Rest Awhile

I think I’ll sit and rest awhile 

To take these memories in 

Once I’ve cleared my head and heart 

I’ll come back to you again 

Day 11 - Suceava to Bucharest

I’ve never driven through Kansas, but I now have a pretty good idea of what it must look like. Eastern Romania is flat and covered with expansive fields of crops. The six and a half hour drive wasn’t terribly interesting. It was mile after mile after mile of the same flat fields.

We arrived in Bucharest and drove straight to our hotel to check in and drop off the suitcases. We then went to another part of town to drop off the rental car. We took a taxi to the old town; the driver was very chatty. He had a lot to say about politics and the horrible times under Communism, first, and then under the dictator Ceaucescu. Romanians now complain about corruption in their government, but they are very happy to be out from under the oppressive rule of past regimes. Our driver told us that Romanians love American visitors. “We waited fifty years for the Americans to be able to visit us,” he remarked earnestly.

In the old town, we did a bit of last minute gift shopping and visited a couple more churches. We had a fabulous dinner at a historic restaurant called Caru’ cu Bere (“The Beer Wagon”). I’m not usually much for loud, frantic restaurants the cater to tourists, but I have to say that if you’re ever in Bucharest, Caru’ cu Bere is an experience that you won’t want to miss. The food is excellent, the staff is hard working, and the atmosphere is sans pareil. It’s a great place for people watching.

Our server, who seemed to be by far the oldest person on the staff, didn’t speak much English. By pointing to the menu and using some of the words that we had picked up along the way, we were able to communicate with him.

After dinner, I went out to take some more of my night photos. I appreciate how low key the police are in Europe. A couple of guys from the gendarmerie passed by as I had my camera on the tripod. Not only did they not give me a hassle, they went out of their way to avoid walking into my shot, and then they had a friendly conversation with some gypsy ladies who had been selling flowers in the area. 

What a beautiful thing to see on our last night in Romania!

Day 10 - Suceava Monasteries

We jumped in the car in the morning and drove out of the city center to visit three more of the painted monasteries. They call them painted monasteries because they are decorated inside and out with detailed colorful frescos. Each monastery is uniquely beautiful, and as a collection, I have never seen anything like them anywhere in the world.

Back in the city of Suceava, we peeked inside a Romanian Orthodox church, the Biserica Sf. Gheorghe (St. George Church Mirauti) as a mass was being held. St. George and St. Michael are popular religious figures in Romania. Many towns and cities have churches named after one or the other. As we were there during the Feast of St. George, the churches dedicated to him were all very busy.

We ended the day with dinner at an Italian restaurant called Latino. For the second evening in a row, a friendly cat stayed near our table as we dined.

What’s Up With This Weather?

It’s April 30th and it’s freezing!

Day 9 - The Drive to Suceava

We spent a good part of the day in the car driving between Cluj-Napoca in the northwest or Romania to Suceava in the northeast. Ukraine borders Romania to the north. It was tempting to make a detour just to claim that we had visited another country, but our schedule was tight. We wanted to have time to visit some of the famous monasteries on the outskirts of Suceava. To do so, we needed would need to make the best time we could on the road. 

The route took us through some dramatic mountains and valleys. I remarked that the countryside here looked like a bland version of Switzerland. (No offense, Romania. Every mountain area looks bland when compared with Switzerland.)

We made good time and visited three monasteries before giving up and going for dinner. 

We checked into our hotel at Suceava. The property was posh but nearly empty. Looking down the eerily quiet hallways with fine furnishings and dark wood trim, I joked that our hotel reminded me of the off-season lodge in the movie ‘The Shining’. 

We walked a few block to an excellent restaurant where I enjoyed my now typical tuna salad and “wedge potatoes” with a cappuccino viennese, a cappuccino blended with cinnamon and topped with whipped cream. Ooh, that was a sinfully delicious treat!

At night the hotel hosted a wedding reception that went on well into the night. We awoke to the sound a group of men carousing and yelling outside shortly before dawn. Suddenly, I found myself missing the stillness that a few hours earlier had seemed so unnerving. 

In A Roundabout Way

While driving in Europe recently and negotiating countless roundabouts along the roadways, I thought repeatedly of the song ‘Roundabout’ by the rock group Yes. I promised myself that I would listen to the song upon returning home, and since I am back, I have have done just that.

