The first impressions of other countries~

[miae]

I also can`t tell Slovakia and Slovenia apart, they even have the same flag - what`s the deal with them - is it just pan-slavic colors or are those nations somehow related?

We're both Slavic nations... and that's pretty much it. Don't have any special relations to Slovakia, as we don't have with Russia which also has the same triad [flag]ru[/flag]. We have more relations to let's say other ex-Yugoslav countries due to shared recent history and we also understand their languages without any major problems, which is not the case with other Slavic languages. And maybe Slovenian people living close to the border have more relations to Italy, Austria or Hungary and also understand or speak those languages.

So, to me these flags also pretty much look the same [flag]nl[/flag] [flag]lb[/flag] [flag]hr[/flag] [flag]es-PY[/flag], but I don't know why people can easily set them apart and don't wonder about these countries having special relations. I guess we're both (Slovenia and Slovakia) too small and unimportant...

What about Hungary?

When I think of Hungary I think of beautiful Budapest and Balaton lake, and both major music festivals there. Also current right-wing politics. Cheap clothing shops in Lenti. Handball players from Győr who look a bit like Huns

[Levike]

Hungary:

- Fascists
- Orban
- Big Lake
- RTL Klub
- Budapest
- Gulyás
- Paprika
- Hates all of its neighbours

[Varislintu]

What's characteristic about Hungary:

Meaty foods.
Hot weather.
Cute Germanic looking houses.
Crazy sized vegetables and insects and plants.
Book Cafés in the Alexandrias. Wonderful, cheap cakes.
Kürtőskalács. (Funnel cakes.)
Lángos. (Deep fried dough with dieter-unfriendly toppings.)
Paprika.
Walnuts.
Sour cherries.
Abysmal candy selections, though.
Cakes. Cakes everywhere. Pastries, too.
Walnuts.
Home cooking and actual markets.
Businesses situated in people's single family homes.
Walnuts. Sour cherries. In cakes. Outside cakes.

[Spaigelploatje]

Hungary =

Ferenc Puskás
Sándor Kocsis
József Kiprich
Gábor Babos

Goulash

[md0]

My first impression of [flag]nl-be[/flag]Belgium:

"Those Flemings and Walloons seem to manage running a country together, even if sometimes it takes them a year to elect a government. I wonder what's their secret and how can we copy it."

[Tenebrarum]

Businesses situated in people's single family homes.

Asian

[Varislintu]

Businesses situated in people's single family homes.

Asian

Probably almost anywhere except Finland. It really blew me away, that Hungarian single home suburbs would have businesses in the houses. Like who can actually find the businesses and visit them as customers? But of course it's a population density issue. Here in sparsely populated Finland, even businesses in town "centres" struggle. I just didn't realise that it could be so different elsewhere, because I lacked insight.

[Levo]

Hungary =

Ferenc Puskás
Sándor Kocsis
József Kiprich
Gábor Babos

Who? :-S
Seems like we're having another Zsazsa Gábor, whom no-one knows in Hungary, and everyone outside.

By the way, I'm surprised at several responses. Wow.

Varislintu, seems like you really got into family occasions in Hungary

[Sol Invictus]

So, to me these flags also pretty much look the same [flag]nl[/flag] [flag]lb[/flag] [flag]hr[/flag] [flag]es-PY[/flag], but I don't know why people can easily set them apart and don't wonder about these countries having special relations. I guess we're both (Slovenia and Slovakia) too small and unimportant...

Sorry, I asked it's totally not like your flags have not only same colors, but same shield design and their names aren't similar either. Big, bloody important countries that have very unique cultures and histories recognized all over the globe

[Varislintu]

Varislintu, seems like you really got into family occasions in Hungary

I have been very well fed with husmanskost (traditional homely home cooking).

