sopron
I went to Sopron (pronounced show-proen) on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The city is on Hungary's western border with Austria and was dubbed Hungary's "Most Faithful City" when its citizens opted to remain part of Hungary after the 1920 Trianon treaty. Still, it's proximity to Austria makes German as prevalent as Hungarian, and gives the city an Alpine air.
The city is unique in Hungary for the number of Roman ruins that have been preserved or restored. Sopron was first settled by the Celts and then the Romans, and unlike areas to the east, it remained largely untouched during the Turkish occupation of Hungary.
It was a cold Monday, but the sun was intensely bright. It played with window panes and cast interesting orbs of light on the old buildings. To some people, these light reflections have meaning. I spent the day working with the dynamic natural light and my camera, and was surprised by the light play that appeared in some of the shots. It's hard to pinpoint exactly, and perhaps it was just the romance of the Alpine air, crumbling ruins and golden sunlight, but I sensed a profound spiritual dimension to the city. The place seemed to have a quiet grace, just floating angelically in the light of the world.
I explored the old town, listened to the loud clang of church bells, ate wild rice, honeyed apples and chicken for lunch at Hotel Wollner, bought a pair of white bead, dangle earrings, and visited a dingy antique store owned by a small, old lady. Later, I went up to Karoly Korut in the Lover Hills. The lookout tower was closed, but I bought a beer at the peak's lodge and left when the drunk owner started raving in Hungarian. A few children ran past me. I found a swing set, took pictures of the setting sun and then made my way back to Budapest.
Light, Trinity Column
Facade, Hotel Wollner
Light orbs
Posta
Baroque
Modern
Birds
Birds, Dominican church and cloister
Karoly Korut
Lodge
Sunset