Roundabout is an incredible piece of music that seems to get better with each successive listening. The song is primarily a bouncy uptempo jam. Jon Anderson’s clarion vocals and impressionistic lyrics soar over a counterpoint of complex guitar, organ, and synthesizer melodies, propelled energetically by Chris Squire’s driving staccato basslines. It’s lively and full of fun and fire, but it starts out with the breathtaking delicacy of Steve Howe’s harmonics-laced guitar intro. After a couple of energetic verses and an extended bridge, the delicate guitar returns and takes our breath away once more.

I remember when Roundabout was first release. I remember, because it was played extensively on the radio in the US. I remember hearing it on the public address system at the local lake that summer. (“In and around the lake...”)

It didn’t seem usual to hear this complex and relatively long piece of music being played on the radio. In those days, we expected music to be fresh and exciting and even a bit challenging.

Roundabout is a wonderful piece of music, a rock classic, and a long-time personal favorite that I never tire of hearing. The song, and the whole ‘Fragile’ album on which it was release, has inspired me as a musician, as a composer, and as a fan of great music. 

Day 8 - Bánffy Castle and a Night at the Opera

My travel companion continued to mull over the possibility of catching an opera at the National Theater. We asked the concierge about tickets, and he gave us the location of the ticket office. They weren’t open yet, so the opera fan tried to book the tickets online. A technical glitch interfered with the translation, so we ended up walking to the ticket place anyway. We were the first ones in the queue when the place opened.

The initial plan was to start the day at St. Michael’s Church and the art museum at Bánffy Palace. Then we would drive to an out of town destination. Given that we now had opera tickets in hand, I was concerned about getting back into the city at rush hour. We inverted out schedule and drove out to the village of Bonțida to see Bánffy Castle (not to be confused with Bánffy Palace which was here in the city).

The weather was beautiful when we reached Bonțida, and the light was perfect for photography. The only complication was that a kids from a local high school were on the premises having their senior pictures taken. We did our best to work around them, but they did get into a few of our shots.

Bánffy Castle was once a grand country estate. Unfortunately, the Nazis decided to burn it to the ground during World War 2. A long-term restoration project is underway. The restoration is funded in part by an annual music festival that’s held on the grounds in July.

After our excursion, we headed back to Cluj-Napoca to see St. Michael’s and the art collection at Bánffy Palace, and then we were off to a night at the opera. The National Theater at Cluj-Napoca is somewhat small, but it has a very intimate feel. The upholstery on the orchestra seats was a bit worn, but we sat comfortably through the entire evening.

After the program, which for the record was delightful, we asked for a restaurant recommendation from our hotel. They sent us to a restaurant called Bohemia, which is situated in a grand courtyard. The food was good, but of all of this places where we had dinner through the week, this was the only place that we felt was overpriced. Part of the appeal of Eastern Europe is that it’s inexpensive. Paying too much for a meal, even a tasty meal with good service, reflects negatively versus expectations. All in all, though, it was a memorable evening to cap of a beautiful day.

Day 7 - Cluj-Napoca

In the morning, the weather was beautiful. After breakfast, we took one last stroll through the square at Sibiu under clear skies and with abundant sunshine. It was too warm to wear a jacket. 

We checked out of our hotel and drove north toward Cluj-Napoca, Romania’s second-largest city. After locating our next hotel and figuring out the parking situation (in the hotel’s impossibly small garage), we took an unguided stroll through the city center. Our first stop a beautiful Romanian Orthodox Cathedral (“Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral”) that was visible from our hotel window. (This hotel room had the best view of all of the places where we had stayed.)

As we walked, we passed the National Theater where operas and concerts are presented. This gave my travel companion an idea. More on that later...

We walked into a “less touristy” part of town in search of the birthplace of Matthias Corvinus and discovered a small square that was frequented mostly by locals. We decided to stop here for dinner. As with most of the restaurants where we enjoyed outdoor seating - the weather was still lovely - we found ourselves surrounded by smokers. Tobacco usage in Romania is rampant. The alternative is to sit indoors where smoking is prohibited, but in this gorgeous weather, we felt that it was worth enduring the puffs of smoke that the breeze guided over to our table.

After dinner, we peaked into a Franciscan church on the same square and wandered further. A few blocks away, we wandered into a much larger square, the site of St. Michael’s Church, one of the city’s main attractions, and the Bánffy Palace, home to yet another art museum. It was too late to visit either of these places, but we noted their location for exploration on the following day.

