Budapest Travel Blog

Although Hungary joined the Schengen zone on 21 December, 2007 the traffic changes at Budapest Airport – similarly to all other airports in the region - will take affect on 30 March, 2008. In practice it means that the control of travel documents will go on unchanged until the end of March.

Budapest Airport would be ready to implement the requirements and physically separate the Schengen and non-Schengen passengers as soon as the first day of 2008. Due to international agreements the new procedures of passenger traffic will change uniformly at all new Schengen-airports on the first day of the aviation summer timetable.

source Budapest Airport

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Budapest, January 3 (MTI) - Budapest is set to become the starting point for the Dakar Rally in 2010, national daily Nepszabadsag said on Thursday.

The rally is among the highest profile events worldwide.

Negotiations with the rally's licence holder started a year ago and a preliminary agreement was signed in Paris a month ago, said Istvan Ujhelyi, deputy regional development minister.

"Once some technical details have been clarified, the contract can be finalised," the state secretary said.

Hungary's government is to underwrite the licence fee of around half a billion forints (EUR 2.2 m).

Heroes' Square will host the opening ceremony called "Grand Depart" in Dakar terminology.

According to a feasibility study Hungary will benefit from the race for several reasons. First of all, it is expected to attract media interest to Budapest and the region north of Lake Balaton. The name of Budapest will feature in the logo of the race.

Although the event is only expected to break even, the marketing benefits for Hungary will be considerable and the race could end up being profitable in other ways.

source: mti
photo: http://www.performanceundergear.com/PUG/PUG_Pilots.htm

Labels: 2010, Budapest, Dakar Rally, Heroes' Square, Hungary

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Budapest, December 21 (MTI)

László Hegedűs (alias: Bagoly - Owl) of Hungary set a new world glider speed record in Namibia on December 19.

Taking off from the airport of Bitterwasser on board a Nimbus-4 plane, Hegedus glided over a triangular course of 1,253 kilometres at a speed of 151.3 kilometres per hour, then landed at the same airport as required, Hungarian airline company Malev told MTI on Friday.

The previous record of 149.2 kilometres per hour was set by multimillionaire Steve Fossett in Nevada on July 12 this year. The renowned adventurer, who achieved over 110 world records, disappeared in the Nevada desert in September.

Hegedus is a Malev pilot flying a Boeing-737 and member of the national gliding team.

photo: Bors

Labels: Budapest, glider, Hungary, Malev, pilot, world record

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

was the question on the famous TV Quiz.
Do you know the answer?

watch the quiz

Labels: blonde, Budapest, Hungary, quiz, Tv, Video

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

125cc
Gabor Talmacsi started riding motorcycles aged four in a mini-bike school run by his father. The Hungarian made his national 125cc championship debut ten years later, before moving up to the European Championship.

A wildcard ride at Brno in 2000, where he finished 20th, led to a full time ride with Racing Service in the 125cc World Championship the following year. With this Talmacsi became the first Hungarian in 20 years to ride a complete season in Grands Prix.

Talmacsi rode for a variety of Honda teams before moving to Aprilia machinery in 2003 with the Exalt Cycle outfit, with whom he took 14th in the overall standings.


Gabor Talmacsi- 2007 125cc World Champion


After a tough few seasons in the middle of the 125cc field, the ex-boxer made a dramatic improvement after moving to KTM for 2005. His first podium at the maiden Chinese Grand Prix was a sign of things to come that year, and Talmacsi took his debut victory two races later at Mugello. He followed the triumph up with two further wins in Holland and Qatar, eventually sealing third in the championship standings.

Talmacsi returned to Honda in 2006 with the Humangest satellite team, and by his now high standards he had a disappointing year. His best result was a third at Brno, the scene of his Grand Prix debut six years earlier.

