general information part 3

Today even more interesting information about Romania. Check this out:

First of all, if you are a fan of camping and if you want to pitch a tent you can do this everywhere, except for the private area. There are no penalties for camping beyond the places designated for that purpose so people often prefer this kind of solution, above all near the mountains where you can admire a beautiful view in the morning.

Secondly, if you decide to visit some smaller towns you can find there an amazing thngs. In the traditonal zones of Romania you will see the omnipresent folklore. The traditional practices, people, outfits, their way of life and oral traditions like proverbs, tales or jokes. 

Next, in the cities probably you won't have a problem with communication in English but if you are planning to visit some smaller ones be sure to take phrase book. It will definitely help you to survive. 

After that, be careful and watch out for the stray dogs. There are a lot of them in Romania. 

Next, you can find a roadmaps and guidebooks almost at each gas station, bookstore or in some turist points in every city. 

general informaton part 2

This time I would like to present you more information for the drivers. Some time ago I have already written about travelling by car in Romania but this time I will tell you more about the roads and about the interesting facts related to this fact.

First of all, what you have to do before crossing the border by car is to buy a vignette. It is a sticker which has to be applied on the inside of the windshield. You can buy it in the special point near the border crossing points or at the gas station. 

Secondly, the road infrastructure is developing really fast so on some new roadmaps you won't find every road. On the other hand, this is a good news.

Next, you have to be prepared if you will see a herd of cows walking near the road or some horses because it is a normal view in the zones located far away from the urban centers. 

After that, in Romania you can't find as many gas stations as in Poland (but in general it isn't such a big difference, actually) so be sure to tank your car with the amount of fuel which you will need for the onward journey.

Finally, you can find some road signs with the inscrpition "Drum bun" or "Drum in lucru". The fisrt one wishes us a nice jourey but the second one informs us about the road under repair. Draw attention to them!

One more thing, sometimes near the road you can find some venders with the fresh fruits or vines. It is worth recommending.

general information

Today I will present some general information which can be useful if you are planning your trip to the land of Drakula. These tips would definitelly make your life easier during a stay in this country.

First of all, time in Poland is one hour behind so if we go to Romania we have to switch our time from 1 pm to 2pm. Secondly, if we want to cross the border, we will need only our passport or just our ID. Next, the prices in Romania are comparable to those in Poland so we don't need to worry about our budget. Then, despite the fact that a lot of people say that Romania is a dangerous country it isn't true. I can say that it is a safe place but it is better to ramain vigilant and be careful to not be robbed by pickpockets in the public places. After that, Orthodoxy is the dominant religion so you can find everywhere Orthodox churches. Finally, on the streets there is a lot of beggars, but in general there are not Romanian people but people of the gypsy origin.

Bucharest - The Little Paris

Bucharest which is located in the southern part of the country became the capital of Romania in 1862. It has about 2 million inhabitants. Over the centuries it has earned the unoffical name of  " The Little Paris"  because  of the amazing architecture which is a mix of the different architectural styles. Buildings were built in the period between two World Wars. You can find buildings at its characteristic style everywhere which make Bucharest very interesting city. Unfortunatelly, a lot of buildings were demaged during the war and sometimes even because of the earthquakes. The most powerful earthquake took place in 1977 and it had a magnitude of 7.2. Because of the last one, a great amount of buildings were demaged and about 33 large buildings collapsed. Down below you can see the pictures of "The Little Paris" and see why Bucharest gained this nickname.

travelling by car in Romania

Today I would like to give you some important informations about travelling by car in Romania. If you decide to travel by car instead of choosing train or bus you have to know what kind of traffic regulations exist in this country. First of all, the most important thing about travelling by car is the ban on drunk driving (this is the same regulation which exists in Poland so it should be logic for us). Secondly, you are obliged to use the passing beam during the day and obey right-hand traffic. Speed limit in the build-up area is 50 km per hour and inter-urban speed is 80 km per hour. Finally, children after the age of 12 can sit in the front seat.

Why you should go to Romania? - part 2

This time I would like to tell you a little bit more why Romania is worth visiting. In my previous post I gave you a lot of examples why Romania is a good place to visit for everyone like: the beautiful cities, amazing lanscapes and omnipresent tradition. This time I have even more examples. Let's start with the prices. In Romania the prices of the primary products are really low if we compare them with the other countries. I can tell that more or less the prices are similar to the prices in Poland so if we want to stay in Romania for a longer period of time we won't need as much money as for example in France or Italy where we have to pay in euro. For all I now the cheapest meal which you can order for your dinner costs about 8RON. It means that you can fill your stomach easily for about 8PLN. It is really a good news :)
Down below you can see an advertisement of the dish of the day. It says:
"we cook everyday for you. Fresh, healthy, delicious"

Why you should go to Romania?