We finished our stroll with a walk along a street that had an adjacent walkway for pedestrians. I ran out to capture photos of the concert hall and the Orthodox church before we settled in for the evening.

Day 6 - Corvin’s Castle and Alba Carolina

After breakfast, we took s short walk through the square and visited Sibiu’s art museum, one of the city’s main attractions. Next, we took the car out of the parking lot - this took some effort, as the machine where you pay wasn’t working properly - and headed west to Huneadoara. We parked and walked up a small ramp to Corvin’s Castle, which was built by Matthias Corvinus, one of the most important figures in Romania’s turbulent history.

Like Peleș Castle, Corvin’s Castle seems almost too amazing to be real. It is easily one of the most impressive castles that I have seen anywhere. (We snapped LOTS of pictures!) Tall towers reach skyward from flawless stone walls. The long bridge that leads to the main entrance crosses a rushing creek nearly ten meters below. The entire structure is surrounded by a daunting moat-like excavation.  

The castle is amazingly well-preserved, and visitors can walk though a good bit of it. Impressive views are available from the towers and the outer walls. There’s even a torture chamber, a feature that fascinated a group of teenaged tourists as we walked past.

After touring Corvin’s Castle, we walked back to the parking area and browsed a row of vendors selling drinks, clothing, and memorabilia. Across the street from the parking area was a small pizza place called “Pizza Hot.” I got a chuckle out of the similarity of the name to that of the a American pizza chain. We passed a nice restaurant on our walk back from the castle, but we didn’t have time to sit for lunch. There was more touring to do!

Our next stop was the city of Alba Iulia, named for a Hungarian king (Julius) and a Roman city that once occupied the site. The Roman city had white walls (alba). The main attraction at Alba Iulia is the massive citadel of Alba Carolina.

Unlike the crumbling citadel at Rasnov, Alba Carolina looks as thought it could have been built in the last fifty years. All of the buildings are spotless, as are the massive outer walls which form a seven-point star. The fact that Alba Carolina was was constructed in the 1700s under King Carol the 6th, defies imagination. The citadel, which covers an area equivalent to several city blocks, has the feel of an open, family-friendly park. A steady stream of locals strolls through on foot and on bicycles.

Our first stop in the complex was a museum where we took in a lecture on the history of the site dating back to Roman times. On ongoing project excavates and studies details of the original the Roman city, which in itself was quite expansive. - The lecturer, who participates in historic reenactments of Roma times, told us that they had not yet found the outer borders of the Roman settlement; they keep finding more to it as they dig. - Alba Carolina hosts several houses of worship including the grand St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Cathedral and a towering Romanian Orthodox cathedral. The Orthodox cathedral is referred to a Coronation Cathedral, as King Ferdinand was crowned here in 1922.

After a long day, we returned to Sibiu. I went out to the big square to shoot some photos as the light was changing over, and we went to dinner at a restaurant on the smaller square called Tango.

Expression

Expression is important. When no one appears to be listening, we are listening and we are feeling. When our words or efforts appear to do no good in the world, they have the potential to do good for us, to help us make sense of what happens and how we feel about it. Let the words and feelings fly. Let them settle where they may. Let them find their own reason for showing up when they do.

Back To Square One

After two and a half months of inactivity due to a knee injury, my running is back to square one. 

This morning, I was adventurous to try interval training, alternating a quarter mile of jogging with a quarter mile of faster running. During one of my “fast” laps, I spotted a guy who was jogging along comfortably. He was going faster than I was! Later, I saw another guy whiz past at an even faster pace. He wasn’t even breathing hard.

I’m going to have to put in some hard workouts this summer if I have any hope of getting back into shape.

If It Doesn’t Taste Good With Coffee

If it doesn’t taste good with coffee, you shouldn’t be eating it.

Trump and Korea

I have to give Mr. Trump some credit. I believe that his comments were a catalyst for the recent meeting between the North and South Korean leadership. I’m sure that some of my fellow progressives will disagree profusely, but I stand by this position. It’s an important step forward.

Day 5 - Brașov to Sibiu

Before leaving Brașov, we climbed hills to two towers that once served as part of the city’s defenses. The views were stunning. Unfortunately, the morning light worked against us from that position. I lamented not having explored this position for a night shot of the city.

