Winter 2016/2017 - Issue 15 - Pécs City Guide

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PCG Pécs City Guide / Winter 2016/2017 / Issue 15

News

Trash pandas on the run, Developing outdoor facilities

Features

Highlights of 2016 in town, Dreaming a future city

Events

Budapest Festival Orchestra, DJ Vadim, Olga Korol

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Contents & Co.

Contents 04

IN BRIEF Zsolnay War continues, Tüskésret developments, Local animal news

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EXPATS George became a doctor in Pécs

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FEATURES FCK2016? - we say no, Most popular stories of PCG online

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DRINK & DINE Baristas, Ocean’s, Balga Belga, Hrabal, Pig slaughter season, New market hall

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TO DO Jamese, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Bird photography exhibition, Made in Pécs festival, Olga Korol, DJ Vadim

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ESSENTIALS Pécs, Pecuh, Fünfkirchen

HI

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, I would like to say thank you for your attention in the very first place. And I would like to thank the people who made this magazine possible. The publisher, the advertisers and the venues where the mag found a place to be. This is the end of a wonderful period since you hold the last printed issue of Pécs City Guide in your hands. I think a lot of you already knew about my decision to step back as the editor of the magazine. If no, there is a statement on the Facebook page and on the website of the magazine that explains a lot I think. And tells you about my plans related to the Winter 2016/2017 | Issue 15 project. But this is still a real isThe free, insert magazine of sue and packed with lots of conDunántúli Napló in English. tent for the upcoming weeks.

Editor-in-chief/Publisher: László Póré So just go on and enjoy not only Managing editor: Ervin Gűth the holidays but being in Pécs.

Contributor: László Nógrádi I hope this issue helps doing so.

Published by Mediaworks Hungary Zrt. Like always, your feedback is Baranya Megyei Irodája appreciated very much and feel Sales manager: Gyöngyi Nagy free to contact me anytime at: Phone: +36 72 505 060, +36 30 9971 006 info@pecscityguide.com. Thanks E-mail: gyongyi.nagy@mediaworks.hu again for your attention and I Printed at Paletta Press Nyomda Kft. hope we will meet soon on a dif2092 Budakeszi, Szőlőskert u. 19. ferent platform.

ISSN 08659133 Ervin Gűth, editor

Pécs City Guide

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In Brief

ZSOLNAY WAR GOES INTO NEXT ROUND

NEW DISPLAYS, NEW FACES ON PÉCS BUS LINES Escaping huge displays is getting even harder: new information LCD-monitors on Pécs bus lines will compete for your attention with your smartphone.

This year only 7-8 buses will get these displays but according to local politicians there are more to come and by the end of 2017 all buses will be equipped with ad and info serving displays. The info will consist of real time position, upcoming stops, current time and so on.

And like mentioned: from time to time ad serving will also occur.

In other news: new faces are going to appear on the back of Pécs owned buses.

The project started in late summer this year with Pécs-born artist Victor Vasarely, Bauhaus architect Marcell Breuer, local basketball legend Judit Horváth and Louis I of Hungary who founded the first university of the country in Pécs. For the next round racing driver László Ranga and ceramic factory founder Vilmos Zsolnay will be depicted.

The modernization of Pécs bus lines started a couple of years ago, and there is no stop. Planned new buses will use renewable energy sources and the vehicles are expected to be much more comfortable.

TÜSKÉSRÉT GETTING AN EVEN BIGGER UPGRADE

Outdoor facilities in the center (not city center but the geographical center) of Pécs became very popular instantly after their handover in the autumn of 2015. Tüskésrét is the home of a wakeboard track since last summer already, but around the lake you also find a superb running track and training equipment that you can use free of charge.

And the good news is that the park is getting an even bigger extension. The upgrade coming next year will allow to have even more outdoor training possibilities. Getting there will be also easier: not only bus lines but a bike road will help you to arrive as fast as possible.

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

It seems that we have a final solution for the Magasház problem but there is a new ongoing issue in the city. We reported several times about the war between the prestigious Zsolnay Manufactory’s current owner and city officials. The conflict between the Syrian-Hungarian-Swiss investor Bachar Najari and the city of Pécs escalated in the summer of 2016 with public letters, press conferences, leaked documents, leaked phone call recordings and so on. While there are still sev-

eral vague circumstances in the story a new firm emerged almost from nowhere called Ledina Ceramics.

It’s still not clear who the investors behind the project are but about 100 former Zsolnay-employees are on their payroll. And doing nothing since no actual manufacturing is in progress yet but the city is favouring this mysterious entity. There are regular press conferences and even a showcase has been organized while production of luxury ceramics is only a plan.

