It could be argued that communism prospered in Romania until the mid 1990’s and beyond. Iliescu and his cronies effectively took one step forward after the departure of Ceau?escu and little changed for years (apart from party names). Politicians of all stripes talked about capitalism, building a free market economy and the concepts of privatisation as the silver bullets that would transform the economy and drive rapid growth. The concepts are powerful if the execution matches them – sadly the temptation to dip into the cookie tin has proved to be too much for too many and the Romanian economy is still blighted by corruption and chronic inefficiency. Politicians, however, cannot resist meddling, and health care is the latest victim (and it was not exactly robust to begin with).

So why are there rioters on the streets of Bucharest and other Romanian cities?

At the end of December 2011, the Romanian Ministry of Health published a draft law for public discussion. If implemented, the new law will effectively change the nature of the healthcare system. Under these new provisions, the private sector will play a more important role and there are references to the privatisation of hospitals and voluntary health insurance made by private companies.

In response to the proposed laws, Raed Arafat, the polpular deputy health minister, stated that the new health law would destroy the integrated system of emergency response that is instrumental in solving very serious cases and provides a key element of the national security and defense policy of Romania against disaster, replacing it with commercial competition. The main objection was against allowing private medical operators to run their own ambulance service, which should offer free emergency services, as a competition to the state run emergency services. Having seen how some companies have dominated the private security sector and are moving into ambulance services, there is clear cause for concern.

Raed Arafat was appointed Under Secretary of State for Health on August 23, 2007, by a decision signed by then Prime Minister, Calin Popescu Tariceanu. In the ministry, Raed Arafat was in charge of emergency medicine. He is also the founder and coordinator of the Mobile Emergency Service for Resuscitation and Extrication (SMURD), one of the most successful emergency systems in Eastern Europe. He was awarded with the National Order ‘For Merit’ in rank of Officer by President Traian Basescu in December 2005 he for his efforts in rescuing people from floods and for his daily efforts to save the lives of many Romanians. He is currently the coordinator doctor of SMURD (intensive care) of Targu Mures, and is undoubtedly a man that deserves genuine respect.

It must have been a blow for the government to see the resignation of Raed Arafat in response to their draft law on the reform of the healthcare system. President Basescu had already warned Arafat during a live TV interview “that the draft law is to be discussed, this is why it is open for public debate. The right approach is to present his concerns via the ministry and not create public outcry that this government wants to destroy the ambulance service.” This warning was arguably one of the key points leading to the resignation that subsequently sparked a series of protests that quickly transformed into protests against the regime itself. Many hospitals in Romania may amongst the worst in Europe but the system Arafat founded is one of the few things many Romanians think works properly – it literally saves lives. The proposal to restructure this was the spark to the tinder and 22 years after the first major round, demonstrators took to the streets.

After resigning as Under Secretary of State in Romania’s Health Ministry, Arafat condemned the draft law on health reform in the clearest terms possible, stating on January 10: “I have the obligation to warn, and not to shut up, not to stand still, hoping that this will be negotiated. This was not the first time an attempt to commercialise the emergency system has been made.” Arafat also added that he resigned because he felt by leaving the Ministry of Health he will have more chances to protect the emergency system.

In the face of this widespread opposition, B?sescu declared on Friday that the draft law should be withdrawn. As ever, Basescu displayed an alarming level of disconnection with the electorate when saying: “I reckon that very many are happy with the current health system.” Basescu appears to have assessed public opposition towards operating the health system as a market as opposition towards improving it in general. Since then the street protests have continued, highlighting the gulf between the country’s ‘elite’ class and the people on the street. People continued to gather in big cities, protesting in the name of a variety of causes.

Some of the international press are referring to these events as protests against the austerity measures that the government have had to agree with the IMF in return for monetary support. As ever, protesters look for key figures to direct their anger towards. Worryingly, the opposition have not been opposing the government, indicating that the entire political class is disconnected from the reality of the streets. This brings the harsh reality to light – when faced with choices between a leader like Basescu and leading opposition figures such as Crin Antonescu or Victor Ponta, Romanian voters could hardly be accused of being spoilt for options.

After riots on Sunday January 15^th the Prime Minister, Emil Boc, called for dialogue. According to Boc, following the withdrawal of the draft law, Raed Arafat will return as Under Secretary of State in Romania’s Health Ministry. The streets will hopefully be restored to peace, but the underlying problems will not go away. When you live on a pittance and drive a Dacia 1300, watching the politicians swan around in their expensive limousines and gas guzzling SUV’s from expensive housing to expensive restaurants must create some bewilderment. It appears that there is some steel behind the discontent and we can only hope that the government can address concerns and drive a peaceable end to the protests.

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Police spokeswoman Alina Dinu said the uranium, stored in eight metal pipes, was not enriched. She said the theft had been discovered on October 26. Florin Dobra, an official at the Romanian National Commission for Nuclear Activities told Antena 3: “the potential for radioactive contamination in the environment is extremely limited.” The uranium had been stored in a bunker at the plant in Stei, western Romania, he said, adding the theft could have occurred up to three months ago.

The story was briefly featured but then dropped from the news very quickly. There was a short investigation by ProTV in which one of the managers from the Nuclear Control Office revealed that at any time Uranium or radioactive ore could disappear. The same employee is saying that there is no control of radioactive materials in Romania as the mines have been abandoned by the government.

The ProTV reporter visited one of the mines with an old local miner and they found clothes, footsteps, traces from the wheel of the wheelbarrow, and plenty of other signs that someone interested in the ore had been inside there. We do not know how recently, but not long!

Curiosity led us to look at the background. In the 1950’s the Russians started to exploit the precious radioactive ore in line with the contract that was signed to cancel the debts Romania had to pay back to USSR. With this deal over now the mines are not in use anymore and they are effectively open for any person who wants to go inside. Most of the mines are unprotected, and the ones that are protected are ‘’guarded ‘’ by two guys, sitting at the gate in a kiosk, but if you walk around the mine premises, there are no fences, so its free access. Welcome to Romania!!

This is not the first case, so authorities cannot plead ignorance. In March 2008, the UK Government sent a MI6 team in Romania, tracing dealers interested in Uranium. MI6 stated that Raul Reyes, a columbium terrorist leader, visited Romania in January 2008 where he met a Ukrainian dealer in order to buy uranium to build a bomb. Reyes was later found dead in Columbia, and all the information about this operation was made public.

So, nobody has seen or heard a thing, and until now nobody managed to trace the stolen uranium. The fact remains that 73,5 kg of uranium ore can give you over 3kg of pure uranium which is more than 200 grams of 235 isotope uranium. This is enough to make lovely nuclear bomb.

We are not sure if lack of news regarding this is really because there are no real safety issues linked to the loss or if has been covered up to prevent embarrassment. EURATOM, the European Atomic Energy Agency, announced their support of a new nuclear power plant shortly after the loss was discovered – the last thing that anyone would have wanted would be a cancellation due to the loss of a few kilos…

We found the fact that it may have been missing for three months slightly worrying, but whichever way you look at it, there appears to be some uranium up for grabs if anyone needs some…

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One person show

After Jet Moon & Queer Beograd Collective

With C?t?lin Jugravu

By Mihai Lukacs

Based on an old tradition of Weimar republic cabaret during the 1920’s, Queercore presents a theatrical extravagance/political intervention/Kabarett.  We politicize queer on stage to explore and irreverently satirize militarism,  gender roles, homophobia and nationalism. On the way to the change that we want to see happening, we offer you a safe social space. We want to show how our problems connect by bringing on stage those lives that don’t fit into neat categories and clear boundaries.

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Sport immediately sprang to mind, prompted by Hagi but also with an awareness of gymnastics tapping the subconscious. Gheorghe Hagi appears to be known throughout Europe having played at the highest level for Steaua Bucuresti in the days when they were a European contender, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Galatasaray. He represented Romania, earning 125 caps, and played in the World Cup tournaments of 1990, 1994 and 1998 and remains the highest scorer with a total of 35 international goals. After hanging his boots up, Hagi moved into coaching and has coached clubs in Romania and Turkey as well as the Romanian national side (beating Hungary for the first time).