We packed our things and headed to the next destination, Sibiu. Along the way, we stopped by the town or Făgăraș and went for a leisurely walk around a well-kept citadel. A moat surrounds the citadel, and the whole area has been turned into a lovely park. 

It was a fascinating experience in part because Făgăraș has a lot of gypsies. The tens to congregate on benches in the park. They watched us carefully. There were men and women of all ages and groups of teenagers - a few of the women wept walkways with brooms, but the rest of them seemed to be just there relaxing. They were almost studying us as we strolled through the grounds taking pictures of the citadel, a neighboring church, and the black swans in the moat. I don’t know why they watched us so intently; perhaps they were just curious. 

An interesting cultural divide was on display when a group of non-gypsy teens walked by in tidy school uniforms. The gypsy teens dressed like teenagers everywhere, but the older folks, the women in particular, wore distinctive outfits with striking, brightly-colored patterns.

After walking around the citadel and its park, we drove to Sibiu, a clean, well-maintained city with beautiful churches and an expansive public square. We found parking near the square. A friendly waitress at one of the restaurants directed us toward our hotel.

After checking in and dropping off our luggage, we strolled through the square and the neighboring streets. We stopped by beautiful Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox churches along the way. We stopped by a third church which was quite large and had a massive bell tower. The church was closed for renovations, but we were permitted to climb the tower. Unfortunately, it was badly soiled with pigeon droppings. 

We went back to the hotel to wash up before heading back to the square in search of a place to have dinner. We settled on a restaurant that served traditional Romanian dishes. I tried a heavy but tasty plate of pork, sauerkraut, cabbage stuffed with more pork, potatoes, and polenta. I associate polenta with Mexican dishes, so I was surprised to see it here in Romania. But I have to say that it was the most delicious polenta I have ever enjoyed.

Day 4 - Rasnov and Sighișoara​

In the morning, we drove to the town of Rasnov to visit a historic citadel. A funicular, which reminded me of the inclined rail cars of Pittsburgh, took us to the top of the hill. From there, we explored the citadel on foot. The outer walls of the structure are in great shape, but unfortunately, the inner sections are mostly in ruins. 

From Rasnov, we drove to Sighișoara to see yet another walled hilltop settlement. The difference is that Sighișoara is a living town with residents and shops and churches. There’s a school, a government building, and a couple of small museums. 

We walked though the town and stopped by a cafe and a number of the shops. There’s an impressive church at the far end of town, but you have to climb a long staircase to reach it. We wondered aloud how motivated the locals would be to make that climb for mass every week.

Afterward, were returned to our base in Brașov, where we enjoyed ice cream during an unhurried evening stroll. After dinner on the square, I grabbed my tripod went out to take a few night shots of the town.

Per Lei

Ho fatto tutto per lei 

E lo rifarei 

Lo farei con amore 

Per tutti i giorni miei 

© 2018 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

Driving In Romania

Picture one of those dangerous two-lane country roads with a dashed middle line where cars pass each other by crossing into the lane of the oncoming traffic. Think about how dangerous it is to drive on a road like that. Now picture that road filled with impatient European drivers tailgating you in their Audis and BMWs and Volkswagens. (On the Continent, Volkswagen drivers tend to be the most aggressive passers.)

This two-lane death trap goes on for two to five miles, passing mostly though farmland, until you come to a village where the speed limit suddenly drops to 50 kmph (30 miles per hour) or in some cases even slower.

Anywhere along the road, whether in the villages where the speeds are slow or in the open spaces where drivers go just about as fast as they want to, you may encounter any of the following obstacles.

• Farm tractors
• Slow trucks
• Stray sheep and other livestock 
• Elderly people riding old bicycles very slowly
• Children in bicycles
• People walking in the traffic lanes with their backs to the oncoming cars
• People standing in the traffic lanes talking to someone on the side of the road
• Dogs
• A guy on a tall ladder repairing an overhead wire
• The aftermath of a serious accident
• Horse-drawn trailers pulling anything from logs to packages to massive bundles of loose hay.

Vehicles from the Sixteenth Century and the Twenty-first Century are using the same road at the same time. It gets complicated.

Keep in mind that drivers of trucks and automobiles are usually in a hurry. Passing isn’t a rare occurrence; it’s going on constantly. It’s not uncommon to encounter double-double passing situations where you see someone passing toward you from the other direction, while you are passing someone else. Each of the passing vehicles has about a second and an half to get back into their respective lanes before everyone in all four cars is killed.