Meanwhile Zsolnay Manufactory payed all its debts and debuted several new collections. pecscityguide.com pecscityguide.com

In Brief

DON’T BUY DOGS & CATS, ADOPTING MAKES MUCH MORE SENSE

NEW TENANTS AND A SAD LOSS AT REOPENED PÉCS ZOO Just a couple of days after publishing the previous issue of Pécs City Guide and covering the revamped Pécs Zoo a new tenant has been introduced to the public. Nikoláj the brown bear is latest member to join the facility on Mecsek hills. He’s also the first of his kind since 2004.

On the very same day also some bad new surfaced: Cora the seal died. Staff members of the zoo say her partner Bonifác has been in deep sorrow for weeks.

This is not the first loss after the overhaul, last fall an escaped wolf had to be shot dead and a shark passed away because of an illness. All occuring deaths in the facility had to be investigated by authorities.

Meanwhile a new Pécs Zoo director has been chosen by city officials. Geographer Dávid Siptár (28) started earlier this year in the institution as head of the service department and he is already the third director of the zoo within one year.

You decided to get a pet for your stay in Pécs? And your landlord allows you to have a cat or dog in your apartment?

Good for you but these are only the first steps.

Our first advice is to give the idea a second and third run. Will you have the time to take care of another being? Are you dedicated and comitted enough?

It’s not only about giving them food and shelter they also do need love and caring time. If your answer is still yes then you can start looking for your new flatmate.

Don’t forget to make your home pet-friendly and it’s also quite important to choose a breed that fits to your lifestyle. Size does matter but habits do more.

TRASH PANDA CAUGHT AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

A raccoon has been spotted again in Pécs and - for its own safety - had to be tranquillized. The animal was taken to the facilities of Misina Animal Rescue and Shelter Association (Misina Természet- és Állatvédő Egyesület) in the outskirts of Pécs. The quarantine period is over and everything is allright now.

Raccoons are not native to Hungary and can’t be kept as pets since 2010 except with special licences for the animals. This wasn’t the first time that a raccoon had to be accomodated in the facilities of the association. Both trash pandas are well fed and kept safe and get along with each other quite well.

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

There are several options to go for when getting a new pet. You can buy from authorized breeders. You can get pets for free each Sunday at Pécs market but we usually do recommend to adopt pets from more credible sources. You can always get help e.g. in dedicated Facebook groups or get in touch with Misina Animal Rescue and Shelter Association (Misina Természet- és Állatvédő Egyesület). They also organize petting events. pecscityguide.com pecscityguide.com

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Expats

GEORGE ENJOYS EVERY MOMENT IN PÉCS If you manage to meet George Hayek (28) despite his busy schedule talking to him is quite easy since he speaks seven languages. The resident doctor in ophthalmology and former student representative tells about his experiences he gathered in the past 9 years in town.

What’s your story? How did you end up in Pécs?

I got lost. Okay, just kidding. I was studying medicine in France, and everybody is accepted who applies but you have to take two exams in the end of the first year. These are like competitions and they select only the first 160 people from 2000. After missing it I had two choices: trying again or studying somewhere else. A friend of my family told my father about studying opportunities in Hungary and we came to Budapest.

I was accepted in Pécs. So the door opened here in 2007.

That has happened 9 years ago, what do you do here nowadays?

I graduated in 2014, and ever since I work at the University of Pécs Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology here in Pécs directed by Prof. Dr. Birò Zsolt, to whom I am grateful for what he is teaching me each day. Currently I am in my 3rd year of residency. As a medical student i did TDK (Undergraduate Student Research), which helped me decide which specialization to take.

The eye always fascinated me since this

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

tiny little organ is quite magnificent. The brain and the optic nerve are still mysteries – we still have many things to learn.

What was your first impression of Hungary? What is your first memory?

We got a little bit lost in Budapest since our map was not updated for Hungary and we asked for directions. And they told us to follow them and drove for like 15 minutes to show us the way. This kindness was quite stunning. And people are also very polite. At least this is my experience. Another pleasant memory was when I managed to speak my first Hungarian sentence which was: “Milyen színű a vizeleted?” (What color is your urine?) This is a quite important medical question but I learned it on a drinking night with Hungarian friends.

You go out a lot with Hungarians?

I have a lot of Hungarian friends and neighbors. I learned Hungarian from them and in exchange I could teach them different languages since I speak French, English, Italian, German and Lebanese. By nationality I’m American.

My dad is Lebanese but his father is Bra-

zilian, my mom is Dominican. If you ask me where I’m from I say naturally that I’m from France and I feel like a French.

What is the language of your dreams?

I speak three different languages in my head: French, English and Italian.

What do you like about the city?

Its size. It’s small and wherever I go I see familiar faces and can have a chat with them. People are friendly and it’s easy to talk with them.

Did the city change in the last 8-9 years?

