TRAVEL JOURNAL: 10 days between Austria and Hungary

This is the diary of 10 days from 24th September to 3rd October 2009, of our cultural exchange with "Ferenc Farkas” School of Music in Budapest. Each day the journal was written by 8 hands: two boys and two girls. Here is a brief account with photos of the day. Have fun!

Thursday, September 24th,2009 - let's go! From Grezzana to Salzburg

6.45 a.m. Meeting in Ballini square in Grezzana
7.30 a.m We're off!
10.00 a.m Stop at roadside restaurant : "krapfen" (doughnuts with cream) offered by a parent
12,30 a.m. Picnic lunch at Villach in Austria
3.30 p.m. Arrival in Salzburg and sightseeing
6.15 p.m. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation
7.30 p.m. Dinner
8.30 p.m. Dinner end and "free time"
xx, yy Goodnight !

This morning we were all on time in Ballini square, ready for this new experience. Obviously there was so much excitement and emotion in everybody, especially the two of us (Silvia M. and Z.) We had never been so many days out , without our parents and so far away - moreover - abroad! To load the luggage, the driver and teacher Fenzi had a hard job! (50 suitcases with musical instruments, stands and.....so many bottles of wine as gifts!). After getting rid of our parents we finally left. The trip was not at all boring and passed very quickly, despite the 8 hours driving by coach. On the coach we watched a comedy about a pianist and a violinist, to stay within the music theme. What a laugh! Once in Salzburg, we went sightseeing. The thing that surprised us more were the stores signs: really amazing!(have a look at the photos). We were really hungry, but we did not find anything we liked. Finally we arrived at the hotel, we settled down in the rooms we had previously chosen and we all had a shower. Dinner time, but HELP! First course: leek soup ( inedible to some of us but others helped themselves 3 times!) Second course: hot dogs with french fries ( delicious!) Dessert: fruit salad (a bit watery.....) Later on, we all went around the rooms, especially the girls'ones (Simone and Amedeo V. B), chitchatting until 10.30,finally we all met in one room ( the 40 of us) to say goodnight and listen to our teachers'advice and then goodnight again (... not right away).
Silvia Masotti, Silvia Zampollo, Simone Vanti, Amedeo Bertaso

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Friday, September 25th,2009 - from Salzburg to Budapest with a stop in Vienna

7:00 am Wake up
7:30 am Breakfast
8:00 am Departure
12:30 pm Arrival in Vienna and lunch
1:00 pm Sightseeing
2:30 pm Departure from Vienna
7:30 pm Arrival in Budapest!!!
8:00 pm Accommodation in families

Here's a new day of travel. Wake up at seven this morning and as I'm not used to it, it was not great hearing the phone's beep beep! Breakfast ... only after loading the luggage on the coach. The trip was very funny : chats, new meeting, music, videos and friends......cool! Time passes and it is already lunch time: at Mac Donald's (where else?) downtown Vienna! good and cheap !!!!!!!! After the break, everybody visited Vienna beauties, even those who had already been there: they were amazed a second time by the gorgeous palaces ! And now back on the bus! Finally, after 4 more hours drive, we could admire Budapest and its outskirts, at night by then and a bit lost in the evening city traffic. It should have been about 8.30 pm when, a little in the dark and in a hurry ( we arrived a bit too late), we were assigned to our "new" families ... how will they be????
Chiara Falsirollo, Nicol Orlandi, Nicola Erbogasto, Alessio Bellenzier,

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Saturday, September 26 th, 2009 - Budapest: sightseeing and rehearsal at"Ferenc Farkas" Music School

7.00 am Wake up and breakfast
9:45 am Meeting at school
10.00 am Guided city tour
1.00 pm Lunch at restaurant
2.00 pm Concert rehearsal
4.00 pm Free time with family

Dear Diary, This morning we met in front of the Music School at about 10.00am. Some were happy, others had tired eyes from the previous night chats. When everyone arrived we got on the bus sightseeing the city. What a discovery: two cities in one go,Buda and Pest. We crossed many times the famous Chain Bridge built in 1850, and Elizabeth bridge dedicated to Princess Sissi. We passed on the first bridge built without pillars on the Danube, the Liberty Bridge. Budapest is divided into several districts and each district has its own mayor. Budapest is very rich in SPAs and we visited one, very nice indeed! Then we got to Heroes' Square. At that very moment, a large group of motorcyclists gathered and peacefully invaded the square. After that we went to Budapest Cathedral. Unfortunately we could not see it very well because we incurred in a ceremony. At 1.00pm we had lunch in a typical Hungarian restaurant: everything was delicious!. After that, we went back to our Music School where we had some rehearsal for the concert. It took a lot to settle but it was worth it! Later on in the afternoon we had free time and each one spent it with his own family.
Andrea Castagna, Francesco Ambrosi, Zullo Sara