Competing with Hagi for national honours is the gymnast Nadia Comaneci. Nadia shot to fame in the 1976 Olympics when she scored the first perfect 10. Only Bo Derek ever came close. Nadia also holds the record as the youngest Olympic gymnastics all-around champion ever, and due to revised age-eligibility requirements in the sport this cannot currently be broken. The next few years were tough partly due to family reasons and partly due to a new training environment. Natural determination saw Nadia come back to compete in the 1980 Olympics where she won two additional gold medals.

Life immediately after the success of the Olympics was bleak, to use her words, as the ruling communists kept her under strict supervision and she was barely allowed to leave the country. Life became so intolerable that Nadia defected in 1989, shortly before the revolution, and escaped the authoritarian yoke to the United States. Nadia is now settled with family in the United States and remains active with many charities and various international organizations.

The final famous sporting Romanian is actually a club, and not a person. The club has a long and illustrious history by European standards, as well as being the most successful in Romanian history. Domestically, Steaua counted a number of 104 unbeaten matches in the league between June 1986 and September 1989). This was a world record and still stands in Europe. Steaua also won the European Cup final in 1986, beating Real Madrid in a nail biting final that ended with a penalty shoot out as the game was drawn after extra time. The goalkeeper, Helmuth Duckadam, saved the day (sorry) for Steaua as he stopped four successive penalties from Madrid, leaving Steaua with a 2 – 0 win. No other club in Eastern Europe has achieved success, and there are few signs of this happening with the current power of clubs from Spain, England, Germany and Italy dominating the Champions League.

So, Romania has a lot of bragging rights associated with sporting success. But there are also a series of scientific discoveries that came from Romania. If you have ever flown from the international airport at Otopeni you may have noticed that it is officially called Henri Coanda. Otopeni is the location of the airport but it is actually named after the inventor of the first jet engine. Whilst working in France, Coanda built an aircraft that he presented at the International Aeronautic Salon in Paris in 1910. The plane was revolutionary as it used a compressor to provide propulsion through a combination of suction at the front and airflow out of the rear. No propeller required! There is some dispute as to whether the plane actually flew, with claims that the aircraft was destroyed during a test flight and other claims that it never left the ground. The truth may never be fully established but Coanda is widely regarded as having invented the jet engine. Later works included a flying saucer (of the non ET variety), several more conventional aircraft with propellers for propulsion and a turboprop propulsion unit for snow sleds (the first and probably most exciting Ski-doo) for the Germans during World War II.

In addition to the jet engine, a Romanian also invented the injector seat, although there is no direct link between the two developments. The modern version of the ejector seat is based upon a design from Anastase Dragomir in the 1920’s. There seems to be a theme developing here as the first test was near Paris, although the next test was at Baneasa near Bucharest (probably at the airport that is still the welcoming face of Romania to visitors using low cost airlines). Dragomir managed to register a patent for what he called the ‘catapult-able cockpit’ at the French patent office but then faded away as other developers perfected the idea.

As well as scoring some firsts in aviation history, Romania also has some medical discoveries dating back to when there was a functioning healthcare system. Nicolae Paulescu was the first person to isolate insulin, a feat that he achieved in 1916, naming the substance pancrein. When he injected pancrein into a diabetic dog he discovered that blood sugar levels were stablized. Further experiments were curtailed by the war that was being fought around the world, but Paulescu finally published papers on his discovery in 1921. This was followed by scandal and controversy when Frederick Banting claimed to have discovered insulin and was awarded a Nobel prize. The fact that Banting quoted work by Paulescu in his paper that won the prize was overlooked, and there is a widely held view that he was not recognised as the real inventor of insulin due to his anti-semitic views. This is a debate that continues into the politically correct days of the 21^st century as in 2005 the Executive Board of the International Diabetes Federation declared that “the institute does not want to be associated with Nicolae Paulescu” because of his anti-semitic views – the fact that his discovery saves lives is apparently besides the point…

You may be familiar with the expression that the pen is mightier than the sword. If this is still the case (does Twitter count?) then another Romanian made a major contribution to the development of the good old fountain pen. There are references to fountain pens that go as far back as the 10^th century when a caliph demanded and received a pen that would not leak ink and stain him. There are other historical references to fountain pens but the first major step was taken in 1827 when Petrache Poenaru managed to register his design for a fountain pen with a replaceable ink cartridge with the French patent office. It appears that there is a history of Romanian inventors and their links with France. It was another 20 years before the manufacture and use of fountain pens became widespread but the ideas of Poenaru led the way.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Why-do-Romanians-Suck-on-Bill-Gates-s-Software-Nipple-29094.shtml

Moving from the pen to the PC, Microsoft appears to have been powered by Romanians. Getting an exact figure has proved difficult but there are hundreds of Romanians working at the headquarters of Microsoft in Redmond, California. Ever since the first Romanian turned up for work there back in 1992, Romanians have proved to be a major asset for the company. That’s nearly 20 years of either celebration or frustration depending upon your view of Bill Gates’ software empire.

Going back in time to an undetermined date, Romania also has a unique colour to its’ credit. Albastru de Voronet is a very special tone of blue that was invented at the Moldovian monastery Voronet (that mysteriously shares the name…).  There are not many places that can claim to have invented their own colour.

This shade of blue is similar to the shade used at the worlds only Happy Graveyard, Albastru de Sapanta. This is another unique claim for Romania as no other country (to our knowledge) has a graveyard with a happy reputation.  The graveyard is located in the village of Sapanta in Maramures County (which explains the name of the blue colour used). The graveyard currently contains more than 800 graves with some dating back as far as the 1950’s. Each gravestone has a picture of the dead resident and their requested last words, and bright colours are used. The last words are often laced with humour, and the villagers are most happy to have this unique monument.

Being in a place full of the dead brings us nicely back to the undead, and the most famous Romanian of all, Vlad Tepes. Much has been written about the historical character, and far more about his alter ego, Dracula. As we have already written about the Count, we have reached the point where we need to push the switch for the ejector seat, James Bond style, and leave you to ponder on these remarkable contributions made by Romanians over the years.

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Anyone can register their profile at the Let’s Meet website (address below) and sign up to join the individual events that are organised. There are several types of event to allow people to attend evenings that will be of interest to them. Theses include evening themes such as …Out. During an …Out evening there are an even number of men and women that share company with each other over a three course meal spread across three different restaurants. This gives everyone the chance to interact with each other, and then blends into the Let’s Meet After Party in a central location. The other concepts can be explored on the website:

http://www.letsmeet.ro/BU/

The single members of Let’s Meet are mainly Romanian, which is no bad thing as it means that you also get the chance to meet and spend time with local residents as well as expatriates. Most of the single expat males that we have ever met are more then keen to get the opportunity to meet local ladies, so this could be the way forward. Let’s Meet are keen to understand the language capabilities of all members to ensure that they can match couples that can communicate with each other, or at least speak the same language….

Let’s Meet are also looking to expand activities outside Bucharest to other cities and they already have more than 600 registered singles in Romania, 500 of these being based in Bucharest. They are looking for new members so if you have been solo for long enough, get in touch and see what life brings.

Please Click Here To Download The Let’s Meet PDF

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There is one place on Earth where laughter is sparked by something macabre. This is a village “thrown” into the farthest corner  of Romania. In the heart of the human settlements, inhabited by perhaps the most hardworking Romanian, there is a cemetery.

The whole community revolves around the existence of cross piled on a patch of land, far too small, compared with such great souls buried beneath them.

Here, life is too nice to say “goodbye” when you close one last time your eyes. In this place, heroes are not Columbeanu Monica, Traian Basescu and Inna. Here, each person has his own place on the podium, every citizen is a star and every man has his fans, including visitors who will smile when reading his life story.

While in other parts of the world, biographies of celebrities  are sold for big money and around the world. Here  each biography has no material value, but a truly precious legacy of people who loved life, and did not want to leave here, too quickly!

True outdoor museum, the Happy Cemetery is located in the center of S?pân?a at the parish church and comprises over 800 monuments of folk art, with a very different look and meaning. By its nature, this cemetery, dating from 1935, is a unique value. It is a life-work and the craftsman forged wooden funerary crosses, in a manner that is original and like this they have managed  to banish sadness and darkness that brings death. They have removed the drama, focusing on the celebration of life.