Yes, quite a lot. For example rent is much higher. A lot of new shops have been opening and adapting to the new demands of students. The city became much more welcoming, more and more people speak English. When I arrived here citizens spoke usually German or Russian.

How did the city change you?

I learned to eat spicy. You guys love paprika. It’s delicious. I was ignorant about Hungarian wines but I learned to enjoy good local wines and ever since I always bring some to my friends back home.

During those years in Pecs I made a lots friends, learnt from the best teachers and became a doctor. Pécs chose me and gave me an education. I will be eternally grateful toward this city and people for everything I have received. pecscityguide.com

Open fermentation bath, based on traditional recipes, 6.3 degrees alcohol beer festival.

The PĂŠcs Brewery once a year with this special quality of beer brewing surprise the friends, recalling the medieval traditions.

Harmonious bouquet, delicate, elegant appearance worthy representative of PĂŠcs brewing tradition and the festive table decoration.

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Feature

Why we loved

People seem to hate 2016. Celebrity deaths, terrorism, earthquakes. Brexit, Trump. Say no more. But we are also sure that everybody had several beautiful and pleasant moments.

We’ve had and let’s recall here the best news and events of the year in Pécs. Some small and some of them big but without doubt these all made our town a more livable place.

MORE AND MORE NEW OPENINGS

Let’s be honest the gastronomy of Pécs has changed a lot in the last couple of years. Mostly in a very positive way.

It got much more diverse, for example deep fried cheese is not your only option if you want to skip meat. But even more interesting and great is that we can write about new venues on a regular basis since there are new venues almost every month. We won’t list all the new places that opened in 2016 but each and every of them worth mentioning has been reviewed by Pécs City Guide. You can find all the previous issues online. And reviewing new places is a habit we would like to countinue in the future too, whatever may come.

Pécs, and that grew with 500 in only one year. The goal of the university is to have 5,000 international students by 2020. That seems to be quite possible right now. But another great news is that after years of declining numbers in tourism more and more travellers from abroad discover Pécs for more than a day only. Hotels and homestay hospitality providers (namely Airbnb’s) reported a big boom this year and there is no sign that this is going to change in 2017.

THE RENOVATION OF JÓKAI SQUARE

It was a shame. One of the most beautiful squares’ pavement used to look awful. The last renovation took place more than a decade ago and it was not a good investment at all. We don’t understand what happened since winters aren’t that cold and summers aren’t that hot that they could ruin something like a properly made pavement in such a short time...

MORE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND TOURISTS

The first number we are talking about is 3,000. In 2015 2,500 international students enrolled at the University of

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

pecscityguide.com

d 2016 in Pécs

Let’s just hope that the new texture will stay with us for a much longer period than the previous one.

ZSOLNAY LIGHT FESTIVAL WAS THE EVENT OF 2016

Cultural festivals come and go but the first Zsolnay Light Festival in summer 2016 was one of the best events since Pécs was European Capital of Culture in 2010. It was nothing groundbreaking since almost every country in Europe has similar light festivals but international performers, great projects and a superb light mapping contest made it huge. We really hope that there will be more of this kind of mixed art events that can mobilize a whole city and attract even more tourists to spend a couple of days here.

Pécs showed up in the directions section of Google Maps. It’s not a huge technical innovation since the real time GPS monitoring system is available for bus lines since 2014. Still it’s a huge upgrade since it allows cross platform integration. Also tourists visiting the city don’t need to download a Pécs specific app - a lot of them even don’t know about it - but can take advantage of the features via Maps or different and already installed software.

THE MAGASHÁZ PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED

We have mixed feelings about the deconstruction of the building since we loved the metaphor of having an uninhabited building in the middle of town.

But it was also a terrible sight and we really do hope that a new public park will replace the Magasház for real. But it is quite sure that this will be a great accomplishment of 2017 already.

PÉCS FINALLY ON GOOGLE MAPS TRANSIT

We hardly couldn’t believe it really happened: the public transport system of

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Feature

DREAMING A FUTURE CITY

Artistic thought experiments? Futuristic visions? Some weird imaginations of an old man who loved his city? All come to our mind almost instantly when looking at the Pécs Metropolis series by self-taught painter Róbert V. Májerszky (1890-1964).

The color blind Róbert V. Májerszky lived a very ordinary life, and being a clerk didn’t gave him enough excitement. But his natural creativity shines through his quite big works, all of them created with water colours during several decades. He painted these in two periods in the 1920s more detailed but smaller works while in the 1940s much bigger and sloppier works were born.

It’s quite interesting that he didn’t imagine Pécs with skyscrapers that started to take over the urban landscapes of big cities all around the world. His metropolis vision of the biggest town of southern Transdanubia was influenced by classicism, neo-gothic architecture and mainly by the past and not the future. No new transport methods, no new building styles but the recycling of concepts from the past are dominating the paintings. In the fantasy of Májerszky enlarging the habitat, the development was not horizontal but vertical.

