Brasov to Cluj

Our hostel in Brasov was located in the old town and the weather was nice so we sort of rambled at a leisurely pace. The old buildings are ornate, as usual, the parks green, the coffee strong and the chocolate good. We spent our evenings out on the streets and in the square along with everyone else. I do mean everyone because people here get out in the evenings. Lovers hold hands, elderly folk make their way along the cobblestone walks with the aid of their canes, older men are out on their bicycles and kids are everywhere. Middle age men tend to gather in small groups and argue loudly, waving their arms around and gesturing, yet it seems very friendly. People walk down streets where some settle at cafes for beer and fancy fruit drinks. I noticed a lot of grandparents out with their grandchildren, also children in groups having a fine time just being children. One park has chess tables where men sit around looking serious for long periods of time. In the evening Romanians go public. It is so much fun to observe. 

Near our Brasov hostel, there was a construction crew digging up a sewer pipe. Nothing unusual about that or the methods used to perform that task. What was unusual to our way of doing things was evident when we passed them during their lunch break. They were all seated on the ground around a cloth spread. On it was a loaf of bread and a roll of some kind of luncheon meat cut in really big slabs. There were other things but I couldn't see without standing over them: drinks, probably mayonnaise, maybe mustard. I found it really interesting that they didn't go to a cafe or have the sandwich the wife made. Instead they shared a communal picnic. What a concept. 

Baia Mare is a huge mining town. We arrived in the evening and had a terrible time finding our hostel. Finding food wasn't much easier. I met a fellow with a food stand at the bus station who helped us through the nightmare of Romanian transportation. Actually, I think he adopted us. Not only did he direct us to the right bus in the right lane at the right time, he made sure we were seated at the standing table while we ate the hot dogs he personally dressed for us (mustard, ketchup and lots of mayo). As we were about to get on the bus, he also noticed me dipping the peony I bought in the marketplace into puddles to keep it from wilting and ran over to present me with a plastic bottle of water for it as well as a stalk of wheat from the Catholic ceremony I'd asked about earlier. We gave him one of my magnets, a frog, which really seemed to please him. 

Cluj: I didn't like it and couldn't wait to get out. Just another big city with some nice buildings, I guess.

Gaia Mare Market