When I arrived in Sopron, a place I had never heard of before, it was raining. I watched the raindrops on the car window glass and wondered if the rain would allow me to get to know this town. Sometimes we do not determine the exact path we will take and go somewhere where the feeling leads us, by accident. And here lies the greatest beauty of travel. I got out of the way, not knowing what awaits me there.
One of the feelings that make me happiest is the expectancy when I enter an unknown place.
When I stepped into the streets of this city, I felt like I have already been there. Everything was familiar to me in an unfamiliar town where people rush less than I was used to.
For a moment everything slowed down. And the rain that I thought would bother me was very pleasant. I felt like I had dreamed of this place before and of this rainy moment.
That rain was not the same as the usual rain, which is sometimes so boring, that we can't wait for it to stop. I wanted this rain to last as long as possible. I played with my umbrella. I let the rain wet me. It rained in an almost imperceptible way. Discreet but audible. The silence in the town made the sound of every drop of rain falling on the street heard.
On the paved wet streets, the reflection of the surrounding houses gave the feeling of walking on glass or some large mirror.
There was a lightness in the air. People spoke a language that was difficult to understand. Although I didn't understand anything, I felt the hospitality of the locals. They are not at all similar to my people. They are restrained. But very kind. I enjoyed their serenity.
Sopron is an old and beautiful town in Hungary, founded by the Romans in the 1st century. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the city was devastated and rebuilt after the arrival of the Hungarians. Most of the buildings were built in the Baroque style.
The Fire Tower is a symbol of the city, and it used to have a practical role: the guards from the Fire Tower observed the town and its surroundings to alert the population if there is danger somewhere.
In Ursuline Square, there is the Virgin Mary Fountain, originally made in the 18th century, and the Ursuline Church, a sacred building in Sopron.
Almost every building here is a cultural monument. Sopron is one of the most authentic places I have been. That was my first and the last impression.
Thank you very much for reading.
The images and writing are original and mine.
Greetings!
Jelena