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Sunday, September 27th 2009 – Budapest: Holy Mass and free time

8.30 a.m. Wake up
10.00 a.m. Holy Mass in Italian 
11.00 a.m. Break
12.00 a.m. back to our families and lunch
Free afternoon with our families 

Dear Diary,
we got up at around 8.30, we got better acquainted with our families, now we don’t know what to write ....... We reached the church by our " Boude-car “fluttering up to 180 km / h.
The Holy Mass was celebrated by a "bearded-priest " (no reference to teacher Barba), a very nice Franciscan priest. During the celebration, an opera singer showed off her voice. Everyone turned back at least thirty times to see who was singing apart from Giovanni... In the next song, however, we all turned back to see why the singer had let Giovanni sing as soloist... After the service a buffet was offered to all Italians, but a bit of liqueur in the cakes made us a little 'drunk'.
Funny things happened afterwards: someone counted how many people were playing a bikes-game with their mobile, others spoke through clenched teeth to show off in teacher Fenzi’s photos, some guy tried to date an Hungarian girl.
We spent the afternoon with our host families. In the afternoon we watched the English version of the musical "Mamma Mia" (watched? It’s only in a manner of speaking! Alice fell asleep at the opening credits and woke up 2 hours later ...) Then we left for the Hungarian “Boscopark” where we met Marco, Massimo and Riccardo.
While waiting in the ticket queue, Cube ran up to us waving his arms about as if he hadn’t seen us for ages.... but the dream was broken when he cried " where is the toilet ??"... After wearing the sling we started from the first level. We reached the 12 m high course. We came home unsettled by the reckless driving of our landlord.
We gossiped with our friend about "boy-friends" and giggled at Alice's answers who does not understand English.
A family’s friend came at 19.30: she has a sister in Rome, so she can cook Italian food and she can understand our language very well .........alas! .. no more comments aloud. After the first course (spaghetti with “carbonara” sauce) the three of us went to straighten our hair, burning it a bit '. In the meantime the second course (lasagne) was ready
. While adults made conversation, we had a competition to see who could speak Hungarian better. Then we exclaimed together "èehes vogyoc": they looked at us amazed because after two courses you cannot say "I'm hungry." After saying goodnight to everyone, we returned to our room and we sat down to write the diary. Before closing the door Borcsa (the girl who was hosting us) told us "I learned my first Italian word: "vaffxxx!" and proud of herself, she went away.
NB. we haven’t taught her that word...
Alice Gironda and Anna Dentella

On Sunday morning we attended the Holy Mass in Italian, after which there was a buffet. While we were happily eating everything you could wish for, we celebrated the birthday of the nice friar who had celebrated the function. After this little buffet we all returned home with our families and spent the afternoon with them.
After dinner, I took a walk to the mountains with my host family. The scenery was very beautiful and the walk was not strenuous at all. After this excursion we made a stop in a clearing among the hills where there were the remains of an abbey and where peace and serenity reigned. The place and the view were very charming.
Back at home we played a board game and then, after dinner, with my host boy and his dad we went for a drive to Budapest by night. The city was very lively in the evening and traffic was closed in the main street because an opera was performed in the Opera House. I was struck by this real sense of culture and respect. We came back at about 10.00 p.m. and I went straight to bed dead tired .......... It had been a funny and interesting day .... Budapest, seen from the hills at night, is very full of atmosphere......
Giovanni Cunego

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Monday, September 28th 2009 – Budapest: Opera Theatre, Secondary Scool, Rehearsal, Boat trip on the Danube, Dinner in an Italian Restaurant

7.00 a.m. Wake up
8.10 a.m. Departure
9.00-10.00 a.m. Visit to the Opera Theatre
10.00-11.00 a.m. Walk in the City centre
12.00-13.00 p.m. Visit to an Italian Secondary School
13.00-14.00 p.m. Lunch
14.30-16.30 p.m. Concert rehearsal
16.30-19.30 p.m. Boat trip on the Danube
19.30-20.15 p.m. View of Budapest from the top of the hill
20.30-22.30 p.m. Dinner in an Italian restaurant
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Dear Diary, Today we woke up at 7.00: the meeting was at 8.00. At the meeting 7 boys were missing: we recovered them later. At 9.00 a guide welcomed and accompanied us in the various rooms of the theatre. Some explanations were annoying but we enjoyed the cool works of art. In the dance and opera hall there are 3 rows and 3 floors of balconies from which people can enjoy the shows. After this visit, at 10.00, we left for a walk and went shopping downtown. At 12.00 we went to visit an Italian speaking Secondary School, we were divided into second and third class before they presented their school. At 13.00 we finally had lunch (steak, boiled potatoes and water). From 14.30 to 16.30 we had rehearsal for the concert and then we ate a good snack. At 17.30, from sunset until nightfall, we met our Hungarian friends to make a beautiful cruise on the Danube. That is the best time to see the city from the river at dusk, when all the buildings and monuments are illuminated. Then we went by bus to see the city illuminated from the top of a hill. 20.30 ... DINNER !!!!!!! after all this time we finally could eat. Unfortunately, at 22.30 we had to go home, the dream world was expecting us.

