Budapest is most definitely a city where there is always something going on. At the risk of sounding like a Time Out Guidebook entry (btw, a new Time Out monthly has started here and it makes me happy! I am biased since I know people there, but it's still exciting for a certifiable ex pat like me, but I digress...).
The past week has seen both the 2 week long annual Titanic International Film Festival and the 3 day Budapest Fringe Festival overlap on the same weekend. While I question the timing convergence, it's sort of thrilling in an oh my god where should I go, what should I see kind of frenzy. And the city is small enough that you can pretty much count on no more than two options coinciding. And small enough that most of your friends are likely to, if not be at one or the other, be contemplating going to one or the other. And isn't contemplation just somewhere in between procrastination and mobilization?
In any event, I split my cultural allegiances. Last night was fringe. Didn't mobilize until 10pm so I missed the fire dancing (although after multiple Burning Man excursions, it's hard to get excited about urban fire dancing. If there aren't giant explosives, dirt, and a feeling that someone might actually get hurt, it's not really worth the effort). But I did catch a painfully mediocre band, an example of gut instinct being on the money. If I am to confess to my ability to make snap judgements on appearance only, I knew by their photo that they would be dull, earnest yet bland. I was right. But actually had to leave after the 'heartfelt' black clad, flowing lock second lead gave it his all with a wooden flute. Which came painfully close to bringing me back to that place where I must mock all things Peruvian Pan Flute. I'm sure if I ever make it to Peru and experience it in its natural habitat I will feel otherwise, but Hungarians and pan flutes are like poppy seed and ceviche. Which of course brings me to my other recent insight and that is that there are in fact Peruvian pan flutists EVERYWHERE. In the city park in Budapest, pan flutes. In the square with the Easter market. Is this globalization? Transnationalism? Glocalism? Or just an effort to make me resent woodwind instruments?
Ranting aside, after that, laura and I soldiered on and were rewarded with a completely amazing Klezmer band! Everything you want in a Klezmer band, including a totally cute butch clarinet player who brought the veritable house down.
Tonight, as the post's title implies, a range of Nordic film options filled with snowy backdrops to make one glad it's spring I guess. Eva and I are opting for "North", a film described as somewhere between The Straight Story and Into the Wild. How can you go wrong? Cheekily, I am also excited to pay my first visit to the national film theatre which looks like everything you want in a European national film theatre. All the glamour of an old movie house at central European prices!
Did I mention the whole three day Fringe festival is free?!
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