Nov-Dec 2015 - Pécs City Guide by Ervin Guth

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015 / Issue 08 / Free

INSIDE

LE U BU E O D S IS

Christmas gift guide, Indoor activities, Filter, Almalomb, Mongooz and the Magnet + much more

VOLÁN TAXI

... fast, inexpensive, safe

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It can get hot on the ice!

You can slide for half of the regular price on the newly revamped Pécs Ice Rink! Cut out the coupon at the bottom, that gets you a free ticket for a purchased one. The offer is valid until the 24th December.

Ice skating gets another twist thanks to great events:

Ice disco on 5th December and

Pre New Years Eve party on 30th December with fireworks and tombola.

Open

Ticket- and season ticket prices

More information:

Season ticket

www.psnzrt.hu facebook.com/pecsisport

Adult: HUF 7000 Student/retired: HUF 6000

Monday: closed Tue – Thu: 9am – 11.30am and 12.30pm – 3pm Fri: 9am – 11.30am, 12.30pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 8pm Sat, Sun: 9am – 12pm, 1pm – 4pm, 5pm – 8pm (during the winter holidays on weekdays too).

Adult Weekdays (Tue – Fri): HUF 900 Weekends (Sat – Sun): HUF 1000 Student/retired Weekdays: HUF 700 Weekends: HUF 800

(10 entrances, valid weekdays and weekends too)

1+1 COUPON Showing this coupon (original, cut out from this magazine) makes you eligible to have a free ticket for your already purchased ticket at Pécs Ice Rink.

www.psnzrt.hu facebook.com/pecsisport

Contents&Co

Contents

In Brief 4 Wolf shot dead, Roses are coming 6 New bus fleet, Running track open, Ain’t love in the air Features 8 Christmas gift guide - Part 1 10 Christmas gift guide - Part 2 12 Indoors 14 Three times squared Drink&Dine 16 Villányi Franc 18 Soup & Sandwiches, The craziest cheese burger 20 Almalomb, Halászlé 22 Filter, Murphy’s Pub closed, Best Turkish coffee To Do 24 5 things to do 26 Art Moments, Ode to Joy, Delaney Davidson 28 Mongooz and the Magnet, Homage a Lantos, Ellipsis

Essentials 30 Heritage

12 16 24

, we are getting closer and closer to the end of the year again and I have to admit that this was a wonderful first year for the magazine. But we have to take a little rest. That’s why we decided to have a double issue again. Just like in the summer. If we count the double magazines as two we see then that this should be issue ten already. That’s a great number and I hope we can have the same amount of magazines in 2016, too. Right now, we think that the next Pécs City Guide will follow in the end of January or in the first weeks of February. We will let you know as soon as possible via our Facebook page. In case you don’t follow our updates there Pécs City Guide/Nov-Dec 2015 please like us, you will get The free, insert magazine of Dunántúli Napló much more information in English. about the city. You could Editor-in-chief/Publisher: László Póré also check our website at Managing editor: Ervin Gűth times, since the articles Contributor: László Nógrádi published online are not Published by Mediaworks Regionális Kiadó Kft. always the same as pubBaranya Megyei Irodája lished in the mag. Sales manager: Gyöngyi Nagy Feel free to contact us at: Phone: +36 72 505 060, +36 30 9971 006 info@pecscityguide.com. E-mail: gyongyi.nagy@mediaworks.hu Thanks for your attention, Printed by Érdi Rózsa Nyomda, Érd and see you next year. ISSN 08659133 Ervin Gűth, editor

Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

In Brief

WOLF SHOT DEAD AFTER TULIPS GONE, ESCAPING FROM PÉCS ZOO ROSES COME For five years Pécs was a city full of tulips thanks to the Netherlands and the Tulipécs project. The project ended last year and it seems that roses are going to take over the city.

A wolf escaped from Pécs Zoo and had to be shot dead to avoid human causalities. There are several unclear circumstances and investigations in the case are still open. On the sunny Saturday of October 31 an official warning was published on Facebook at noon stating that a wolf escaped from Pécs Zoo and no hikers should go to the Mecsek hills until further notice. Miklós Szatyor, director of the zoo said that a couple of days earlier three wolves arrived from Italy to their facilities. One of the animals got scared from the noisy environment, since Pécs Zoo is still under reconstruction, and climbed a 2.5 m high fence and escaped. Police and Pécs Zoo employees were searching for the wolf and people were banned from the woods. That said, nobody really cared, because of the good weather Mecsek hills were full of hikers.

