The Romanian Ministry of Tourism has launched a song & video in a bid to attract tourists to Romania – the land of choice. Not surprinsingly, there were a response to that – ‘Romania, the end of choice’. I hope I’ve managed to post both of them.
Looking forward to your comments, I really enjoy this blog. I created it, then abandon it and now it has a life of its own because of you.
I actually like the clips from Happy Fish a lot. Sure, Romania is awesome, but there is still plenty to do and to better… One of their last clips was an ambulance (filmed with hidden camera) making a way of 30 seconds in 6 minutes in the Bucharest traffic. Nobody cared about the blue lights or even bothered to give it way. Not nice. 2 days later I was myself in Bucharest and saw the same scene, but live and without camera. Exactly the same. Never saw such a thing in my life before. Well, Romania, the land of all opportunities, or of choice
Comment by Romania Central — August 16, 2009 @ 12:42 am |
OK, here is the description that you asked for a couple years ago on that other blog.
Tourist Police Scam.
I’m walking down the street and a local comes up and talks to me with some excuse (what is the time is it, where is a good hotel, do you have a light). After a moment or two a second guy in street clothes comes up and flashes an ID card that is passing for Police ID.
“This guy is a known criminal/drug dealer/pimp and blah, blah, blah. Why are you talking to him? Perhaps you exchanged money, let me see your passport and wallet.” He’ll fiddle around with the wallet and papers and then return them to you and apologize for the trouble and wish you a good day.
If you look in your wallet it is empty of all cash and cards.
Comment by John — August 17, 2009 @ 10:56 pm |
Oddly enough I almost fell for it.. but I had heard of it. In my first month in Bucharest I lost 3 wallets – the best was stolen from me while the coat was on my chair.. and my wife was sitting opposite me!
I had 2 guys looking like police come up to me and ask for my passport – and I just ran.
Have you ever noticed that while you are in Bucharest, if you take out your camera, you get some scam merchant trying it on?
Comment by Peter Fogarty — August 21, 2009 @ 5:35 pm |
Hi there!
Great blog! Keep it up!!
maybe you won’t believe me, but I’ve been coming to and from Roumania for ten years and lived in Bucharest for one of those. It was the best year of my life. I met the most wonderful people, travelled all over the country, ate my way through every region possible (God, the food is so good), was never ripped off by a taxi-driver, never robbed though I walked around downtown Bucharest at 3h with my bag open tempting fate more than once, never got mugged, never had a single bad thing that happened to me…d’you know why? I think it was coz I decided that it never would. I fell in love with Roumania in 2000, and it has always been good to me. Sure, it has its fair share of negative points, as you say it has a corrupt people at the top, has a lot of shadiness about it, a lot of people are on the take and then more: the medical system is appalling, the salaries dreadful especially when u compare them to what politicians earn and the ex-securitate pensions etc…the destruction of the beautiful houses which in fact destroys culture, history and memory, too…but I love it. I cannot live without my visits to your beautiful country. It has he most gorgeous countryside I have ever seen, the people are wonderful (in no other country do you find such bravery and courage, not such ability to have a party at the drop of a hat!), the history and architecture is so, so rich and incredible, the food, as I’ve mentioned already, is fabulous…I won’t even start on the palinka!!!
Please feel free to roam my website: http://sarahinromania.canalblog.com
I live in Paris, France…and am shortly to leave, all being well, to move across the pond to the US. Completely different to my beloved Roumania. But I go to be with loved ones, not for the country.
please keep writing. Roumania so needs friends, honest opinions, heartfelt views, truth and creativity to help it give its new generation what it deserves: a sense of who they are; from whence they came…and national pride.
Bravo!
Comment by Sairj — September 10, 2009 @ 12:30 am |
Oh…how I laughed!! At the second video, I mean. Very funny! Just hope there aren’t any tourists out there who take it seriously!!
Just a word: The first video by the Ministry of Tourism…you’d have thought that after the Bourdaine disaster, they could have come up with something a little more imaginative. I’ve never seen a country so empty with more sheep than people, come to think of it. Where was the culture (apart from a few monasteries)? Where was the capital with the Ateneum, Stavropoleos, the Muzeul Satului, its parks and beautiful old Brancovânesc houses on Kiseleff? Where were the concerts at Sala Palatului? Zambaccian museum, the National Art gallery? Elena Udrea is really going to have to get her arse in gear if Roumania is ever going to be a serious holiday destination for the international traveller. It has so much to offer. Soooooooooooooooooo much. It troubles me that the Ministry of Tourism couldn’t do better than that.