Pécs seems to incorporate surrounding villages and other smaller towns. Even as far as 30 or 40 kilometres. In fact this process is not as crazy as it seems, this happens in the real world quite often and not only in case of huge cities that can have suburbs reaching further than the human eye can see but in less developed regions too.

But the work of Májerszky does not focus on the suburbs, living habitats.

Everything is just in town where the main elements are huge squares, gigantic avenues and of course big churches, cathedrals. And a lots of culture. Buildings with theatres, museums and art collections. Sounds familiar?

Small cities are dreaming of being big. Achieving this is a different question, and in the case of Pécs too. Sure, there are good projects like the renewal of Zsolnay Cultural Quarter and Kodály Centre. We aren’t sure yet if these are also sustainable but quite often reality strikes even earlier. As you can see at Expo Centre that could never reach its full potential or the Magasház. But cities and communities are just like people: their future begins to die when they stop dreaming of a better future.

We’d like to thank Janus Pannonius Museum for the pics and for András Anghy who wrote an excellent article about the mentioned works in Jelenkor (Issue 2001/09).

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

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Feature

Some of you might remember that Pécs City Guide has been started as a blog and online project. The first articles were published in September 2014 and after the failure of the crowdfunding campaign did only the print magazine start in February 2015. Meanwhile, articles were still published on the website and this is only a small selection of the most popular features that you shouldn’t miss at all. You can find the shortened links of each feature next to their pictures and below the short description you also find some basic numbers about their performance. The end of the print magazine is not an inevitable end of the whole project so please keep an eye on our Facebook page.

BEST BURGER IN PÉCS AWARD GOES TO: BOHEMIA

bit.ly/pcg-bohemia

Still one of the most popular reads on pecscityguide.com: there is no day without 10-15 new unique views. We do understand that, but the landscape has changed since and there are a couple of very good competitors around.

Published: February 5, 2015 Visits: 3,244 Shares: 256

BUYING AND SELLING AT THE LEGENDARY FLEA MARKET

Indeed, this place is legendary. You can get almost everything but you don’t have to buy anything to be entertained.

Visitors find this article usually through searching and it’s very popular in spring and autumn.

Published: July 4, 2015 Visits: 1,860 Shares: 47 bit.ly/pcg-maci

ALMOST EVERY SHOP HAS TO STAY CLOSED ON SUNDAYS

bit.ly/pcg-shop-ban

One of the most unpopular decisions of current government was this ban that survived only one year. If society would be as determined in more important questions as in this very case, I think Hungary would be a better country.

Published: March 6, 2015 Visits: 2,478 Shares: 58

WELCOME TO PÉCS? – YOU CAN HELP THE REFUGEES

bit.ly/pcg-refugees

The migration crisis peaked in Hungary in 2015 and the country didn’t show its best face. But civil society stood up and organized food, personal hygiene products etc. International students in Pécs did also help at the train station and the article collected some useful information.

Published: September 4, 2015 Visits: 2,217 Shares: 148

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

bit.ly/pcg-flea-market

THE 5 MOST POPULAR ONLINE STORIES OF PÉCS CITY GUIDE

MACI LÁNGOSOZÓ HAS THE BEST LÁNGOS IN TOWN

Lángos, the deep fried bread dough, is the ultimate street food of Hungary, but only a very few competitors manage to deliver an ultimate experience. Fortunately Maci Lángosozó at Szigeti street is one of them and the popularity of the article reflects this.

Published: January 6, 2015 Visits: 1,708 Shares: 124 pecscityguide.com

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Drink & Dine

THREE BARISTAS - THREE COFFEES If you’ve read Pécs City Guide in the past two years more than only once then it should be quite obvious to you that we have a quite strong obsession with quality coffee. Some might even say it’s an addiction. May the technique involve cezves, filters, moka pots or espresso machines we don’t discriminate at all and just love every version. But what are the priorites for professionals? For this feature we asked three baristas from our three favourite coffee shops in town about their preferences when making a good cup for themselves, their relation to the legal magic beans and the profession.

TAMÁS SEFCSIK

BALÁZS HAJDÚ

LÁSZLÓ FARKAS

Tamás is still a practicing psychologist and lecturer who fell in love with quality coffee only 7-8 years ago. “I started to buy more and more professional equipment and realized that I became quite good at brewing on my own. And that I really do love fiddling with the technical stuff. I contacted proffessionals, talked to them a lot, went for a course and finally made the decision to start my own shop”, says Tamás.

When he is a guest at another coffee shop he is going instantly for the espresso. “This is my favourite, and when I’m checking out the work of others, as I try to enjoy their brew or try to learn from them this is the best option for me. It just works because a good espresso should show all the characteristics of the beans”.