On Sunday police gave up searching but Pécs Zoo staff made traps. In the late afternoon just before dusk hikers sighted the wolf and alarmed the zoo. The director of the zoo had to shoot down the animal since he couldn’t let the wolf escape again. The drama lasted only two days but there are several controversies. For example it’s still unclear why new animals have been brought to Pécs Zoo if there are very noisy works in progress. Animal rights activists asked the question why the director did not use a tranquillizer gun? (Experts say the risk of missing the shot would have been much higher.) Meanwhile the Hungarian Zoo Association suspended the membership of Pécs Zoo.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

Founded by the Dutch foreign ministry, the Tulipécs project, which started in 2010 brought about 30,000 tulip bulbs to Pécs every year. Most of the bulbs were planted in public spaces in and around downtown. Some of them were just given away for free to citizens. The project ended but it seems there is another project on its way. Roses have been planted around the city on 2,800 square metres, a lot of these are brand new rose gardens. One of the biggest will be at Tettye Park. The new chief gardener of the city said in a Hungarian interview that they will concentrate on plants that deliver a more Mediterranean feeling. These works eg. the planting of 1500 trees and 2000 bushes has already started this fall but the first achievements of the project will be visible next year.

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In Brief

RUNNING TRACK NOW OPEN FAREWELL BLUE AND YELLOW. BUT HELLO GREEN

Although the wakeboard track at Tüskésrét started operation in August, the 1.2 km running track around the lake and the outdoor fitness facilities were finalized only in November. Ski walkers, back extensions and many other outdoor fitness training equipments help you get in or keeping your shape at the latest park of the city. The Central Wakeboard track may be closed until April, but the facilites around the center can be used. Even at nights.

Although there are quite a few problems: getting there ain’t easy, there are no trash cans, and the toilet can be accessed when the wakeboard track is open. We hope all of these can be solved in the near future, since the running track and the equipments are great.

THAT’S NOT LOVE IN THE AIR

Graphic via idokep.hu

The winter air is sometimes unhealthy and even dangerous in Pécs. Doing outdoor sports regularly? Keep an eye on warnings. This is not a problem in Pécs only, 9 other Hungarian cities have very bad air during winter times. There are several factors involved but experts say that the biggest problem is the usage of solid fuels for heating like charcoal and wood.

This becomes a real threat for your health when there is no wind for days and small particles mix with air humidity. Doctors gave out warnings on four days in the first week of November, but it’s quite sure that there will be more.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

The public transport system of Pécs had to cope with some serious problems in recent years. Will the “new” fleet of buses prevent breakdowns we know from 2014 and 2015? We don’t know for sure yet, but a fleet of 115 buses has been bought by the city’s public transport company Tüke Busz. The Volvos aren’t new at all, they have been doing their job on the roads of the Netherlands for a couple of years, but are in a quite good condition. At least this is what the representives of Tüke Busz say. They say also, that every bus of the fleet has to be checked thoroughly and also resprayed. In the upcoming months less and less blue and yellow buses will drive on the roads of Pécs since the “new“ ones get a greenish colour. The complete exchange will hopefully end coming spring. Meanwhile a new roadmap and timetable is in the works passangers will see improvements soon.

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Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

Feature

I FFL

THE CHRIS

GIFT GUI

Christmas is coming, and looking for presents doesn’t have to be stressful. Pécs City Guide helps you to find the perfect local gifts for your loved ones. Part 1.

Chocolate Wherever you are, whoever you want to surprise craft chocolate is always a great choice. It is unique and you can assume that it’s quite good. Like in the case of chocolates made and sold at Csoko-Láda. They opened their first shop at Zsolnay Cultural Quarter and are now present in Király street too. Here is not enough space listing their product range and all the flavours availble but I’m quite sure everybody can find something appealing and interesting in the shops. Not to mention that you can sip great coffee while picking your favourites. Csoko-Láda Király str 1 and Zsolnay Cultural Quarter. Open: Tue-Sun 10am-6pm.

Community market

Aszpik

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

ASZPIK craft market at Csinos Presszó is your best source of small, handcrafted and unique a accessories, and several local goods that are available here regularly. You can find necklaces, jewellery, clothing next to artisan soaps and homemade chili paste. The atmosphere is great and you won’t regret going there even if you don’t buy anything. The market is open one Sunday each month but in the Christmas season they will gather every weekend. Also a lot of other events like workshops will take place and you can create your own handmade present here. ASZPIK craft market Csinos Presszó (Várady Antal str 8). Open: Sundays 9am-3pm.

