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Hi all,

Not been active here for quite some time, but I remember, there are a number of Hungarians here :-)
I am looking for travel advice:

I'll probably go to Budapest for a few days with the family and we are discussing options: I going to Balaton an option, if you hotel is in the city? If so during summer: car - train or other options?

We'll likely have not enough time but too many options: What are your must-sees in the surrounding? We do like culture and history, but also want to get an impression of the landscape and the surroundings.

Party-tips not relevant - kids are not in that age bracket, yet :-D

Thanks!

The eastern part of Balaton is certainly doable as a day-trip from Budapest, either by car or by train, although delays and cancellations happen almost every day. (The services of DB are still highly punctual and luxurious compared to the Hungarian State Railways...)

Personally I think that Balaton is overhyped and overcrowded, particularly in the parts closer to the capital. But I am really not a beach person, so this opinion may not be relevant for you. Anyway: if I had the choice, I would rather stay for a few days around the W corner of the lake (Keszthely, Tapolca, Badacsony), which has the nicest landscapes with hiking trails, vineyards and relatively less touristic historical towns. In my eyes, the most unique attractions of the region are the Hévíz natural thermal water lake (which is more interesting in the cold season) and the Tapolca Lake Cave. But these are rather outside the comfortable day-trip range (check Google Maps for travel times).

If you just want an excursion outside Budapest and do not insist on seeing Balaton, I rather recommend the Danube Bend (Szentendre, Visegrád, Esztergom), where we went during WSM 2006. That area also has spectacular landscape with a lot of history (e.g. Visegrád royal castle) and hiking opportunities; it is not a wine region, but you can try different cuisine and better beer in Štúrovo on the Slovakian side.

Anyway, you guys did not win the Cup when you were the strongest, so maybe you are going to win it when you aren't

That is also true for Hungary (1954), but I doubt it could help us in the present.

What do you think about the new quantity of teams? Will your country classify?

The group stage will be unserious and difficult to follow with so many participants. There are no more than 24 top-level national teams who can play exciting matches against each other. 32 teams were an acceptable compromise to include all parts of the world and making the selection of the best 16 clearer (no advancement of best 3rd's). 48 will be much worse from all aspects. The group stage will be practically a qualification round and should not be called part of the World Cup.

Anyway, my countries (Hungary and Slovakia) will not qualify from Europe, although they are probably between the world's 48 strongest teams. They could have got a super easy way if they joined the Asian federation. The country where I am living (Norway) will make it, they finally managed to build a functional team from mediocre players (particularly in the defense) and 3-4 stars. And they have Italy from the first seed in the qualifying group, that helps a lot.

Itt lehet ékezetes karaktereket írni, vagy kérd?jelként jelennek meg?

Mindegy, ha ezt posztolom, akkor kiderül

áéíó?ú?

Lehet. BÖFF!

Szóvicc, de nem a javából!

I am impressed by the fact you remembered this thread after 14 years! Might have to check the match now, maybe there's something on YouTube 🤔

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8-BPiI62No 

I rarely watch water polo nowadays. But this afternoon I decided to sit down in front of the tv and watch this game from start to end. I didn't regret it!

We watched it from the office with my colleagues, one of whom can be considered as an expert (played in the Hungarian top league before, and got interviewed by the Hungarian sports newspaper after he moved to Norway: https://www.nemzetisport.hu/vizilabda/ferfi-vizi-geologusdoktorkent-a-vizilabdat-is-oktatja-stavangerben-2775527)

If pipsqueaks were dogs, I would never become a pipsqueak. (If we are talking about pets, I am rather a 'cat person', but would also think twice, if not more times, before having a cat at home.)

this time, a Hungarian team with many young and new players managed to beat a probably stronger Serbian team. Even they admitted that on that rainy Monday afternoon in Zagreb, our team played better.

History repeats itself. Today, a Hungarian team with many young and new players played 10-10 against a probably stronger Serbian team in Zagreb and won the penalty shootout 5-4, qualifying for the semi-final of the European Championship.

Dicksucker Serbia water polo team, and especially Marko Radulovic, dropping the ball while preparing for his penalty throw!

Stunts jumps don't work in real life...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hr98LHjq1Q

They neither work in Stunts at 25 mph.
A much better attempt (landing angle still needs some fine-tuning):
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/05/car-goes-airborne-off-tow-truck-ramp-on-georgia-highway-video.html

...we like the challenge of doing things where most others give up...

Ruining your opponents

Could you ruin Alan Rotoi, Duplode and Argammon? And last but not least, Skid Vicious.

Poland qualified because they have fewer yellow cards than Mexico. First time it happens in a World Cup I guess.

Poland qualified with better goal difference (2-2 vs. 2-3).

Then Brazil vs Serbia I expect a 2 - 0 for Brazil.

Perfect (although a bit late) prediction!
https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/17/255711/285063/400235484

I have a driver's license and so do others, I guess.  So that should be fine.

The holiday home is likely expensive if only a few pipsqueaks attend. So, we can only book one after people commit. 

Yes, but it will be cheaper than individual hotel accomodations.
I know of a park nearby that has double 10 person houses.
So 20 people per pair (if I'm not mistaken)

Is there Airbnb in Amsterdam? That should have a big selection of apartments/holiday homes.
Unfortunately I can confirm only 1-2 months before the meeting if I am attending. Family & work issues are unpredictable... But if I am joining, I can drive.

Foresten, det var meg som har sendt deg en venneforespørsel på Facebook. Men det er helt greit hvis du ikke vill. 

Beklager, jeg har ikke sett meldingen og ante ikke hvem du var. 

Jeg bor ca. 200km fra Stavanger. ;-)

200 km nord?