This is Vild Boar Stew!

I have just returned to Denmark from the EUROPEA Agricultural Education Conference in Kaszo, Hungary. I set out at about 5.30 on a frosty Danish moning to catch the bus to Slagelse then the intercity express to Copenhagen airport (Kastrup) where I waited under the information sign in of terminal 2  to meet Henrik Dethlefsen who is the Danish Ag Educator I have been emailing. Henrik and I then travelled with Swiss Air to Zurich and then to Budapest where we met up with delegates from other European Countries and then went by bus more than 4 hours to the south east of Budapest (in the direction of Croatia), first on a major freeway then through small villages until we reached the end of the road in a Kaszo village (Kaszo Puszta). The village is a forestry town of about 300 people with a hunting lodge run by the forestry company. Walking into the lodge was amazing!

The stuffed animals were everywhere inside the lodge (except in the rooms - thank goodness). The delegates were from most European countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, France, Austria, Belgium, Spain (including the Canary Islands), Italy, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Romania, UK and of course Hungary). English was the common language and it is the  policy of Europea to use English even though many of the delegates struggle with it.

My impressions of the Hungarians? They are very proud people - proud to be a nation again after the years of Communism and very proud to be a part of EU. Most men are very strong and well built (they would make a great Rugby nation!). One day we were given lunch which was very nice. Many of the delegates commented to the hosts that it was wonderful to have an authentic Hungarian Goulash. The host replied that it was not a goulash but "Vilde Boar Stew", and for the next few days we had soup that had as its base the "Vilde Boar Stew". Entertainment was provided by local boys from the forestry school on violin, accordian and double base (with 3 strings) playing, singing and dancing traditional music.

On the last night a few of the local boys introduced the farewell dinner with a bugal call.

This photo shows the EUROPEA meeting with delegates from Sweden and France and the flags of Luxembourg and Denmark.



The owner and farm manager of the forestry company with their suits.



The team spent an afternoon at a forestry training school. It was good to see how they went about their practical training.

Boats, Flowers and Singers

Anzac Day was not well celebrated in Denmark except as Easter Monday (Paska Mantag) for which everyone had a holiday. We celebrated by going in to Copenhagen to the Tivoli Gardens. It is probably easiest to describe Tivoli as beautiful gardens with theme park rides, stages etc. The gardens were indeed beautiful with daffodils, tulips and many other types of flowers, however it was the Gospel Music Festival that was held at the main stage that really astounded us.  I've been trying to upload a video of the choir but I can't manage it yet.
Denmark is a European Country with a State sponsored Lutheran Church. The churches with a few exceptions in the larger cities are very traditional and not taken seriously by the society at large except for the traditions of baptisms, confirmations, weddings etc. We were surprised to see a Gospel Music Festival in the first place but even more surprised at the nature and content of it!

In the last decade or so there has been a mushrooming of community Gospel choirs around Denmark with hundreds of them in operation.The choirs we saw were having a heap of fun and making great music. I would love to be a part of that type of action! We recorded a little of the Crossroads Gospel Choir (they also have there own website).

Two days later we went in to Slagelse to see the Danish Cavalry do their weekly parade through the town square. They were led by the Drum Major followed by the drummer on a beautiful draft horse.

Slagelse town square with markets.Following the parade we took the bus to the seaside town of Korsor. There was a beautiful museum, a Danish Naval base and very upmarket housing. 

There was a wonderful Korsor museum. There was a photo of German warplanes over the town during the occupation of WW2 (which seems to be still resentedby many Danes).

Sunday May 1 we all went to Ringsted to the Dutch Windmill and Agricultural museum...

don't you love the cow! She gave my hands a workout they haven't had for many years,There was also a display about an archaeological excavation with two skeletons (the male had his arm around the female) along with the jewelry they were buried with from 250 AD, which is much later then the fortress walls here at Soro which are dated at 800 BC.

 

Anyway enough of ancient history, tomorrow I'm off to Hungary where the weather is forcast to be cloudy with showers and daytime temps up to 20 (as opposed to here where is beautifully fine but only 11 with an icy wind).