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Feature

STMAS

UIDE

O PÉCS Local design Afroholic, Chic Street Design, Great Minds and Licorice. These four small local brands started something new a couple of months ago and they together opened a shop at Király street. Sure their stuff was available online and at local design markets, but a shop is also a reliable and personal way to

Zsolnay Festival

sell products. And downtown is just a great place for that. For example the girls at Licorice create jewellery and accessories from recycled materials like plastic from bike tubes, that sounds a little bit odd but looks cool. Great Minds is the project of local artist and designer Balázs Bubreg, who makes the almost famous Sweet Like Pécs and Pécsies bags and

hoodies, that are much better souveniers from Pécs like those you can get at souvenier shops. But the four brands don’t want the store just for them, they are willing to share the place with other designers from Pécs, so it is always interesting to take a look inside. Monokrom Design Store Király str 33. Opern Mon-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 11am-4pm.

Did you know that several skin problems can be cured by natural soaps? Treat yourself every time with our special natural soaps.

www.ikonszappan.hu Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

Feature IN

THE CHRISTMAS

GIFT GUIDE

L ON

No time at all? You just can’t make it to shops and markets in the regular opening hours? Let’s try to find some interesting presents from Pécs online.

TO PÉCS

Smart Eggs

One of the best known Hungarian inventions is the Rubik’s cube and the smart egg can be seen as a close relative to it. Smart eggs are logical puzzles. The first smart egg was invented by Hungarian architect András Zagyvai who made handcrafted wooden eggs. After his death a company from Pécs started product development and now there are several types of smart eggs available. The handsized eggs are basically labyrinths that you have to enter with a wand and find a way by pulling and pushing. There are severaly difficulty levels. The company behind smart eggs has competitions for solving the puzzle worldwide, working together with Rubik’s cube competition organizers. More info: smarteggtoy.com

Blanka Gajcsi jewelleries

Balázs Gróf caricatures

We wrote about Blanka Gajcsi in the October issue of Pécs City Guide in detail because of her crowdfunding project 1000 wishes. But let’s not forget that she is a great jewellery maker living and working in Pécs. Her online catalog of works is quite up-to-date and is a great place if you are looking for unique rings, pendants, earrings or other small jewelleries. She usually works with silver but other components may occur. More info: gajcsiblanka.hu

One of the best known Hungarian comics artists Balázs Gróf, who is living in Pécs, made several animated music videos and has proven several times that he has the talent for creating caricatures of ordinary people too. All you need is to submit some photos, give a short description about the person to be caricaturized and he will gladly answer and sometimes ask questions. Caricatures start from USD50. More info: grofbalazs.hu

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

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Nov-Dec 2015 PĂŠcs City Guide

Feature

INDOORS

Cold, bad weather is upon us but you don’t have to spend your spare time in your room or in a pub. You can train your body, brain or reaction time by doing the following leisure time activities in Pécs. And these are quite fun.

Play badminton Did you know that Pécs has one of the best badminton halls in Hungary? Thanks to a security company based in Pécs that has a badminton loving CEO, the MultiAlarm Sport Association can train under ideal circumstances. And this has several benefits. For example the badminton players from Pécs are quite good, and on the other hand everyone interested in the sport can use the nine badminton courts available in the air-conditioned hall. The courts are available from 8am-2pm and 7pm-10pm. One hour costs between HUF10001500 depending on court number and dayiteme. It’s great if you have your own equipment but you can also get rackets on location. That said, there are several problems: the location of the hall isn’t ideal at all and it’s a little bit hard

to find free courts in the last minute. And even more problematic is that you can only book a court via their website that is quite a mess in English. But you also have to see the bright side of this all, at least there is a private sport facility available for everyone interested in playing badminton. More info: multialarmse.hu

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

Escape if you can Based originally on point and click video games ParaPark in Budapest was the first real escape game that started the craze in 2011. Describing the gameplay is simple but the game isn’t. You are locked up in a room and you have to find clues and solve puzzles to get out with-

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Feature

Go for the curves

Photo: Gábor Kovács

in the given timeframe. Being developed for several years ParaPark has the most refined gameplay for their six rooms from which two are available in Pécs. Almost every minute is calculated and the game master does only interfere if the players get

stuck. About 70% of the teams can get out. Language doesn’t play a huge role in these games. That’s why ParaParks are opening worldwide: they have now franchise partners even in Australia, Chile and Norway. More info: paraparkpecs.hu