Marco Bertagnoli, Riccardo Salvagno, Angela Laiti, Camilla Tacchella

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Tuesday, September 29th 2009 – Budapest: Rehearsal, Visit to Hungarian Parliament, The Great Concert!

8.00 a.m. Wake up and breakfast

9,45 a.m. Departure and arrival to the baroque hall

10,00 a.m. Concert rehearsal

1,00 p.m. Lunch at the canteen

3,30 p.m. Visit to Hungarian Parliament

5,30 p.m. Back home and preparation for the Concert

6,30 p.m. Meeting at the Baroque Hall

7,30 p.m. Concert

9,00 p.m. Dinner at home

10,30 p.m. Bedtime

Dear Diary,

The great day’s arrived! Today we’ll have the Concert.

In the morning we met in the baroque hall, where the Hungarians, before the rehearsal with the instruments, sang the Italian and Hungarian national anthems. Then we sat down and ...”sol, la, si”.. we had our rehearsal. At about 12,30 we left for the canteen. There we had lunch with mashed potatoes and cutlet.

Then we all went to the underground, the oldest in Europe, after London’s underground.

Here we are at the enormous and stately Parliament. It’s marvellous, both inside and outside. We passed through the security controls and the metal detector like at the airport. When we came in our guide showed us many things, but we were impressed by the Chamber of Deputies.

Once out of the Parliament, we came home by underground, just for one hour, to prepare for the concert. We met at the baroque hall, where the Hungarian started their concert. They played and sang very short but pleasant pieces!

And, here we are! We are seized by excitement, we had to start our concert. But in the end everything went off well. Our families served us dinner and then it was time for bed!

It was a busy but beautiful day!

Simone Marcolungo, Massimo Alberti, Chiara Biasi, Vittoria Ceriani.

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Wednesday 30th September 2009 - Lazar Park: games and horses - Eger: cathedral and organ - Night at the hostel

7.30 a.m. wake up
8.00 a.m. breakfast
8.30 a.m. departure by bus
10.10 a.m. arrival at the farm
10.30 a.m. farm games
10.50 a.m. carriage excursion
11.00 a.m. horses show
12.30 a.m. lunch at the farm
14.00 a.m. leaving for Eger
16.00 p.m. arrival at Eger and leisure time
16.30 p.m. visit the organ and the basilica
17.30 p.m. arrival at the hostel
18.00 p.m. room setting
19.30 p.m. dinner
22.30 p.m. everyone to bed
Dear journal, We woke up at 7.30 and had breakfast. At 8,15 we drove to get to school. Once on the bus we switched on all our cells (as usual ). Time passed quickly and after about 2 hours we reached a farm. We were welcomed with a small refreshment. We did some funny team games as peeling some corncobs in the shortest time possible, drag on a barrel run through a pole, cracking nuts , then an obstacle course. The team of the C section won, we of the Barbapà team were second.
At 10,45 we did a tour on 3 horse-drawn carriages and in the trophy room we were told about races and victories of the Lazar brothers,the farm holders. At 13,00 we had lunch with gulash, meat and peppers and paprika, spicy enough to make people cry.
At 14,30 we left for Eger, we wandered a little about the city and then visited the basilica, where we met the Bishop who spoke Italian very well. We attended closely to a concert performance with the largest organ of all Hungary, supplied with technological equipments, played by a very skilled musician.
Finally some of us,piano students,and teacher Perlini could play this wonderful organ! AT 18,45 we went back to the hostel and we settled in our ooms. After dinner we had some free time.
Simone Vanti, Simone Santi, Ester Scandola, Sofia Cristanelli

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Tursday 1st October 2009 - Eger : Experiments at the School - Shopping in Budapest - Goodbye Budapest! Thanks to the wonderfull Hungarian Families!

7.00 a.m Time to get up>

9.00 a.m Leaving for Eger

9.40 a.m Arriving in Eger

10.00 a.m Visiting the Observatory

11.30 a.m End of the visit

11.45 a.m Leaving for Budapest

2.00 p.m. Arrival and Lunch

3.00 p.m Shopping at the Market

4.45 p.m Break - Time

5.50 p.m Arrival by coach

6.00 p.m at School

6.10 p.m Dinner time

10.00 p.m Back home

Dear Diary,

this morning we woke up at seven, too early! After getting ready, we left for Eger. As we got there, we went to the Observatory where they showed us a lot of very interesting experiments. In particular we saw a sort of periscope on the top of the school.

