BECOME FREE IN SOPRON, or unexpected discoveries during a usual trip

A few days ago I accompanied my elder son in his trip to Sopron.

Sopron is a beautiful town in the Western part of Hungary. Actually, it’s much more Austria than Hungary. Somehow, the atmosphere itself becomes much less Hungarian as you are approaching the border.

  

The lockdown in Hungary is just a bit unlocked – it means restaurants are open not only for take-away. Terraces can be visited without restriction. Masks are still obligatory, but at least you can take them off when eating on the terrace.

We spent there a few hours, had a very tasty dinner at Erhardt restaurant – they are situated in a very picturesque yard, cosy and far from street noise. It was cool and windy, 12 Celsius degrees above zero, but it felt much colder. Despite the unpleasant cold wind we enjoyed our dinner – the fact  that we were eating NOT AT HOME, NOT IN THE CAR and NOT THE STUFF WE COOKED OURSELVES was a great pleasure itself.

And we had a fantastic time together, chatting, laughing, discussing smaller an bigger things. When you have a 24 years old son, it is a rare occasion  you can spend a  longer time together without work, family, freinds – just together. And if you can, this becomes one of the most precious period in your life…

This trip, besides all I told above, was very special for me as an artist. As you know, if you have read my bio or visited my Instagram account, I started to paint in January, 2020. Since that time, my life changed completely. And this is not only routine that changed.

The way I look at the world, the colours I see, the light and the shadows are all different. Suddenly, I started to see beauty in simple everyday subjects and places. Two years ago I wouldn’t have noticed them at all!

While walking in narrow streets of Sopron, watching peculiar old houses, some of which were built in the XV. century, making photos of beautiful details, I tried to find words to explain my feelings.

It is like going shopping (ladies will understand me the best), seing stunning stuff and knowing it all may be yours – and you are not restricted by money or size of your house or anything else.  Of course it is not exactly that feeling, but something like this.

When I saw something beautiful a few years ago, I felt that I cannot grab it, stay there and enjoy it, I have to pass by. But now… Everything I see can be painted! I can take it with me, use it for my artworks, give it new life, and I must not leave it behind!!

Yes, it was a great feeling! And a big discovery, something new in all my life. The feeling that you do not depend of time, weather, age or any other stuff like that!

What a great thing is – to be an artist!