1936 On the Continent

dirty old note-case reminiscent of a small accordion and put 100,000 kronen on the table.
    This was how the university of Debrecen was built and such is the mentality of the Hungarian.
    Another famous town of the Hungarian plain-land—called Alföld in Hungarian—is Nagykörös. I let you stay there thirty seconds. It has no great attractions to offer, but it is very near the heart of all Hungarians. There still stands the country house of Ferencz Rákóczi, the greatest of Hungarian Princes, and that of János Arany the renowned Hungarian epic poet. Its fruit industry is noted, and if you are a lover of cucumbers you should know that the best species in the world are grown at Nagykörös. The poultry farms are also extensive. England receives no less than 300,000 fowls a year from them.
    Kecskemét: one minute. Known all over Europe as the centre of fruit-growing. It was from Kecskemét that the famous Hungarian apricot, the
Kajszin-barack
, started out to conquer the world. And it is here that they make the famous
Barack Pálinka
, the apricot-brandy, a well-known Hungarian speciality. The majority of the inhabitants of Kecskemét live on various little “stations,” like most people of the Hungarian plains. On the town’s boundaries is the famous Puszta of Bugacz, a steppe not quite so large or romantic as the Hortobágy but quite aspicturesque and interesting. It is bordered on one side by the lovely forest of Monostor which figures so often in Hungarian folk-songs.
    Szeged: one minute and ten seconds. The largest provincial town of Hungary. Of its agricultural products the
paprika
of Szeged is known everywhere. There are two varieties, the red
paprika
and the sweet
paprika
. Its corn, its fruit, its
salami
, and a special sort of vermicelli, known as
Tarhonya
, are good Hungarian specialities. The town is the cultural centre of the Hungarian plain-land. On the large square of the Votive Church open-air performances, based on the Salzburg pattern, are staged in the summer. The principal bridge across the river Tisza is built after the plans of Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame.
    Hód-Mezo-Vásárhely, which is as charming as its name is long is interesting from the folk-lore point of view. I allow you to stay thirty seconds there. Here they make those lovely flower-vases decorated with Hungarian themes, the interesting
kulacs
and
butykos
, the round earthenware containers of wine, as well as other ornamental wares.
    Makó: twenty seconds. It is famous for its onions. Two or three thousand wagons are exported every year. By the way, it has just occurred to me that you dislike onions of every kind and variety and that you mistrust even the people who eat them. I apologise.
    Mezohegyes. If you are interested in horses you could spend a whole day here. Here is the large government stud, which was founded in the eighteenth century by Joseph II. This small provincial town of Hungary supplies horses for a good many of the armies of the world.
    Well, you have no reason for complaint as we have already finished with the whole Hungarian plain-land. Now we are going up to the north. The Mátra mountains through which I am taking you are covered with gorgeous forests. They are very rich in game.
    Mezokövesd: sixty minutes. To the best of my knowledge all foreigners coming to Hungary have visited this town, which is unique. Its greatest claim to fame is the moment when the peasants leave the church after Divine Service on a Sunday. But that moment really lives up to the greatest expectations.
    A magnificent flaming river of various colours seemsto burst out of the church door in the form of the most beautiful European peasant costumes. The dresses of the women whose colour, embroidery and line have not changed for a thousand years, give a spectacle of Eastern splendour.
    Parád is the medical bath of the Matra mountains. The town lies in a closed basin surrounded by the forest. Its water is excellent for anaemia, neurasthenia and women’s diseases.
    Miskolc: one minute. It was already famous for its industry in the Middle Ages. Next to it is Diósgyor, Hungary’s greatest manufacturing town. Some of its old buildings are well worth a visit, and the neighbourhood of the town is most attractive. Among lovely old ruins of castles you reach Lillafüred in about a quarter of an hour. The luxury hotel, which is most comfortable, was built quite recently over a small mountain lake. Under the bastion walls of the hotel is the Anna