His performances last season did, however, impress Jorge Martinez ‘Aspar’, who signed him up for a ride with his three rider 125cc squadron with a strong package. Talmacsi immediately justified his addition to the team, taking pole position at his first race for the Aprilia team in Qatar. He battled for victory with team-mate Hector Faubel in that race, in a sign of things to come for the course of the season. Five pole positions and three victories contributed to the Hungarian finally being able to lift the title at the last race of the year in Valencia, finishing second behind Faubel.


Birth date: 28/05/1981 (26 years)
Birth place: Budapest, HUN
First Grand Prix: CZE – 200 - 125cc
First Pole Position: JPN – 2005 - 125cc
First Podium: CHN – 2005 - 125cc
First GP Victory: ITA – 2005 - 125cc
Grand Prix Starts: 113
Grand Prix Victories: 6
Podiums: 16
Pole Positions: 6
World Championship Win: 1 - 2007 – 125cc
Total Points 2007: 282


*all data correct at 4/11/2007


MotoGP Career

- 2000: 125cc World Championship, Honda – 1 start
- 2001: 125cc World Championship, 18th position, Honda - 16 starts, 34 points
- 2002: 125cc World Championship, 22nd position, Honda/Italjet - 15 starts, 20 points
- 2003: 125cc World Championship, 14th position, Aprilia - 16 starts, 70 points
- 2004: 125cc World Championship, 17th position, Malaguti - 16 starts, 43 points
- 2005: 125cc World Championship, 3rd position, KTM - 16 starts, 198 points
- 2006: 125cc World Championship, 7th position, Honda - 16 starts, 119 points
- 2007: 125cc World Championship, 1st position, Aprilia - 17 starts, 282 points




Some facts about Talmacsi's achievement

• Gabor Talmacsi is the first Hungarian ever to win a motorcycle Grand Prix world title in any class.

• Talmacsi has also had more Grand Prix wins than any other Hungarian rider with six victories all in the 125cc class. Janos Drapal is the only other Hungarian rider to have had Grand Prix success with four wins (1x 250cc, 3x 350cc).

• Talmacsi is the seventh Aprilia rider to win the 125cc title, joining: Alessandro Gramigni (1992), Kazuto Sakata (1994 and 1998), Valentino Rossi (1997), Roberto Locatelli (2000), Arnaud Vincent (2002) and Alvaro Bautista (2006).

• On his way to winning the title Gabor Talmacsi has had three victories, ten podium finishes, five pole positions and fourteen front row starts.

• Talmacsi has equalled the record of sixteen points scoring finishes in a single season previously achieved by Arnaud Vincent in 2002 and Alvaro Bautista last year.


From a press release issued by Dorna Sports

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 8:52 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Budapest Travel Video with Hungarian music, brought to you by the new Budapest Pocket Guide
http://budapestpocketguide.com

Labels: Budapest Travel Video

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

A Japanese teenager has won the Rubik's Cube World Championships in Hungary's capital, Budapest, taking less than 13 seconds to finish the cult '80s puzzle.

Yu Nakajima, 16, took home 5,000 euros (£3,400, $7,000) after winning the main event of the three-day tournament.

Nearly 300 contenders from 33 countries tried their hands - and feet - at the puzzle, some completing it blindfolded.

Hungarian architect Erno Rubik invented the cube in Hungary in 1974. More than 300 million cubes have been sold since.

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

BUDAPEST (AFP) — Some 300 participants are expected to puzzle over a small multicoloured cube this weekend as Budapest welcomes the 2007 World Championships of the Hungarian-born Rubik's Cube.
Besides returning to the birthplace of the cult puzzle, this year's competition will also be held in the presence of the man behind the cube, Hungarian inventor Erno Rubik.
Some 300 candidates from 33 countries, including reigning champion Jean Pons from France, are expected to take part in the competition on October 5, 6 and 7, organisers said in a statement.
Since it was launched in 1977, the Rubik's Cube has fascinated young and old.
Each side features a different colour -- red, green, yellow, blue, white or orange -- and consists of several smaller squares that can be moved around a central hinge.
Once scrambled, the goal is to re-arrange the squares so that each side again displays only one colour.
"National and international championships have become regular meeting places for speedcubists, solution virtuosos," the organisers said in a statement.
Originally fated to have a short life, the Rubik's Cube eventually became a cult object for the 1980s. It has been exhibited at New York's Museum of Modern Art and has entered into the Oxford dictionary.
Last year's event took place in Paris.

