Levente and Tímea Gáll are the owners of the Zsigmond Malom guesthouse in Csíkmadaras, and are saving their grandparents' water mill from decay. The former Zsigmond Malom building, which was the scene of stories spanning generations, today preserves the past and traditions as a time capsule. “This was not just a place where you did something and then everyone went home. Life happened here. You got to know each other, you made connections with each other,” says Levente Gáll. The family renovated the mill’s surroundings over many years, which also included three small farmhouses, which are mainly visited by foreign tourists. The guesthouse is not only accommodation, but also a slice of a lifestyle, where guests can gain insight into local traditions and a lifestyle close to nature. “It takes a lot of work on our part to make the animals and the farm look like this. Here you can’t just display it like in a zoo, you have to participate in it, you have to come to the field and collect it,” says Levente, because the guests work together with the family, whether it’s agricultural work or caring for the animals. “We’re trying to introduce them to this way of life,” he adds. The horseback archery course, which was completed this year, belongs to this way of life. The course was handed over in the presence of master horseback archery master Lajos Kassai, and with this course Levente became the fortieth international course judge within the framework of the Original Kassai System. Tímea, who is in charge of the guesthouse’s kitchen, pays particular attention to preserving and presenting traditional Transylvanian dishes. “The guests don’t have to cook some strange food, they like tarragon pityóka soup, they come here to get to know our cuisine,” says Tímea. Family recipes are passed down from generation to generation, sometimes even the grandfather's cookbook comes to light, thus preserving and nurturing not only the flavors, but also the stories associated with them. The story of the Zsigmond Malom-panzió is about togetherness, respect for traditions and commitment, about the everyday work that has become necessary to preserve and pass on local culture. This mission is also shown in Tímea's book "Kölcsönkért kovász", which is a memoir of her grandparents and the time spent with them, and among the stories, the reader can get acquainted with a Székely recipe. The proceeds from the book will finance the renovation of the mill, thus preserving the last intact, listed watermill in Harghita County. @highlights.of.hungary