Ok, so, you should all know how we avoid folkloric shows like the plague. But, when it is included in the tour along with dinner, what can you do? The only bonus is that it gets us out of our hot as the dickens room for a couple of hours…so….folkloric show it is.
We are set up in the huge ballroom downstairs, along with some other groups. The hotel is bizarrely designed with not “formal” restaurant, but with these 2 huge ballroom type spaces where they set up tables and chairs for meals. The 2nd floor space is reserved for daily breakfast (which is another whole story) and this 1st floor space is obviously for tour folkloric shows. At any rate, we all show up at the appointed time and strategize about the best places to sit. Pam and Kevin are seated at another table that is almost already full, so Jimmy and Ray and Ed and I set ourselves up at a round table toward the front of the hall. We’re hoping we’ll be spared from most of the show, but as it turns out we really should have commandeered the table behind us which is behind a large pole. Oh well. We’re here now!
The food begins before the show, fortunately, and we are treated to Goulash soup that is quite good and an entirely proportionally too huge salad. Don’t get me wrong – it’s great – but it’s gigantic! I’m quite satisfied with just that! Then some younger folks come around and offer bread that you break off from a huge loaf – I’m already having conniption fits and using tons of Purel – but they don’t quite make it to us, so we miss out. Then they come along with some sort of brandy that they pour into a little shot glass and use the same glass for everyone. Well, you know my answer to that, now don’t you! Anyway, it was fun and silly and we, of course were not on our best behavior.
We’ve finished our first glasses of wine, which were poured out of a pitcher that is now sitting on the waiter’s station behind us, so I jump up and pour us a second glass. There’s no red wine there though, so I can only make us white wine drinkers happy. We’re just hanging out, chit chatting and having fun when it begins….yes…the show. The music starts at a seriously deafening level, which, when all is said and done, is the biggest issue of the entire show. The dancing is done by a troupe of kids – the same kids who were serving us the bread and brandy! They are adorable, and wonderful, and extremely talented. They are in all shapes, sizes and ages and are really working hard to show us their cultural traditions. All the moms and dads in attendance are out there video taping them, and truly, it is just the sweetest thing. Truly a lovely display of the pride these kids (and families) have in their culture and the rituals handed down through generations.
If not for the music, it would have been spectacular. It is ear splitting, and then on top of it, an obviously long standing tradition (which we will see in varying degrees throughout the trip) are for the girls to emit ear piercing screams while they are dancing. Oh dear. This of course was not the kids’ fault and we gave them a standing ovation – of course! But I believe we were all a tad relieved when they took their last bow and we could out meal.
Which was delightful. I can’t remember what Ed had, but whatever it was he finished it all before I remembered to take a picture. I had pork which was excellent. Jimmy ordered the Vegetable lasagne which appeared at the end of most of our meals and, well, I will not relate the comments foisted upon the dish. But otherwise, all was well, the wine flowed (even if they poured it and then charged us for another glass – making my stealth pitcher pour a very good decision) and we all ended the evening in good spirits!
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