Oreada, my first stop in Romania. Five hours south via super slow train seemed like it would be enough for one day, and it was.
The town is said to have been at its best in the 1300’s. Before the Turks flattened it. The first time. They flattened it again in the 1600’s. Everyone in the neighborhood has ruled it over the years. The Hungarians, Habsburgs, the Ottomans, etc.
Oradea has some nice buildings. Lots of churches. And as many coffee shops per-capita as Seattle. Here are some photos. Around town.
Romania is poor. The infrastructure from the Communist past is run down and broken and ugly. Bacos, the bartender at the wine bar Tapta is leaving with his brother to find work in Manchester where “the wages are better”.
Work is underway to restore this city. They are rebuilding the pavement in the central square and it looks like it will be beautiful when complete.
There is a nice pedestrian only street.
But more work is needed. There are too many closed shopfronts and crumbling buildings.
People who allow themselves to be bored would certainly be bored here in this little country town. I had a fine time. Nice walks along the river.
Good food and wines.
The prices are amazing. Unlike some poor countries (e.g. Portugal, Argentina) where prices are inexplicably high, prices here are in proportion. In a pub had a bottle of a fine Romanian Pilsner beer for a dollar 4 cents. A Cepressa salad is 3 dollars. A good bottle of wine in a restaurant is between 6 and 16 dollars.
At the restaurant “To Chefs” I had one of the best dishes I have ever eaten: a bacon wrapped Tenderloin heaped with black truffels. For eleven dollars and 50 cents.
Some random indoor pictures.
Everyone I have met has been friendly and welcoming. There is plenty of English. In fact almost all the indoor “Muzac” backgroung music is in English.
A few observations:
Like Texans, the women who can, dress up, but the men don’t bother. The women paint their eyebrows a startling black. And wear false eyelashes.
Service is spotty. Excellent in some places. Pretty bad in most, where working seems to involve standing (or sitting) around talking with the other employees.
Cigarettes are smoked everywhere. Here is something we have forgotten, ash trays and a cigarette menu in the coffee shop.