Speeding in Pécs is legal, until you do it in a professional way. Road racing is no go, but gokarts are the ideal combination of legit and affordable if you are in for some rush of adrenaline. Although some outdoor tracks are operating in the warmer months (one near Vásártér and one across the main sports hall) if you want to dash around no matter what the weather, KartAréna may be just the place for you. The track (built and operated by an active racer) can be found in Megyeri út in one of the storage halls, a couple of minutes from UP. Once there, a typical dash-around would cost a couple of thousands for 5-15 minutes, but the best is to gather a bunch of friends and organize mini races. Keep in mind that these are not bumper cars though - the speed is serious and the G-forces will surely teach you all the driving skills. One more advantage: no matter how small a car you own, after some laps in one of these gasoline torpedoes, even your Lupo will feel like a real Phaeton. More info: kartarena.hu

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Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

Feature

THREE TIMES SQUARED

The ever-changing face of Széchenyi square always adapted to the citizens’ needs. During the ages it used to be a market place and later an important traffic hub. It has been transformed several times in the 20th century alone.

1935

After the 1st world war the city has been in a great economic crisis and not only because of the Serbian occupation. The square was still used several times as a market square, in fall and winter even firewood was sold here from horse carts. As you can see, the bell tower behind the mosque was still standing. A small casual stream was running overground, canalization did hide it later. Photo: fortepan.hu/Tibor Erky-Nagy

1954

Fortunately, the second world war didn’t leave its mark on the city. That said, the 1950s were the darkest years of the communist era. Almost everything was run by the state and people suffered because of the lack of everyday goods. Mainly buses and and electric trams were on the roads, but horse trams were still in tact. No more markets here, the transport hub role became the most important. Photo: fortepan.hu/Tibor Erky-Nagy

1968

The biggest economic boost in the history of the town took place in the 1960s when uranium mining brought moderate wealth to citizens. In spite of communism commerce, art, cultural and nightlife flourished. More and more cars appeared on the roads and the city center became mainly a parking lot. The tram lines have been closed and 1968 is the year when the construction of the TV tower started. Photo: fortepan.hu/Lechner Nkft.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

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Cellarium Restaurant

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Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

VF Drink&Dine

The world of superb wines is not only about making quality alcoholic beverages but creating brands too. And this is what the Villány wine region is determined to do with the Villányi Franc.

The Cabernet Franc has found its natural home in Villány. And this is not a marketing slogan invented by wineries here, but what the renowned English wine critic Michael Broadbent wrote in Decanter magazine after visiting Hungary in 2000. Not only wineries from Villány but more and more customers belive him. Villány became the county’s most popular red wine region in the 1990s when international varieties like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon gained much more ground. The Cabernet Franc is usually used in blends, especially with those mentioned above and together they create the Bordeaux style. The most popular wines where CF is used on its own come from France’s Loire wine region (Chinon). Te wineries of Villány believe that the terrain here is more than excellent for the variety and the success is guaranteed if they try hard enough. That’s why they started something new a couple of years ago. Working together they created the criteria for a new brand that is called the Villányi Franc. But having a wine made up of 100% Cabernet Franc from Villány is just not enough, it has to qualify in other aspects too. It takes a lot of devotion from the very first moment to create a wine that is allowed to have the name Villányi Franc. Quality in the vineyards is crucial. That said, not everyone is that enthusiastic about VF and there are some - usally small and middle sized - wineries in Villány that don’t think that creating a new brand for the Cabernet Franc is worth the hassle. A lot of them have their own name and own brand and don’t want to confuse their customers. Others are waiting. Waiting if the campaing and the brand is really going to be successfull and are willing to join only then.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

‘Au Bistro’ by Jean Béraud

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WINE FOR EVERYONE Borkatedrális Winery may have a long history, but it’s also a refreshing new spot on the map of the Villány wine region. After the latest renewal they are following their own path, without forgetting the lasting traditions of the well-known Batthyány Winery. Executive manager Adrienn Czigler tells us about the winery’s everyday life.

Where can wine lovers find your products in Pécs? We recently opened our latest Borkatedrális Wine Shop in Pécs, and welcome our returning and new customers at Rákóczi str 6/1, too. Our wine shops have an exceptionally wide range of products, more than 50 different, self produced wines are available. These are mainly high quality bottled wines, that are grouped according to different topics into different wine families. These are the Villány’s Wines Of Protected Origin or Traditional Varieties Of Pécs, and the Dessert Wines Of The Mediterranean. But we also do have wines in 2l plastic bottles.

