Inside the Krisna Church, Somogyvámos, Hungary

Luckily, I got a ride that cost me 5,000ft but took me straight to the festival site which was very far; I know I would've gotten frustrated trying to find it on my own and all the way from the vasút - and that, on the way back, only took me about 2-2.5 hours to reach from where I cut through the pasture (near where the barn for the cows is located), crawled under the fence and walked down to the pagoda past the giant elephants, then all the way through until I reached the vasút on the other side of Somogyvár (I estimate 15-20km altogether).

Oh yeah, I went to Somogyvámos for the festival celebrating cows (29 Oct. 2011). This is part of the Krisna tradition, which I understand is about fulfilling the spiritual side of man by following specific proscriptions. Reincarnation is a huge part of their beliefs, in which suffering (including sickness and death) plays a huge role in human life. At the church, a man explained how it's imperative for Krisna believers to protect and give to Krisna, who in turn protects and gives to Krisna believers.

However, the only part of the presentation I heard in English was information typically found in an annual report. But the church is very beautiful, and here I was also fortunate to capture some of the music. So while I didn't learn very much of the Krisna faith, etc., it was still nice to have been there even for a short while.

I also discovered that I like gaja, a fried sweet that's simple but divine. But I highly,
highly recommend you have wheels with you; the distance to the Center is really far to walk if you're on a schedule. (I was told there's a bus station in Somogyvár, but I don't know where; I passed many bus stops, but none going where I was and the limited stops were too spread out).

On the other hand, if it hadn't been for the nice Hungarian who was willing to drive me, I would've missed the festival altogether. (I arrived to Osztopán at about 11a, and the next vasút back to Somogyvár wasn't until 2p.) Köszönöm again for the ride!

In the end, I not only gained a rich visual experience, but I also got to pet a cow and a bull! How cool is that? lol