The unique monuments in this cemetery are the crosses carved in oak, painted and with  popular verse epitaphs.
All crosses are painted in shades of blue, so-called “blue S?pân?a” with decorations made in a color palette of bright colors: red, black, green, yellow.. They not only say about the best moments of someone’s life but also about some practical and most common incidents that can happen in one’s life. Sometimes they are pretty direct and were always written as if the person writes himself like – “an evil man shot me in the back”, or in some other case, it said about someone’s love of the Romanian plum brandy- tuica in some poetic verses like –
“Now I will tell you a good one/ I kind of liked the plum tuica/ With my friends at the pub/ I used to forget what I came for!!.”

Above each epitaph, which captures in the most suggestive lyrics a few brief moments in the life of the dead, his face is painted in bright colors, captured in a crucial moment of his life. The characters are moving, active, often smiling. Most epitaphs have a touch of humor, which drew the name of “Happy Cemetery”.

The local culture proved its difference from the other typical European cultures that believed in the solemnity and sorrow of someone’s death, and rather followed the Dacian philosophy that souls are immortal and death is only the gateway to a new world.

The great monument shows the Romanian sense of humor and optimistic spirit that celebrates the death of the many people for their release from this world and their onset of a new voyage.

“De cu tîn?r copila?
Io am fost Stan Ion P?tra?
S? m? asculta? oameni buni
Ce voi spune nu-s minciuni

Cîte zile am tr?it
R?u la nime n-am dorit
Dar bine cît-am putut
Ori?icine mia cerut

Vai s?raca lumea mea
C? greu am tr?it în ea”

Since I was a little boy
I was known as Stan Ioan P?tra?
Listen to me, fellows
There are no lies in what I am going to say

All along my life
I meant no harm to anyone
But did good as much as I could
To anyone who asked

Oh, my poor World
Because It was hard living in it.”

For those of you that love to watch the travel channel specials, you won’t want to miss Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations tour of Romania. We will not post this video on here, as they regularly catch copyright infringement of this episode on YouTube. Go ahead an go to Google and search for this video and watch it if you can – it is well worth it. Interestingly enough, it is painfully obvious that Anthony was slightly disappointed with his tour through Romania. As you’ll see he approaches Romania more through the eyes of a tourist than through that of an expat or adventurer. As a result he does not really experience all that Romania has to offer. He visits a small handful of landmarks in Bucharest, then makes way for Bran Castle for a “Dracula” Halloween Party. Lastly, he ends up at the Cemetery where, thankfully, he seems to enjoy himself in the light of this “odd” bit of humor.

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Romania’s Carpathia Mountains on UK TV

Prince Charles, far Descendant of Vlad the Impaler, by historical lineage , which could actually answer a few questions of our monarchy, and by his own admission, is interviewed in this wonderful series and WELL worth a watch, also a real tribute to the beauty of the Carpathia’s

The Travel Channel will start airing October 30th a documentary featuring Romania’s Carpathian area. The documentary, which is titled Wild Carpathia, is funded by the European Nature Trust TENT.

The TV production will take viewers through the breath-taking but little known mountains and forests of Carpathia, perhaps the last great wilderness in Europe, seen as never before. The region’s history and culture is explored starting from the mystical ruins of the ancient Dacian civilizations to its medieval communities, the heritage of which survives intact to this day.

Airing dates:

Sunday 30 October at 20:00

Wednesday 02 November at 20:00

Thursday 03 November at 13:30

Saturday 05 November at 14:00

Sunday 06 November at 18:00

Saturday 12 November at 08:00

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But who was Dracula, and how did he get to be so famous?

Well, Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler, is one of history’s most murderous figures — and the inspiration for Count Dracula.

He was a Romanian Prince, famous for his barbarity and ruthlessness.

His most favourite method of murder was impalement, during which victims were lowered on to sharpened stakes that went in through the anus and out again in the armpit area, suffering an agonising death as their weight pulled them down. Ugh – not the ideal way to spend your final hours!

So how did this crazy killer start his life and end up as such a vicious impaler?

Vlad was born in Sighisoara in late 1431. His father, also Vlad, was military governor of Transylvania and belonged to the Order of the Dragon, a band of knights whose duties included crusading against Turks. This is a bit like modern Saturday nights in some towns; a few beers followed by a kebab and off for a ’Crusade’ (although the targets of these rampages appear to be mostly random nowadays).

Vlad senior was awarded the surname Dracul because it means Devil in Romanian. Dracula is a short form, nickname, what a nickname that turned out to be!!

At the tender age of 11 the young Vlad was seized by Turks as a hostage and spent six years in captivity in Turkey, during which time he grew into a monster without compassion as well as learning how to impale people. While he was away in captivity his father was overthrown and murdered, along with his older brother. At 25, Vlad killed his father’s murderer Vladislav II and seized power. Thus began a reign of terror.

Vlad took revenge on those who helped topple his father by impaling the older ones and forcing the younger ones to march 50 miles to another town. Once there they were made to build him a fortress — and many died in the process (a method used again by Ceaucescu as many people died building his grandiose projects including the Transfagarsan Pass). Vlad was now a law and order fanatic, like the modern day Gadaffi, favourite method again, impaling, petty criminals were impaled, merchants who flouted trade laws, were impaled, impaling was a popular sport as we can see!!

One can imagine at times it was like a Monty Python sketch with lots of different people being dragged in front of the Right Honorable Judge ‘Vlad the Impaler’ for the justice of the day.

“Crime?”

“Stealing an apple, your honour.”

“Impale him, next.”

“This one is behind with his taxes.”

“Impale the wretch. What’s the next one done?”

“Next one, erm, not sure your honour, we found him hanging around outside.”

“Impale, next”

Pretty much anybody Vlad disliked was impaled. He considered all poor people to be thieves and scroungers so much so that he once invited a crowd of them to a feast at his court in Tirgoviste. When they had finished he had the hall locked and burned to the ground with them inside, saying they were scroungers.

At one point he is said to have rounded up peasants and driven them off a cliff, beneath which he had placed row upon row of sharpened stakes. This was more impaling, a different style of impaling, but impaling none the less.

On another occasion in 1459, two Ottoman ambassadors came to his court. When asked to remove their turbans, they refused on religious grounds so Vlad asked his guards to nail them to their heads. This may not have passed as good diplomacy in those days (or today) but it certainly made a point.

Vlad had a particular dislike for the Germans, one that they shared, and many of his worst atrocities were depicted in German publications printed on the newly invented press. This was effectively behind his route to fame – the fifteenth century version of mass media!!

One illustration shows what was arguably Vlad’s most appalling act of savagery, which came in 1462 as his heavily-outnumbered army fled through Romania from Turkish invaders. Along the way Vlad torched his own villages and poisoned wells so the chasing Turks had nothing to eat or drink. At Tirgoviste, he impaled 20,000 Turkish prisoners and ate as he watched them die, this made the local press…The Turkish soldiers who found the “Forest of the Impaled” were so distraught that they unsurprisingly gave up the chase and went home. Whilst this might have been a bit distasteful to the Germans, the Romanian population in the area was probably a lot more enthusiastic about the retreat of the invading Turks.

Vlad Tepes was assassinated in 1476 — but just over 400 years later his bloodthirsty deeds provided the inspiration for Dracula, a fictional character literally was more bloodthirsty then the original character. Count Dracula first appeared in the 1897 novel Dracula by Irish writer Bram Stoker and caused quite a stir in Victorian society. With the development of cinema, the Dracula legend continued to grow and he has now made more than 160 movie appearances and looks set to continue. Vampire themed movies such as the Twilight series continue to fill the Hollywood coffers and many books are also written around the theme of vampirism (Anne Rice, anyone?).

All joking aside, this man was a horror, and if you ever have the luck to visit the Carpathian mountains in the heart of Transylvania, you can feel that time has not changed too much in parts of these mountain areas, but fortunately, impaling is not in fashion any more (but carry your stake and garlic for vampires should you stumble across any…).

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When you consider the proximity to Bucharest, Sinaia is the ideal destination ski resort when there is snow on the slopes. The downside of this closeness is that a good snow forecast does tend to trigger a Friday afternoon migration from Bucharest to Sinaia with the resultant busy slopes. If you have the opportunity, midweek skiing offers a lot more freedom and less time in lift queues. If you want some extra variety, you can use Sinaia as the base for skiing in different resorts in the Prahova valley, with skiing in Busteni and Azuga being very close by.