[Reinder]

Sorry, I asked it's totally not like your flags have not only same colors, but same shield design and their names aren't similar either. Big, bloody important countries that have very unique cultures and histories recognized all over the globe

Don't you forget about the Dutch Golden Age and our great Dutch Empire. ^^

[OldBoring]

What's characteristic about Hungary:

Meaty foods.
Hot weather.
Cute Germanic looking houses.
Crazy sized vegetables and insects and plants.
Book Cafés in the Alexandrias. Wonderful, cheap cakes.
Kürtőskalács. (Funnel cakes.)
Lángos. (Deep fried dough with dieter-unfriendly toppings.)
Paprika.
Walnuts.
Sour cherries.
Abysmal candy selections, though.
Cakes. Cakes everywhere. Pastries, too.
Walnuts.
Home cooking and actual markets.
Businesses situated in people's single family homes.
Walnuts. Sour cherries. In cakes. Outside cakes.

They refused to let me go there with my school trip, because I was the only foreigner in my school and needed a visa.

[mōdgethanc]

My impression of Hungary is: Eastern, Old World, ex-Soviet, cobblestones, beautiful old bridges, alcohol (especially pálinka) and the colour red, both for communism and for paprika, and mathematicians, economists and other scientists. I'm told it's part of "Central Europe" but I tend to think of Europe based on the side each country took during the Cold War despite its ending when I was a baby.

[Ashucky]

So, to me these flags also pretty much look the same [flag]nl[/flag] [flag]lb[/flag] [flag]hr[/flag] [flag]es-PY[/flag], but I don't know why people can easily set them apart and don't wonder about these countries having special relations. I guess we're both (Slovenia and Slovakia) too small and unimportant...

Sorry, I asked it's totally not like your flags have not only same colors, but same shield design and their names aren't similar either. Big, bloody important countries that have very unique cultures and histories recognized all over the globe

I can't even tell you the order of the colours in the Slovene flag Nor any other Slavic country, anyway. And if you look at them closely, you'll notice they aren't exactly the same colour, the shades are slightly different. I recognise them by the coat of arms, othewise they look the same to me, too. However, I can recognise the Dutch flag anytime.

As for the Pan-Slavic thing ... Yes, the colours red, blue, and white are supposed to be Pan-Slavic, which is why many slavic countries have the same colours. But the Slovene colours ceom from a different source: the mediæval coat of arms of the Dutchy of Carniola and the colours just happen to be the same.

[Lada]

What about Hungary?

I think I have associations that any other Russian has:

Hungary is Tokaji wines, I prefer yellow muscat
And Balasz Dzsudzsak, a footballer playing in FC Dynamo Moskva (he got red card on Sunday)

And famous Hungarian composers, like Bela Bartok and Franz Liszt.

A novel "Hungarian nabob" by Mor Jokai, Jokai was published in Soviet Union and I have this book at home, though I haven't read it yet...

[Varislintu]

My impression of Hungary is: Eastern, Old World, ex-Soviet, cobblestones, beautiful old bridges, alcohol (especially pálinka) and the colour red, both for communism and for paprika, and mathematicians, economists and other scientists. I'm told it's part of "Central Europe" but I tend to think of Europe based on the side each country took during the Cold War despite its ending when I was a baby.

I agree with Eastern, ex-socialist, bridges, but not cobble stones (where do they have those?), and the coulours are the red-green-white of the flag (this is actually often seen on decorative ribbons etc). And yes, I also associate them with hard sciences and Nobel Prizes. They were really into that stuff at one point. Maybe still?

[Levo]

A novel "Hungarian nabob" by Mor Jokai, Jokai was published in Soviet Union and I have this book at home, though I haven't read it yet...

Aah, "Egy magyar nábob"! That is such a good, lovely one! You should see the film!

@蒿子秆儿 I'm sorry you weren't let in :/

I'm fascinated how much you guys know about our scientists. We indeed had a lot, but we always think no-one knows them abroad.
Thank you for the answers!

[Varislintu]

I'm fascinated how much you guys know about our scientists. We indeed had a lot, but we always think no-one knows them abroad.
Thank you for the answers!

