Romania

Bucharest

The night it passed well. I was controlled at least six times. With each time for different things: photograph of the passport, catch of the name on a file, validity date of the passport, contents of the luggage, estampillage of the passport, controls train ticket. By awaking me the night (train without berth, just sitted), I admired a superb landscape, throats with the river which runs in bottom.

 

 

The Rumanian countryside seems to me poor. It points out Egypt per moment to me (ox, ass, plough..) but some industries in very bad condition make the difference.

Bucharest: here me is with the hotel. I found daN, a Rumanian knowledge of Belgium, at the station. It is brilliant, I visited Bucharest with him. It told me the revolution which it lived in 1989. It explains me the Rumanian life, and I realize that separately the purchasing power it does not have there large thing of disagreement with Belgium. Total lack of architecture perhaps, this due to the fact that Ceausescu destroyed all to rebuild.

This evening there, it was the match of world cup Romania-Croatia. I looked at the match with daN. Rumanian lost. Damage, I would have liked to see Bucharest with all his population in the streets. It is amusing, when daN speaks about Romania it says my country and when it speaks about Belgium it says our country. It is like a double identity. I met two Rumanian during the match, two students who could explain me their country. That confirms the statements of daN Them want to know Belgium.

 

To the hotel I am back to wash and makes my detergent. In the hotel, there is television with three French chains and, it is amusing, on TV5 there was an interview of Phillipe Gloaguen of " Routard ". Which coincidence; In Bucharest!! On M6 it is the Cartouche " film " with Jean-Paul Belmondo. At the beginning, I wanted to go in camp-site but the price of the hotel is lower though I believed that they was 500 francs the night but to recompute that made 900 francs the night. What imports that enables me to make the detergent and to sleep once on a decent mattress, though the room is a little decayed.

Brasov

 

Left Bucharest, I find myself in a bus for Bran towards the Castle of Dracula. Not badly to arrive from there there. With my descent of train, I was accosted by a hirer out of room. This one appears in " Lonely Planets ". It rents its rooms with 10$ the night. It was insistent. Even a driver was envisaged. Fifty francs Belgian the race. Good I visit room, two bathrooms for four rooms, plus a kitchen. The district is not brilliant, a little noisy but for 10$. I wanted to write with " the Guide of Routard ". It is true!! Why would be there that english-speaking who would benefit from it. They is not dégeux and then cheap. In more the guy, it helps. One is entitled to a card (other thing that that of " Routard "), it also helps to find Bran because bus 20 (on whom is reproduced no number) it is not easy to know where to take it. As for the reservation of train, it is not simple either. It even led a Japanese woman until the stopping of the bus for Bran. Therefore I re-examined it 3 times. The room is not in the historical center but it is at 5 minutes with foot.

 

 

Bran, it is not terrible. The castle is small. One would say a Barbie castle but trotts it is beautiful. Twelve francs to go until Bran, it is not expensive especially for 30 kilometers.

 

Some reflexions of daN on Romania:

- Each Roumanian knows the engine of his Dacia.

- It have all but it are not enough rich only to treat to it.

 

Brasov is divided into two, on the one hand an enormous city H.L.M. fruit of socialism and on the other hand an old very beautiful city. One wonders besides if the Socialists were not idiotic considering what they destroyed. DaN speaks to me about an earthquake in Bucharest in 1977. Only the socialist buildings resisted. More solid and conceived to resist an amplitude of stronger Richter.

 

At the place where I placed in Brasov, I met two American coeds in religion, two English and a couple of Norwegian. That reinforces my conviction that this kind of voyage is practised only by the Anglo-Saxons. Coincidence, it make about the same way as me.

On the way for Sighisoara

 

Here me is in the train for Sighisoara. The Rumanian trains it is not that. Not only they are dirty, uncomfortable, slow, puant, but that would go if there were not this system of reservations. Each train has its counter where it is necessary to hold. That is not used for nothing, because there is place in the train. It is still a heritage of the socialist system. One hour to obtain a place which cost me seven francs fifty. It laughs of which here?