For the fans of outdoor activities, Sinaia laso has a lot to offer when the snow has gone. It is possible to rent mountain bikes or quad bikes (ATV’s) to explore the Bucegi Mountains and Baiului Mountains that surround the town.

Whatever the time of year, Sinaia is a lovely town with a rich history in Romanian terms. It makes no tenuous claims to any association with Vlad Tepes (the original character that the Dracula myth is based upon) but it does have Peles Castle as the ace up the sleeve and a variety of attractions capable of meeting multiple requirements.

Built in the latter part of the nineteenth century by King Carol I, the palace is a Bavarian jewel guarded by the surrounding mountains. Rich in interior and exterior decoration, the palace was wrapped in a complex blend of wood carvings and painted scenes from operas by Wagner. Today, Peles is one of the best preserved royal palaces in Europe and arguably the most fabulous palace in Southeast Europe. Peles is an excellent place to visit if you have not been there before, and makes a great destination to take visitors to as well.

If you do visit Peles then it is worth spending some extra time and visiting the neighbouring castle, Pelisor. Pelisor Castle was built in Peles Castle’s park from the desire of King Charles I to offer a residence for the inheritor princes and princess Ferdinand and Marie. Rumour has it that the main reason for the additional castle was that the rigid Carol 1 did not get on very well with the headstrong and very modern Queen Marie so sharing the same space would have been difficult for all.

Pelisor castle still reflects today the strong personality and artistic talents of the Queen Maria, and the Golden room is something to behold. Queen Marie used design cues from Art Nouveau as a weapon against the Bavarian style of Peles and this led her to develop her own style by combining the new style with Celtic elements.

Another notable building in the centre of Sinaia is the casino. This was based upon the casino from Monte Carlo, and at the dawn of the 20^th Century it was frequented by royalty and the equivalent of the jet-set (although there is no record of a visit from Henri Coanda). The casino still sits in the centre of the town in the Dimitrie Ghica park and there are often events there from art exhibitions to concerts.

There are also many other architectural gems to be found around Sinaia. As it was the summer residence of the Royal family and the place where the government regularly held its meetings, almost all major families of the country and important politicians built houses in the town. These were beautiful buildings, built with design work from some of the best Romanian architects of the time. Some of these buildings are in need of some tender loving care but others have either survived the neglect of the communist years and subsequent lack of interest or been lovingly restored.

Music lovers can take the time to visit the George Enescu’s Memorial House is situated in the Cumpatu district. The first residence of the Romanian composer, conceived as a place of refuge, it served for many years as a cultural settlement for Romanian and foreign artists. The George Enescu Memorial House currently offers documentary about the life and work of the musician. Once called Villa Luminis, it now offers a special environment where you can still listen to music in the piano lounge.

Even the train spotters out there can find an outlet for their passion. Sinaia is the only city in Romania which can boast two royal train stations. The oldest station was built in 1886 for King Carol I. The famous Orient Express train stopped in this station. The other railway station was built between 1938 and 1940 by King Carol II. This stone building marked by the royal letters of Carol II, still visible today on the door knobs, was solely for the use of the royal family and its guests.

There is also a Miniature Train Museum as the railway station in Sinaia hosts a permanent exhibition of mini trains. The collection was donated by the Drera family for all train lovers and was completed with old engine installations, clocks and telephones donated by the Romanian Railway Company. Among the curiosities you can find here is Ana Pauker’s limousine that runs on rails. Ana Pauker bought a Mercedes, had it adjusted with special train wheels, had the doors bullet-proofed with lead and used it to travel on the railroad. The museum intends to expand its collection every year.

As well as some historical gem, Sinaia is also starting to address the issues of the 21^st Century. The Cumpatu district also boasts the first hotel in the Prahova Valley to be awarded the ecolabel for it’s sustainable approach to the environment. Hotel Piatra Soimului became members of the Romanian Green Building Council and embraced the concept during recent redevelopment work to the point of qualifying for the award.

A small group of enthusiasts have formed an organisation called Redescopera (Rediscover) Sinaia to encourage and promote this jewel of a town. This is a combination of Sinaia residents and expatriates united by their vision of a vibrant future for the town. The organization is independent of local government and has clearly taken an ethical approach to the potential development of Sinaia. The group organises regular walking tours of the town to visit some of the architectural highlights, themed weekends featuring events such as gastronomy and photography and other activities for kids. The Redescopera Sinaia website has more details:

http://www.redescoperasinaia.ro/en/category/patrimoniu/

If you are looking for a day trip destination with a rich assortment of options or a longer sporting or touring holiday, there is nowhere to rival the attractions of Sinaia within such easy distance to Bucharest.

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BURBERRY BOGDANS!

Before I go any further, if your name is Bogdan but you are perfectly normal then just ignore the next paragraph as it’s NOT about you. If, however, you are the Bogdan described below then you must have come across this website by accident. Maybe you were searching for internet take-home ego’s, or maybe a new brain or something similar.

Ok, here we go. In Dorobanti there is a cafe along the main street that has chairs with fake Burberry design covers which is absolutely pointless because the design completely disappears when one of the ‘Burberry Bogdans’ lays his big fat, hairy D&G arse upon it.

Let me explain what a Burberry Bogdan is. Firstly, Bogdan is the generic name the expats give to these particularly unique characters roaming the streets of Bucharest. So, if you can picture an overweight hairy gorilla with a gold chain, shiny trainers, shaved head and a big black BMW or similar that is parked completely wrong and usually blocking the crossing (or even on top of a helpless old lady who happened to be negotiating the road) then you will have a good picture of what one of these neanderthal beasts looks like.

They sit for hours in the cafe saying nothing but just stare at their ‘baby’ parked just outside  the cafe door whilst  hugging their cappuccino like a sweet teddy bear  being careful not to spill any over the seven mobile phones carefully laid out in a nice line across the table.. Then, out comes the huge fat cigar that , I can only assume, reminds them of an ex-boyfriend or something as they smoke it in a very peculiar, pornographic style!

I would love to organize a pub quiz there but I fear that having six fingers on each hand would give them an unfair advantage with the math questions. Actually I think the extra finger they possess due to genetic malfunctioning, is to enable them to swing their car keys around and around and then gently caress them like rosary beads. It’s all quite sweet really isn’t it?

I’ve been to Bucharest zoo and its nothing compared with the pleasure I get by walking by this place every evening and watching the beasts being fed and watered and grunting words of no more than 3 letters in length to a wishful young lady sitting in the corner clutching her fake Louis Vuiton handbag and smiling vacantly like an empty house with the light on.

WHERE DO THEY GET THAT HAIR FROM?

Talking of strange sights, I remember very well the first time I came to Bucharest and wanted to use the bus and was politely introduced to the small silver painted ticket booth with the little window that is strategically designed perfectly but only if you are 1 metre tall.

Going back to zoo stories, I remember as a boy going into the reptile house at London zoo and just staring through the  glass at the leaves and plants inside and thinking to myself  “what’s in here, just plants?” . Then out of nowhere a large lizard suddenly moves right in front of me prompting a loud scream as I jumped out of my skin with fright and surprise.

I had actually forgotten that day until I slowly walked towards my first bus ticket booth in Tineretului and, shock horror, it was Déjà Vu time all over again.

“Jesus” I thought as I  bent down to place my face against the window and saw for the first time, the purple haired bus ticket monster looking back at me. I since discovered that many of the ticket monsters have the same hair style and the same purple hair colour so I can only assume that there is a small factory on the outskirts of Bucharest where they actually make them and then imprison them all in their own cell on the side of the street.

Interestingly, the equivalent selling metro tickets have a slightly darker purple colour to their hair so maybe they come from a rival factory somewhere. I actually said “Buna Dumineata” to one the other day and all I got was this look similar to an old  horse staring over a fence next to the highway to Constanta.

I have to say, I was tempted to ask “excuse me, you don’t have a son that likes cappuccinos in Dorobanti do you?” but I thought better and took my ticket and moved to get my train.

…AND MY FINAL TARGET?

On a more serious note, I was quite astonished to finally find out that those strange looking objects  that the equally strange looking people were selling at traffic lights along with the umbrella hats, were actually a device to put into your seat belt connection so the seat belt warning beep would stop when driving the car!

