We arrived late last night in Bucharest, after 10 pm, and it's late and the folks are starving! We take a taxi to the hotel! The meter says 13 lei, and the taxi driver wants to charge us 30 lei! I refuse, and the taxi driver shouts: I, not a gypsy! I refuse to pay and give him 20 lei! Now the hotel owner joins in and says he is going to call the police! The taxi driver nearly spits in my face, but I don't budge. He throws the 20 lei on the floor I pick it up and walk to the hotel, by now he is so irate, I hold the 20 lei out to him he grabs it and then he gets into the taxi and speeds away!!! What a performance. The underlying aggression is tangible!
I choose hotels out of the Lonely Planet. The recommendation is always excellent! This one is super expensive after Bulgaria, perhaps 5 times more! We complain, the hotel manager says! I am not a taxi driver! This is a good rate, half of what he normally charges.
I decide we're going to stay, it's too late and we are too tired!
We cross the street to a tiny pub, and eat a salad.
Back in the hotel we fall into bed, exhausted. I have my own room, and wow, it's a luxury bed with the softest cushion. I wake up early as the traffic from 5 am in the morning, is unreal. Bucharest is one phenomenal traffic jam. We decide we're getting out of here and after breakfast we are catching a train to Transylvania.
The hotel was worth every penny! Good bed, fantastic linen and great breakfast! The guy at the reception was an absolute darling, and answered all my questions! Very very helpful!
See www.vilaarte.ro
The station is another nightmare! The problem is very few people use the Balkan flexi train pass, and when I present it at the ticket office, nobody knows how it works and what to do!
After a frustrating 1/2 hour dealing with an inefficient clerk, I say, this is just like Africa! A Handsome Romanian man says: no this is worse, I promise you. He gets involved in the negotiation and finally I have 3 reserved seats! Phew!
When I get back to the folks mom is standing in the arrivals hall with a question mark on her face? Where have you been? Looooooong story
I say.
Were waiting on the platform for a train, a gypsy arrives with a plaster covering half her face, the police gets hold of her, pulls off the plaster, and a massive argument ensues. Her family, mother, father and cousin are all joining in. Guess what, there is nothing wrong with her face.
5 minutes later she is on the platform again with the plaster going in a different direction.
Dad gets talking with a suspicious looking man, he shows us where our compartment is and immediately asks us for a donation. He tries to sell mom magazine for a lot of money. I say noo noo noo and gives him 1 lei! He gets so annoyed and aggitated with us and walks away.
1 minute later another arrives and starts packing out things onto my seat, I say noo noo noo and he throws mom an up yours sign!
Then a gipsy woman arrived that blew smoke in my face on the platform, also trying to 'verkwansel' something, she also got so angry with me when I said noo noo noo!
In the train I buy a beer for mom and I take a glass from the dining cart! The waiter starts shouting! They are so aggressive here.
Prince Charles own 8 properties in Romania and apparently loves it here. He arrived here the same time as us, to rest after his Queen mother's jubilee celebration!
Say hello to Prince Charles for me!
ReplyDeleteI have to admire your intrepid traveller spirit. All that confrontation would have freaked me out! Hope Transylvania is more tranquil.