“As a barista you have to know a lot about coffee and you can have a favourite blend or technique but you also have to keep in mind that your guests might have different preferences than you”, starts Balázs the conversation who discovered his talent as a barista at a very early age. Sure, he is still young but with several years of experience in the gastronomy business already. His attitude towards guests shines through every sentence and Balázs says that right now he is quite sure that he’s going to stay in the business. “My favourite brew depends on the season of the year and my mood too, but I usually prefer filter coffees and cold brews.

When I’m the customer I also do work since I always try to learn from others.”

László is a long-time coffee drinker but realized the many faces of quality coffee only a couple of years ago. ”As I reached my limits I took a barista course and started developing the idea of my own coffee shop”, says László who is still learning something new every day. “When taking a class you just learn the basics everything else comes after that by practicing. And you have to practice a lot like in every profession.” But he also says that there are very objective criteria that you have to keep in mind like cleanness and tidyness. “When tasting because of prfessional reasons I just have to go for the espresso, but my other big favourite is the cortado, since it has just enough milk to let the beans do their magic.”

BLOCK COFFEE ROOM

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

PÉCSI KÁVÉ

NEXT STEP COFFE

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Drink & Dine

PIG SLAUGHTER SEASON STARTED IN THE REGION

Disznótor is the feast meal after pig-slaughter. This may sound cruel but not only traditions and the necessity bind Hungarians to pig butchering, the love for foods eaten at these

OCEAN’S IS FAR FROM THE SEA BUT THE FISH IS CLOSE ENOUGH We have written about Hungarian fish consumption several times. We have reported that it’s almost non-existent, Hungarians tend to eat fish (and mostly carp) in December since fish soup of course with paprika - is a traditional dish of Christmas Eve. And that’s it.

That said, there is a small fraction in the population who are real fish fans.

But are we - since I do love fish too enough, is there a critical mass to have special fish restaurants in Pécs? I think no. But something is changing and there are a couple of places where you can get great fish dishes in town. I just extended my (very short) list because of Ocean’s that can be found in an alley of Citrom street.

I have visited the place several times since they opened in 2015 but I wasn’t impressed at all. To say the least. But a couple of my friends told me that a lot of things have changed and so did the menu card. Several dishes are gone and this is not a bad thing at all. They do focus now on nigiri and maki.

Sure there are a couple of other dishes but we tested now a special offer called

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

Maki Combo (HUF3500) that consist of 4-4 salmon, tuna cream, vegetable andteriyaki makis and you get 4 extra nigiris of your choice. It’s a quite big plate on its own but I visited the place with a friend - who has been working at a sushi place in London several years ago - and we ordered some spring rolls (HUF1200) too.

I’m not that into sushi though I tried it at a copule of places all around the world and I have to say that Ocean’s has by far the best sushi I have tried in Pécs.

And there have been a couple of places experimenting with the genre. (Does anybody else remember Sushi Fans in Ferencesek street?). Also the spring rolls are of good quality not with fresh vegetables like I prefer but still pretty delicious.

We did receive some kimchi as a gift and after trying it I’m quite sure that I have to go back to taste their hearty kimchi soup too. Another great news is that the owner told us that soon they will offer Persian dishes, their cook is on her way. I really hope that authentic international cuisine will get a real boost in the city.

occasions is also important. The pig slaughtering season starts usually in November and goes on until the end of February.

Tourism has discovered the potential of organizing pig slaughter weekends and other special event decades ago: city folks love these and they are great team building evetns too. And there are several options in the region during the upcoming months. This is the best chance to see how everything is done, in it’s always up to you how much do you want to see. Look out for offers in Villány, Kisharsány, Palkonya or in the other direction, in Orfű.

If you don’t want to take part in such barbaric rituals you can jump to the next step and enjoy the meals that start to be in season. Sure, you can get Hungarian style fresh sausages (kolbász) or black pudding made with pig’s blood (véreshurka) during the year but this is the best time to get them. Several restaurant will start having special offers in January and February only because Christmas events and festive offers steal the show. pecscityguide.com

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Drink & Dine

HRABAL PÉCS RESURRECTS A FORGOTTEN LEGEND AND HONORS ANOTHER ONE

If PCG had a prize for the newcomer and biggest hope of the year I wouldn’t have to think a lot about my nominee. I would hand out the award right to Hrabal Pécs that opened in November.

The Czech-themed restaurant that can seat about 60 people is named after famous writer Bohumil Hrabal, who delivered great satires of everyday life in the Eastern Block. No wonder the stylish and cosy atmosphere is enhanced by open books on the walls. I think the writer would have liked that.

Another great circumstance about the place is its location in Irgalmasok street.