“Hello!”, there is a specific reason for that warning beep sounding, it’s because it’s a safety hazard not driving with your seat belt on and, more importantly, having your children safely secured in the car. I don’t care what the arguments are, there is no excuse for putting your child’s life at risk by allowing him/her to stand up between the two front seats while you are driving at over 50 kms per hour. I often see this and actually see the driver wearing a belt! ….. how irresponsible and stupid is that?

So, if you are someone who lets his precious child risk losing their life then take a look in the mirror. On the other hand, the next time you are up around Piata Victoriei and you see one of those guys potentially contributing to someone’s death, do me a big favour and run your car over his foot!

See you again very soon, take care everyone!

Colin

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Once in, however, the experience is a revelation. Modern and tasteful décor, a choice of places to sit and drink coffee and snack, and finally a proper duty free section with a good selection of wines and spirits (the Bucharest Expat team are not enthusiastic about cosmetics or chocolate but we do know that these are particularly popular purchase items for members of the fairer sex).

Having tried to buy wine at the old store but been deterred by the adventurous prices, we were keen to see what was on offer. We were shocked to discover that prices were still significantly higher than you will find in any Romanian supermarket. As background to this we would like to point out that the underlying concept behind Duty Free is that you pay the price of the goods minus local sales tax, so they should be lower priced than you can find in local retail stores.

As time was short (boarding called) we focused on our favourite grape – Feteasca Neagra and threw in a Chardonnay as a control. We saw bottles that we have seen in stores and quickly took a couple of prices with a view to checking them again when we got back. We went online to check the prices, including the Halewood Winery Outlet, and the table below shows the comparison. We used an exchange rate of 4.25 Lei to the Euro, which is probably about as good as you will get after the bank takes its FOREX skim.

It is quite striking that in the Duty Free Store, the wines cost twice what they would cost you if you bought them in Romania. This makes it very likely that tourists are being gouged as they seek to buy last minute souvenirs. Maybe this is how they are financing the airport improvement but ripping customers off seems to be an odd approach.

In light of this extortionate pricing policy, if you want to take some good Romanian wine to friends outside Romania, buy before you go. If you are travelling light with only hand luggage, you have little choice other than to pay an excessive amount to do so…

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Knowing that the uphill burst followed by the tree jump was going to be difficult, we followed a third track that we discovered with the benefit of daylight. Following the leader, I rounded a corner to see the ATV axle deep in mud – not a good sight! Leaving my companions to extract the ATV, I walked on to see if there were further obstacles to progress. There were a few, such as large rocks, logs and small fallen trees that were manageable, but the landslide was a jump too far. There was no sign of where the trail had been or where it re-started, so we were left with the tree jump test. It was not a big tree but the steep sloped approach made it difficult. Our fears were unrealised as my more experienced friends made it all look easy.

This took us to the next challenge – the canyon. Getting smarter, we spent a few minutes relocating an assortment of logs, rocks and gravel to create a crossing. With this in place we were soon on our way back up the hill and to safety. It still took several hours and couple of wrong turns to reach our destination. One incorrect turn led us down to an area with a breathtaking view, with a small waterfall to our right and layers of mountains marching into the hazy distance to the left. This gave us the chance to pause for a few minutes to savour the view, refill our water bottles and admire the maps again. One of my companions checked his GPS device, but as this was primarily to measure altitude all we were able to discover was that we were at 1100 metres. As there were a multitude of points on the map at this height, looking at the map was for entertainment purposes, although passing sheep could have been impressed. When we reached the farm at the end of the trail we once again asked for directions and again turned back the way we had come.

We found the right track and rode on, again riding along forest tracks, logging tracks and through mint patches. We managed to find deep patches of mud but without getting stuck this time. We did have to ask for more directions, but the assortment of people cutting trees down were all happy to point us in a direction. The approach to logging has no identifiable logic, but seems to be based on going as high as a truck can get, installing luxurious accommodation for the crew then cutting down anything that doesn’t move. This does not appear to be regulated or smart, as it leaves barren swathes of land and discarded branches. We must have been a rarity in these parts as one of the workers took photos of us as we passed.

After an assortment of trails we finally found a track out of the hills and in the correct direction. We finally arrived at the oasis of Fratii Jderi, 22 hours later than planned. As we were all weary from our trials and lack of sleep, this was the highlight of the two days. Fresh food, cold beer and warm showers all acquired medicinal properties, and an hour later we were very happy chaps. Dinner was divine – chicken cooked in wine and garlic sauce with mamaliga and French fries for a carbohydrate boost and fried eggs for extra protein. Fat and happy we were in bed early and promptly asleep.

Day three arrived as forecast with rain clouds replacing the sun. This soon turned to rain, but it looked like it would pass from our point in a bowl of tree covered mountains. Being low on fuel, a volunteer set out to the nearest OMV with the jerry can strapped to the back. Ten minutes after his departure, the black clouds arrived, bringing with them thunder, lightning and torrential rain. It was a very bedraggled ATV driver that arrived back, complete with the jerry can bouncing behind him. Swift investigation revealed that it must have been hanging off for a while as the base was worn to the point of leakage and we had a very lucky driver as a spark could have been catastrophic had it met the leaking fuel. Whilst waiting for fuel, I had whiled away the minutes watching the Xmas movie that was bizarrely being shown (in July). This left me with the curse of the Silent Night tune running through my head for the rest of the morning.

Once we had jump started the last ATV, we set off for Rimnicu Valcea. At this point, the skies again opened and for the next hour emptied onto the mountains. Judging by the amount of water that fell, the skies had been very full. This turned the tracks into fast flowing streams, making everything a challenge. At points I started to sympathise with wild salmon that have to swim upstream to spawn, although hoping that I would not match the fate of these noble fish. The mountain seemed to go on upwards forever, which was proving arduous for my weary arms and shoulders but at least replaced the tune of Silent Night with The Long and Winding road.

As the rain continued to pour, the roads were becoming slipperier than a politician with a contract to award. We finally reached the top of the climb, which proved to be a short lived joy. Going down was even more interesting that going up! The brakes were already faded from the adventures of the previous two days, but were mostly ineffective under these conditions. Switching to 4×4 and low gear was the best way to establish an element of control, but the descent was a barely controlled slide through mud and rocks, with the rear of the ATV occasionally trying to sneak past to the front. This is not ideal when the trails are narrow and the drop off the edge enough to focus attention.

The logging operations on this part of the mountain had been temporarily suspended, although we had to dodge a large truck and trailer combination working it’s way up through the rivers of water that were cascading down the hillside. We finally reached a point where the gradient eased off, and lead rider informed me to switch to high speed. This was briefly a cause for deep concern until I realised that he meant high gear ratio, and I had a quiet smile at my interpretation.

We finally reached our final destination to find it dry. This meant that our drenched appearance attracted some very odd looks from anyone we passed, but I was a long way past caring. My waterproof trousers had failed their first major test, leaving me wet from just below my waist to my ankles. My jacket and boots had actually performed better than I could have expected, so I had dry feet and a mostly dry torso. The ensuing strip and shower were again an absolute joy, and I could have happily spent the rest of the afternoon under the hot flow of water.

I must confess that I ended the adventure with a few deep aches and pains, probably a mix of some testing activities with the lack of flexibility that no longer being in the first flush of youth can bring. It felt like I had just completed several hours of circuits in a gym with a psychotic instructor. My shoulders had developed a deep ache; I had forearms like Popeye on a bad day and the right thumb of a PlayStation expert (but far less dexterous).

Settling down to write this I asked myself would I do this again? My answer, from the comfort of the armchair was a qualified yes. My two companions had been towers of strength and capability that pulled me through. The sights, sounds and smells of the three days will stay with me forever and the entire experience can definitely be described as character building. Accurate maps would be a big help, but are likely to be a long time coming. Ongoing tree cutting operations will keep changing the overall layout of the network of tracks – the valley that we ended up sleeping in had clearly been logged but abandoned at least a year ago. A no entry sign would have ideal, as anything apart from an ATV or an enduro bike will not survive the experience.

