Eastern European Research Trip – Horses!

I have loved horses since I was very young, and one of the “characters” in my novel-in-progress, BONE FIRE, is a horse. Horses from 5000 B.C. (the timeline of the novel) were quite different from horses today. They were smaller, with large heads, and the insides of their legs were striped, like zebra legs. One of the most interesting facts about these horses is that the dun color of their coats changed to white in winter. The people of the Eurasian steppes who tamed and rode them were excellent equestrians.

A highlight of our cruise (for me anyway!) is a visit to a horse farm in Hungary, where the skills of the riders amaze us. I thought you might be interested in seeing a few photos.

A bus ride takes us from our port on the Danube River out into the “country.”

Note how rich and dark the soil is in this flood plain area of the Danube River. Guides tell us that the flatlands along the river are basically the bread-basket area of Eastern Europe, and they grow excellent yields of wheat and corn.

(Sorry for the blur. I took the photo from the bus window.)

And here we are at the Bakodpuszta Equestrian Center. The man in the photo is one of the performers. He’s wearing a dark purple traditional Hungarian clothing. I’m sorry I didn’t get a little closer picture! His pants are actually a pleated divided skirt.

Yes, he’s riding 10 horses!! (I know a better photographer wouldn’t have managed to get the toilet sign in the photo! Dang!)

They also ride and perform with long, snapping whips. The sound is so loud it echoes in your ears.

At the end of the show, we are treated to apple cider and a rich heavy bread spread with lard. I know that doesn’t sound good, I but I think the bread and lard are delicious, as is the cider!

I hope you’ll join me again on Thursday, May 7, for a stop in the country of Croatia and a tour of Osijek, the fourth largest city in Croatia!

Happy Traveling!

Sue