Underground venue Áfium Restaurant had a couple of iconic years here but

faded away. One of their best dishes used to be the bean soup with smoked pork knuckle served in a loaf and to my surprise Hrabal has this superb dish too.

Actually I hope it’s superb since I didn’t have the chance to test it but I’m assuming that it’s good because everything we tried was very good.

Beyond some traditional Czech recipes there are more generic and somewhat Hungarian-style dishes too. For our first encounter we ordered pickled sausages that came in a jar with spiced cabbage, onions and toast. It’s not a classic starter but the huge portion could be a great support for a long line of Czech beers available here. Any-

way, the main courses were great. The beef stew (HUF1950) was super soft with a very tasty sauce on the dumplings. The pickled vegetables are also of very good quality. Our other main, the knuckle with mushroom sauce and dumplings (HUF1850), was brilliant too, since it’s made of pork meat of extraordinary quality.

I really hope they can maintain this standard of meat on a permanent basis.

Soft, juicy, very good taste, just enough spicing. Their weakest link is the coffee, that is made with capsules, and is somewhat overpiced (starting at HUF300).

Otherwise I have to go back to taste their huge range of Czech beers.

PÉCS IN GAULT & MILLAU 2017

Not only Pécs City Guide is making lists in the end of the year recalling the best of the best. The Hungarian edition of the famous Gault & Millau guide came out in November and there are same great accomplishments. Susogó is the best restaurant in the region with 16 points from the possible 20. Jókai Bistro received 12 points and Zsolnay Restaurant got 11. Another addition from town is Adele Hotel that got listed in the top 10 of Hungarian boutique hotels.

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Pécs City Guide Winter 2016/2017

The editors of the magazine tested and reviewed 231 restaurants, 569 wines, 63 wineries and 244 hotels this year in Hungary.

An important - but not new - trend seem to be undeniable: the gastronomy outside of Budapest is getting better and better. More restaurants do really rely on quality food and service, Balaton is getting better and Pécs is one of the most interesting gastronomy hubs outside of the capital. pecscityguide.com

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Drink & Dine

NEW MARKET HALL, URÁN MARKET TO BE REVAMPED IN 2017

Almost everyone in Pécs agrees the the central market hall has done enough and a new building is needed to fulfill the demands of the citizens. According to the latest plans the new market

BALGA BELGA OFFERS GREAT FRESH WAFFLES AND PANCAKES There are simple dishes called comfort food that are easy to make and deliver joy instantly. The downside is that these are considered very often quite unhealthy. Anyway, if we list comfort foods real waffles should be in the top 10. There is one key element when making great waffles: you have to eat them instantly since crispy crust is guaranteed for only a couple of minutes but the dough itself should be moist and tender. And this is what Pécs was lacking of until September, when a place opened where you can get fresh waffles on the go. Almost anytime.

That’s why I was quite happy when I realized that Balga Belga started in Hungaria street. The shop is small and hard to see among all those second hand stores but you can’t miss it if you have a nose for waffles.

The owners didn’t spend much on the interior design but this is reflected in the prices. Everything is inexpesive, a sim-

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ple waffle itself costs only HUF100. It goes this way: you choose from several toppings from the jams to Nutella or different creamy puddings with chocolate, vanilla, walnuts and so on. After you have a base layer you can go for more toppings like walnuts, coconut, whipped cream etc.

The very same flavours can go with pancakes too, since this is the other speciality of the house. Their recipe is something between crépes and palacsinta I think but most importantly they are made fresh. The price is also the same as for the waffles. A very hearty breakfast brings you to about HUF600-700 which is a bargain. Sure the more layers the pricier it gets.

They also have very simple milk shakes to offer (with strawberry, sour cherry etc.) not premium quality but it’s quite okay. For that low price (HUF350 for the small and HUF490 for the 5dl version) without doubt they are.

hall will be a neighbour of the old one, that will be demolished as soon as the new one starts operation. This could happen already in 2017. We’ll see...

The key concept is that the new facility should be much more than a market hall, with other services, too. The design of it is already final (pic above): local architecture studio Getto Plan, named after owner Tamás Getto won the international tender.

But another important market, namely Uránváros marketplace, close to Szántó Kovács dormitory will get a huge facelift too. And not only the market building itself but the surrounding area. New green spots and parking places will be created in Hajnóczy street and the whole complex will be connected to the buildings of University of Pécs at Tüzér street/Szigeti street by a new 1 km long biking lane. About HUF500 million will be spent on the whole project. pecscityguide.com

50% LENS DISCOUNT

The discount can’t be combined with other discounts. Book an appointment and learn more at:

www.raftingoptika.hu WE EN SPE GLI AK SH

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To Do

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS

THE BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA We can say without any doubt that the performances of the Budapest Festival Orchestra are always among the very best events of Kodály Center. The festive time of the year is special in classical music too: the repertoire of the orchestra becomes even more sophisticated and joyful. And this is exactly what you can expect on this very evening

thanks to the works of Beethoven, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns, Dukas and Ravel.