Comment by Sairj again — September 10, 2009 @ 12:48 am |
thought i had a chat wid u at omegele if u r the same person pls contact me
Comment by shorya gupta — February 20, 2010 @ 11:36 pm |
email shorya.nsit@gmailc.com
Comment by shorya gupta — February 20, 2010 @ 11:40 pm |
email shorya.nsit@gmail.com
Comment by shorya gupta — February 20, 2010 @ 11:42 pm |
yes i know i am romanian too and heading for the USA too, Texas. I subscribe to what you have said, many hypocrites or just confused people choose to ignore that the majority of people are living in darkness out here. But what can i say, i did not do enough to help either…you know there are so many books which do not have translation in romanian. I love your blog. Keep telling the truth, if you haven’t told it all already. I always tell my future wife from the USA, what i think about this place. Many bad people. BUT, there are always these exceptions, not to mention many(girls good or bad), are just victims of abuse from very bad men. I do not “generalize” , just telling that THE MAJORITY of romanian men are like that. Today i witnessed how two men took 3 under-aged girls, tricked them into what can become a life of prostitution. And this goes on every day. They were barely 15! Who know what TOMORROW can bring?! So, maybe there are the few exceptions, but they are scarce.
Comment by Dorian — October 17, 2010 @ 7:48 pm |
Stop trying to pretend to be Romanian.
Comment by M — October 18, 2010 @ 5:16 pm |
http://www.scribd.com/full/39338441?access_key=key-1ls1k8p1375mwzzv0d8b
- follow this link to read the best book ever published-the reason why so many live in darkness is found in this book
Yes, there are exceptions but they are scarce. I want to leave this place and NEVER see it again. And others should do that too. If they can. It is a horrible place. I am sorry i did not help enough tho. Many bad men in this country do not come here…
Comment by Dorian — October 17, 2010 @ 7:58 pm |
it is my indifference that hurts people, and others’ indifference too. we should help where ever we find ourselves at. this is the next logical step after you found out there is a problem somewhere, and i mean especially men should help.
Comment by dorian — October 17, 2010 @ 8:41 pm |
cel ce are mult si este recunoscator, mai mult i se va da, dar cel ce are putin si este ingrat si acel putin se va lua de la el. Romania este o tara de ipocriti vestejiti
Comment by dorian — October 25, 2010 @ 8:57 am |
am vazut acum la stiri cum o familie din Romania(prima generatie care a plecat in America) au cateva azile de batrani si sunt foarte de succes acolo, si au grija de batrani, le servesc masa in fiecare zi si azilul e chiar in spatele casei(vilei) lor. SUUPER! si ei ziceau ca este pentru ca asa e la romani o traditie sa ai grija de parinti, eu cred ca e din cauza ca ei sunt oameni si nu caini ca multi altii, n-are nici o treaba cu nationalitatea sau traditia, daca ar fi dupa “traditie” ar insemna sa fie hoti si ipocriti, dar ei merg contra traditiei romane, ei nici macar nu sunt romani, sunt americani , si oamenii de acolo merita pentru ca au credinta, nu ca-n romania. saraca este romania si va fi si mai saraca pentru ca multi sunt hoti si ipocriti, iar cei ce au mai mult(americanii) vor avea si mai mult(cei care merita)
Comment by dorian — October 25, 2010 @ 9:01 am |
you’re so NAIVE about the usa
Comment by pappy — November 19, 2010 @ 6:14 pm |
iar eu, sunt ca un furuncul pe curu’ romaniei recunosc asta
Comment by dorian — October 27, 2010 @ 10:15 am |
Treaba cu batranii un US este foarte adevarata … oriunde in lume societatea are grija de batranii ei … oriunde dar nu in Romania!
Comment by Grup Condor — June 4, 2011 @ 7:57 pm |
I enjoyed reading your blog, keep posting man!
Comment by bushmaster — June 10, 2011 @ 11:16 am |
“was never ripped off by a taxi-driver” It is the best advice you can say
Comment by The confidence guru — November 15, 2011 @ 11:43 am |