“Travels to a Different Time” : 10July1974: Contanesti, Romania: Fighting to Get on a Romanian Bus: More Repulsive Food: Is Pierre an FLQ Terrorist?

Thank goodness this dastardly Romanian rain and wind did not blow away or soak my tent. More cloudy weather makes this place look very drab. Eric and I walked to the bus stop to take the bus into Constanţa to get some money changed. After changing some money we went to the Auto Service forContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 10July1974: Contanesti, Romania: Fighting to Get on a Romanian Bus: More Repulsive Food: Is Pierre an FLQ Terrorist?”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 9July1974: Costenesti, Romania: Too Much Pear Nectar; Dancing with DDR Girls; Pierre Sells His Shoes to a Young Communist!

I must lay off the pear juice! Runs galore all morning and thank goodness for the airmail edition of Le Monde! I was dreaming of waffles with loads of butter and maple syrup but instead a strange breakfast of canned grapes, stale bread and jam. My rumbling stomach calmed down so off to the beachContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 9July1974: Costenesti, Romania: Too Much Pear Nectar; Dancing with DDR Girls; Pierre Sells His Shoes to a Young Communist!”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 8July1974: Contanesti, Romania: Incessant Line-Ups and Sneaking into Communist Youth Camp Discotheque; Russians not Appreciated!

Feeling much better today so some stale bread and jam for breakfast. I seem to be wasting away as where has all the food gone in Romania? I went to the cigarette butt littered beach and this time the water was calm. There are elderly women here with rather distended bellies lounging on the beach.Continue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 8July1974: Contanesti, Romania: Incessant Line-Ups and Sneaking into Communist Youth Camp Discotheque; Russians not Appreciated!”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 6July1974: Constanţa and Continesti, Romania: Revenge of the Slimy Meal and Pear Nectar: Not Good Enough for the Young Communists

I woke up with a queasy stomach. I think it was the slimy meal I had yesterday and the 7 pear nectars I drank. Of course, the two more pear nectars for breakfast did not help. But there is an issue with fresh fruit here and that is shortages! I packed up and had difficultyContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 6July1974: Constanţa and Continesti, Romania: Revenge of the Slimy Meal and Pear Nectar: Not Good Enough for the Young Communists”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 5July1974: Constanţa, Romania: Mr. Culture Eats Slimy Dinner and Drinks Pathetic Romanian Beer After Swimming at Garbage Strewn Black Sea Coast

Up at 8 this morning and after saying good morning to Victoria headed out to search for food which is a chore in Communist Romania. I did find 4 pear nectars at the local supermarket which is anything but “super”.  Being a “hepee” I am always subject to stares from a population that sees fewContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 5July1974: Constanţa, Romania: Mr. Culture Eats Slimy Dinner and Drinks Pathetic Romanian Beer After Swimming at Garbage Strewn Black Sea Coast”

“Travels to a Different Time” :4July1974: Bucresti and Constanta, Romania: Staying with Grannies in an Ornate Room from a Different Era; Travelling with an Egg Thief

I had breakfast with Sorin when he left at 8 to go to work but my belongings were so wet I had to dry them on the balcony. Sorin’s girlfriend cooked me up some delicious eggs. Romanian eggs are incredibly tasty. I packed up and she cooked me more eggs with fresh bread and aContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” :4July1974: Bucresti and Constanta, Romania: Staying with Grannies in an Ornate Room from a Different Era; Travelling with an Egg Thief”

“Travels to a Different Time” :3July1974; Bucharest, Romania: A Sulky and Jealous Woman: More Line-Ups and Bureaucracy

Up at 9 a.m. and I had breakfast with Sorin and his wife. Sorin had to go to work. He is an engineer. I was left behind with his wife who is very sulky and uncommunicative. I wrote some letters, looked at my maps and made some tentative plans about future destinations. Sorin came homeContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” :3July1974; Bucharest, Romania: A Sulky and Jealous Woman: More Line-Ups and Bureaucracy”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 2July1974: Do I Choose the Vodka, Girls and Party Option? Doing Business on the Black Market

To my surprise flying to Bucharest from Bacău is cheaper than the bus! So I bought a ticket for $2 leaving later in the day. My ticket on Tarom is a simple piece of cardboard saying Bacău-Bucresti. I head back into town to grab some breakfast but the line-ups for bread and meats were incredible.Continue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 2July1974: Do I Choose the Vodka, Girls and Party Option? Doing Business on the Black Market”

“Travels to a Different Time : 1July1974: Bacău, Romania: Diary Disaster: East German Circus and Propaganda Film: Dirty Glasses

I am slowly recovering from hell. I lost three weeks of diary to the rain. Like a turkey I set up my tent at an angle on a hill and it rained and everything in my tent was soaked including my diary. The receptionist at the campground tried to cheer me up and showed meContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time : 1July1974: Bacău, Romania: Diary Disaster: East German Circus and Propaganda Film: Dirty Glasses”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 19August1973: Getting Stared at by the Provincials in Bonn and Ending up in Philadelphia

Woke up in the hospital with all limbs intact. Tidied up and Michael arrived and Heidi shortly after with some breakfast. Heidi had to be in surgery in another hospital some 4 kms away so we drove her there. Michael took me on a tour of Bonn and after we met Heidi for lunch atContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 19August1973: Getting Stared at by the Provincials in Bonn and Ending up in Philadelphia”