good stuff that legend has it will cure just about anything - even the hangover you got from drinking it too innocently, as it pickles your liver very very slowly, until suddenly you're so drunk everyone and everything in life is sweet. I'm not much of a drinker and far too self controlled to have more than a sip so how could I be a judge of it? 

Just try it. Go into a good hotel, the kind of place that boasts a well stocked bar, and ask for Palinka and you'll find out that it is rare indeed in America.

This article suggest it be used as the basis for a cocktail.  You know, one jigger's worth.

https://dailynewshungary.com/myth-or-reality-the-health-benefits-of-drinking-palinka/https://dailynewshungary.com/myth-or-reality-the-health-benefits-of-drinking-palinka/

Excerpt: Before you set out to make 70 degrees plus pálinka, you must know that it brings more pain than pleasure to your taste buds and throat. You will no longer be able to taste the fruit, and it will be so strong that your organs will be thrown off balance, so you should rather not try distilling or drinking such pálinka.

C 2026 Magyar- American BlogSpot

MY FRIEND IN BUDAPEST WANTS TO COME BACK TO THE U.S.A. : PRIME MINISTER PETER MAGYAR MAKES CHANGE : ORBAN LOYALISTS EXIST

For years now my friend, who has duel citizenship and speaks fluent Hungarian, has spent half his year in Hungary, usually in the spring and fall, but for the first time he reports being "homesick." Usually he wants to stay there. So what has changed? It would seem that he personally feels that there's more chaos. It has to do with the change to Peter Magyar as Prime Minister. He's not essentially opposed to Magyar, but in looking at the news reports, there certainly are some changes happening fast since the man took office.


WORKER VISAS : Other recent tourists to Hungary remarked to me that the Hungarian people were letting immigrants do the work, I take it in hotels and restaurants.

REUTERS : HUNGARY TO STOP ISSUING WORKER VISAS

Excerpt: Hungary's government will stop issuing worker visas to employees from the Philippines, Georgia ​and Armenia from Friday, a government spokeswoman said, ‌calling the move a first step towards regulating the inflow of guest workers.

PBS: PETER MAGYAR TO CHANGE HUNGARIAN CONSTITUTION

Excerpt: Hungary's government will amend the constitution to remove the country's president, part of a push by the new Prime Minister Péter Magyar to eliminate officials appointed under former populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Magyar and his Tizsa party won an overwhelming victory in an election in April. With a two-thirds majority in parliament, they can make sweeping changes to the autocratic political system Orbán built over his 16 years in power.

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I previously confused Magyar's Title to be President.  Hungary does have a Prime Minister and a President.  If you're an American, you might be confused too.  The Prime Minister is the person who has political power.  The President of Hungary has a ceremonial role. 

According to the article above : "While mostly a ceremonial role, Hungary's president is responsible for signing legislation into law and has the power to send bills passed by parliament to the constitutional court for review, raising concerns among supporters of the new government that he could use that power to obstruct its plans."

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The way I see it is that the President of Hungary has more power than say, the King Charles III of the United Kingdom ...

How do you see it?

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