Romania Tour Guide
 

We are in the process of planning a 16-day tour for summer 2014 with a focus on Jewsh Romania. Our research so far has led us to COMPASS TRAVEL ROMANIA LLC, and I would very much appreciate any feedback you might have on this operator.

Thank you for your input.

jmf: May I suggest an excellent, highly educated, fun guide for you. I hired him to help me escort 16 of my readership through what's left of Jewish Romania even though I had been very busy there doing research for several books since the 70's and 80's. A time when there were some anxious moments.

It worked so well for me, as Catalin hired and handled the bus and driver, reservations, meals, etc. My group of 16 were thrilled at what we were able to show them, without the slightest glitch. We were able to give them sort of a footsteps tour of many of the places mentioned in one of my novels. My pix will show you several of the synagogues and other places of both Jewish and general interest.

His name is Catalin Rata and I can put you both in touch if you wish. His picture appears in a few of the many pics we took during this experience in both Romania and Bulgaria. In the past I never had the need for a guide as I had always driven independently, I speak Yiddish quite fluently and learned a good bit of of Romanian through the years. Most older Romanian Jews speak Yiddish, the younger only Romanian and what they've learned from their parents. There are less than 9,000 Jews remaining in Romania.

If you wish, you can reach me at stuarttower at aol dot com
and I will share the itinerary we followed above and the relevant pix. And you can google me, also showing some of my Romanian experiences and specifically the aforementioned trip, in a column in the EJP (European Jewish Press). I'm in Los Angeles.

stu tower

Consider hiring Daniel Gheorgehita [email protected]

We are touring for a week with him throughout Romania. He worked with us to customize a trip. Very helpful. Much more accommodating than the bigger tour companies

since I haven't heard from you..here is Catalin's address

[email protected]

I will tell him that he may hear from you. He speaks perfect unaccented English, as well as, of course, Romanian and some Yiddish (altho there is scant need of that in today's Romania).

Just to familirize you with the country and its Jewish sites..here are some pics in the posts that follow.

Stuart Tower, L.A.

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...ureshBukovina#

rest of the pix will follow below

Set #2

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...adAndBulgaria#

Stu, have you been to Satu Mare? Very curious on your pics/reactions if you did.

My father was born there, and while he broke with the Chasidim after WWII, I was intrigued with his stories. Did not go there last year when we visited Hungary, Austria and Czech Republic. Thanks!

LBloom...I think we've had this discussion before..but yes, I've been to Satu Mare (Satmar, when it was part of the Ausro-Hunagrian Empire...headquarters for the ultra- conservative Satmar chassids. I have a pic I took of the Satu Mare synagogue. I think I sent it to you. It's quite near Sighet(ul), Elie Wiesel's birthplace. If i had not sent it, I will if I can find your email address which I believe I have in my address book.
stu

Compass Travel Romania is truly excellent from all standpoints. We traveled with them twice in the last years and kept recommending them to friends and family. Andrei Nicolau was our guide twice, now he's the manager and co-owner while he's the one to design and customize all itineraries. We were most happy with his engaging approach and detailed knowledge of what can be seen and done beyond a standard tour. My brother and sister in law spent 11 days in Romania last Fall with Compass and thought it was one of their best trips ever.

jmf314159:

we just got back from a 10 day Jewish Heritage Tour with Compass Travel Romania after completing our Danube river cruise. Both our parents originated in Romania, Moldova and Borshe. We looked at several other tour options but none could organize a more comprehensive Judaic culture tour. The guide assigned to us was Bucur and he was excellent. All visits to synagogues (including the ruined ones such as the Vatra Dorna one) were carefully planned.

The interaction with local remaining Jewish communities were some of the best moments of the trip all thanks to Andre for being able to organize them.

Springstraveler: just curious which were the bigger companies you have checked with. We'd need to define "bigger" in this case. Let us know.

Springstraveler:

the forum is aimed to help future travelers in making the best decision when it comes to travel to an unknown destination, at least this is how we see it. Fodors has always been the forum for exchanging travel ideas. We think Fodors is great and avidly read their reviews. Given those reviews are legit and fair.

I would not be writing here if we wouldn't have found your assertion on this page atypical, to say the least. Writing reviews while still on tour may be odd and you made all of us curious to know more.

In terms of the comparison you imply between your tour guide and "bigger" companies.

jmf:

All the nice Fodor people above have given you a ton of information for your request. It would be kind of you to at least respond...so that we can feel that all is "not for naught".

Stu Tower

Stu,

I originally wrote: "Our research so far has led us to COMPASS TRAVEL ROMANIA LLC, and I would very much appreciate any feedback you might have on this operator." I've received none. I am, however, pleased that others have enjoyed their travel experiences.

- jmf

jmf - I might be confused but I think there are a couple of responses in this thread where people say they have used Compass Travel Romania. So I'm not sure why you say you asked for feedback on that operator and received none ((?))