KesterTester 47 - It remains an exhibition piece where it was created. And if you can answer what it is to boot - I'll award a Bonus Beer (for me) :)
UPDATED with the Results of KT 46
Photo: Is this the Toughest Ever Kester Tester? Well, it is so tough that I myself can't remember what exactly it is all about. It's obviously something to do with 50, but no, it's not a bank note! It could perhaps be the Dear Leader's Birthday depicted in the world map? But who he is, though I'm sure I was told at the time, is now a mystery.
One fantastic spin off from starting Perspectives-Budapest - and the Kester Tester series in particular - is that it has forced me to dig deep into my archives for suitable photos, and I have found pictures that I had simply forgotten I ever took - such as the one above.
Now recently I had one very disgruntled reader (who signed off as P. O. of Portsmouth) claiming this competition was "a Swizz" because the Beny Hill photo was not in Hungary, In view of this, I had better repeat my self-imposed conditions - later passed unanimously by the Competition Committee - which I drew up one year ago for this now Globally Famous competition.
The KesterTester photo will always have been taken in Hungary or from what (at least in western Europe) are generally known as former "communist" eastern Europe, including the countries that made up Yugoslavia. That means it can be from anywhere between the Baltic States, Poland, former DDR, Bulgaria and Slovenia. But not Russia (mainly because I've only been there once, and didn't take any photos!).
[And to be clear, the Every Picture Tells a Story (Don't it?) photos can be from anywhwere - which is why they are posted in the "Off Topic Ramblings" category. They are just an excuse to rattle off a tale or two of past deeds, coupled, I hope you agree, with an interesting photo.]
Now I must confess that one of the reasons this week's Tester is a tester in excellsis is because it's really on the fringes of those rules. In fact, I'll give another clue, which might just help someone nail the answer, in the form of a second photo, taken in the same capital city on the very same trip.
Photo: This is a shot taken at a location not far from where the Tester photo was snapped. It depicts a modern brewery, which is owned by a leading Turkish beverage company. (Or was, at least in 2008, when these scenes were recorded.)
I'd like to give some more clues, but I think I'd be giving it away if I did. OK, your best answers please via email or via the website.
I will update this post tomorrow with the results and extraordinarily blessed winner of KT46 - that's the statue one - so you still have time to respond and win the fabulous chance of winning the first prize, ie the chance of buying me two beers :)
Oh, and yes - in case you hadn't noticed, I've managed to solve the problem of posting new photos, with the help of a Wix assistant. At least for now. Have a good weekend.
UPDATE 1: Just a note to say that in your enthusiasm to win, almost everyone is gunning to identify the "Dear Leader" in the image. Which, I suppose, is understandable, fun and it could well help in you solving the challenge (and me getting a bonus beer :)).
But the actual question to enable your number to go into the EU-approved black woolly hat and win fame and glory is: Where is this artefact? I don't expect the geographical co-ordinates, but the city's name would be fine.
UPDATE 2 - The Results of KT46 - What is this Statue and Where is this Location?
Well, I'm pretty sure 80% of readers (that is, more or less anyone who's been to Budapest) has seen, or passed by this statue – many numerous times. In view of that, I thought there'd be more correct entries and a few good guesses to boot. This came in from Gábor Rimner – he of the Tale of a Teenage Spy fame: “Judging by the style of the statue, it ought to be in the north-west of Hungary, but to tell you the truth, I don't remember the location. End of 19th., beginning of 20th. century...
What I am not able to find, is the location and function of your "minaret" ! ”
Gábor, back in your days of derring do, you actually had a notification site for you and your controller about 40 metres from this statue! See:
Tales of a Teenage Spy - Chapter 17 – Answering Psychologists, Remembering Drop Sites – published July 19, 2020.
https://www.perspectives-budapest.com/blog/categories/the-tales-of-a-teenage-spy
Greg Dorey weighed in with: “Mr Google suggests Karoly Mihaly Utca, Budapest.”
Well, it's not far away from said street, Greg, but I'm afraid that still doesn't tell us what the statue is, does it? (Keen, but must try harder.)
There were two, very complete answers, from Hubert “Poirot” Warsmann, and Bob Dent.
This is Bob's entry.
Re KT 46 This looks like the statue composition which is part of what is often called the Nereids Fountain and which was erected in what is today Ferenciek tere in central Pest, in front of the main facade of the Franciscan Church in the square. Is the statue still there? I'm not sure, not having been that way for some time. I would be surprised if it has gone. (Maybe I have got the wrong statue.)
If it is what I think it is, the statue was originally placed in front of the church in 1835 and was Pest’s first sculpture to decorate a public well. Initially it was called the Well of Naiads, which like nereids are mythological water-nymphs. Yet it could be said that the sculpture actually depicts Danaids, those other mythological characters condemned for ever to carry water in bottomless vessels for murdering their husbands.
In 1899 the statue was moved to Kőbánya, where over the years it sustained much damage. In 1976, after being almost completely resculptured, it reappeared in Ferenciek tere, or as it was known at that time, Felszabadulás (Liberation) tér.
Bob
Thank you Bob, and, yes, I think it MUST still be there - I must be blind. Really, I'll have to go back and check.
In spite of the merit of both these full answers, the winner was Ticket Number 2 - step forward (once again) Tom Chilton, who was a bit lazy with his entry (“It's Felszab ter.) but who then followed up with more basic answer regarding the “Well of the Nereids”, as well as some extra photos. (I'll upload these in a bit, I have to go into “private window” mode to avoid the debilitating cookies that prevent me from posting photos.)
Photo: Mr Chilton sent this in, saying: More Googling revealed a super old pic, which shows the statue in front of a bewildering array of adverts.
Congratulations to all contestants and Mr Chilton in particular. (You won't be able to afford the beer tab when we next meet :)) Now, what about that “Dear Leader” image above, and more to the point – Where is it? Have a good week!