duztee

Well seems the Garden Party season is up on me again, and any excuse seems to do, yesterday was 'Viva the revolution' or something and Easter will be the next excuse.

I like a nice summer Barbie as much as the next man, but I will never understand this passion for standing in the garden around a bubbling cauldron of fat, oil and unidentifiable meat all day when coats and pullies are vital clothing.

(True it does keep all the beer cans and drunks out of the house.)

So my advice to newcomers is to choose your friends wisely and avoid any who live in flats, they will inevitably migrate to your garden every time they decide to have a get together, which for Hungarians is often!

FenTiger

A few years ago my wife and I decided to throw an English style BBQ at my wife's parents' home for our Hungarian friends before we returned to the UK. We had invited adults only but one couple from Budapest brought along their children .... and very annoyingly later on ... went to fetch a cousin of theirs who lived in the same village! Cheeky bugger didn't bring any beer and drank ours on top of eating alot of our food. He didn't even speak to us! Suffice to say ..... the couple are banned from being invited to any more of our BBQs!

duztee

Oh yes Fen, that is so accurate.
Just a few adults always ends up with loads of kids and extra you don't even know.

But I have to admit it goes the other way too and I have been dragged off to garden parties by my friends who insist that I am 'family' and must attend, at least I always take bottle even tho' I don't drink.

Today I had a very nice meal at a restaurant bought by a total stranger because I am the 'English friend' of one of his relatives, and he insisted that I must go to his birthday party in June, where I will probably meet more people who will invite me to parties that I really don't want to go to, but I will none the less have to give them an open invite in return. Oh it's a slipper slope.

almafak

Last March 15 the village held a "garden party" in the sports ground. BBQ food and grog was provided. They invited a "musician" with a synth who turned up at 9 pm and picked out good old Hungarian folk tunes with one finger. The synth added an accompaniment and a booming bass that emerged from a megawatt P.A. Around 10 pm we headed for our cottage in the hills where we could barely hear the racket. They kept going until around 3 am.

FenTiger

Duztee - we're still waiting for the return invites for our kind hospitality but to be honest the rest share the cost between them if they decide on something special for a BBQ where every one is paying into it (except us).
I did also get a bottle of palinka from one guy who guzzled so many cans of beer he forgot he'd stuffed a couple more down his pockets! He was remorseful so .... he's forgiven.

duztee

Fen, I hope the Palinka was in a proper bottle, some of my guests arrive with the home made variety in whatever bottle is handy.
Believe me there is nothing worse for a non drinker than taking a swig from a water bottle and getting a large mouthful of alcohol, tho' of course it always amuses everyone else!

Other problems with garden parties, the slight embarrassment putting out the recycling bin when it is chock-a-block full with only empty beer cans, even if I know the collectors are probably just as bad my guests.
Having to get up the next morning to let people in to collect their bicycles that they were too drunk to ride, or simply forgot the night before.

One advantage is I am getting to know the local police force, it seems their friends are my friends so I usually have one or two turn up, off duty of course.
The one advantage of kids being present is that most of them now speak English and can translate for their parents.