Bucharest Expat is keen to promote the natural beauty that Romania still has outside the cities. The infrastructure means that reaching it is still the biggest obstacle, but it is worth the effort once you arrive. Our advice would be to choose guides and equipment carefully and go soon while there are still areas of stunning nature and some trees left.

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After leaving Timisoara it wasn’t long before we felt like getting a quick stretch and a drink – coincidentally we were just approaching another dot on the map with the name of Arad next to it. Perfect. There ought to be a convenient store here for us. Indeed we found what we were looking for. We approached Arad via the typical entrance road with markings indicating a reduction in speed due to the proximity of an upcoming town. We slowed down and, inevitably the scenery began to change. Small buildings situated closer together. Nothing new. Arad looked to be yet another boring pass-through village. As we entered what we thought was the center of town, we were stopped by a barrier indicating bridge construction ahead and that we must double-back and follow a different route. We made a u-turn and turned down the only available side road we could about mid-way back. Quickly we noticed a sign with a forward arrow that said Centru. So apparently we weren’t yet in the center. We stand corrected. It was less than a minute later and we were greeted by a stunningly beautiful four lane tree-lined parkway. On each side of us ran rows of multi-coloured neoclassical and gothic style buildings, all awash with various shades of faded pastel paints. Nothing seemed too run-down, although nothing seemed “over the top” in design and styling. Everything blended seamlessly together however each building was unique enough for its own individual photo-shoot. The city is highly walkable, with shops, restaurants, clubs, and more all relatively clustered around this city center.

Naturally, we parked the car along the curb (hopefully legally) and grabbed the camera gear and began wandering around. Two of us headed across the street to the McDonalds and McCafe for a quick cup of coffee then met up the rest of the team after that for a walk around town.

A brief summary of Arad:

Arad is located along the Mures River on the Western tip of northern Romania. There are just over 150,000 people in Arad, making it small for the Country but the third largest city within this Northwestern Region (falling shy of Timisoara and Ordea). Due to its location, the town of Arad (originally Hungarian occupied) required “fortification” for lack of a better term, against the Mongol invasion. Along the Mures river sits the most recent (mid-1700′s) rendition of the fortress – so that being said – Arad is awash with monuments and museums of relics from the past. Fast forward to today and you have a city that is a transportation hub for this part of the region centered around large investments in industry and commerce. One wouldn’t guess that Arad will become a mecca for entrepreneurs like us, however it seems to be a city that will hold its own. For those that wish to spend much more time than we did in Arad, rest assured you will be able to find things to do. If you’ve got a great thought about this town; where to go and what to do, please leave it in the comments below.

In our walk around town we paid close attention to the buildings, real estate prices, the friendliness of the people, and whether or not we felt we could see ourselves carrying out daily life here. Real estate here is something of a great buy when compared against the per square meter prices of Bucharest properties. From suburban villas to modern apartments in the city center, one wouldn’t have to look far to find bargains at the 500 Euro per square meter level. We saw everything from top level warehouse space nearing 150 square meters to a little house along the river for a song and a dance. As we know the selling prices of homes are typically derived straight from the amount someone is willing to pay for them, usually based on economic opportunities and desirable within the city – but from an expats’ point of view it certainly is interesting to see “how much you can get for X number of euros” in different location.

Everyone here greeted us with a smile and a friendly “Buna” of some sort assuming we maintained a friendly approach as well. Hoping for a cheerful response in Bucharest is akin to beating your head up against a brick wall hoping it will eventually turn into a pillow. This was nice for a change – probably due to the fact that we were coming across more Hungarians here. After taking a look at some of the real estate, the local pubs, and the dining options, we walked towards the river. There is a line of levees that run alongside the river which are lined with biking and walking trails, however, in the name of time, we did not cross over this point on foot. We stopped short in what seemed to be a city park thrust backwards in time.

The faint sound of violin and accordion filled the air; an air which was slightly crisp and fresh – unlike any petrol scented parkway in Bucharest. We walked towards a cluster of people, which seemed to be the epicenter of this sound of days-gone-by. Sure enough the musicians were there – quietly humming along with a 6/8 tempo, serenading what seemed to be the local mens club. No fewer than twelve tables were occupied by men of all ages deep in thought over their game of chess. You’d swear that you are taking a glimpse into a world not to far from how Bucharest used to be in its’ prime (of course that one is up for debate as well). As we snapped some photos and wandered around the park we got to thinking how this town really did embody everything that seems great about small-town living. From the local bread makers and butcher shops, to the Irish pubs and scattered dance clubs, to the cafes and corner markets, this place seemed to have all that you’d need for day to day living. It is not so much this, but it is that these elements are all wrapped up in what seemed to be such a pleasant package, that it makes you feel as though this place could be a place to call home.

Looks like we should have kept driving through Timisoara and spent the night here. Oh well, maybe next time. Now we’re on our way to Cluj-Napoca!

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Just the other day we spoke with a husband and wife who both come from completely different walks of life. The wife – born and raised in New York City is a true “patriot” from the modernized and twisted definition. She believes that the US is the greatest Country in the World across the board. She believes that the US has the best food, the best healthcare, the strongest as well as most accurate beliefs, the greatest educational system, and the best quality of life overall. We’re not going to argue this point. Not because she is right, but because you simply cannot argue…period. For people like this, the US is the greatest. Is the US good at some things? Maybe. Bad at other things? Of course. Can we tell you what is the greatest Country of all? Not likely. Nonetheless, this is her point of view. Her husband on the other hand, was born and raised in a northern Italian city. His views are not only drastically different, but also slightly less voiced. Imagine that. While one can complain with reason about the quality of dental care in some European countries – Romania included – how can anyone in their right mind defend the chemical and hormone laced “foods” the US dare allow distributed? The conversation with these two was very interesting. It allowed us to truly “grasp” the evolution of a belief – the movement from one paradigm to another. Both are well-traveled. The wife worked for an airline for many years, which flew around the World to near-unlimited destinations. Although well-traveled, it would be a stretch to say that one in this line of work would be able to fully immerse themselves in a different culture for any meaningful period of time. A hotel is a hotel. The husband, a chemical engineer, also traveled around the World for work. His stays were likely longer, and as such he veered off in a much different direction mentally. Currently, this couple is living four months in Europe (Italy), four months in the US (New York), and four months in the Caribbean (the Dominican Republic). While this seems like as reasonable a division as any, their life is still torn. She would like no fewer than these four months set aside for life in what to her is the greatest Country on the planet; and he would like nothing more than to drop life in the US altogether. In fact, it was difficult for him to remain part of a conversation in any serious fashion when the topic revolved around the greatness and pure desirability of life in the US.

So there the stage is set – two drastically different people and trains of thought put together. But what does this really have to do with September 11th? We’re getting to that.

It is very interesting to note that the more “experience” Americans in particular have outside of the US, the more they begin to “see the light”. We’re not talking specifics here, but just in general. In order for one not to believe that T.G.I. Friday’s or Kentucky Fried Chicken is NOT the best when it comes to steaks or chicken, one must experience something that is… well… better. In order for one to realise that paying nearly $500.00 USD (much more if you carry health insurance) for a visit to the doctor to cure a sinus infection is unreasonable, one must experience the ultra-low costs comparatively for the same service in Bucharest or other cities. For one to understand that the educational system in the US may not be all it is cracked up to be, one simply needs to speak with a foreigner. Notice how the foreigner understands and speaks English even if it is not their native tongue. We can count on one hand the number of Americans we know that speak anything other than American and Canadian.  This brings us directly to the one thing that stands out in the eyes of an expat more than others regarding a shift in perspective; the media.

As Americans we tend to put a lot of emphasis on what we see on “Fair and Balanced” media outlets such as FOX News, or CNN. How often do we try to catch the news to see what’s going on in the World? Quite often? Interestingly enough as we are exposed to more and more “reputable” networks we are also exposed to more and more variations of the same story. As our minds try to sort out the “differences” we are also faced with a challenge: the challenge  to subconsciously (or consciously really) try to figure out which story is true and which one is false. As Americans do we gravitate towards CNN or Al Jazeera? FOX or Antenna 1? Of course we rely on what we feel to be the most factual of reports. We err on the side of what we are comfortable with. The problem is, it isn’t long before we start to realise that the Ministry of Truth may not be all it is cracked up to be. You see, while we can exist in part, isolated – starring only at the internet and tv – we inevitably must interact with society at some point in time. In doing so, we again, inevitably, come into contact with people from different walks of life that, also inevitably, have a different perspective, or “outlook” regarding the World today.

