From the New Europe: Mr Gay Europe final returns to Hungary

by Iva Skoch on

Before the fall of communism, back 19 years ago (jeez, has it really been that long?) there were no gay people in Eastern Europe. No really. None. At least according to the Soviet propaganda.

Look at good old Eastern Europe now. Prague is the new capital of gay pornography and Budapest proudly announces that Mr Gay Hungary competition has has joined forces with Budapest Pride to organize the finals of the Mr Gay Europe contest in July 2-6, Budapest Sun reports.

According to a statement put out by the organizers, “Mr Gay Europe celebrates the gay European man and pays tribute to the diversity, as well as what gay men have in common in Europe.” This year, any gay man throughout Europe can register to take part in the Mr Gay Europe competition. Last year, 23 delegates competed for the title, with Jackson Netto (see photo), from Germany, winning. This year’s theme is “Unity and Solidarity.”

That’s the New Europe for ya.

From the New Europe: Transylvania art in the streets of Budapest

by Iva Skoch on

If Hungary is on your travel list this spring, make sure to check out the open air art exhibit in the streets of Budapest.

According to the Budapest Sun Online, sculptures, paintings and photographs by Hungarian contemporary artists have broken out of galleries to enjoy the spring scenery.

Szabadság tér, the green area in front of the television building in Budapest, brings together the work of some of the best Hungarian and Romanian photographers who captured the daily life of in Transylvania, Romania, as reflected in the variety of its people, customs, landscapes and architecture. I like the way they describe it: “The 100 images depicting in positive light the Romanians, Hungarians, Roma and Jewish people, as well as the architectural remains of a once vibrant Saxon culture, are celebrated for their peaceful co-habitation within the frame of Transylvania’s magnificent landscape.”

Funny that they have to stress that these photographs depict the life in a “positive way.” Hmm, there is a new, fresh way to look at Transylvania!

Hungarian wine on my mind

by Kelly Amabile on

A few weeks ago I enjoyed sampling some Hungarian wines at a New York reception hosted by Perceptive Travel magazine. The folks at Monarchia Winery and Hungarian Tourism were kind enough to provide a collection of regional wines for tasting. I particularly enjoyed sampling two Tokaj varieties. Traditionally known for its sweet dessert wines, the two I tasted were drier, and quite nice. (You want to know what they are called, right? Yeah…well someone has misplaced her notes. Maybe one of my travel writing pals will jump in with an informative comment?!)

It was a pleasant evening, and left me reminiscing about my introduction to Hungarian wines, which began when I arrived in Budapest in spring 2006 on the eve of the country’s national labor holiday. I checked into my room at Grotta Haz, a quiet hostel on Castle Hill that unfortunately no longer operates. The best part of this place, besides the fact that no one else seemed to know about it, was that the owners operated a wine bar in the basement. Eszter, my gracious hostel host, doubled as bartender in the evenings, and welcomed me with an inviting glass of red from the Villany region. Throughout that week, after long days of sightseeing, I’d return to the Grotta, exhausted, but ready to sample whatever Eszter suggested. She introduced me to cuvees and rieslings from the Szekszardi region and also encouraged me to check out the nearby Hungarian House of Wines.
On my last night in Budapest, an American friend and I spent a few hours there, where we sampled at least 15 varieties from around the country, including a 2003 Egri Bikaver “Bulls Blood” from the famous Eger wine region. The House of Wines is an affordable (about $25 to sample up to 50 wines) and enjoyable way to sample Hungary’s vast wine offerings — as you can see from this happy photo of me and my friend with one of the wine house staff near the end of our tasting spree :) But I do wish that I had actually visited a few vineyards while I was traveling through the country. Eszter has invited me back to do some touring…all I have to do now is find the time. Thanks to Perceptive Travel for reminding me to plan that trip!

Big in Japan: Scenes from the World Rubik’s Cube Championship

by Matthew Firestone on

Did you know that there is an annual Rubik’s Cube competition held every year in Budapest, Hungary, the hometown of Erno Rubik, the cube’s inventor?

I know I didn’t, which is why I was ecstatic to learn that the 2007 Rubik’s Cube World Championship this past Sunday was won by Yu Nakajima of Japan. The 16 year old boy was able to solve the classic 3×3 cube, which has six sides of a different color with nine tiles on each side, in an average time of 12.46 seconds over five attempts.

Damn that’s fast!

And, the craziest part was that unlike my friends and me, he was able to solve the cube without having to peel off and put back on the stickers.

For his unbelievable skill, honed prowess and somewhat absurd talent, young Nakajima was able to walk away with a prize package totaling €5,000, US$7,000 or roughly 840,000 yen.

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Of course, the fun and games didn’t stop there! After all, this is the Rubik’s Cube World Championship!

With more than 250 competitors from 33 countries taking part in the event, the fourth world championship overall and the first to be held in Hungary since competition began in 1982, Rubik’s Cube World Championship divvied out a total of €20,000 or US$28,000 in prizes.

Sharing in the loot was Andrew Kang of the United States, who finished second in the overall competition, and Mitsuki Gunji of Japan, who finished third. Kang also set the best time for a single attempt at the championship, which was an astonishing 10.88 seconds.

Amazingly, the world record is no more than 9.86 seconds, which has been held since May by Thibaut Jacquinot of France.

It gets more surreal.

The Rubik’s Cube World Championship also featured competitors who showed their skill at solving with one hand or with their feet.

Ryan Patricio, an 18-year old high school senior from California, defended his world title in the one-hand category with a new world record, averaging 21.13 seconds in five attempts. “Definitely there is room improvement and I expect a sub-20 (second) average at the next world championship in two years,” said the boy genius.

Finland’s Anssi Vanhala was fastest with his feet at 49.33 seconds. “I am very happy with the victory because I had set myself a target of 50 seconds, which I bettered,” said Vanhala, who is just 15 years old.

It gets even more surreal.

Hungary’s Matyas Kuti drew the biggest crowds after winning several of the blindfold events. Although exactly how they do it is completely beyond my realm of comprehension, blindfold contestants try to solve the game by memorizing the position of key cubes before covering their eyes.

(Yes. There are actually people out there who can solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded – how stupid do you feel now?)

Kuti’s best blindfolded time for the 3×3 cube was just over 1 minute, 7 seconds.

Rubik himself, an engineer who developed the cube in 1974, made a rare public appearance at the medal ceremony. “I’m glad the cube is reaching new generations, who face it with fresh wonder, curiosity and enthusiasm,” he added.

What’s wrong with this picture?

by Justin Glow on

Ah, the joys of a road trip. Sit back, relax… take in the wind, the open road. But wait, something weird is going on in this picture. It took me a while to notice it, but once I finally did, it reminded me of that road trip I took with Manute Bol last Summer. Though I’m not quite sure, I’d guess this photo was taken somewhere in Central/Eastern Europe, where the automobiles are often battered, and the men gigantic. I’m thinking Hungary.

[via a welsh view]