The institutes hosted concerts, book presentations and food and wine tastings. One of the most colourful programes was offered at the Polish Institute, which is celebrating its 70th birthday this year. Visitors could take a 20-minute Polish language course or see an exhibition of Poland's famous poster culture. Vj Lee Unflyable, well known from Tilos Radio put on a visual mix in one of the institute's rooms. In the cellar of the institute, visitors could take a short lesson in Polish folk dance. Teresa Worowska talked with the Polish writer Krzysztof Varga, about his book Turulpörkölt, a collection of reflections on Hungary, where his father was born.
Varga, who writes for the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, presented Hungarians in an affectionate but humorous light. He praised the country's cuisine, but suggested it may be a cause for the stereotypical Hungarian melancholy. Rich dishes such as tripe and onions draw blood from the head to the stomach, causing Hungarians to think: "I've eaten well and I'm unhappy."
Just a short walk away from the Polish Institute, at the Austrian Cultural Forum, we found an entirely different atmosphere. It was like walking into a house party, interrupted every hour by a performance by the TIMEART ensemble, a group of German, Austrian and Hungarian musicians that play music with classical as well as electronic instruments and combine it with visual effects.
Author: Éva Kelemen / Photo: Dániel Kováts
