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Old 09-14-2012, 10:09 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpolyglot View Post
Yeah, but if I've got 2 or 3 weeks earmarked for Europe and I schlep over to Eastern Europe to be broad-minded for 4 or 5 days and don't like it, I can't get those 4 or 5 days back.

That's how I felt about 3 days I erroneously spent in Munich and Bavaria. I also spent between 1 and 2 weeks in Greece in 2002, and liked it enough, but don't feel at all compelled to go back.
What did you not like about Eastern Europe? Just wanted you to elaborate on it.
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Old 09-14-2012, 10:19 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
Since today seems to be Romania Day on this thread, I'll add a link. Check it out, Mariner: it's a Bavarian-style castle that the royals lived in until they got booted out. Actually, King Mihai finally managed to get it returned to him (last I checked, he's still alive), and he sometimes uses the smaller house. The main castle is a museum. It's in Sinaia, in the general area of Brasov and Sighisoara. Sinaia's a beautiful little alpine town that's a big draw in winter ski season, but is nice to visit in the summer, too.

And for the OP, we just had two dedicated threads for the Baltic States. Here on C-D, E Europe is discussed fairly often. If most of the rest of North America doesn't talk about it, it's their loss.

Peles Castle Sinaia Romania
I guess I've got to check out Peles Castle for myself someday.


And you're right, Eastern Europe is discussed here. However, it tends to be discussed by specific persons on this forum.
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Old 09-14-2012, 10:34 PM
 
14,727 posts, read 33,253,686 times
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Originally Posted by green_mariner View Post
What did you not like about Eastern Europe? Just wanted you to elaborate on it.
We'd only be talking Greece. I think Athens is blighted and it only takes a day to see 4 major things: the Acropolis, the Archeological Museum, the Plaka, and the changing of the guard at Syntagma Square (the Parliament House).

The islands are all different and vegetation differs by chain (Sporades, Cyclades), yet they all feel the same. The island people are definitely tourist weary.

The natives are nice and speak English, even if badly. However, there is some underlying xenophobia that comes through. I got by a little easier, since they seem to tolerate Italians.

I love Greek food. However, I didn't find remarkable Greek food anywhere. I have found better Greek food in Toronto's Greek town.

Based on the Greek experience, I don't think my satisfaction level would be any higher by wandering further east.
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Old 09-15-2012, 07:12 AM
 
1,725 posts, read 2,055,917 times
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Originally Posted by green_mariner View Post
This scared me alot, as I am Black.
The news may make it sound like you are guaranteed to be attacked, while in reality attacks are very-very few. Except for verbal - you should be ready to hear N-word, and maybe even jokes that in US are totally inapropriate. Russians are not politically correct.
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Old 09-15-2012, 08:47 PM
 
3,357 posts, read 4,608,873 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
Since today seems to be Romania Day on this thread, I'll add a link. Check it out, Mariner: it's a Bavarian-style castle that the royals lived in until they got booted out. Actually, King Mihai finally managed to get it returned to him (last I checked, he's still alive), and he sometimes uses the smaller house. The main castle is a museum. It's in Sinaia, in the general area of Brasov and Sighisoara. Sinaia's a beautiful little alpine town that's a big draw in winter ski season, but is nice to visit in the summer, too.

And for the OP, we just had two dedicated threads for the Baltic States. Here on C-D, E Europe is discussed fairly often. If most of the rest of North America doesn't talk about it, it's their loss.

Peles Castle Sinaia Romania
I don't know what it's like to be a tourist in Romania these days. I was there for a few months in 95' - there were very few tourists there at the time. I stayed in a hotel in Bucharest the first couple of days - I think I was pretty much the only guest in the entire hotel - eerie. Corruption was pretty rampant - for instance on the train, you could pay the conductor instead of buying a ticket.

However, I found people to be friendly, welcoming and curious. I really enjoyed my time there. Most people couldn't afford to go out to eat so there were very few restaurants, but people were always inviting me to their homes (I was doing an internship at the time). Romanian is the most difficult of the Latin-based languages by far though, and at the time I was there, it wasn't common for people to speak English - maybe that has changed - I'm not sure.

Anyway, I think it's definately worth a visit. I was in Bucharest most of the time, but got to travel a bit - loved Brasov. Such a beautiful little city.
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Old 09-15-2012, 09:31 PM
 
72,816 posts, read 62,127,610 times
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Originally Posted by russiaonline View Post
The news may make it sound like you are guaranteed to be attacked, while in reality attacks are very-very few. Except for verbal - you should be ready to hear N-word, and maybe even jokes that in US are totally inapropriate. Russians are not politically correct.
The media may not tell everything. On the other hand, I've never been to Russia, so I have no idea. I did meet a student from Nigeria that went to Russia to study. He told me that he had to be tough and that he had to learn how to fight "just in case".

On the other hand, I have talked with another student, who was White, who did study abroad in Russia. He said that there was one Black person on the trip with him, and that person didn't get attacked.

I'm kind of undecided at this point. I need to have everything lined up.
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Old 09-15-2012, 09:52 PM
 
72,816 posts, read 62,127,610 times
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Originally Posted by yodel View Post
I don't know what it's like to be a tourist in Romania these days. I was there for a few months in 95' - there were very few tourists there at the time. I stayed in a hotel in Bucharest the first couple of days - I think I was pretty much the only guest in the entire hotel - eerie. Corruption was pretty rampant - for instance on the train, you could pay the conductor instead of buying a ticket.

