Monastery Bound...

Thanks to my good friend Dewey and Susie who set this Blog up which is going to be easier to put some photos up (when I get to a computer that has a USB Key).

Heading off north tonight by night train to the Monasteries in Suceava (Northern Romania). Apparently there are these beautiful Gothic churches there with painted inside and out. A local highly recommended it as a "must see" in Romania. Hoping to see three or four Monastaries and then stay overnight in one, and hike over to the next one the next day.

I have stayed in Brasov longer than I had intended and despite some mixed reports, have found Romania and especially this town to be extremely pleasant. The old part of town is in this valley surrounded by forrests and mountains which I find comforting as it reminds me of home. There is also Day trips to take to Dracula (Bram) Castle and the beautiful monastery and castle at Siniai. Picking up some Romanian and hanging out with the locals and people from the hostel.

The locals are really friendly and make the effort to communicate with you. I think not being in the EU and limited number tourists have resulted in the people still curious about travellers. They especially like it when you use some of their phrases. Like today, helped a little old lady pick her bags along a muddy road and she pointed to herself and said "mama" and I said "Me no baba." Guess what? She started to call me "me no baba". I love it !!!!! She went rambling on and I just kept saying "dah (yes)" and "Bee Na (good)."

I have also spent some time with a jean shop manager along with some of the hostel guys and it was great to get a little aspect of the work conditions (At 21, she works seven days a week/ 12 hour days for $100 - 300 Euros. Crazy !!!), Orthodox Church (they also bury dead with a coin)and the recent history in Romania. Apparently their dictator(Ceausescu)and wife for the past fourty years was only executed on Christmas Day 1989 after a two hour "trial." She remembered being young and her mother crying as she had to go out of the house during the 1989 revolution to buy food and risk getting shot by the police and army, who would shoot anybody that even looked suspicious. The revolution came on suddenly and in the towns outside the cities were not prepared. You can also go the capital to look at all the citizens secret files and her grandfather was shocked to find out about his friend infoirming the police he bought gold here or made a comment about the president there.

Despite only having voting and democracy since 1990,Romania feels safe but the police presence is all around. At least they don't hassle you for bribes and seem friendly enough. I don't really see the Gypsies except at the rainway and bus stations and walking around the outskirts of town. They really are a separate culture here as the Hungarian, Latin or Germain descended Romanians don't really mix with them and they get a bad rap here.

They are spraying for Avain Flu here but chicken continues to be served in the resturants here. However, Romania loves pork and the food has been extremely tasty and cheap. They have this hot cast iron plate dish with savory stew, corn meal, egg and cheese that is quite tasty. I haven't cooked at the hostels for a while and will wait until I start getting into the expensive countries again.

The Hostel life is very transitory and you meet people for very concentrated time and then you or they move on. So far I've met a diplomat in training, a couple of bankers, a photo journalist, two retired profs, loads of college party kids,one inventor and one paranoid conspiratist. This American believed he was "the most wanted man in Europe" and looked at me funny when I pulled my collar and asked him to speak louder into the microphone. Luckily, he wasn't sleeping in my dorm.

Hope all is well with you and off to catch the bus to the train station....