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may dance along the dusty horizon. An erratic pattern of precipitation during the growing season is a constant national concern, but the construction of irrigation works has provided some relief during extremely dry spells.
Blessed with an abundance of fertile soil, Hungary was for some time the breadbasket of central Europe. Despite the inroads of industrialization, the cultivation of grains and vegetables continues to be a major venture. To the world outside, Hungary would not be Hungary without its specialty crops: the apricots of Kecskemet, the paprika peppers of Szeged, and the wine grapes of Tokaj. Hungary is also celebrated as a land of cowboys (gulyas) and horseherders (csikos). This Wild West aspect of the national existence remains in view on the grazing land of the Hortabagy Steppe east of the river Tisza, the nation's other great natural water route.
If rural life represents the traditional Hungary, then it is in the capital city of Budapest that "Hungary universal"—a mixture of yesterday and today—is to be found. The successor to the old Roman town of Aquincum, Budapest has lived the 1,000-plus-year history of the nation. It has been ravaged repeatedly, and its remaining historical treasures bear the marks of national suffering. Its vitality, however, remains intact. Long called "the pearl of the Danube" because of its beautiful location, Budapest has always had a lively charm that normally shrouds a Communist capital. Budapest, the largest city in Eastern Europe, has grown to a population of 2 million in post-World War II times, largely as a result of the regime's push towards industrialization. It is, in sum, the political, military, industrial, cultural, intellectual, and transportation hub of the nation, as well as the shrine of the Hungarian spirit.
That spirit has weathered many storms, for Hungary is an old society. It has known times of glory and has its pantheon of heroes. Among them
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