gypsy trash on a sunday afternoon.

david and i try to explore a new part of town every weekend. we look up a monument or a neighbourhood and poke our heads around to see what we can find. i have recently been enlightened to the street rules of garbage and gypsies. last week i witnessed groups of them late at night "squatting" on a pile of trash they claimed as theirs. they hold it and during the day they sort it for the valuables or useful items which they then sell from the other side of the sidewalk. they walk around waiting for garbage days to rotate and as soon as a new pile emerges they're on it. well. sunday was garbage day on ferenc körút and i spotted a really old suitcase still in good condition. we looked around and no gypsies were looking so we scooped it and started running the other way! one guy asked, 'hey do you know those two?' and starting to come after us. we took the first side street and lost ourselves quickly in the back streets.

we brought it home and fixed it all up, put some boot polish on the leather and its really a charm. it will fit nicely in our flat with our other vintage finds from here and there. from the label inside we were able to track down the story of the suitcase maker, a 'master' who taught 78 students his trunk making craft. hungarians are incredible artisans and you can tell this suitcase was made with care. Csango was the name of this suitcase company, you can see the ads we were able to find from google images. the text reads: Casango Henrik / master suitcase maker / Museum street 5 / The address is important, it is the only location to buy these suitcases, all others are fakes. (give or take, its a paraphrase from david's translation).

it is covered in travel stickers from hungary, austrian and germany from hotels to resorts. a nice collection and a nice find to say the least. i love little treasures like this and im actually impressed how much we were able to find out about our suitcase from the internet. its incredible. thanks gypsies for looking the other way.

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