With a set of mirrors it was possible to project on a white table in a dark room everything which was happening outside the school, and for a kilometre round, at that moment.

At the end of the visit we left for Budapest, where we would have had lunch and lots of shopping. We bought a lot of interesting local products and souvenirs. Later we had a snack at the best cafeteria in Budapest: the café Gerbaud.

Then at 5.50 p.m. we got on the coach. Ten minutes later we got to the school where they welcomed us with music, dancing and a variety of food and cakes, made by our host families. It was the last night in Budapest and on a big banner was written: "See you in Grezzana!".

Thanks to everybody it was a marvellous week. Unfortunately the day finished very quickly and now timeto sleep, because tomorrow it will be an interesting andbusy day, too.

Vittoria Zanotti, Luana Pernigo, Giovanni Cunego, Gianmarco Giberti

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Friday 2nd October 2009 - From Budapest to Linz - Ars Electronica Center

7.00 a.m Time to get up

7.30 a.m Arrival at the Coach

8.20 a.m Time to live

10.20 a.m Stop at the motorway restaurant to finish Hungarian money

10.40 a.m Leaving for Austria

10.50 a.m We are in Austria

1.20 p.m Lunch time

2.00 p.m Back to our travel

3.oo p.m Arrival in Linz

3.20 p.m Visit to the Museum of the Future

6.20 p.m Accomodation in Hotel

7.00 p.m Dinner Time

9.45 p.m Towards our bedrooms

10.30 p.m Time to sleep

Dear Diary,

today we woke up at seven. After getting ready, at 7.30 we got to the coach. About an hour later,necessary to load all our baggages and musical instruments on the coach, we left after saying goodbye to our Hungarian friends who had given us hospitality for six days with great pleasantness and friendship.

During the travel to Linz we played videogames or cards,we listened to music, we had some gossip,but above all we slept!

Two hours later we got to the motorway restaurant,because some of us had to finish Hungarian florins, since in Austria there is the euro and you can't use the florins any more. At 1.20 p.m. we stopped to have lunch and we ate the food(the leftovers) of the previous night's party and other food prepared by our Hungarian host families.

At 2.00 p.m. we left for Linz again; at 3.00 p.m. we got there and visited the Museum of the future: the ARS ELECTRONICA CENTER.There were strange things to test and videos in 3d about the universe.After the visit to the museum, we went shopping and we bought fabulous presents.

Then we came back to the hotel,we had dinner at 7.00p.m. and they gave us cutlet and rice, as usual. After dinner we did what we wanted : we played cards and drank a good hot chocolate. At 9.45p.m. our teacher Mr Fenzi reminded us of the usual rules... and above all he made us really curious about a thing: there was a special trick to control our presence in the bedrooms during the night.

At 10.00p.m. we were all in our bedrooms and half an hour later our teachers gave us the good news:...10.30p.m. time to sleep for everybody!

Sofia Olivieri, Elena Montoli, Mattia Bombieri, Enrico Fusina

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Saturday 3rd October 2009 - Back home from Linz- Stop at the Swarovski factory

6.55 a.m Time to get up

7.10 a.m Shower

7.30 a.m Breakfast

8.20 a.m Leaving for the Swarovski factory

8.50 a.m Test on this experience

11.30 a.m Stop at the motorway restaurant

12.00 a.m Off we go again

1.10 p.m Arival at the factory

2.20 p.m Lunch

2.50 p.m Leaving for Bolzano

3.25 p.m Italy

4.30 p.m Stop in Bolzano

4.55 p.m Leavin for Grezzana

6.45 p.m Arrival at home!!!!

Dear Diary,

we woke up at 6.55 but we stayed in bed till 7.25 because we were very tired. Before breakfast a good shower and then all together to eat. There was really a good choice :cereal,bread,jam,hot tea,milk.

After brushing our teeth we met at 8.15 to load our rucksacks onto the coach in order to leave at 8.20 towards the Swarovski factory.

During the travel, our teachers made us do a short test about our journey to Hungary.Even on a trip they give us tests!! At 11.34 we stopped at a motorway restaurant for a short "hydraulic break", we bought and ate something in the meantime.

At 12.05 we left to get to Grezzana as soon as possible. Thanks to our driver Mark, at 13.10 we stopped to visit the Swarovski factory where many of us bought earrings,bracelets and necklaces.These Swarovski pieces are very nice but really expensive!! Time to eat all together in the factory shop at last!!

About an hour later we were leaving again towards Italy.After a short stop in Bolzano, at 6.45p.m. we were in Grezzana!!!!!!!

A fantastic experience for everybody,thanks to the organizers (teachers,Hungarian families,Mayor,school headmaster) .........

we will never forget it!!!!!!!

Reynolds Debrah, Federico Tornaghi, Elena Montolli, Sofia Olivieri

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