Labels: Budapest, Hungary, rubik, rubik's cube, world championship

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

At a press conference in Budapest this morning (03. 10. 2007) Stelios the easyGroup chairman and founder of easyHotel announced that easyHotel would be opening in the Hungarian capital during the Spring of 2007. Rooms will be available from 29 euros per night and will be on sale at easyHotel.com in the near future.

As with all easyHotel premises, easyHotel Budapest will be centrally located at Eötvös utca 25/a (VI district, Budapest) and will have approximately 57 bedrooms with en-suite facilities. The rooms will be small but, in line with the easyHotel concept, will offer great value in the heart of this major European city of cultural and historical importance. easyHotel is aimed at any travellers paying out of their own pocket, be they tourists, business travellers or those in Budapest visiting friends and relatives. easyHotel Budapest will concentrate on providing great value accommodation and will not have food and beverage outlets on the site. These are provided by numerous other independent suppliers in the centre of Budapest.

easyHotel is growing fast in many locations around the world through franchising. There are three easyHotel sites in London, one in Basel, Switzerland and a master franchise agreement has been signed for the construction of 38 easyHotels in India, the Middle East and North Africa over the next five years.

reception desk, easyHotel Budapest Oktogon

src: easyHotels

photo: Index.hu

Labels: Budapest, budget, easy, easyhotel, hotels, oktogon

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 8:33 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Global warming

Global warming refers to the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation.

The global average air temperature near the Earth's surface rose 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the last 100 years. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes, "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations"^[1] via the greenhouse effect. Natural phenomena such as solar variation combined with volcanoes probably had a small warming effect from pre-industrial times to 1950 and a small cooling effect from 1950 onward.^[2][3] These basic conclusions have been endorsed by at least 30 scientific societies and academies of science, including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries. However, a few individual scientists disagree with some of the main conclusions of the IPCC.^[4]

Climate models referenced by the IPCC project that global surface temperatures are likely to increase by 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) between 1990 and 2100.^[1] The range of values results from the use of differing scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions as well as models with differing climate sensitivity. Although most studies focus on the period up to 2100, warming and sea level rise are expected to continue for more than a millennium even if greenhouse gas levels are stabilized.^[1] This reflects the large heat capacity of the oceans.

An increase in global temperatures is expected to cause other changes, including sea level rise, increased intensity of extreme weather events,^[5] and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation. Other effects of global warming include changes in agricultural yields, glacier retreat, species extinctions and increases in the ranges of disease vectors.

Remaining scientific uncertainties include the amount of warming expected in the future, and how warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe. There is ongoing political and public debate worldwide regarding what, if any, action should be taken to reduce or reverse future warming or to adapt to its expected consequences. Most national governments have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Causes

Earth's climate changes in response to external forcing, including variations in its orbit around the sun (orbital forcing),^[8][9][10] volcanic eruptions, and atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. The detailed causes of the recent warming remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus^[11] identifies elevated levels of greenhouse gases due to human activity as the main influence. This attribution is clearest for the most recent 50 years, for which the most detailed data are available. In contrast to the scientific consensus that recent warming is mainly attributable to elevated levels of greenhouse gases, other hypotheses have been suggested to explain the observed increase in mean global temperature. One such hypothesis proposes that warming may be the result of variations in solar activity.^{[12][13][14][15]}