However, I found people to be friendly, welcoming and curious. I really enjoyed my time there. Most people couldn't afford to go out to eat so there were very few restaurants, but people were always inviting me to their homes (I was doing an internship at the time). Romanian is the most difficult of the Latin-based languages by far though, and at the time I was there, it wasn't common for people to speak English - maybe that has changed - I'm not sure.

Anyway, I think it's definately worth a visit. I was in Bucharest most of the time, but got to travel a bit - loved Brasov. Such a beautiful little city.
I've never been to Romania myself, but many Romanians that I've met have been friendly. I have also made an effort to learn a few Romanian words, and about Romania itself. I do agree that Romanian kind of difficult to learn. However, I started out learning French, and I can speak moderate French, so I will still give Romanian a try.

I think things in Romania have changed since 1995. One thing to remember is that Romania in 1995 was only 6 years out of getting rid of its Communist system. The tourism infrastructure wasn't where is should have been because Romania spent a long time behind the Iron Curtain. Ceausescu basically starved the nation and kept it behind a wall, so tourism didn't develop the way it should have. I think now things have changed.
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Old 09-15-2012, 10:11 PM
 
72,816 posts, read 62,127,610 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpolyglot View Post
We'd only be talking Greece. I think Athens is blighted and it only takes a day to see 4 major things: the Acropolis, the Archeological Museum, the Plaka, and the changing of the guard at Syntagma Square (the Parliament House).

The islands are all different and vegetation differs by chain (Sporades, Cyclades), yet they all feel the same. The island people are definitely tourist weary.

The natives are nice and speak English, even if badly. However, there is some underlying xenophobia that comes through. I got by a little easier, since they seem to tolerate Italians.

I love Greek food. However, I didn't find remarkable Greek food anywhere. I have found better Greek food in Toronto's Greek town.

Based on the Greek experience, I don't think my satisfaction level would be any higher by wandering further east.
Greece is as far east as some Eastern European nations. In order to get to Eastern Europe, you would need to venture north into Bulgaria.

I am aware that xenophobia has been growing in Greece. What I'm wondering is if people will be able to tell that I'm American?

I would actually like to see the islands. I've seen them on TV, but never in person.
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Old 09-15-2012, 11:34 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,076 posts, read 106,950,530 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yodel View Post
Anyway, I think it's definately worth a visit. I was in Bucharest most of the time, but got to travel a bit - loved Brasov. Such a beautiful little city.
OMG, there's so much to see! I actually avoided Bucharest when visiting Romania. (I tend to avoid cities when I travel, anyway.) From Bucharest you can fly to the west, to Cluj-Napoca, and take a bus into the mountains. They've developed some tourist hostels and cabins, and the area is really beautiful, and good for hiking. I'll admit, though, that knowing Romanian makes a big difference. But those who don't speak English speak French.

In the NE there are beautiful little medieval churches completely covered with frescos on the inside, one or two have them on the outside. These are best seen either renting a car, or taking a tour. There are castles throughout the mountain area. "Napoca" is the Latin name for the city of Cluj, and there are Roman ruins around the city, for those who are into that. The the mountains west of the city were a major source of gold for the Roman Empire.

The local architectural style in Romania is reason enough to go. And the beautiful forests and mountains. And the folk traditions and music, if you can catch a regional festival. And like you said, yodel, the people are really friendly. Inviting people home for tea or lunch or dinner is a big thing in E Europe.
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Old 09-16-2012, 07:19 AM
 
3,357 posts, read 4,608,873 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
OMG, there's so much to see! I actually avoided Bucharest when visiting Romania. (I tend to avoid cities when I travel, anyway.) From Bucharest you can fly to the west, to Cluj-Napoca, and take a bus into the mountains. They've developed some tourist hostels and cabins, and the area is really beautiful, and good for hiking. I'll admit, though, that knowing Romanian makes a big difference. But those who don't speak English speak French.

In the NE there are beautiful little medieval churches completely covered with frescos on the inside, one or two have them on the outside. These are best seen either renting a car, or taking a tour. There are castles throughout the mountain area. "Napoca" is the Latin name for the city of Cluj, and there are Roman ruins around the city, for those who are into that. The the mountains west of the city were a major source of gold for the Roman Empire.

The local architectural style in Romania is reason enough to go. And the beautiful forests and mountains. And the folk traditions and music, if you can catch a regional festival. And like you said, yodel, the people are really friendly. Inviting people home for tea or lunch or dinner is a big thing in E Europe.
Yes - my internship was based in Bucharest, so that's where I needed to be most of the time, but we also did a conference in Constanta, and a friend I made in Romania took me around to a few other cities, staying with her friends. My Romanian could definately use improvement - but on meetig people they assumed I was from Romania anyway, but from the Hungarian minority - there were just so few other nationalities in Romania at the time.

When I was there I rented a room in a nice neighborhood in Bucharest for about 50 dollars a month. My co-workers kept telliing me how expensive that was and that I was getting ripped off. I wish I had stayed longer - now our finances are such that it would be very difficult to make such a trip again - especially with 2 kids. I can only dream of going at the moment - but I'd love to see how everything has changed!

Last edited by yodel; 09-16-2012 at 07:47 AM..
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