Today was a day Rob had been dreaming of for years. After his planned visit to Hungary in 2020 was canceled, this was finally the day he would visit the villages of his paternal grandmother, Mary Hujter, and her family. With the help of genealogist and guide Julia Kravianszky, Rob embarked on an unforgettable journey through family history.
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| View from room and some blue skies peeking out |
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| Breakfast |
Heading Into the Hungarian Countryside
We met Julia and our driver Andros at the hotel and set off for the Hungarian countryside. As we drove out of Budapest, Julia shared new discoveries she had made in Rob’s family records, combining them with research Rob had done himself. Based on all the findings, Julia planned a full day visiting the key villages connected to Rob’s ancestors.
Vaszar: Tracing the Hujter Family
Our first stop was Vaszar, the birthplace of Rob’s great-grandfather (paternal Grandmother's father), Mihaly (Michael) Hujter. Rob already knew Mihaly’s father’s name was Gyorgy (George), but Julia had discovered that his mother was Julianna Farkas, along with the names of Julianna’s parents.
At the village cemetery, we searched for the names Hujter and Farkas, taking note of gravestones that could provide more clues for future research. It was humbling to walk through the same village where Mihaly’s life began.
Lovászpatona: The Family Home
The next village, Lovászpatona, was where Mihaly and his wife, Julianna Nagy, lived and raised their children, including Rob’s grandmother, Mary (Maria) Hujter. This is where Rob’s paternal side of the family story took root.
We explored the village cemetery before heading to Heitermajor, a former estate where Mihaly and Julianna worked as servants in the late 1800s. Their children were born there, and it was surreal to walk around the buildings and imagine the life they lived. We speculated about which structures might have been the barn, the main house, or servant quarters. Rob was literally walking in the footsteps of his ancestors.
Csót: Julianna Nagy’s Birthplace
From Lovászpatona, we continued to Csót, the village where Rob’s great-grandmother, Julianna Nagy, was born. As we explored the area, Julia shared insights into the history and connections between these nearby villages.
Ugod: Tracing the Vargo Line
The Vargo/Varga side of Rob’s family presented an interesting challenge. Julia and Rob had discovered two possible birth records for Lajos (Louis Vargo), born to Istvan (Stephen) and Rosia Piszker around 1880. One record pointed to Ugod, and the other to a village now in Croatia, but Julia believes the Ugod connection is stronger.
We searched the Ugod cemetery for Varga and Piszker names. While Varga (meaning "shoemaker") is a very common name, Piszker is not. We even found a gravestone for a Jozsef Piszker, who Julia suspects may be a great-grand-uncle of Rob’s.
Veszprém: The County Seat
Next, we drove to Veszprém, the county seat known for its historic architecture and lively Christmas market in the old town square. At higher elevations, snow still covered the ground, adding a festive touch to the scenery.
Unfortunately, we discovered that the main road into the old city was closed for construction, so we couldn’t access the market until evening. Instead, Julia took us to a cozy café for coffee and a snack before we headed to our next destination.
Lake Balaton: Hungary’s Summer Playground
Our final stops of the day were around Lake Balaton, Hungary’s largest lake and a popular vacation spot. In the picturesque village of Tihany, we admired the historic church, enjoyed sweeping views of the lake, and watched the sun set behind the hills. They had a small market where Julia, still apologizing for Veszprem being closed, bought Rob a "Robert" ornament and us some mull wine. (Rob knows at least one word in Hungarian since Robert is spelled the same way!!)
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| Paprika store... |
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| ...with Paprika on it |
As night fell, the moon’s reflection across the water created what locals call the "silver bridge" (the sun’s reflection is the "golden bridge"). Julia explained this poetic imagery, adding another layer of magic to the experience.
A Ferry Surprise
Julia and Andros had one last surprise for us: a ferry ride across Lake Balaton! We drove the van onto the ferry and enjoyed the smooth, 15-minute ride across the lake—the perfect ending to our countryside adventure.
Back to Budapest
The drive back to Budapest was quicker, thanks to highways instead of winding country roads. During the ride, we chatted with Julia and Andros about the day, Hungarian Christmas traditions like St. Nicholas Day (December 6) and Lucy Day (December 13), and stories from their own lives.
When they dropped us off at the hotel, it wasn’t goodbye—it was just good night. Tomorrow, Julia and Andros will guide us on a Budapest city tour, and we can’t wait to learn even more.
We were too tired to head out for dinner, so we went to the dining room (which was closed for a Christmas Party). The had us go down to the Lounge area where they would serve us. We both decided to have some Goulash for the first time (the "goulash" on the ship was basically Beef soup).
Reflections on the Day
Today was deeply meaningful, especially for Rob. Walking the same paths as his ancestors and learning about their lives was an experience he’ll never forget. From the peaceful countryside to the stunning beauty of Lake Balaton, this day was a perfect mix of history, discovery, and connection.
This blog post was created collaboratively with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI, which helped to structure and draft the narrative based on the day’s events.
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