None of the effects of forcing are instantaneous. The thermal inertia of the Earth's oceans and slow responses of other indirect effects mean that the Earth's current climate is not in equilibrium with the forcing imposed. Climate commitment studies indicate that even if greenhouse gases were stabilized at 2000 levels, a further warming of about 0.5 °C (0.9 °F) would still occur.^[16]

^{src: Wikipedia}

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Director-cameraman

Labels: Beijing, motorbike, Olympic Games, Paks, Pannónia T5, Video

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

A. SZAVAY/N. Petrova 6-4, 6-4 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. There been just few great women tennis players in Hungary: Eva Szabo and Andrea Temesvari. Have you ever had the pleasure of meeting those two women? AGNES SZAVAY: Yes, I did. Q. Have they had an impact on your tennis life? AGNES SZAVAY: Yeah, sure. Q. How? AGNES SZAVAY: I mean, when I was younger I was all the time just watching them how they play. They are like stars and I want to be the same tennis player as they. Yeah, I tried my best. Q. At New Haven in the final when you hurt your back, was it on that final point where Svetlana hit behind and you had to stop, or was it earlier in the match? AGNES SZAVAY: No. You mean when I made the stop? Q. Yes. AGNES SZAVAY: No, no. It was before matches. I played too much matches and it was every day worse and worse. Q. So you had won the first set there? AGNES SZAVAY: Yeah. Q. Of course, you didn't want to take a chance of not playing the US Open so you had to stop. But you had been beating a lot Russian players already this year. Do you know something about Russian players? AGNES SZAVAY: No. I just play my game. Q. How does this victory rank in your career? AGNES SZAVAY: Well, I'm really happy and I try to keep going and try to concentrate on my game. Q. Is this the best win you've had so far in your tennis career? AGNES SZAVAY: Yeah, uh huh. Q. What's been the sort of change for you in the last few weeks or months that's allowed you to have the confidence to beat players like Petrova? AGNES SZAVAY: Well, I improved a lot in the last one year. I just try to focus on my game and I guess I play better now. Q. Where are you training? AGNES SZAVAY: At home, in Budapest. Q. In Hungary? AGNES SZAVAY: Yeah. Q. Have found that it was easy or difficult to make the transition from junior tennis to professional tennis? AGNES SZAVAY: I think it's a big different in the head, and of course they are much better. It's a good experience to play juniors, to be with the top players at the Grand Slams. It's a good life also, but it's big different I guess. Q. Quite clearly now you look very confident on the court. How long did it take you after you turned professional to get confidence playing the faster game, the professional game? AGNES SZAVAY: If somebody plays good juniors, then that player has enough confident to start the WTA tour. When I just stop playing juniors or I was even player juniors still, I was already 150 on the WTA rank. But then I had mononucleosis, so that was half year or year in my career. But since that I'm coming up and playing better and better. Q. Who are you being coached by now? AGNES SZAVAY: Two coaches Zoltan Kuharszsky who is here with me, and Jozsef Bocskay and he is also travel with me sometimes. Q. You been working with them for how long? AGNES SZAVAY: With Zoltan for one year, and with Jozsef for three years or even more. Q. The injury, is it okay now or are you still getting therapy for the injury? AGNES SZAVAY: I'm still getting therapy for it, but it's much better. Q. Today for example AGNES SZAVAY: I didn't feel it. Q. No problem at all? AGNES SZAVAY: No. Maybe if I would play more then I would feel it. Not yet. Q. Which players or player did you admire growing up? AGNES SZAVAY: I really liked Graf and Agassi, but now of course Roger. He's playing unbelievable. FastScripts by ASAP Sports source: http://www.usopen.org/

Labels: Agnes Szavay, grand slam tennis, Us Open

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

600,000 spectators packed the banks of the Douro River in Porto/Gaia, Portugal today for the eighth leg of the Red Bull Air Race World Series. Roads came to a standstill and trains were sold out as thousands flocked to watch the race, making it the biggest single-day sporting event in Portuguese history. Steve Jones (GBR/Team Matador) beat Mike Mangold (USA/Team Cobra) by 0.38 of a second in a thrilling battle and had his first victory of the season.

