Tag Archives: Romania

“Travels to a Different Time” : 16July1974: Bucharest, Romania: Stay Away From “Nick the Big Boy”: Overnight in a Romanian Villa

Up at ten for a big spaghetti brunch. Sorin loved it but with the right spices it would have been worthy for the top bureaucrats in the Romanian Communist Party! After the tasty feast Sorin left for work while I washed some clothes and started to pack up. I am planning on leaving in aContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 16July1974: Bucharest, Romania: Stay Away From “Nick the Big Boy”: Overnight in a Romanian Villa”

“Travels to a Different Time” :15July1974: Bucharest, Romania: Sorin Has to Register Me with the Police: Meeting up With Pusha the Daughter of a Defector: My Imitations Cause Mirth and Terror

Up at 10:30 and Sorin and I went out to buy some milk, bread, cake and Romanian “Corn Flakes”. The milk was not very good and Sorin said if you arrived before 8:30 there was a higher quality milk available. Sorin has never had spaghetti and meat sauce! Is that possible! So we went toContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” :15July1974: Bucharest, Romania: Sorin Has to Register Me with the Police: Meeting up With Pusha the Daughter of a Defector: My Imitations Cause Mirth and Terror”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 14July1974: Contanesti, Bucharest, Romania: Getting My Ass Pinched by Romanian Girls

Auto stopped into Constanţa with a truck driver. We stopped for a lunch of 4 grilled meatballs and bread which cost 70 cents. I eventually found the train station and took the 3:30 train to Bucharest. The train was overcrowded with you guessed it no seats so we were stuck in the corridor with peopleContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 14July1974: Contanesti, Bucharest, Romania: Getting My Ass Pinched by Romanian Girls”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 13July1974: Contanesti, Romania: No Tourist Ghetto for Me: Invasion of the Ladybugs

Pierre and part of the gang packed up their tents and were off. I headed off to the beach and ran into Vasha. But as soon as I sat down a huge invasion of ladybugs descended. They covered the air like locusts. It was hilarious watching everybody twitching trying to swat off the ladybugs. InContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 13July1974: Contanesti, Romania: No Tourist Ghetto for Me: Invasion of the Ladybugs”

“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” :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”