That is what it’s like to drive in Romania. 

But wait. There’s more.

Crosswalks are everywhere, and pedestrians always have the right of way. No matter how fast you’re going or how closely you’re being followed by an impatient driver, when a human being steps into the crosswalk, you are required to stop and let them cross. No exceptions.

The aforementioned villages are full of these crosswalks, but even where there aren’t crosswalks, pedestrians can and wander into the traffic lanes.

But wait. It gets even more interesting.

There is a variation of the two-lane passing road that was confusing to me at first. This type of road has a paved shoulder that’s just wide enough to fit a car.

In the States, we would consider this a escape lane to be used in case of emergencies. You swerve into the shoulder in order to avoid a collision. In Europe, it works differently.

The paved shoulder is actually a traffic lane. You can opt to drive on it, or you can opt to drive partly in the shoulder or partly in the main traffic lane. (Trucks often have one wheel in each lane.)

Driving on the shoulder, completely or partially, is a signal to drivers behind you that they can pass if they choose to. This helps to prevent tailgating. The impatient driver doesn’t have to wait for you to pull over. Of course, if you don’t pull over, he’s going to tailgate you, flash his lights, and beep his horn until you pull over anyway. But at least you have the option of proactively getting out of the way.

But the shoulder lane has another purpose relating to oncoming traffic. 

Let’s say that you’re driving not on the shoulder, but in the inside lane, the lane that is adjacent to the oncoming traffic. Someone in the opposite direction decides to pass a slower vehicle. As they pass, all or part of their vehicle comes into your lane. They are heading straight for you, and you’ll collide if someone doesn’t take action.

On the two-lane road, that driver would not pass unless he has room to get back in his lane before you reached him. But on the road with the shoulder, he’ll pass even if you’re close to him. When this happens, you are expected to ease over onto your shoulder in order to give the oncoming driver room to pass.

Think about that. An oncoming driver deliberately moves his vehicle into your lane right in front of you. You have to move out of his way in order to avoid a high-speed collision. This happens very frequently. When there’s a lot of traffic, oncoming vehicles will come into your lane in every minute of your drive. It keeps you on your toes.

Hence, there is another good reason to drive on the shoulder lane. You don’t have to constantly watch for oncoming vehicles. You’re already in the safe zone.

Happy driving in Romania!

Copyright © 2018 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved

Day 3 - Castles of Transylvania

Our morning drive started off on a sour note, literally and figuratively. When we picked up the car a day earlier, we didn’t have our luggage with us. We were just our touring with our backpacks. Despite looking over the exterior of the car carefully with the rental agent, we never thought to check the trunk. 

When we opened the trunk in the morning, we found two objects, a rectangular red case with flares and tools for emergencies, and a black nylon bag. We assumed that both were standard equipment for the car.

When I moved the black bag to make room for our luggage, we experienced an unpleasant shock. A putrid liquid started leaking out of the bag. It smelled like rotten eggs.

I removed the bag quickly from the trunk and set it on the concrete. I have no idea what was inside; I didn’t want to open it. Eventually, I tossed the whole bag into a nearby trash bin, but I was left with the unpleasant task of cleaning a spot of the stinking liquid from the trunk. I took some napkins that I had picked up at a coffee shop, wet them with my water bottle, and scrubbed the spot to the best of my ability. I covered the soiled area with a black trash bag that, thankfully, I had brought along in my tripod case. (Trash bags have many uses!)

It was too early to exchange the car at the local rental office - they wouldn’t open for a few hours - and driving to the airport would have taken us out of the way and off schedule. We decided to press on with the mess concealed under the plastic bag.

-

Our first stop was the city of Sinaia to see Peleș Castle (PELL-esh), a magnificent structure that has been featured in a number of movies. One can imagine Cinderella dancing here at an elegant ball. A second, smaller castle on the same grounds, Pelișor Castle, was more home-like and understated in its elegance.

We next ventured to the village of Bran to see an older, more traditional stone castle that would make a good backdrop for a story about knights, dungeons, and swordplay. Bran castle is sometimes mistakenly associated with another story, the story of Count Dracula. Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ was inspired by the ruthless Transylvanian nobleman, Vlad Țepeș (Tseh-PESH), infamous for impaling the Gotts and Turks who foolishly invaded areas under his control. Bran Castle was not Vlad’s home, but he passed through the area on occasion.