This time I'd like to tell you why Romania is worth visiting. For me this question is really simple - because everyone will find in Romania something for themselves!
If you are a fan of the cities - here you are. Romania has a lot of beautiful cities like: Bucharest, Brasov or Cluj-Napoka. Would you like to spend your free time on the beach, swim in the sea and sunbathe? You have at your disposal about 225 km of sea coast of the Black Sea with the city of Constanta which is the capital of this part of Romania. If you like walking tours and you like admire the landscapes and moutains you will feel like in heaven because in Romania you can find the Carpathian Mountains. What is more, if you would like to see a traditional zone of Romania you have to go to the north part of this country. In Bukovina or Maramures you will find well-preserved culture. In conclusion, Romania is a land of remarkable diversity in which everybody will feel good.

Leon Volovici

Today I would like to write about the book that I have ordered one week ago. It is a book written by Leon Volovici who is a romanian writer whose grandparents were Jewish. The book I want to write about is called "De la Iași la Ierusalim și înapoi" which we can translate like "From Iași to Jerusalem". 

This book is a long interview with Leon Volovici who has left Romania with his wife (who was polish) and with his two children in 1984 and has settled down in Jerusalem. In this city he wrote books about history and culture of the romanian Jews. His autobiography is an another book of him which is focused on this problem. He writes about the history of Jewish minority in Romania during the World War II and during the Communist time. What is more, interview with Leon Volovici is supported by a lot of essays and articles whch help us understand better the sad history of Romania, Poland and Israel.

The measles outbreak in Romania

The measles outbreak in Romania, which took important proportions in the first period of the year is really dangerous problem recently. Since the beginning of the year fell ill a huge amount of the people which is 935 cases. Because of an epidemic 6 people have died already. One of the victim was the 27 year-old woman and the one year-old girl.

 

The most affected area is located in the west of Romania near the border with Hungary in the city of Arad but the measles outbreak is visible in the whole country. There also a lot of cities in which this dangerous problem spreads really fast. The Ministry of Health announced that the cause may be really simple. Many children are now not vaccinated and that's why they aren't protected  against common life-threatening diseases.

The picture below presents the situation of the measles outbreak in the first eight months of the last year in Romania. Most of the cases appeared in the west side of the coutry and in the north  of Romania.

Mărțișor - Romanian Spring Festival

Very soon we will be celebrating arrival of the spring but today I would like to present how this thing looks like in Romania.
Mărțișor is one of the most important events in Romania in the whole year which take place on 1 March. It is a very special day when Romanians celebrate arrival of spring. Before the day comes, people prepare at home some decorations made from wool. This decoration has a red and white colour and it is a symbol of this day. You can also buy this kind of decoration in Romania during this special time and it is a good option for people who are lacking of abilities to make this by theirselves or for people who easily get nervous. Below you can see a traditional romanian decoration in the basic form but there are also the other option to do more complicated decorations from wool.

This day everybody wishes the best and they give each other the decorations. It is a proof of our friendship and love. Interesting is that the word  Mărțișor is the diminutive form of the name of the month - March. One thing which is really surprising is that supersticious traditions hold that if you carry this decoration you will live a healthy life for the next twelve months. After this time you have to attach your decoration to the fruit tree.

Mircea Eliade "Maytreyi"

Today I would like to write about the first romanian book that I have ever read. This book is called  "Maytreyi"and it is written by Mircea Eliade.
Mircea Eliade was born on March 10, 1907 and he died on April 22, 1987 in Chicago. He was a historian of religion, indologist, diplomat and professor at the University of Chicago.
In 1928–1932 he lived in India and he studied at the University of Calcutta. Eliade knew several languages and was fluent in Romanian, French, German, Italian, and English but also he could read in Hebrew, Persian, and Sanskrit. In 1933 he did the doctorate with the thesis "The comparative history of yoga techniques". He was known for its support for the Iron Guard which is also known as the Legion of the Archangel Michael. ( It was a ultra-nationalist and antisemitic movement in Romania)

 The main characters of this book are Maitreyi Devi who is daughter of the indian philosopher and Allan who is a foreigner who works in India. The action takes place in 1933 in Calcutta and tells the story about the love of these two persons. This book introduces readers into the mysterious world of India and the oriental customs and traditions.
The novel was translated into English as  "Bengal Nights" in 1993. It is considered as an autobiografic book because it contains many plots of the author's life.

Max Blecher "Scarred Hearts"

Today I would like to write about the book that I have started reading last week. This book is called "Scarred Hearts" and it's written by Max Blecher.
Max Blecher (1909-1938) is a romanian writer, jewish nationality. Shortly after he came to Paris to study medical science he was diagnosed with Pott disease (spinal tuberculosis). He spent the last ten years in his bed. He wrote three novels, one volume of poetry, diary and correspondence with Breton  and Heidegger. Max Blecher wrote "Scarred Hearts" in 1937 and the story is based on his own experiences. In 1938 he died after a long-term ilness.

 

 "Scarred Hearts" tells the story about Emanuel's life. He is a young romanian man which is studying in Paris. One day he finds out that he suffers from spinal tuberculosis. He goes to a sanatorium located by the sea where he must wear a plaster which makes him unable to move. During a few months in a special wheelchair he makes friends with other patients, he is a witness of their death and finally he falls in love with a girl from sanatorium. 

A story presented in this book is very simple. Describes a real life of a man which suffers from incurable disease. For a moment we can see how looks like life with the eyes of the main character.