(X)

What are the wines of the mediterranean dessert family? We do not produce only red wines but a wide range of white varieties, with a lot of very aromatic varieties. Wines made of Muscat Ottonel, Tramini and Hárslevelű are mainly consumed and beloved by Hungarians as dessert wines. Our late semi sweet white wines were made also according to these characteristics, like our Mária Muskotály from 2014 and the Hárslevelű. Our sweet Mazsolabor, that has a Tramini base, is also a very exclusive product available in 0.5l bottles and it’s also a great gift idea. From our wines from Pécs I’d recommend to try our dessert wine that is made of Cirfandli. Rumour says that you have something new for the lovers of wines from Villány, too? We have a lot of new wines from 2015 that were bottled for St Martin’s Day. From our local specialities line I have to underline our ADÉL Rozé, made of Portugieser. From our international varieties I’d like to highlight our Chardonnay Barrique, that is a traditionally barrel-aged white wine, and maybe a red one, our Cabernet Franc. But we are also determined to give more prominence to other wine-related products from the region. That’s why we do sell local sparkling water, cold pressed grapeseed oil or even grape and pomace pálinkás in our wine shops. Are there wine tasting events in your winery, too? We warmly welcome everybody interested in our cellar. You can find the Borkatedrális Winery next to the main road at Villánykövesd. Our wine tastings include a wide range of our awarded wines. We can seat 10-40 people, appointment only. For more information send us an email to info@borkatedralis.hu or call +36 30 357 5471. See you there!

BORKATEDRÁLIS WINE SHOPS IN PÉCS:

Nagyvárad str 11 (Next to Magda confectionery) Rákóczi str 6/1. (Close to Kórház sqr) Rókus str 7/A. (University district, next to Rókus promenade) Uránváros Market (Hajnóczy str) Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

Drink&Dine

THE CRAZIEST BURGER OF PÉCS CREATED AT BOHEMIA

ÍZES MAGYAR CSEMEGE HAS NOW A SISTER SHOP FOR SOUPS It is not the first time that someone tries to serve soups and sandwiches at this venue but Ízes Magyar Csemege Sandwich and Soup Bar updated the concept in the most trendy way at Ifjúság str. The team behind this new spot is not unknown in the city’s gastronomy. They made soups and sandwiches a success already at Széchenyi tér, but the shop in the city centre has a quite different profile, being a great source of ingredients too. This time, just next to Block Coffee Room, at Ifjúság str 9, they use the available space in a very different way. No shelves at all, but tables and chairs make it a no-rush and cosy restaurant. Sure, everything is available as a take-away, but you can finish a lunch right on location in less then 20 minutes easily. This helps a lot to consider the soup and sandwich combination a healthy fast food option. Like said, the main profile of the shop is making great sandwiches. They are available from early in the

morning and are accompanied by soups from around 11am. The sandwiches are in buns exclusively made for the shop but other ingredients used are also usually local. We did test their sausage sandwich that has one of the best sausages in town right now.

Healthy fast food every weekday

Their soup menu (usually three options) is changing every day and has something for everyone. We were happy to see some traditional Hungarian soups but a vegetarian soup is always available too. Also, in the little fridge you can find some exciting goods, like craft beer or the only Hungarian dairy products worth mentioning, the yoghurts from Cserpes.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

I have seen a lot of surreal stuff going on in Hungarian kitchens but this one is almost as absurd as deep fried Snickers. Bohemia Sörkonyha’s latest creation is quite unique, to say the least. They exchanged the usual base of their burgers, the homemade bagel, with two thick slices of deep fried mozarella and put the Jucy Lucy patty between them. (For the record: Jucy Lucy means that there is already a lot of cheese put inside the patty, that makes it extra juicy.) But not enough: the mozarella incorporates small bacon pieces. Other toppings include caramellized onions, pickled cucumbers, BBQ sauce with pears and mustard, and lettuce. The usual small portion of coleslaw and not so small portion of fries is in the price. For HUF2200 it’s a great deal and I’m not sure if they counted the calories but I hope no dietitian sees this monster. Instant heart attack guaranteed. The only downside of this great addition to the history of mankind is that the burger is hard to handle. I couldn’t eat it like I usually eat burgers, but had to use fork and knife. The burger will be available for a couple of weeks for sure, but they told me if people are going to like it will be kept on the menu.