Jones put in a sterling performance for the huge Portuguese crowd with a great run in the final through the 17-gate course to defeat Mangold. He posted a winning time of 1 minute 10.00 seconds. Paul Bonhomme (GBR/Team Matador) took third by winning the consolation race against Peter Besenyei (HUN/Team Red Bull).

“It was great”, said Jones after the race. “I was hoping to get into the 1:10s. To do a 1:10 level is amazing. I just think this track really suited my airplane. The airplane is doing very well so I’m extremely happy. I’ve also helped Paul a bit (by beating Mangold), which is good, even if it was not as much as possible. And it’s good for the Matadors team, of course, getting points for the team competition as well.”

Mangold leads the series, which has two more stops, with 41 points. Bonhomme is second with 39 points. Bonhomme had led for most of the season before Mangold moved ahead in Budapest.

Paulo Campos, Vice Minister of State for Public Works and Communications, attended the event saying, “We are extremely pleased to welcome this exciting competition to our country, surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the two host cities of Porto and Gaia. On behalf of the Portuguese government, I would like to congratulate the organisers for putting on such a fantastic event and I would also like to thank the public for their warm welcome and turnout along the banks of the Douro River”.

The Red Bull Air Race pilots hit speeds of up to 400 kph and forces of up to 10G in the race finals flown on the compact slalom course just metres above the water. The final two stops of the series are in San Diego, USA and Perth, Australia.



watch it
Porto 07, Peter Besenyei





watch it
Porto 07, Summary



watch it
Porto 07, Recon

Labels: Red Bull Air Race

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 8:17 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The last KTM Festival was held in 2004 at the KTM headquarters in Mattinghofen. The event was a great success with participants arriving from all four corners of the world. It is therefore a great honour for Hungaroring to host the next event.

No motorbike mega-event would be complete without stars from the bike world and the Budapest event will welcome Cyril Després – double winner of the Dakar Rally, Marc Coma – winner of the Dakar Rally, Stefan Everts –ten-time motocross world champion, Heinz Kinigadner – motocross world champion and Dakar Rally rider, Mika Kallio – Moto GP rider, Hiroshi Aoyama – Moto GP rider, Giovanni Sala – enduro world champion and David Knight – enduro world champion. Of the many Hungarian stars it is enough to mention the names of Péter Kátai– the most successful pilot in the Dakar Rally motorbike category, Ákos Varga ¬
– Dakar Rally rider and Péter Sebestyén, who competes in the KTM Red Bull Rookies Cup.

It is difficult to list all the things that the organisers will pack into the three days to ensure that everyone – young and old, boys and girls, bike fanatics and on-lookers – will have a good time. The attractions will include streetfighter and freestyle shows and bikers can try out all of the tracks at Hungaroring. The 4.4 km long race track, the European Championship motocross track, the Adventure Park off-road course and the tricky supermoto track will all roar to the sound of motorbikes from morning until night.

Concerts and parties will be held every evening for all those who haven’t exhausted themselves during the exciting motorbike events of the day.
As the organisers expect many visitors from outside Budapest and abroad they will organise special city tours during the festival, which is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen Budapest’s international reputation.

The full program of events and the most up-to-date information about the festival can be found at the official website of the event,
www.ktm-festival.com

Labels: Budapest, Hungaroring, KTM Festival, motorbike

Posted by Budapest Travel Blog at 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

The Wine Festival is one of Central Europe’s most prestigious and popular trade events, where every year tens of thousands of visitors experience wine tasting in cultured surroundings and get to know the wine makers and the arts and traditions associated with viniculture.

The organisers of the festival, the Magyar Hungarian Viniculture Public Benefit Company, have the aim of the presenting a wine and viniculture event, including cultural and gastronomic programmes, that – on its own - is worth visiting Budapest and Hungary for.