Schedule of plenary and optional events

June 16, Thursday, 10 PM
László Babai: Tales from a bygone era: doing math, and business, on both sides of the Iron Curtain
Budapest Semesters in Mathematics was conceived in a bipolar world. In 1983, the fall of the Berlin wall was only six years away, but few believed it would happen in our lifetime. 18 months of martial law had just been lifted in Poland. The disintegration of the Soviet Union was simply inconceivable.
Among all the countries of the Soviet Bloc (how many of you remember the concept?), the Iron Curtain was the "softest" around Hungary. The Communist government encouraged various forms of small-scale private and semi-private enterprise. Travel to the West was possible, but only if you had an "exit visa," the oxymoron that symbolized the surreal conditions under which a mathematician aspiring for an international career had to operate.
The talk will give my angle of the BSM story against this historic background. The latter will be represented by a collection of anecdotes from my personal experience, including an unsanctioned application of Fermat's Little Theorem which raised eyebrows on the highest levels and had the potential of preventing the timely creation of BSM.

June 16, Thursday, 2 PM
Joel Spencer: Uncle Paul
Paul Erdős was a giant of twentieth century mathematics and the patron saint of Budapest Semesters in Mathematics. We look at his critical role in the development of the Probabilistic Method, or Erdős Magic. We speak of his unique life style (e.g.: no job), his special language (e.g.: epsilons), his sayings and some of the myriad anecdotes. We speak of his mathematical style. We speak of his theorems and, of course, his conjectures. We ask: What were those qualities that made him the central figure in the professional lives of so many mathematicians, including the speaker.
Plenary event, no registration

June 17, Friday, 2 PM
Walk in the city's old Jewish Quarter - The Synagogue (the world's second largest, Europe's largest synagogue), Jewish Museum, the old Ghetto.
Registration code: C1

June 17, Friday 7 PM
A plenary movie showing of Old times' football (Régi idők focija) - probably the most quoted movie in Hungary besides A Tanú (The Witness). 'Kell egy csapat!' (We need a team) became a common proverb in Hungary. The story takes place in the 1920's in Budapest, and tells a story about Ede Minarik, the laundry man, who is keen to sacrifice his life, wealth, even his family life to make up his own football team, which can make it to the first division. But the film is about more than just football: it shows us the post-war Budapest, the dirt, the slums, the poverty, and a man, who has a dream, a vision to achieve his own set goals with his team. At that time there was a desperate need for lots of people like Minarik. What is unique about the movie is how it was pictured: the cameraman created an atmosphere which takes us back to the 1920's. Definitely worth watching it!
Plenary event, no registration

June 18, Saturday, 9 am
Easy hiking in the Buda Hills, surrounding Budapest.
Meeting at school around 9 am, taking the subway to Moszkva square then the tram to the Fogaskerekű cogwheel train to the final station in the Buda Hills. There is a playground and the Railway Museum at this point. From here we take the children's little train to the János Mountain. Walking around a little, round trip with the chair lift down to the valley and back, continue with the train, and back to Moszkva square.
Participation fee: 1500 HUF/person including all the transportation, but excluding meal.
Registration code: T3

June 18th - June 21st: Film festival
A series of famous Hungarian movies (English speaking or subtitled) of the last 30 years will be on show at Örökmozgó movie theater. You may go and visit any of them, a short description of each will follow later. Tickets will be sold on Thursday and Friday during the registration and on spot as well.
The schedule is as follows:

June 19th, Sunday, 7:45 AM
Half-day advanced hiking tour to the Buda Hills with an optional visit to Esztergom and return by boat through the famous Danube bend. Taking the 7:45 am bus from Árpád bridge to Dobogókő, arriving at 9am. We are going to meet our tour guide there, and hike for 2.5-3 hours in the Canyon of Ram (Rám-szakadék). Arriving to Dorog where you have two options, either take the bus back to Budapest, or go to Esztergom (really close) to walk around and have a nice lunch. You can take a boat to Budapest if you like, or if you are not coming to the Boat Tour on Wednesday.
Price: 300 HUF/person including transportation, but excluding meal, plus 1200 HUF for the boat ticket if you like
Registration code: T4

June 20th, Monday, 1:30pm
Guided walk in Budapest including Hősök tere (Heroes Square), Andrássy boulevard and the Opera House, Deák Square, Astoria to Ráday street and the old Market Hall, lasting 3 hours.
Registration code: C4

June 21st, Tuesday
Full day tour to Eger, the city of wine, and the hot springs of Egerszalók
We leave Budapest at 8am, arrive to Eger at 10 am with our private bus. We do some sightseeing for 3 hours in this stunning city. (Basilica, Lyceum, Kisprépost Palace, Dobó square, Minaret, Castle of Eger) In the afternoon we have lunch in the Szépasszony Valley, and visit a couple of wineries to taste the Hungarian wines being produced in this famous area. After lunch we go to the famous hot springs of Egerszalók to relax for two hours. At 7pm we leave for Budapest.
Registration code: T6

June 22nd, Wednesday
Full day tour to the twin cities of Esztergom and Párkány
At 9 am we take the train to Esztergom. After some sightseeing in the city (Basilica, Christian Museum etc) we walk through the bridge on the Danube to Párkány (Slovakia) for lunch, looking around on the other side. We take a boat back to Budapest, sailing along the most beautiful parts of the Danube. We arrive around 8pm; you can go directly to the Farewell party on the Margaret Island if you wish.
Participation fee: 4000 HUF/ person including transportation and entrance fees, but excluding meals.
Registration code: T7

June 22nd, Wednesday, 9am
Visit to the National Gallery at the Castle of Buda
We meet around 9am at Deák square, and walk through the Chain Bridge to the famous Sikló to take us up to the Castle. At the National Gallery an English guide will introduce us to the masters of Hungarian painting. Afterwards you can walk around in the beautiful Castle area if you like.
Price 1200 HUF/person, including transportation with the Siklo, entrance fee, guide
Registration code: C7

June 22nd, Wednesday 1pm
Tour to Ráckeve
Ráckeve is a little town close to Budapest (something like Szentendre, but less crowded with tourists). We leave around 1pm with public transportation. We check out the main attractions: the Serbian Church, the Catholic Church, and the Palace with its beautiful gardens. We have lunch in the green (??délután??), and arrive to Budapest around 6pm.
Price: 2000 HUF/person including transportation and entrance fee, but excluding meal.
Registration code: T8

June 22nd, Wednesday, 7pm
Closing (midsummer day) party at the Cha Cha Cha open air club on the Margaret Island. If there are enough participants, we can get a bowl of gulyás soup for free! Music and drinks. Bring your frisbee (though we'll try to secure a few).
Plenary event, no need for registration

June23-25th
3 days canoeing trip in the Szigetköz (archipelago of the Danube)
Cancelled

Registration