As the afternoon waned, we drove to our hotel in Brașov (BRASH-ov), a beautiful walled city that reminded me a bit of scenic Heidelberg in Germany. We strolled through the central square and the neighboring streets as evening fell and enjoyed dinner on the square at Pizza Roma.

The food quality in Romania is excellent. Produce is vibrant and flavorful, as though it had just been picked from someone’s garden. Fresh juices are available everywhere, orange, grapefruit, and apple in particular. The wines are of consistently high quality. Every one of our dining experiences was a delight.

Day 2 - Exploring Bucharest

After a hearty breakfast, I set out on an adventurous day of touring. After a quick stop at a gift shop across the street from the hotel to look for souvenirs, I visited the National Museum of Art, a palatial building that houses expansive collections of Romanian and European paintings. 

After finishing with the museum, I crossed the boulevard in hopes of getting a look at the insides of a grand theater. The theater was closed, but I was able to pay a fee to visit during a rehearsal as long as I agreed to leave quietly when the orchestra started to play. Along the way I picked up a coffee at a too stuffy for its own good coffee and pastry place. Coffee in Romania is good, but the serving sizes are frustratingly small. A small cup of cappuccino doesn’t satisfy when you’re in the mood for a 20-ounce latte.

After seeing the theater, I stopped by a nearby hotel to request a taxi ride to the Parliament building. This was quite an experience. 

The Parliament, originally commissioned by former dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, is the second largest building in the world, exceeded in size only by The Pentagon. The project was controversial, or course. Ceaușescu spared no expense on the construction of the structure, while his people starved. But that era is over, and today, the building is used by the Romanian parliament, for conferences, and even for social events. During our tour, we were led through a ballroom that was being set up for a fancy wedding reception. The guide explained that the hour-long tour was covering only four percent of the entire structure. The vastness of the place is as staggering as it’s opulence.

My only disappointment during the Parliament tour was that I wasn’t permitted to take pictures with my camera, only my mobile phones. You can pay a “photo tax” if you want to be able to use a camera, but no one explained this rule when I purchased my ticket, and the guide was unable to process additional payments. So I was stuck taking pictures only with my old iPhone.

Next adventure: I was scheduled to pick up the rental car at a hotel in central Bucharest. The plan was to set off early in the morning before the rental agency opened, so I needed to get the car and park it overnight. I had a bit of trouble finding an honest taxi driver in the street but persisted and reached the rental agency before it closed. 

The plan was to park in an underground garage near the hotel. I had a bit of trouble getting to the garage, as it requires a tricky maneuver in a roundabout (traffic circle). You have to enter the four-lane roundabout in the far left lane and exit on the far right in order to be able to make the right turn onto the street that leads to the garage. It took me three tries to get this right with about two kilometers of driving in circles between each try. (It’s a European city; don’t expect the driving to the easy.)

I made my way out of the garage, which turned out to be a bit of a maze and required two separate elevators. I went into a small Romanian Orthodox church near the hotel. They were conducting a mass but did not mind the presence of tourists. I had dinner in the old town again, this time at Les Bourgeois, a French bistro recommended by the guidebook. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. I ordered a tuna salad, which became my go to, gluten-free dish for the trip. Luckily, tuna salads are popular in Romania. After dinner, I went back to the square and took more photos of the food festival and the light show.

On a fun note, the parking garage had three levels. Each level was associated with an animal as a memory aid. Level 1 had drawings of Hippos. Level 2, where we parked, had drawings of Alligators. Once I had parked, it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to remember the location of the space so I wouldn’t have trouble finding the car in the morning. I parked in space 164 on the Alligator level. 

“Remember: Alligator one-six-four,” I thought to myself.

I realized that it sounded like some kind of police or military code: Alligator. Alligator. One-six-four!”

I had a good chuckle over that one. The phrase “Alligator. Alligator. One-six-four!” ran through my head several time throughout the trip. Every time it brought a smile to my face, and now I’ll never forget that parking space.

The Important And The Banal

I spent thirteen days in self-imposed exile from television and the Internet. I got a lot of rest and gained what I feel are useful perspectives.

Time away from the norm is important. Doing the same things week after week is dangerous, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Not much changes in the world when you turn your back on it. The ugly politics continue. The senseless killings keep happening.

What changes is you. When you have a refreshed perspective, you are better able to separate the important from the banal, and you are better able to avoid wasting time and emotional energy on the latter.