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New Mediterranean and international dishes every day. Starters, homemade flat breads, salads, grill foods and a lot of fresh sea fish. Best wines of the region. Blöff Bisztó, Pécs Jókai sq 5 | Phone: (72) 497 469

Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

Drink&Dine

Hungarian Fish Soup

FINE DINING AT ALMALOMB IS REALLY WORTH THE TRIP A couple of years ago fine dining used to be almost non-existent in the region. This is changing slowly, thanks to establishments like Almalomb, that opened some months ago in Hosszúhetény. We like to say that there is a gastronomic revolution going on Hungary. The key evidences for example are: more and more restaurants bet on local ingredients, cook based on seasons and the overall quality of foods is getting better. We’re still far away from what could be called an ideal condition, but we are always happy when a new restaurant promoting these values starts operation. And so does Almalomb in Hosszúhetény, only 15 minutes close to Pécs. Once a water mill, now a wonder of great contemporary interior design and accessories but also with great artifacts. Personnel is very professional, they know how everything on the menu is made so you can ask them questions. I’m sure, you will get satisfying answers. The menu changes regularly almost every second week, like said, they try being upto-date and do prefer using local

ingredients. Some of the goods are made directly in the restaurant. They usually serve their own sourdough bread with different spreads as hors d’oeuvres. The last time my starter was a brussel sprout soup with gorgonzola, and there was nothing wrong with that. The sous vide pork loin with pan roasted homemade gnocchi was just perfect melting in the mouth. And the gnocchi had a great texture. The only problematic point was the dessert: baked apples with oatmeal in vanilla cream. It was a little bit incomplete, in my opinion. The prices are indicated with lines next to the dishes on the menu card, where one line means HUF1100. A main dish costs usually 2 to 4 lines, and it’s very easy to get to 7-8 lines in the end. With drinks this brings you to HUF10,000 per person. So, eating at Almalomb definitely does not belong to the cheap eats category but worth not only one try.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

HALÁSZLÉ is The Ultimate Hungarian Christmas Eve dinner. Unfortunately, there are no restaurants in Pécs making flawless halászlé (fish soup) on a regular basis. Fortunately, it is very easy to make it on your own, but keep in mind to use only good ingredients. Fresh, good quality carp is available usually at Lidl or Tógazda Halpiac. You will also need qood quality paprika and special noodles, both available at Ízes Magyar Csemege or Gastropolitan.

Ingredients for two: 200 g fresh carp in slices, 1 tbsp ground, red paprika, 1 onion (diced), salt, 1 l water (+ noodles, bread, chili)

1. Cook onions Salt carp generously and let it sit for 30 minutes in the fridge. Meanwhile start cooking the onions. Let it boil, no stirring required.

2. Add fish Wash the fish, add to cooking water and let it boil for 10 minutes.

3. Add paprika Add peppers and cook for another 15 minutes. Ready. You can eat it with separately cooked noodles and/or bread. Some cooks add a little wine to the fish since alcohol keeps the meat of fish together and its harder to overcook. pecscityguide.com

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Nov-Dec 2015 PĂŠcs City Guide

Drink&Dine

MUPRHY’S PUB CLOSED. AND THIS TIME FOR REAL

FILTER IS A UNIQUE COFFESHOP AND HAS ITS OWN TYPEFACE Great coffee houses grow nowadays on almost every corner in Pécs. And we are not a little bit sad about that. You can find the latest addition to this category, that is Filter, just next to the theater in Király str. New line coffee is the latest trend in the world of the black beverage. Usually single origin coffees (meaning that the beans are from the very same location, usually from the same estate) are used to make very different brews known from earlier. At least, you shouldn’t expect the same experience like in case of a classic Italian style espresso. No wonder since the method of selection, roasting, grinding and brewing is very different. The result is usally a fruity, more acidic beverage. Filter uses the coffees of a micro roastery in Budapest. They use different Arabica varieties, different grinds for different preparation methods. Like Aeropress or Hario V60. Thanks to their great espresso machine the coffee made with high pressure is also quite interesting.

Filter differs from other small coffee houses in Pécs in several aspects. They have the longest opening hours and they serve a great selection of alcoholic drinks. Their range of wines is worth some extra words since they

Dripped, filtered or made under high pressure

offer wines from small wineries from all corners of Hungary that are hard to find elsewhere in Pécs. And there are other things that make Filter quite unique e.g. they have their own font. Yes, you understand it right Filter is written with a typeface designed exclusively for the shop by a Hungarian artist. Other interesting things include the kokedamas (moss ball) hanging from the ceiling that look like small living worlds on their own.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

Murphy’s Pub is gone. Some are sad but even more people are happy since the place was open in spite the fact that it still has a debt of HUF 30 million. This became public in January but the restaurant and pub closed not until October. The city - owner of the building couldn’t do anything and other tenants formed a coalition, talked of starting a protest and withholding rents. In the end this didn’t happen and Muprhy’s Pub left the building on its own.