This brings us now back to the events in New York on September 11, 2001. “She” thinks this was the greatest act of terror ever on US soil which was clearly carried out and masterminded by none-other than Osama bin Laden. “He” thinks that this was the greatest act of terror ever on US soil which was clearly carried out and masterminded by none-other than those that would like you to believe it was Osama bin Laden.

Curiously enough, in talking with many Romanians, we find that the “conspiracy theory” is not the latter. Does this mean that the the events that took place on this date are not what Americans believe as whole? Who knows. What we do know is that everyone who is remembering this event today is remembering it in a slightly different way. We cannot say that Americans are upset for the “wrong” reasons but what we can say beyond a reasonable doubt is that people are upset for many “different” reasons. Whether it be a remembrance of the sad evolution of the political environment we live in today, or a reflection of those that suffered from a horrible tragedy, this is a day to remember.

For an interesting bit of reading for those that wish for a fresh perspective on the World today – consider stepping outside of the box for a moment. Available now is the book Crossing the Rubicon. Take look. This is one of those “must haves” for your reading collection. Here’s what the review has to say:

“The attacks of September 11, 2001, were accomplished through an amazing orchestration of logistics and personnel. Crossing the Rubicon discovers and identifies key suspects—finding some of them in the highest echelons of American government—by showing how they acted in concert to guarantee that the attacks produced the desired result.

Crossing the Rubicon is unique not only for its case-breaking examination of 9/11, but for the breadth and depth of its world picture—an interdisciplinary analysis of petroleum, geopolitics, narcotraffic, intelligence and militarism—without which 9/11 cannot be understood.

The US manufacturing sector has been mostly replaced by speculation on financial data whose underlying economic reality is a dark secret. Hundreds of billions of dollars in laundered drug money flow through Wall Street each year from opium and coca fields maintained by CIA-sponsored warlords and US-backed covert paramilitary violence. America’s global dominance depends on a continually turning mill of guns, drugs, oil and money. Oil and natural gas—the fuels that make economic growth possible—are subsidized by American military force and foreign lending.

In reality, 9/11 and the resulting “war on terror” are parts of a massive authoritarian response to an emerging economic crisis of unprecedented scale. Peak Oil—the beginning of the end for our industrial civilization—is driving the élites of American power to implement unthinkably draconian measures of repression, warfare and population control. Crossing the Rubicon is more than a story. It is a map of the perilous terrain through which, together and alone, we are all now making our way.

Michael C. Ruppert is the publisher and editor of From the Wilderness, a newsletter read by more than 16,000 subscribers in 40 countries. A former Los Angeles Police Department narcotics investigator, he is widely known for his groundbreaking stories on US involvement in the drug trade, Peak Oil and 9/11. “

For those of us that wish to not go through all the hassle of having a book delivered, then consider the Kindle Edition for the Amazon Kindle reader. Those of you that are aware of the Kindle are aware of how great a device this is for the traveling person that loves to read. Not nearly as bulky as a laptop and not nearly as pricey as the iPad, the Kindle reader is at home in our backpacks. The second link on this page for Crossing The Rubicon is the Kindle E-Book Edition.

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Many political figures in Bucharest and around Romania have given the “affirmative” that Christopher Nolan’s new installment of the Batman saga will be filmed throughout multiple locations of the Country. Of course this means nothing other than they wish to acknowledge that they have “important and desirable information” so only time will tell whether or not filming will occur.

Rumor has it the the first round of filming will occur at the Salina Turda Salt mines. One of our Bucharest Expat Team members recently went on holiday to the mines – and you can read about the experience at Salina Turda here. While some say it would cost exponentially less for Hollywood to simply assemble a “mock” cave at the studio rather than ship the crew and all to Romania that may not actually be a fact. Using this existing “Bat Cave” which is located a mere 40 kilometers from a major highway and logistical hub may not actually be that far fetched an idea after all. If you think about the practicality of such a location for the purpose of Batman; either the Batcave or some evil villains’ lair – then this location is near perfect. The climate within the “caves” are a constant 11-12 degrees celsius with a 75-80% humidity. The humidity levels are a bit high – but still suitable for proper filming.

Additionally, Bucharest itself was targeted for some shooting. It doesn’t take long to guess where they’ll be filming in Bucharest – The People’s Palace and Centrul Vechi (Old Town Lipscani). At this time what will be filmed in these locations is only limited by our imagination. As the People’s Palace (especially the tunnels beneath) is a truly unique landmark – and Lipscani could be “medieval” village Anywhere – who knows if this will be “set” in Bucharest or somewhere else. Filming is said to begin Mid-Spring so keep your eyes and ears opened!

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Rosia Montana in the Transylvanian Region is a reletaively unscathed “ancient” source of this precious metal which has been mined here for roughly 2,000 years. This “mine” still contains the largest gold and silver reserves in Europe. This village, Rosia Montana has nearly been submitted by Romania for inclusion on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites due to the unique history of the area including its significance to the Roman Empire.

The Rosia Montana Gold Corp (80% Canadian owned) has indicated that it hopes to extract up to 10.6 million ounces of gold out of four open pit mines they wish to dig in the area. At current value that would be roughly 18 Billion Euros worth of gold – more than enough to justify the costs. Additionally, it is suspected that there are up to 1,600 hundred tons of silver within the site; that’s approximately another 1.5 billion in value.

As expected there is mixed feeling regarding the re-opening of this mining site. Many locals and Romanians alike wish to preserve the history and the heritage of the site, not opening up a “can of worms” with construction and health nightmares. The ones that wish to go ahead with this project are the ones considering the new economic opportunities that will be brought to the area. It is Traian Basescu himself that recently stated “It is in Romania’s interest that the mining of the gold begin as rapidly as possible… any country that has resources must use them.”

Surely Romania won’t make decisions based purely upon financial gain?

Read Our Recent Post Regarding Gold In Our Financial Section – Let’s get the comments going  – as I am sure a lot of you have a lot to say about Gold and Silver!

The Number One Reason For Mining For Gold In Romania

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The Greek led debt crisis has been sending ripples of fear through the market (as well as challenging European leaders) and caused the EURO currency to wobble. The Tea Party led revolt against debt reduction measures threatened a US a default. Stock markets have developed a roller coaster profile. Gold is now very much in fashion as a safe haven.

The key questions is how long can the surge continue? Will it soar on to reach the $2,000 an ounce barrier by the end of year or will it be another bubble that bursts with a very expensive bang?

Right now there are few indications that the price is going to do anything but continue to increase. Greece’s debt laden economy has again been bailed out, but this is clearly not the end. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso recently warned that the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis could spread from the smaller debt laden nations to Italy and Spain, the currency area’s third and fourth largest economies.

Add to this the recent deadlock in the US debt, growing fears of a US recession and stock market plunges and investors are more worried. As a result they are heading for the safe havens of today: gold, the Swiss Franc and German government bonds.

Indications are that the value if gold will continue to increase, and there has been nothing in the recent news around the world to suggest that any bubble is about to burst soon. Could it reach the $2,000 mark per ounce by the end of 2011? There has not been a sustained upsurge in prices like this in the last 40 years, so if the trend continues it’s a long shot possibility. If broader economic bad news keeps arriving as it has been over recent years, it has a stronger chance. The issue for investors is whether to risk the bubble or not….

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The plan was to spend the first day going from Rimnicu Valcea through a series of villages (Valea Babei, Stoenesti, Radacinesti, Poiana and Calinesti) to some uncharted parts of the Mountains of Lotrului. Our end destination for day 1 was to stay with Frati Jderi in Pascoia, not too far from Buzoi. From there we would head up via Dealu Neagru (2091) and exploring the Mountains of Lotrului to Obarsi Lotrului and stay at a small pensiune. We would then spend the final day working our way back to Rimnicu Valcea via Ranca. We knew that the plan was stretching but it promised to be fun and that we would be surrounded by the raw beauty of the Romanian countryside.