Day 1 - Transfer and Arrival

I landed in Frankfurt in pouring rain. The arrival was delayed by a thunderstorm that set back the schedule of all flights including the arrival of connecting aircraft. So, after clearing Passport Control and the duty-free shops - and after I snapped a photo of a life-sized statue of Albert Einstein sitting on a bench - I sat and waited. 

The jet lag began to weigh heavily. It was hard to stay awake, but a gate change kept us on our toes. Eventually, I boarded the flight for Bucharest an hour later than scheduled.

The first thing I noticed in Bucharest’s Henri Coandă Airport - other than the fact that the sun was shining - was an abundance of cigarette smoke. Romanians smoke a lot, even by European standards. 

I withdrew 1500 lei from a banking machine (the equivalent of about 400 US Dollars). Forewarned that taxis flagged down on the street or even at stands are known to rip off customers, I looked for a place to call a registered taxi service. At the Bucharest airport and at other locations throughout the city, taxis can be requested via machine. 

There were three different machines representing a variety of taxi companies. A swarm of people huddled around them. The first machine that I tried claimed that no taxis were available in the area at the standard rate. When a woman had success on a neighboring machine, I tried it and found a cab.

The car was small and old and had no seatbelts. The driver, a young guy, looked rather angry and drove with a heavy foot. The ride was not a calming experience. 

On the way to our hotel, the taxi passed rows of mansions and a grand marble arch that was modeled after L’Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Happily, I made it to the hotel in one piece. The Hilton Garden Inn had opened only five months earlier. Every space and feature was flawless and sparkling clean. Romania is an inexpensive travel destination. You can stay in luxury for under a hundred dollars a night. In Paris, by contrast, you would pay twice that much to sleep in a room the size of a walk-in closet.

I took my bags upstairs, freshened up, and walked through the Old Town looking for a place to have dinner. The cobblestone streets were packed with tourists and locals. A number of singers with guitars performed along the way. I settled on an Italian restaurant on one of the quieter side streets. It was the first of many dinners enjoyed outdoors in the mild evening air.

After dinner, I walked through a square that was hosting a food truck festival featuring local and international foods and desserts. A light show projected complex patterns of shapes and colors onto the surrounding buildings and also on the people gathered in the square in sequences with pulsating electronic music. A geometric arrangement of four-foot long playing cards was part of the light show. It was a dynamic welcome to a country with an equally dynamic past.

Day 0 - Ready To Fly

My suitcase was packed. I’d checked in for my flight the evening before. All important papers were ready, and all arrangements had been planned meticulously. 

I did face a few challenges, however. I had come down with a cold days before the trip. In addition, I was exhausted, spent from month after month of a working long hours at a grueling and thankless job. I had just received a grim report from a doctor. My physical reserves were completely used up. The stress of the job and a consistent schedule of too little sleep had pushed me to the point of kidney failure. If anyone needed a vacation, it was me.

So off to the airport I went. The was a bit of traffic, but I arrived in plenty of time. Luckily, baggage check-in was quick and the security lines were manageable. 

I bought snacks and water at the airport, nuts and trail mix, and had a coffee that wasn’t horrible by JFK standards. 

During one of my pre-flight bathroom breaks, a woman came into the men’s room. She announced her entrance in a european accent. “I am coming in,” she said calmly. “Yes, a woman.” Perhaps the lines were too long at the ladies’ room.

Shortly thereafter, I boarded a 747, the first one that I had flown in many years. I watched the Pixar movie “Coco,” which I enjoy very much before settling in for as much sleep as I could manage.

Safety Tips For Travelers

“Blend in.”

“Seem like you know where you’re going.”

“Don’t look like a tourist.”

Such advice is often recommended to travelers with the best intentions. The idea is that if you can fool the locals into thinking that you’re one of them, you are less likely to be robbed or otherwise victimized.

Unfortunately, a tourist will always look like a tourist no matter how hard they try not to. When I’m in New York, I can spot out-of-town visitors in a single glance, and I’m not even a native New Yorker.

Their body language gives them away, the way they stand and look around.

Their movements give them away, they way that they walk and cluster into groups.

Their clothes give them away. 

I could go on, but you get the point. It’s almost impossible to blend in. The locals recognize immediately that you’re an outsider, and you’re kidding yourself if you believe that you can fool them into thinking that you’re one of them.

