PARAÍSO DE RÍO // Descenso a las profundidades de Hungría

Not every train journey has a clear purpose. Sometimes you set off with a vague direction, like someone following a line drawn on a map with no other intention than to let it cross the country. Thus begins the journey from Veszprém to the lowlands of southern Hungary, a route not recommended in tourist catalogs, but which offers one of the most honest glimpses into the Hungarian heartland: its flatness, its ancient rhythms, its river cities, and its leisurely trains. From Veszprém, the train descends south, leaving the Transdanubian hills behind to enter the warm, open territory of the Alföld. The air changes. The stations become flatter, quieter. In the towns in between, time seems to stretch: you see unfenced gardens, sleeping tractors, and loose chickens crossing the platform as if the train were a secondary phenomenon. In this setting, the traveler begins to understand that the true history of the country is not told in monuments, but in the tiny details that are humbly repeated. And then Baja appears. Not with stridency, but with an unexpectedly sensual presence. On the banks of the Danube, this city of barely 35,000 inhabitants has a vitality that surprises the outsider. It is neither monumental nor haughty, but possesses a warmth that impresses with its simplicity. Baja is a city experienced on foot, to the rhythm of its squares, its shaded terraces, and its streets where past and present coexist without conflict. The heart of Baja, however, beats on the water's edge. And it's not the Danube itself—although it elegantly borders it—but its beach: Sugovica, a tranquil branch of the river that has become a small fluvial paradise. There, every summer, locals gather to swim, paddle, relax under the trees, or simply gaze at the river as if it were a constant spectacle. There are no waves, no glamour, no need for filters: just warm water, soft earth, and the natural way southern Hungarians celebrate summer. Sugovica is not a beach with tourist pretensions, and perhaps that's why it has such charm. Young people arrive on bicycles, older people carry thermoses and watermelons, and children dive in without a schedule. Just a few steps away, there are beach bars where Danube fish are fried and cold beers are served without labels. The traveler, still in the train's skin, feels like they've arrived somewhere unexpected, but they are welcomed just the same. Getting off is just that: hospitality without artifice. From there, the train resumes its journey eastward. Kiskunfélegyháza, with its endless name and disproportionately large station, marks the entrance to the deep country, where bicycles outnumber cars and where the sun shines unhindered on the fields. Then comes Szeged, the "city of the sun," more lively, more academic, with its elegant avenues and red brick architecture evoking a certain Austro-Hungarian sophistication. But the journey doesn't end there. There's still Békéscsaba, a quiet and proud city with its own cultural cadence, where Slavic influence blends with Hungarian tradition in speech, food, and manner of life. It's no coincidence that the Homemade Sausage Festival (Csabai Kolbászfesztivál) is held here every year, an event that brings together producers, chefs, and residents from all over the country in a celebration of flavors and affection. Thus, the journey that began among green hills and castles ends in the eastern plain, after passing by rivers, sandy beaches, towns with long names, and cities that don't seek to attract attention. A journey that needs no justification, because what it offers isn't a succession of "attractions," but an atmospheric experience: moving, looking, stopping, crossing the country not for its showcases, but for its real pulse. Hungary, off the beaten path, is a country best discovered by train. Just look out the window and let each station—each pause—tell its part of the story. #openyourwindowtotheworld #TravelIsHyperSurvival 🌎 Subtitles in Portuguese, Italian, German, French, Russian, and English. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED All material appearing on @daceygustavo © ("content") is protected by copyright. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED All material appearing on the channel @daceygustavo © ("content") is protected by copyright. 👇👇👇 COMMENT AND OPINION