7/19 Kishegyes to Keszthely

We will leave Kishegyes today to return to Keszthely. Jaden’s continued illness and Kyra’s anxiousness to get home seem to be the reasons. Peter is not coming with us, but will join us on Saturday in Kecskemet. He still has a few things to do to get ready for winter and needs to collect a few rents on property concerns here.

Some Serbian odds and ends:

Jelen Pivo (Don’t be "gellin,’" you should be "yellin,’" cuz’ that would be Yellin’ PEE-vo); you see signs for this stuff everywhere. At 6% it is a pretty big beer, relatively speaking. Unfortunately, it is also the Budwiser of the region, thin in flavor completely lacking any flavor. The stuff of teen keg parties, it exists solely to get you drunk. This is the worst beer we have had here so far. The size of the ad budget confirms something that I have felt all along, most people don’t drink beer to enjoy it, they are looking for the buzz. Well for them, "Are you yellin’?"

While we are talking beer (and can you think of a better thing to talk about?), a nasty trend has arrived here, according to Peter, that has been around for a while in the States. Most of the beer you are drinking now a days, unless it is from a micro or from Germany, has more resemblance to the production of soda pop than it does to the science of brewing. Many of the formerly world class beers are now made with extracts and flavor additives. At least it is not as chemical-ly as it used to be. The worst possible news, again from Peter, is that even the great Urqeull is now brewed this way. I was hoping to taste one of the great pilsners, and it appears I got here too late.

More on Serbian driving: When you take your car in for the required yearly inspection to renew the tags, they ask you two questions; 1) Do the brakes work? and 2) does the horn work? Answer yes to both and you pass.

So, on our way... We passed through the community of Kiskunhalas on the way to Keszthely. According to Vera, this community is famous for its lace. It is a rare house that does not have at least some of it on a table somewhere.

We made a rest stop at TESCO, the large supermarket to use the facilities and pick up some "snacks." My new find, "Turo Rudi." Chocolate covered cheese, you gotta love this. As we left the market I happened to glance at the night club sign. The club is called "New Tuning Disco." So, for those of you who have heard this joke too many times, "Tu-ning" may not be a village in China, but it is a disco in Hungary.

Dave