Ye Olde Bucket List: Iasi, Romania and Chisinau, Moldova

In Iasi, our departure point from Romania, we talked to a travel agent who proudly showed us photos of the new, flashy, ultra modern 'shopping palace', their new mall, when we asked about the old palace of culture. She asked us what we liked most about Romania and couldn't believe it when I told her I loved the countryside and small villages. When she asked about our favorite foods, I said mamaliga and mici, cornmeal mush and mixed meat sausages, she gave me a really disgusted look.That's peasant food.

The memorable experience in Iasi was looking for a cafe. We found a very small one tucked back. It was elegant in its own way, very proper, and only older local people ate there . The waitress, almost matronly, came to the table and told us the menu in rapid fire Romanian. We agreed to it without understanding a word. Soon she brought a soup tureen with the most delicious ciorba, soup, I ever tasted. Then she brought the main course, cabbage rolls and grape leaves stuffed with meat, and mamaliga. Then the check and we left, still not understanding a word she said. Sure was a great meal.

Otherwise, Iasi did not rate high on my list.

We crossed the border into Moldova without incident. Immediately the landscape leveled out. This country is not Romania, that's for sure. We only spent a few hours in Chisinau, the capitol. It isn't in the disrepair that Sophia is but it reeks of the same hard life. Once again, anyone old enough not to be in love has forgotten how to smile. I can't even see traces in the lines on older faces.But I could be wrong. We rested in a little downtown park. Something was going on as there were vendors lined up in the park and a loudspeaker was broadcasting from closeby. There were vendors down the side streets, this time not selling crafts, just selling anything they could. From the bus to the airport I saw vendors all over the place in booths, tables, even blankets.