The day started well – the sun shone, breakfast was hearty and the ATV’s rumbled in a reassuring fashion. Looking at the maps I was slightly surprised at the lack of detail and rapidly came to appreciate the real depth of information available from an Ordnance Survey map in the UK (which are so detailed that you can almost spot a comfortable place to sit). Little did I realise at this point that the maps were about as useful as a chocolate teapot and that they were really taken along as a rough guide or a lucky charm….

However, being in the company of experienced and enthusiastic locals wishing to do some exploring of new trails, I was caught by the lust for adventure, and off we set. We were soon off the normal roads and onto logging trails and forest paths. We passed through one point where there was a strong mint aroma. I realised that my smile and mild salivation was due to the subconscious thought of an ice cold mojito – it was warm under my jacket and helmet! The morning went well, and we reached Calinesti in time for the sandwiches that we brought for lunch.

Once again fed and watered, we headed deeper into the hills in pursuit of new routes. I was really getting the feel for the ATV that has steering that is more talkative than a youngster on red bull. The Porsche 911 is famed for the clarity of steering feel through the wheel: this sensation is eclipsed by an ATV on a rocky mountain trail!

We stopped at a chaotic looking logging operation to ask directions (which none of us masculine types would normally consider but needs must). The helpful man, with an awesome collection of gold, teeth directed us to drive up the track then turn left to take us towards Pascoia. The state of the logging operation should have warned us, but with the choice of following directions or using the map, we followed the directions. This turned out to be the big mistake of the trip.

We stopped in a very pleasant meadow for a snack and some water and set off down the hill. This proved to be the most challenging route that I have seen in Romania, but we by moving the occasional fallen tree we were able to press on. We then came to some downhill tracks where there had clearly been some heavy water flows as there was a junior version of the Grand Canyon carved through the middle. This means that the correct positioning of the ATV is vital or a wheel can drop into the gap. This finally happened. The language used in the retrieval of the ATV was not for the faint hearted, but after some extensive pushing, pulling and heaving we were on the way again.

This led us to the next canyon followed by the new challenge of jump the fallen tree onto a steep descent with a sharp left. This was not for the faint hearted, but we braved the jump and journeyed on. For five minutes. The first really major obstacle was not far down the road (after negotiating another canyon) as the road ended with a washed out road covered with an assortment of large rocks and trees with a fast flowing stream running through the debris. This dead end was not good news; the malfunctioning throttle was bad news. After some time trying to repair the ATV we decided to abandon it and press on as darkness was starting to fall.

Two on an ATV really designed for one is no fun, but we had to keep going in the absence of alternative options. We passed the tree jump and down the next hill to the next fallen tree, halting progress once again. It may have been possible to shift this tree with the aid of the winch and some good old fashioned brute force, but sense prevailed and the reconnaissance trip was mounted. The road forked after about 400m. The right hand fork had four large trees across it. The left fork had two enormous trees across it. Neither road was passable so the decision had to be made – should we stay of should we go now? It was almost dark, common sense prevailed and we decided (by majority vote) to camp.

We were not exactly over equipped for camping as we had a ground sheet and three head torches. The wisdom of bringing a smoker along was rewarded with the use of a cigarette lighter, and the innate talent of the Romanian male for lighting fires under any conditions meant that we soon had a good fire blazing for some warmth, and more reassuringly, some light. Memories of the Blair Witch Project were uncomfortably at the forefront of my mind, but I refrained from asking my fellow campers if they were familiar with this low budget classic.

The campsite was not ideal as the flat ground had a stream percolating through it and the dry ground had a 30 degree slope and a generous share of roots and rocks, but we had a groundsheet to keep us dry, jackets to keep us warm and the fire to keep our legs warm. At least we had a continual supply of fresh water, and after an afternoon of pulling ATV’s out of trouble we were all thirsty.

Some digging into the rear section of one of the ATV’s also yielded an amazing bounty – chicken breast and schnitzel, tomatoes, cheese, bread, onions, fresh garlic and tuica (we were still thirsty). This was glorious discovery for two of us and the source of great pride for the third. Under the circumstances, this was ambrosia and we tucked in with gusto. A large hunting knife was produced that was sharp enough to slice through food with easy accuracy. The tomatoes were real, fresh Romanian tomatoes that were deliciously sweet.

Fed and watered again, we now attempted to sleep, which proved to be the biggest challenge of the day as the limited traction of the ground sheet combined with the slope to cause a downward slide. Add to this the sound of trickling water and the roaring fire; sleep was never going to be easy. Add in the dulcet snore of my companions and sleep took a while to arrive.

Still being blessed with an active mind, the prospect of wolves or bears occurred to me; thoughts I did my best to banish. On the plus side, being awake gave me more than ample time to look for firewood and admire the galaxy of stars in the clear sky. At points where the fire was in need of more fuel, some of the stars were so bright that they were visible through the leaves of the trees and it was in all quite a display. It reached the point where I had to choose between the glory of the stars or the blaze of the fire: a rapidly cooling head saw more wood being thrown on the fire.

The lack of a phone signal meant that we were unable to contact anyone to inform them that we were not going to reach our planned resting place. We were all worried that this could cause some concern, but resigned to the fact that there was nothing we could do. At least we were safe if a bit lost.

END PART 1 – we leave our brave explorers now but we will bring the story of their escape in xxx weeks time. Stay tuned

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I can’t believe it’s over 3 years now since I moved here as I can remember my first ever visit like it was yesterday. I quickly realised that the combination of challenge number one: many beautiful ladies and challenge number two: many holes in the road and walkways is not a good one. I think I fell in a hole within three hours of getting here and the beautiful woman who caused my mishap simply smiled sympathetically. After I had retrieved my dignity I embarked on number four challenge, which was our dear friend the taxi driver!

Here again, I had the challenge combination issue as number five on my list is the Romanian language having too many vowels in it and it was just my luck that I had to go to Tineretului. “Tineretoolooooeeee” I announced whilst nearly swallowing my own tongue. “Ugh, Poftim?” was my received response. End of conversation, time for plan B, write it on a piece of paper. “Ah, Tineretului” he proudly and somewhat sarcastically revealed to the humbled Englishman.

Actually, I have to add, one of the great similarities between the Romanians and Brits is the sarcastic humour although we are more fun sarcastic whilst my Romanian friends are a little more deep and psychological in the sarcasm but the end result is, more or less, the same.

For those of you concentrating here you will have observed that I missed out challenge number three. Well, this prime slot belongs to poor customer service that drives me absolutely nuts virtually every day! However, as a business trainer it provides a nice opportunity for me and I hope that I can contribute to making Romania become recognised as the gem of a country that it is and that everyone gets the welcome and experience we want them to have.

And that’s it! ….that is the extend of my “not likes” and over the next few weeks I will be sharing many, many experiences with you and help everyone to understand the reason why so, so many expats settle here and treat it as a true home from home and just to get it started, here is a one key reason why the English love it.

The first thing that struck me about being in Romania was the memory jogging similarities between my childhood and this strange, faraway place I had, for some reason, chosen to be my new home.

If I was to compare Romania with England 30 years ago most people would think I’m a bit crazy particularly Romanians who always seem to repeat my complementary phrases a little like a poor Australian impersonator  simply turning the last word into a question.

“I love living here”.

“You love living here?”

“Yes, its a great country”.

“Its a great country?” and so on and so on until I had to nearly scream “YES, Romania is a great place to be!!!”

OK, time to explain the link to England in the early 80’s I guess. Well, for those of you old enough, remember the times when you couldn’t buy anything on a Sunday, remember the times when the family sat down regularly for meals, remember the time when you came home from school to a meal.  It’s obvious at this stage some people will be reading this and saying “its getting like that here” and they would be right.

The incredible acceleration of technology coupled with Thatcher’s new Britain and the Americanization of English culture inspired the people of the 80’s to become instant materialistic competitors of a new modern world governed by commercialism and led by the emperor Ronald McDonald.  Those kids who swarmed in their thousands for a McBurger soon forgot and, indeed, rejected the family values and family food very quickly and, frighteningly true, was the fact that these kids would be parents themselves within a few years and there goes generations of traditions all in one hand-over from parent to child. Somebody once said about healthy eating “don’t eat anything that your Grandmother wouldn’t recognise”……. Will Romania be able to hang on to its traditional ways? …I really do hope so!

Thanks for reading and I look forward to being back very soon.

Colin

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