 

In the train, I meet a girl who speaks English. It confirms to me what daN said. It wants to leave to the United States and to marry with American to leave Romania. People are low in Romania. Their purchasing power is weak. The knowledge of one second language is not obligatory in Romania, that depends on the desire of each one. Phenomenon G.S.M. is enormous in Romania because of the outdatedness of the telephone D ' state. The proof that did not go to the hotel to Bucharest. Then people buy a G.S.M. installed by Alcatel France. Many people in street circulate with a G.S.M..

Sighisoara and the phenomenon " rucksack "

 

For the first time, I circulate with my rucksack. Two things arrives to me. The first, it is the begging. Much child, grateful in me a foreigner, requests me, requires alms of me. Two people offers the lodging to me of which one proposes it to me in German. But the most beautiful remainder to come.

On the place of Sighisoara I made some photographs, not large thing if not the house of Vlad Tepes Ensuite, I took my guide of Routard. I traverse it. At this time a young lady addresses the word to me. She wants to know what tells the guide on the town of Sighisoara. The girl speaks in French. Until now, I was often alongside in English. She explains me why his/her friend is tourist guide. In fact, it wishes to develop tourism in Sighisoara. It is true, there is average to do something. It is a beautiful city and not masses of tourists.

It explains me its projects. It gives me an outline of the city starting from the tower of the clock that it makes me visit free. It shows me even a part which is not accessible to the public. It explains me the history of the city. In exchange, I will send documentation to him on Transylvania. It did not even want two hundred francs for the visit. Rucksack effect? I do not know anything of it but which richness in the meeting. It is for that that I want to travel of the kind. I hope to re-examine it one day. In all cases I have his address.

Romania 2nd part

During the crossing of frontiers, I notice a traffic (as with the outward journey). This time is banknote cigarettes and a large bundle. The customs officers are not tender with the Roumanians and the Bulgarian ones. But I feel that they show me more respect with me, a Belgian. He assied to fill papers and does not howl as on the Roumanians or the Bulgarian ones who are excavated body and luggage (in spite of that of the things still pass).

In Bucharest, I telephone daN. It makes me visit another part of Bucharest. Parks and the monster built by Ceausescu. I place with the hotel opposite the station. I have a bathroom and television. I learned that if I took a room without bathroom the price would have still been less. I have the impression that I travel in the luxury. I look at television all the evening. I learned the explosion with the Bazaar from Istanbul and I telephone my parents to reassure them.

I travelled by the train early the morning for Sinaïa. I decide to test a room at L ' living. I find myself in a farm. The room is correct. It is clean and the price is low. I regret just a thing: rain which falls and my ignorance of the Rumanian language. It would allow me D ' to refine the contacts.

 

The Peles castle is marvellous, of any beauty. Of the Louis II of Bavaria in Carpates It's the first time that I must fit shoes to visit a place. It's the most marvellous example of style rococo I ever seen. With this dimensions of that the monastery makes blade appears even if it is older.

I regret D ' having took a room with Sinaïa. I N ' do not manage to combine transport for Sibiu. I give up, J ' would go in Brasov. C ' is quite nice the toilets among people but if the night they close the gate how I make my needs. I choose finally L ' sink. From return to Brasov, I go to the Mc Donald. C ' is there that the toilets are cleanest. Then I travel by the bus for Risnov: 7 francs, C ' is correct. In Risnov, I go up in top of the fortress. This qu ' it remains about it. From there high, a formidable sight. The ruins are not worth really the sorrow. .

I am lost a little. That made three day that I spend my time waiting. Since Sophia where there N ' is nothing to see. J ' further tests D ' outward journey Brasov but in two hours, J ' made the turn of it. Sinaïa, J ' made of it the turn in four hours and still J ' took my time. Consequence, my slowed down rate/rhythm. I turn over on Brasov and I discover things that I N ' had not seen. L ' interior of L ' black church and the citadel where I fall in full marriage. I turn over to the station where J ' waits again. I again meet Greg and Maria