Chopping wood does not seem to keep off the winter fat, so we have kicked ourselves in the butt and begun regularly cycling again. We also go to Kazincbarcika once or twice a month for shopping, and last week we finally tried out the pool. It was friendly, clean and un-crowded. There is an outdoor pool but that is not open yet. The indoor pool is an unusual 33m, but after a couple years away from long distance open water swimming, I am not anywhere near the counting laps stage yet anyway. I was spent after only a couple laps, but finally managed to do an estimated 2km based on a very generous time calculation. When in shape I normally swim a kilometre in 18-20 minutes and I swam for 45 minutes. Anyway, the important thing is that I have started again.

Then on Friday the annual Baradla Chamber Choir Festival opened in front of the Tourinform Office in Aggtelek. Unfortunately, the start time was changed the night before without informing the public and we had to wait for an hour. It was not all bad, since we fit in a couple beers and an ice cream in the meantime. All four choirs gave a preview of what was in store during the big concert in the Baradla Cave on Saturday and during masses in local churches on Sunday. Of the four choirs, the Forrás Choir, the organiser, seemed the most organised and practiced. The Chorale Vocaluz even learned a Hungarian song - and it was not "Tavaszi Szél." We appeared to be the only non-choir members in the audience. Hopefully they had better attendance in the cave the next day. It was a very pleasant way to spend the late afternoon.

Participating Choirs: 

 - Amadeus Kórus, Budapest

 - Chorale Vocaluz , Héricourt, France 

 - Forrás Kamarakórus, Miskolc

 - Vox Antiqua, Debrecen