dreaming of the solitary...part 1

Arrival in the gray…not quite rain, but nowhere near sunshine. Gizi and the good doctor pick me up, take me to the house, show me around …

And then not too soon after I am on my own. The house is enormous- eight bedrooms at least, huge high ceilinged atrium and a kitchen to die for, if the smell is a little musty.
Menu on the first night: mititei, parsnip chips and a cucumber and spring onion salad accompanied by a smooth glass of Guinness.

I watched Robin Hood, Men in Tights – and enjoyed the sorry Mel Brooks humour, I really did. I couldn’t imagine watching a heavy ‘art’ movie on my own with the forest at my back.

After the movie I began to read the Hungarian history book written by Bryan Cartledge who used to be British Ambassador to Hungary between 1980 and 1983. It’s a readable tale and in fact, quite unputdownable… but I fell asleep. Despite the dark I wasn’t scared, and I slept through till the sunny morning…

After a breakfast of Culinaris bread and special Telemea cheese that Mum brought back from Kolozsvar, (and doing the dishes of course) I headed up into the hills behind the house. The autumn colours were staggering…

I felt on top of the world, despite the fact that the world was very close – the houses were visible for most of my time on the hill. B called as I was scrabbling over some white rocks among dead leaves that still glowed with the colours of summer.

I found a branch of mistletoe (that I eventually lost along the way), and I sat for a time, on a big hill, looking at the clouds blow in.

Menu today: chicken liver cooked with onion, garlic and Guinness, and boiled potatoes with a cream, wasabi and green pepper sauce.

Then I walked down to Gizi’s house and we spent the afternoon walking around town and then I made eggplant dip, and we drank cognac and wine.

Now I’m home, with my shiraz and my goat’s cheese and the Breakfast Club…and I feel pretty good…