It’s called road rage in the United States, aggressive or angry behavior behind the wheel of a car. I’m not sure what they called it on the narrow, cobblestoned streets of Szetendre, where pedestrians and bicycles are the norm rather than four-wheeled vehicles, but these two guys were going at it with gusto.
It seemed an odd place to encounter hand-to-hand combat medieval style, but then again, this was a foreign country and I was the foreigner.
It seemed an odd place to encounter hand-to-hand combat medieval style, but then again, this was a foreign country and I was the foreigner.
A little dancing in the streets, maybe?
Jimmy and I had spent the afternoon leisurely walking the streets of this quaint artisan village at the foot of Pilis Hill outside Hungary’s capital of Budapest, enjoying our last full day of our Vantage Tour, the Waltz of the Blue Danube.
I was intent on savoring the local color and customs one last time. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I’d miss the cobblestoned streets oozing with European charm, where strolling was as much an art as was finding a bargain.
I was intent on savoring the local color and customs one last time. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I’d miss the cobblestoned streets oozing with European charm, where strolling was as much an art as was finding a bargain.
You thought I was imagining all that charm?
The tiny storefronts were a refreshing change from the bland American malls that lack the artisans and the authenticity that comes with the goods and services of these European masters.
Call me a bag lady, but I'll take one of each.
It makes me blue just thinking of all that charm I'm missing.
Get your daily serving of fruit with Hungary's Palinka.
Even the alleys were charming and clean;
Might be a tad dark at night.
and doesn’t this cute little ice cream shop just melt your taste buds?
Such a sweet confection of a shop!
There was nothing cute about the hand-to-hand combat in full swing, unless big and beefy is more your style.
These two obviously like throwing their weight around.
The pedestrian traffic had come to a halt in Szentendre’s Main Square as the aggressive and angry behavior of these two medieval monsters took center stage. Most of the pedestrians had resorted to taking pictures.
Cha, cha, cha!
Aren’t we a sordid society, obsessed with documenting the mundane as well as the madness with all that technology? Some of us even go so far as to blog about it to the entire world. That would be yours truly.
Iron man gets the upper hand.
Who knew Europeans could be so barbaric. Granted, Hungary has seen her share of marauding armies, including the Mongols and the Ottoman Turks, not to mention the communists. Apparently these two barbarians had no idea we’d stepped into the 21st century.
Or maybe they did. I noticed a cameraman among the pedestrians;
Or maybe they did. I noticed a cameraman among the pedestrians;
Take two-twenty-two: action!
he, too, was capturing every not-so-gory detail of this staged medieval road rage.
That's a wrap!
Alas, “All the world’s a stage”, to quote the Bard of Avon.
And when our role has been reduced to mundane, as it does from time to time, we’ve no choice but to watch the madness.
That’s called entertainment, medieval style.
And when our role has been reduced to mundane, as it does from time to time, we’ve no choice but to watch the madness.
That’s called entertainment, medieval style.
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