The 5 Best* Turkish Coffes 1. Duna Döner (Széchenyi sqr 8)

2. Juice&Co (Jókai str 1)

3. Balkán Bisztró (Ferencesek str 32)

4. Frei Cafe (Király str 7)

5. Sark Sofrasi (Rókus str 7/c ) *Editor’s opinion, based on price and quality. Each tested only once.

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Nov-Dec 2015 PĂŠcs City Guide

To Do

THINGS TO DO THIS WINTER

Playing paintball

Ice skating at Pécs Ice Rink

Pécs is the only major city without an ice hall in Hungary, and that’s why we are happy that the outdoor ice skating rink could be renovated and opened timely. The opening hours could be longer, and are a little bit complicated, but it’s a great start. If you don’t have equipment you can always lend Veress E. str 8. More: fb.com/pecsisport

This leisure time activity is one of the best experiences when it comes to team building. There are several opportunities in the region but next to Expo Centre you can play paintball and laser tagging too. A game starts at HUF1000/person/ hour but ammo costs extra. Laser tagging starts at HUF2000/person/hours but there are not extra costs at all. Megyeri u. 32. More info: fb.com/Pb.Lt.Pecs

Target shooting

Skiing on Misina

Photo: Tamás Sóki (mti)

This is the real deal. Target shooting is great fun, but you have to leave the city border. At this shooting range you have the opportunity to try several handguns (Glock, Beretta etc.) and rifles (Marlin, Remington etc) too. Pécs-outskirts More info: elmenyloveszet.hu/en

Indoor riding

The only indoor horse riding facility in the region can be reached by bus. They are open every day and you can not only try and practice horse riding since riding ponies is also an interesting experience. To say the least. Pécs-Vasas More info: berek.org.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

Did you know that there is a ski slope in the Mecsek? Ok, it’s not that impressive (600 m and 450 m tracks) , but there are about 30 days in every season when skiing is possible here. You can get there by bus and a daily ticket costs HUF2500. Misina More: fb.com/pecsisipalya

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www.intimshop.hu Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

To Do

ART MOMEMENTS

The aim of the art festival taking place in Budapest, Debrecen and Pécs is to bring contemporary art closer to the domestic and foreign public and to provide a platform for emerging as well as the wellknown artists. This year’s program is about ‘Art Around Us’. A lot of people do not realize that art is part of our everyday life: it can be found on the streets of a city in a beautiful building, a well-

done graffiti, a picturesque panorama. On the other hand, the events attempt to provide a different perspective, an alternative key for the viewer by taking the pieces out from the glass cabinets and getting to know them on a more personal level. In the group exhibition in Pécs you can see the works of five Kuwaiti photographers. Until Dec 8; Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm. E78 (Zsolnay Cultural Quarter) Free.

DELANEY DAVIDSON (NZ)

Singer-songwriter Delaney Davidson from New Zealand tours Europe this November and his gig in Pécs should be considered a must for every music lover living here. The songs on his seventh solo LP reflect life as a musician, leaving a lot of the more colorful storytelling for real life observation. A compact collection of 12 solid and succinct

ODE TO JOY

songs, that have an up beat drive and lightness previously avoided in his work. Suburban soul pop classics, sit next to tearfully sentimental glam travel ballads. Davidson feels this album constitutes one of his most realized and strongest thematic offerings. Nov 29, 8pm; Trafik (Perczel str 22). Free.

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

Beethoven’s IX. symphony, also titled Ode to Joy became the EU’s official anthem in 1985 already. Sure, its success and popularity started much earlier, and it is played by symphonic orchestras all around the world since its debut in 1824. In the following almost two centuries it became one of the most well known pieces of music history. Ode to Joy is almost everywhere from feature films like Clockwork Orange to television commercials. It was even covered by the Muppets. It’s usually used to emphasize tension between the sweet and depressing side of existence. The Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra, the residents of Kodály Centre, are accompanied by Anamarija Knego, Ivana Srbljan, Marko Fortunato, András Palerdi and the Hungarian National Choir. The evening is started by Carl Rainecke’s Flute concerto where Éva Szabados (pic above) plays the main role. December 12, 6pm. Kodály Centre (Breuer Marcel street 4) Tickets: HUF1000-5990.

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Let’s celebrate together! BACH: CHRISTMAS ORATORIO 20TH DECEMBER 2015, 7 PM KODÁLY CENTER, PÉCS

MASTERS OF THE ORGAN 29TH DECEMBER 2015, 7:30 PM CATHEDRAL OF PÉCS

NORWEGIAN BAROQUE ORCHESTRA AND THE PURCELL CHOIR

www.f ilharmonia.hu

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT PHILHARMONIA TICKET OFFICE KODÁLY CENTRE, AT TICKET EXPRESS OFFICES, BEFORE CONCERT START ON THE SPOT, ONLINE ON WWW.JEGYMESTER.HU SITE.

