HUNGARY
The
extinct
volcano
remnants
shown
above
were
last
active
several
million
years
ago,
when
the
area
of
present
day
Hungary
was
covered
by
a
shallow
sea,
known
as
the
Pannon
Sea.
These
mounts
were
volcanic
islands
of
that
sea.
Now,
they're
just
hills
(300-400
meters
in
elevation)
on
the
north
shore
of
Lake
Balaton,
the
biggest
lake
of
mid-
Europe.
Balaton
is
relatively
young
(approximately
(20,000
years
old)
and
is
not
associated
with
the
former
sea.
The
hills
are
famous
for
their
wine,
each
one
having
its
own
brand
--
the
Somlói
('Shom-law-ee')
being
the
highest
rated.
In
the
valleys
between
these
hills,
sedimentary
rocks
of
the
ancient
Pannon
Sea
harbor
a
superb
tasting
mineral
water.
The
Heviz
Lake
is
the
largest
natural
and
biologically
active
thermal
lake
in
the
world,
with
an
area
of
around
4.4
hectares.
This
is
fed
by
a
thermal
source
from
a
crater
at
a
depth
of
38
meters.
The
source
is
productive
with
410
liters
per
second,
so
that
the
water
is
completely
exchanged
within
72
hours.
The
water
temperatures
of
the
lake
are
about
33
to
36
°
C
in
the
summer,
23
to
25
°
C
in
winter.
This
makes
it
possible
to
spend
the
entire
year
in
the
open
air.
The
thermal
bath
is
open
daily.
Beautiful
water
lilies,
brought
to
Hungary
at
the
end
of
the
19th
century,
dot
the
lake,
supporting
the
eco-life,
with
leaves slowing down evaporation, and creepers protecting the medicinal mud on the bottom of the lake.
The
Tihany
Peninsula
divides
the
Balaton
into
two
basins.
The
characteristic
view
of
the
Mediterranean
landscape
was
formed
by
volcanic
eruptions
millions
of
years
ago,
as
shown
today
by
two
giant
calderas.
The
remains
of
these
craters
form
little
lakes,
without
outlets
and
higher
than
the
water
level
of
Balaton:
Belső-tó
(Inner
lake)
and
Külső-tó
(Outer
lake).
The
Inner
Lake
is
situated
directly
under
the
village,
with
its
clear
water
surface
almost
perfectly
circular.
It
lies
26m
above
the
level
of
Lake
Balaton
in
the
sunken
caldera
formed
after
a
volcanic
eruption.
The
Outer
Lake,
once
formed
in
the
main
crater
of
the
peninsula's
volcano, is a heavily-filled shallow lake 116m above sea level.
click on pictures to enlarge
September 2005
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