The advice about looking as thought you know where you’re going is valuable, but you won’t be able to maintain that. There will be times when you genuinely don’t know where you’re going, and you’re going to ask for help.

So, what can you do when blending in is a hopeless cause? Here are my suggestions.

Tip 1. Leave your valuables at home. 

Expensive jewelry is an invitation for trouble. Unless you’re traveling first class and being chauffeured between posh destinations, leave the jewels in a safe deposit box at your local bank. Travel with the minimum. You’ll be safer and more comfortable.

Tip 2. Know how to find reliable transportation.

I can’t stress the importance of this strongly enough. Most taxi drivers are not out to rob or harm you, but very bad things can happen in taxis in some parts of the world. Much more common is being grossly overcharged for rides. That may be a petty crime, but it’s still a crime.

In most cities, you can call a taxi service that will provide you with the number of the car before it arrives. If you don’t know how to do this, go to an upscale hotel and ask them to do it or you. At airports, there is usually a kiosk where you can request a taxi, either by speaking to someone or using an automated system. 

Research your destination. If taxi crime is a problem, don’t flag down rides on the street or even at taxi stands. Too many things can go wrong.

Tip 3. Don’t get drunk.

If your idea of a vacation is hitting the beach and getting plastered (or just getting plastered), that’s fine. Just do it at the hotel or resort or villa where you’re staying. Staggering out of a bar at three in the morning is an invitation for disaster. 

It should also be noted that driving drunk in a foreign country can lead to severe legal consequences. (See also Tip 2, finding reliable transportation.)

Tip 4. Recognize bad situations and move away promptly.

Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe in a particular location, there’s probably a good reason. You would do well to retreat to a safer space.

Don’t keep walking if it looks like you’re entering a rough neighborhood. Don’t walk into a creepy alleyway even if the nearby streets seem safe. If a demonstration starts up at your location, if rough or armed characters show up on the scene, or if the situation seems to turn dangerous for any reason, move to a safer, calmer area.

Recognize the potential for trouble and avoid it dynamically.

Tip 5. Don’t use banking machines at night.

This should be self-explanatory, but a lot of robberies happen at automated banking machines. Avoid withdrawing money at off hours or in deserted locations. Thieves would love to have your card and your PIN, and some of them are brazen enough to harm you physically in order to get access to your accounts.

Tip 6. Be aware of traffic rules and patterns.

This is important even if you don’t drive. In some places, vehicles will stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. In other places, the vehicles have the right of way, and they could hit you if you step out in front of them unexpectedly.

In some cities, even if it seems that an avenue with multiple lanes has all traffic flowing in one direction, there may be one lane where cars, busses, or trolleys will come through in the other direction. 

Don’t take chances. Cross only at crosswalks and when the traffic signals are in your favor.

Tip 7. Watch your step.

In the United States, people are sometimes awarded financial damages for slipping or tripping over things. That practice doesn’t exist in most other countries. 

You are responsible for your own feet. If the level of the sidewalk changes, or if a brick or a stone is loose, you have to expect and deal with it. A big chunk of concrete may jut upward out of a the pavement unexpected and completely unmarked. You have to watch out for things like that and navigate around them when they occur.

So please, watch your step.

Tip 8. Think before you eat.

Ice cubes can be made from unfiltered local water. Raw vegetables may have been washed in the same water. 

Mayonnaise and mousse are made from raw eggs.

Uncooked meats may contain parasites.

Find an alternative.

Tip 9. Be nice.

When we travel, we need help. We need people to help us with directions. We need people to help us use gadgets like parking meters and machines that dispense bus tickets. We need to explain why a business or an attraction that we expected to be open is actually closed today.

If you’re nice, people will help you, people in shops, people in cafes, people on the street.

If you come across as arrogant or lose your temper easily, they may still help you, but you’re not doing yourself any favors.

Always be polite and patient, even when you’re feeling tired or frustrated. 

Smile and speak slowly. Learn to say please, thank you, and excuse me in the language of the country where you’ll be traveling. Those few important words can break down many barriers.

Understand that life happens at different paces in different places. Don’t let that frustrate you. You took time off to relax, so relax.

Remember that occasional disappointments and frustrations are part of the travel experience and they always will be. Take them in stride. When your expectations aren’t met, look for opportunities to do things that you never expected to do. Discovering and enjoying the unexpected is the true magic of travel.

Copyright © 2018 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved