this is where i live

CAMP!

 

road to/from Racos

 

campsite

bridge we have to take in/out of Racos

my (now broken, but repaired and standing) tent

more coming, like the views I wake up to which still seem like something from another life

updates here

trainfood

eating on trains has become quite a trend in my life; it is something to look forward to, plan for...
I am clearly not alone.

  

 
more updates here, photographic and not

belatered: things in Bucharest, including graffiti and spidermen

 Overall, Bucharest presents in itself a most drastic contrast between utter decrepitude and complete renovation. It not at all subtle: there are excavating machines on every other corner of the historical center. One side of each street is modern, shiny and new, inhabited by innumerable and mostly overpriced  cafes, while the other side has things like this.

 

 I thought this was funny. I am twelve. I am pus pe toti.

 <---- this was a mystery

                                                           cat --->

coastlife

some pretty old jars beside the archaeological museum

I would like to meet the forty-four Jews of Constanța.

It's been all beach & kebab and ruins. Jeff's here. We've been eating lots of cheese [and kebabs; I've temporarily relinquished my vegetarianism for a variety of reasons].

Some Frenchmen are incomprehensible.

some small realities

Shemdegi sadguri: Bucuresti [tomorrow]

People, Sibiu:

 

streets just grow out of other streets, archways, holes in walls

The historical museum has a room full of gravestones, mostly 17th century

 a humorous approach to restoration

further evidence of my continuing presence

 I am planning to do a whole post of stained glass windows sometime soon. Gathering evidence, I guess.

Cuisine Across Oceans or: Canadians, Were You Lying?

Apparently, Canada is not the only place that can claim poutine.

 

 Who did it first, eh?

But then, there is this:

 

 

                                                       erm... # 1 in Romania?

 

Romanians do know where to keep their televisions.











In other observations, I think it is almost ironic that in Transylvania, every other door either directly leads to or has a sign advertising a dentist's office.

that's not over-exposure, that's godlike radiance!

And, in case anyone was wondering, I am very much alive and well, as you can see in these [great] photos. Churches are convenient for these self-timed shots because there are lots of benches to prop a camera on, few people, and hence little chance of getting robbed.

um, just tryin' to fit in, guys

<---- cat









[real pictures & stuff here]

culture and culture

Got fondled by a tipsy middle-aged Romanian in a minivan. 

A joke some Australians made today:

--What's the difference between a tub of yogurt and Australia?

-- After 200 years a tub of yogurt would have some culture.

I met someone today who is hiking, as in, walking, from Germany to Constanța. He has been hiking for fifty days now. 

Turda (many more pictures here):

Head Cheese and Texas Country

Somehow, head cheese has become a running joke in my hostel in Cluj, after I mentioned it once. Somehow, the joke is sexual.

I also found out that "Texas Country" is apparently a whole separate genre of music.I am fairly certain it is my new least favorite genre of music.

The potential travel plan

May 19th: Land in Budapest
May 21st: Train to Cluj-Napoca
May 24th: Train to Sibiu
May 27th: Train to Bucharest
May 30th: Train to Constanţa
June 2nd: Trains to Timișoara
June 4th: Train back to Budapest
June 11th: Train to Brașov (overnight)
June 12th-July 16th: Archaeological excavation near Racoş, Brașov county.
July 16th: Train to Budapest (overnight), then flight to London, layover and...
July 18th: Back in New York City


View Shemdegi Sadguri: Romania in a larger map

Plane tickets have been purchased! Romania, here I come.