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+3630/618-4772 EZ AZ ÖN HIRDETÉSE IS LEHETNE Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide

To Do

MONGOOZ AND THE MAGNET HOMMAGE Á LANTOS

Ian O’Sullivan and Magnus Maloy formed the international band in 2014 in Pécs and Gábor Imre joined them some months later. They started with small gigs in venues all around the city but nowadays regularly perform in the Hungarian capital. Recently Mongooz and the Magnet released the debut studio recording, that is a five-track EP entitled ‘the mongooz juice’. They gained much popularity thanks to the Hungarian online talent show Ki Mit Tube where they made it to the final rounds this fall.

They won a grant of HUF 2 million, that can be spent on e.g. creating videos or supporting live gigs, but the help comes not only in cash, they’ll also get a mentor. Someone really experienced in the Hungarian music business. Their next gig in Pécs can be one of the last shows before their big breakthrough, so go and see them even before it gets trendy listening to them. December 5. Pécsi Est Café (Rákóczi st. 46.) Tickets: HUF900/1200. More info: mongoozandthemagnet.com

The renowned painter Ferenc Lantos passed away in 2014 and shortly after his death a permanent exhibition of his works opened at Király str. Lantos was not only a great artist but a great teacher and funded several schools in Pécs. Generations of artists are thankful for this and in this exhibition the works of the master are displayed with those of more than 20 students, who are now successful artists. Until Dec 17; Mon-Fri 10am-6pm. Művészetek és Irodalom Háza (Széchenyi sqr 7-8).

ELLIPSIS

Ágnes Péter has several works in famous Hungarian collections, several sculptures in public spaces and she is an art teacher since 1992. She frequently uses wood, iron, steel, ceramics and glass in her art. Ágnes Péter left figurative art early and her monumental public works, and big sculpters too, deal with transcendent themes. The exhibition Ellipsis displayed in Pécs in the M21 gallery concentrates on more natural and organic traditions. Until Jan 10, Tue-Sun 10am-5pm; M21 Gallery (Zsolnay Cultural Quarter). Tickets: HUF250/500

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

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Have a great time here! End-of-year partys for up to 60 persons.

Nov-Dec 2015 PĂŠcs City Guide

Essentials

HERITAGE Downtown Pécs is strongly saturated with history, so spectacular monument buildings can be seen everywhere. The relics date back to the Roman times - you can find treasures even under your feet. If one considers UNESCO World Heritage sites, gigantic accoplishments of human culture pop into the mind like Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu or the pyramids but Pécs has contributed to the ever growing list of treasures also. Dating back to the ancient times, various settlements used the gently rolling hills of the Mecsek, by the times of the Romans Sopianae was a thriving rural city. Although most of architecture was wiped out by the storms of centuries, some remained in good condition offering unique views into the past. The world heritage site in Pécs dates back to the 4th century, when an early form of Christianity already took over in the lives of locals in the provinces of the empire. The most prominent examples are

the burial chambers that can be visited from a number of entrances near Szent István square. The roots of spirituality run deep in this area (even though in the summer the most vivid open air parties also take place here), it is a baffling experience to watch the cathedral and imagine that people came here to connect to the supernatural merely decades after that in their belief The Saviour walked the Earth. Walking will be the way for your tour as well, and going underground is necessary, but fear not, no caves await. The archeological discoveries (first started accidentally by urban development works and excavations) are now carefully preserved and built into an exhibition complex with a modern surrounding. The remains of the ancient chapels and burial chambers can

Go underground for a glimpse into the deep past of the city

Pécs City Guide Nov-Dec 2015

be seen from up close supported by exhibitions (original artifacts, audio and video displays) that form a complete historical experience. The underground tour of the sites can be a nice day’s program in severe weather as well, you only need to be careful with the choice of shoes, as the metal grate walkways are hard to navigate in high heels. The Cella Septichora Visitor Centre - that also provides exhibition space for artworks and events draws tourists by the thousands in high season but on a weekday before noon one should have enough space and tranquility that is required for a convenient visit. Sometimes (like on the Night of Museums or other special occasions) the sites are open into the night as well, making a visit an even more spiritual insight into the past. On top of all that, this year the Visitor Centre is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the world heritage status with special programs on the way. László Nógrádi

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Nov-Dec 2015 Pécs City Guide