The selector and the guide of the evening is Gábor Takács-Nagy who started as a violinist, who played and conducted in the best concert halls during the past decades all around the world.

December 30, 7pm, Kodály Centre (Breuer Marcel way 4) Tickets: HUF4400-6900.

Waiting for Christmas means not only worries about getting proper presents for the beloved ones. Enjoying the atmoshphere should have some priority on your list too. Free concerts at Széchenyi square with a lot of Christmas carols help you to get in mood.

Until December 23, Every day at several locations, Mostly free. More info: fb.com/pecsiadvent

PHOTO: PÉTER HANTAI

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY

BIRDS ON LAND, WATER AND IN THE AIR

Bridphotography.com is a very active and passionate community of - you should have guessed it by now - bird photographers. Each year they collect and select their best works of the more than 20 members and put together a superb showcase of nature photography.

Beautiful, fascinating and unique moments that show how diverse wildlife can be. Between the photographers we can find some professionals with dec-

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ade long history in the genre and several international prices, but also passionate newcomers are welcome here.

That said the younger generations depict scenes according to very high standards and the collective’s name and past are the guarantee that you see only the best that wildflife photography has to offer.

Until February 28, Tue-Sat: 10am-4pm, Natural History Museum (Szabadság st 2)

Free concerts and a huge crowd is what the New Year’s Eve Party is all about.

That is also the last chance to have a real open air party in Pécs before the real winter sleep (called January) starts in town. We don’t know the line-up when the magazine goes to press but the lineup is the last aspect to consider when choosing this event.

December 31, Széchenyi square. Free.

More info: pecsprogram.hu pecscityguide.com

To Do

DJ VADIM @ EST CAFE

ROMANO DROM @ NAPPALI

The band formed around father and son and has been around for the past two decades. Romano Drom, “Gipsy’s road”, plays in original Vlach Gipsy language with modern scoring.

Antal Kovács senior “Gojma” died ten years ago, but traditions are carried on by his grandchildren who also joined the band. While maintaining their roots the band has always been capable of

renewal, and has played authentic tunes in a way that creates a contemporary music experience.

The unique fusion music of the band – composed by Antal Kovács jr – mixes the hundreds of years old music culture with Catalan rumba, Arabic and Balkan pop rhythms.

Dec 9, 8pm Nappali (Király st 23-25) Tickets: HUF200. Info: romanodrom.eu

If his name doesn’t ring a bell then you have missed something very important in the past decades of alternative hip hop. The Saint Petersburg-born dj and producer grew up in the UK and combines electronica with reggae, hip hop and soul since the early 1990s.

Dec 10, 11pm, Pécsi Est Café (Rákóczi str 46, Info: djvadim.com Tickets: HUF1000.

OLGA KOROL @ AMPER

JAMESE @ E78 One of the most exciting ethno-jazz groups in Hungary formed around singer-songwriter Emese Molnár and released their first record in 2013. Their songs and performances are based on her very own stories and sometimes on free associations. Her freestyle is quite unique as she uses the characteristics of free jazz and the distinct but very natural musical patterns of the Hungarian language. The band took a short break

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in 2015 but is back and touring since the beginning of 2016.

Easygoing, smooth and very natural tones - may they be borrowed from chansons or jazz - accompany the distinct voice of Emese and together they always do create several layers of moving sounds that talk not only to the ears but to the heart of their audiences.

Dec 15, 8pm, E78 (Zsolnay Cultural Quarter) Tickets: HUF990/1300.

Grewing up in Odessa (UA) Olga Korol’s attention diverted to several music scenes especially grunge and trip hop, which eventually lead to electronic music. She got more into minimal techno and her passion allowed her perform across the major cities of Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Europe and Spain.

Dec 31, 10pm, Amper Klub (Czinderi st 6); Tickets: HUF1000 Listen: soundcloud.com/olga-korol pecscityguide.com

The Kodály Center resident Pannon Philharmonics (top pic) welcome Russian pianist Andrei Gavrilov (right pic) on this evening. The musician was born in Moscow in 1955 in an artistic family. He graduated from the central music school in Moscow in 1973, and entered conservatory the same year. He won the first prize in the 1974 International Tchaikovsky Competition at the age of 18 and made a triumphant international debut at the Salzburg Festival in the same year. Between 1976 and 1990, Gavrilov was an exclusive artist with EMI, winning several international prizes including a Gramophone award in 1979, Deutscher Schallplattenpreis in 1981, Grand Prix International du Disque de L’Academie Charles Crois in 1985 and 1986, and International Record Critics Award (IRCA) in 1985.

