hope to have pics by sunday

WillTravel hit the nail on the head. Go to almost any country with oppressive past and you find people closed mouthed, even walking head down, little eye contact. Saw same countenance in other Eastern Europe countries. Go slow, be a gracious guest and you will find Romanians who will spend 5 minutes searching for an English speaking national to give you directions, Easter worshippers in traditional Romanian dress who proudly pose for photographs, shepherds who will take you into the field to "show off" their flock, village childen who gather in droves to watch themselves on your video camera, and store clerks who go the second mile to give help. For what its worth, how many Americans present themselves as welcoming hosts when they meet a foreigner, especially if that person is doing little to contribute to a relationship?

Dear rhkkmk,
Thanks for this very long and detailed trip report. I was keeping up with your posts as you were planning for this trip and I'm so glad that you posted it for all of us to see.

We are planning to go in May - but we will only be in Romania for 5 days - leaving from there on a night train.

We are planning to use a private guide and I would appreciate it if you would email me with the name of the guide that the 2 CAL ladies had. I do think that on a trip like this, a pleasant and informative guide can make a tremendous difference. (And I sure don't want a DOUR one!!!)

I appreciated your honest and frank opinions. I read this to learn of *your* experiences and can't understand why people would criticize and bring up *their* experiences on your post. They should be on another post and not part of your post, imho.

Anyway, happy travels and keep on keeping on. You have lots of miles and smiles ahead!

to michael & cigalechanta
Sorry, i am a new fodorite and did not know that the rule is - no criticism whatsoever, even if friendly and wellintentioned!
thanks 4 yr remarks, even old people like me can still learn...
Ex vitio alterius sapiens emendat suum.

As we were traveling thru Romania, Bob and I discussed what made these people all seem so serious. Even the children were not laughing like we have seen in other countries. I feel after living under communism for so many years, looking over their shoulders to see who is wathching them, that it will take many generations for them to feel at ease with the traveling public. For a lot of them just speaking english is still a learning curve and they have not developed that joking ease with a second language.

Karen

eli, no need for apology, only communication problem I apologize
Any friend of Bob is friend for me

here are the pic links:

rhkkmk.shutterfly.com/action/?a=BauXDJw2aqL_q

use a 1234 code for entrance

Brah---the ladies did not tell me who they got their guide from sorry...

the man whose outline i used in prep is also unknown to me as i threw away his papers...unless i have it in my address bk...i will look...i got his name from a fodors post abot 1.5-2 years ago....a woman who went with her sister used him...

it is not in the address book, sorry...i think his name was Andrei_______...

Thanks Bob, they were wonderful and very clear. It was fun to see Mr & Mrs Popo. Are any of those beautiful vests for sale?
Tell Karen everytime I see red pppers, I'll think of her in her red jacket in Romania

One is allowed to photograph the inside of the monasteries now? That's a change.

next set of pics...

no code required

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BauXDJw2aqLmA

michael---for a fee...see they are learning western ways...

and lastly the final pics...

no code required on these..

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8BauXDJw2aqLkI

mimi---we think the jackets are parts to costumes, so we did not ask....they are fantastic...K says the hand work is unbelievable...

Wow!

Those painted churches were beautiful, and the woodworking looked astonishing on some of the buildings in your photos. The countryside looked "New-Englandy" to me - did you think so? (Of course, we're not likely to see haystacks. ) Mr & Mrs Popa looked just as I pictured them.

Great report and wonderful photos - Thanks!

<font color="green">Cyn</font>

hi: the guide's name is andrei nicolau and his web site is:
www.tours-of-romania.com
de nada... lavici

dear fodorites: i have used your forums many times for many trips...and have garnered great travel ideas from them, so if i may say so, i personally think this a free country ( post) and without being offensive, and with due respect, i take the first &amp; i believe people should freely express their opinion on whatever is posted here, even evie's comments, which i never took as negative criticism on rhkkmk's travelog. specially so on visiting a country that IS emotionally coming out of the dark ages of a communist dictatorship.
obviously, to romanian people or people that have lived there for a while for any reason, things that seem &quot;different&quot; or not so hot to anyone that lives in a developed country -or at least one with a more luminous past- these &quot;things&quot; will seem more natural and they will surely make out the best in a maybe not so wonderful situation. so i guess &quot;why romania?&quot; could/should be answered: if one is willing to go there, and live thru this new experience, which of course will be tinted with each of our own subjective &quot;lenses&quot;, the outcome of our trip will all depend of our expectations or willingness to arrive with an open heart and mind. as the saying goes &quot;beauty is in the eye of the beholder&quot;. i--share with all of you, for whatever it's worth- that i always try to see,hear, feel and taste a new country from a local's eye's view at best, otherwise... why travel? thanks... lavici

cyn---many of the countryside areas with the farms and rolling hills could have been in NH or VT....we commented on this while driving through.....i think i even saw gypsies in VT last time i was there...

my observations are my observations only and are intended to report how we felt and what we observed only...

Bob, Thanks for an interesting report...a very different kind of trip experience, which is why you went. I have been so busy with guests, &amp; my own trip planning for India that I haven't yet had a chance to enjoy your pics -- am waiting for a leisurely moment.