Kind of a tangent, but I want to mention it anyway: A good few years ago, I found a really fascinating book in Finland where they had collected stuff that famous Finnish historical and cultural figures had written (in personal letters, etc) about their experiences visiting Budapest, in pre-communist times mostly, if I remember correctly. It gave a nice window into a Hungary of times past, and I think it added a lot to my perspective of the country. What an awesome idea for a book series (they did the same for a number of cities), even though I guess the audience may be pretty small.

[Spaigelploatje]

My first impression of [flag]nl-be[/flag]Belgium:

"Those Flemings and Walloons seem to manage running a country together, even if sometimes it takes them a year to elect a government. I wonder what's their secret and how can we copy it."

Reality is: They can't stand each other and they're trying hard to divide the country in 2 parts, and eventually split it.
Belgium has 3 regions:
Flanders
Wallonia
Brussels

Flanders and Wallonia are divided in several provinces.

But: On almost every level Flanders and Wallonia are separated, even road signs are starting to look different the last few years. Wallonia seems to have different guidelines towards road signs than Flanders. The Belgian government can't do much, as the Walloons and Flemings don't agree each other's plans and a lot is being sent to the regions, so these problems don't exist. it wouldn't surprise me if Belgium would split within 5 years. Brussels has a problem then, but could get the same status in Europe like Washington DC in the US..

Hungary =

Ferenc Puskás
Sándor Kocsis
József Kiprich
Gábor Babos

Who? :-S
Seems like we're having another Zsazsa Gábor, whom no-one knows in Hungary, and everyone outside.

Puskás and Kocsis are the best football players Hungary has ever had.
Kiprich and Babos played both for Feyenoord Rotterdam.
Probably you didn't recognize them because Hungary writes the names in a different order than we:
http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusk%C3%A1s_Ferenc

[Levo]

My first impression of [flag]nl-be[/flag]Belgium:

"Those Flemings and Walloons seem to manage running a country together, even if sometimes it takes them a year to elect a government. I wonder what's their secret and how can we copy it."

Reality is: They can't stand each other and they're trying hard to divide the country in 2 parts, and eventually split it.
Belgium has 3 regions:
Flanders
Wallonia
Brussels

Flanders and Wallonia are divided in several provinces.

But: On almost every level Flanders and Wallonia are separated, even road signs are starting to look different the last few years. Wallonia seems to have different guidelines towards road signs than Flanders. The Belgian government can't do much, as the Walloons and Flemings don't agree each other's plans and a lot is being sent to the regions, so these problems don't exist. it wouldn't surprise me if Belgium would split within 5 years. Brussels has a problem then, but could get the same status in Europe like Washington DC in the US..

Hungary =

Ferenc Puskás
Sándor Kocsis
József Kiprich
Gábor Babos

Who? :-S
Seems like we're having another Zsazsa Gábor, whom no-one knows in Hungary, and everyone outside.

Puskás and Kocsis are the best football players Hungary has ever had.
Kiprich and Babos played both for Feyenoord Rotterdam.
Probably you didn't recognize them because Hungary writes the names in a different order than we:
http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusk%C3%A1s_Ferenc

Lol, even my grandmother who didn't speak any other languages than some Mongolian, knew that every foreigner mentions our names backwards. So we're used to that.
Of course I know Puskás and Kocsis, but Kiprich and Babos I wasn't sure about.

I remember the first time foreigners mentioned us a woman named Zsazsa Gábor, who was totally unknown here. I had to do some research. Since then, I know she exists, and in the last few years Hungarian media also started to give news about her in her last years.

I also remember when Swedes came to my secondary-school. And they mentioned a famous Hungarian called "Kafka" :-O. Franz Kafka wasn't Hungarian. No, no they mean that woman :-O (No clue)
I had to ask my mother who is a lover of Hungarian literature, and told me they must have meant Kaffka Margit (Margit Kaffka) who was a feminist writer. A year later at school, the teacher mentioned her for a sentence at literature lesson. Never heard of her before and after, in Hungary.