On the programme: the works of Rachmaninov and Shostakovich. Two similarly inescapable figures of the 20th-century Russian music, but completely different in terms of their lives and their art.

Rachmaninov was one of the last representatives of European Romanticism, whom exactly his Third Piano Concerto, considered as one of the most difficult ones of the genre, helped to find a new home in America after the victory of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, leaving behind the silver era’s Russian culture.

Made in Pécs magazine managed to do something very extraordinary in January 2016: they brought together 100 bands from Pécs to perform for free at 5 venues on a single day. The mini concerts had a very strict schedule allowing to play only 20-30 minutes (5-6 songs) but everything went fine.

Even better, it was a huge success covered by Hungarian mainstream media and music journalists from all over the country.

The concept didn’t change at all but for the second time 6 venues are needed since the number of bands increased to 109. How can the organizers bring together that many bands?

First, Pécs is considered to have a very fertile soil for music, some journalist even dare to say that the city is the Hungarian Liverpool. We really don’t appreciate that parrallelism but some truth must be in there. Second, everybody is welcome. This festival doesn’t select, judge or exclude genres or ages, the only important aspect is that the band should be from or founded in Pécs.

The event starts with a warm-up concert at Est Cafe on January 6, and the real festival begins on January 7 at six different venues.

January 6-7 2017, Several locations.

Free. Info: fb.com/madeinpecsfesztival

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The initially modernist Shostakovich’s life, by contrast, was closely intertwined with the history of the Soviet Union, and this connectivity throughout determined his work. His domestic perception was dotted with extreme twists: from the public enemy number one of communist arts policies became the most important composer of the Soviet Union and vice versa. During the time of composing and performing of one of his best-known orchestral pieces, the 1941 Leningrad Symphony, he was actually considered as a national hero, an artist ready to work for his country, who, with the language of music helps his fellow countrymen suffering in the war.

January 19 2017, 7pm, 7pm, Kodály Centre (Breuer Marcel way 4) Tickets: HUF1000-4990.

pecscityguide.com

PHOTOS: ANNA ZELLER

MADE IN PÉCS FESTIVAL

To Do

LENINGRAD SYMPHONY

Essentials

PÉCS, PEČUH, FÜNFKIRCHEN by

László Nógrádi

Pécs probably means completely different things to the people who live, study or merely visit here. The name itself too is somewhat curious – and still not decided where it came from.

To pronounce it is not a big deal even for foreigners. If you can explain to someone how to say page, you just have to work on the final consonant (try a ts) and you’re done. Locals can not even be mad if you get it wrong. It is possible though, as Vienna in Hungarian is Bécs, so some confusion can happen. (One French expat living here insists on a crazy story that he first came to Pécs by mistake – he supposedly wanted to buy a ticket at the train station in Budapest to Bécs, but got one to Pécs from the not so foreigner compatible ticket clerk.) Anyhow, we in Pécs do not take it as hard as the ones in Budapest when they get mixed up with Bucharest...

But seriously, what on Earth could Pécs mean? Well, history is not much help as the older names are a bit hazy as well. Sopianæ from the celtic-ro-

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man ages may refer to the Celtic word sop, meaning swamp. Actually, at that time large watery areas filled the plain where Univ dorm is today, so this explanation may make sense. Around the 4th century came Christianity and Quinque Ecclesiae meaning five churches – probably referring to the five ancient roman chapels in the provincial town.

The first mention of Pécs is recorded in the 13th century, and probably ever since that the debate is on. Some argue that the Indo-European pet (meaning five) is the base, others claim that Slavic or Hunnic fractions of words that refer to hill or fortification are the root. The five-theory is supported somewhat by the German Fünfkirchen and the Slovak Päťkostolie that both mean five churches. Ok, but what to do with the Serbian Peć that means no other than cave? Add the knowledge that the hills of Mecsek had caves inhabited by humans as early as 60-80 thousand years ago – and we are no closer to a solution. Recently one of the most popular Hungari-

an writers hinted at another version.

Miklós Vámos in Hattyúk dala, his new book dedicated to the history of Pécs argued that the name derives from the German Pech, meaning bad luck. Considering the fundamental changes of the once small market town artificially boosted to an industrial city in the socialist age only to lose all of its factories in the 90s may support this idea. Some feel that we have not grabbed the opportunity of the 2010 European Capital of Culture title to prove that Pécs deserves worldwide recognition – they may relate to the Pech-Pecs theory as well. Too bad that we have to point out that Vámos (who lived in Pécs as a kid) himself confessed that it was only a joke to provoke the people who tend to over-love this town and refuse to see its problems. Brilliant trolling, anyway.

So, now you know – as much as anyone can know. If anyone asks you about that kind of weird name of your favorite or not so favorite town, just go with anything. Just promise that if your version went well, you let us know. pecscityguide.com

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