Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Preparing for Autumn
It is still June, but as we must leave Cluj this coming weekend, I am spending this week largely in meetings in preparation for my teaching here at UBB in the fall term. At FSEGA yesterday, Prodeacon Mihaela L. and I concluded that I am to be teaching Labor Management in the fall, with Moni Z. as my T.A., as well as a new course called Starting New Ventures, for which I shall be responsible for both lectures and seminars. It will be a practical course in planning the launch of a new small business. Tomorrow at 1:00 P.M. I will meet with Professor Dr. Marius J. of the European Studies Faculty to discuss my teaching of the course American Business and Economy in the American Studies Progra.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
La Braşov
Note: this post should have preceded the one below, which tells Friday's tale.
On Wednesday, 16 June, following a final meeting with Mihaela, Trent and Roxana W. at the Cluj Chamber of Commerce, Shirl and I drove Roxana to her family's home in Braşov. From Cluj that is about 280 Km southeast across Transylvania. Shirl had heard that Braşov was a beautiful old city, but on our previous trip through that Judeţ on June 6th, we had seen little of its beauty, in spite of having set the GPS for "Center City," and in spite of our having had Monica Z. with us. So this week, Shirl had cut a deal with Roxana: promise to show us "Old Braşov," and we'll take you home on our way to Bukovina (thus saving her parents a ten-hour round trip to pick Roxana up).
Roxana accepted Shirl's offer, and it worked out wonderfully. Not only did we share a long and sociable ride through a torrential hailstorm and rain squall, but when we got to Braşov the weather eased, and the views from the hill above her family's home were lovely, indeed.
We offer our thanks to Doamna Geta ("Jetta") and Domnile Dorin Dima of Braşov for the wonderful dinner they fed us upon our tardy arrival, and for taking us on a stroll to the hilltop to take these photos.
On Wednesday, 16 June, following a final meeting with Mihaela, Trent and Roxana W. at the Cluj Chamber of Commerce, Shirl and I drove Roxana to her family's home in Braşov. From Cluj that is about 280 Km southeast across Transylvania. Shirl had heard that Braşov was a beautiful old city, but on our previous trip through that Judeţ on June 6th, we had seen little of its beauty, in spite of having set the GPS for "Center City," and in spite of our having had Monica Z. with us. So this week, Shirl had cut a deal with Roxana: promise to show us "Old Braşov," and we'll take you home on our way to Bukovina (thus saving her parents a ten-hour round trip to pick Roxana up).
Roxana accepted Shirl's offer, and it worked out wonderfully. Not only did we share a long and sociable ride through a torrential hailstorm and rain squall, but when we got to Braşov the weather eased, and the views from the hill above her family's home were lovely, indeed.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Monday Morning Musings
The Celtics took until almost 11:00 PM to win game 5 of the NBA finals in Boston, so Shirl was captivated in Cluj on the computer until well past dawn. It is now almost 8:00 AM, and I am about to collect Klaus and cruise across Cluj to have breakfast at The Faculty (FSEGA), where I am told there is a coffee shop on the newly-completed sixth floor. Hopefully, I will meet up with Trent and Roxana W. there, for they arrived Friday afternoon, and today we will be in meetings with Mihaela and others.
On Sunday, while Roxana rested from a difficult trip during which her money was lost to a thief in Turin, Trent and I went sightseeing in the country, first to the beautiful monastery at Rameţ, near Teiuş, then to Colţeşti for lunch. We drove via the god-awful, but scenic and rural back road from Aiud to Colţeşti, then came home from Turda to Cluj on a brand new (no exits yet, save at the ends) 42-Km of divided highway, at 130 Km/Hr. It is a wonderful road, but it also made clear my point from last year. The country of Romania will not be the same for tourists once the highway system is completed. In some ways Romania will be better, commercially it should be more prosperous, clearly it will be much easier to traverse, but it will not look the same, feel the same, nor be Middle Earth anymore.
On Sunday, while Roxana rested from a difficult trip during which her money was lost to a thief in Turin, Trent and I went sightseeing in the country, first to the beautiful monastery at Rameţ, near Teiuş, then to Colţeşti for lunch. We drove via the god-awful, but scenic and rural back road from Aiud to Colţeşti, then came home from Turda to Cluj on a brand new (no exits yet, save at the ends) 42-Km of divided highway, at 130 Km/Hr. It is a wonderful road, but it also made clear my point from last year. The country of Romania will not be the same for tourists once the highway system is completed. In some ways Romania will be better, commercially it should be more prosperous, clearly it will be much easier to traverse, but it will not look the same, feel the same, nor be Middle Earth anymore.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Market Day
The Piata M.V. market was bustling this Saturday morning as I went for dishwashing detergent and came home with fresh fruit and makings for a stir-fry. As Trent and Roxana arrive today, I will either have to cook a fine lunch, or risk having the huge mushrooms, gorgeous eggplant, zucchini and yellow & red peppers get tired in the refrigerator. No need to say "organic" in Romania. The strawberrues and grapes are unbelievably yummy.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Trip Pics
A self-explanatory gallery (I hope).
Campton, NH:
Next Winter's Wood was in the shed before we left, May, 2010. Thanks to Alex McD. and Alex Ro for help in stacking four cords!
First stop: Stuttgart/Fellbach, DE.
Campton, NH:
Next Winter's Wood was in the shed before we left, May, 2010. Thanks to Alex McD. and Alex Ro for help in stacking four cords!
First stop: Stuttgart/Fellbach, DE.
True Holidays
In Europe the word for a vacation is "holiday." These past three days we have truly been on holiday. I have had lunches with Melinda and Mircea, and met briefly with Alexandra, Dora F. and Ralu T., but have truly not done anything that could be termed work. Meanwhile, Shirl, who caught some minor bug in our travels, has spent the days getting well and decompressing from our rapid journey. She has yet to walk down to Strada Andrei Suganu since first climbing the two flights of stairs to our apartment on Sunday night. My shopping has scored us enough fruit, meat, bread, cereal, milk, yogurt and ice cream that we have not had to go out to eat, and though I have invited Shirl out, and Moni Z. has invited her out, Shirl has preferred to stay here and rest.
Today is sunny and warm in Cluj. I went out this morning to move Klaus, a daily necessity to avoid his collecting tickets or being towed, and after moving him I strolled around the piata for an hour and a half. I bought paper towels at the Magazin Alimentar, had coffee and a pastry at a small "Cofeteria," went to the foyer of Nr. 1, which is unchanged, but for the mailboxes, which have been removed for some reason. I considered calling Lauren H., the Fulbrighter now living in Ap. 16, but realized that I had failed to get her phone number. Now, I remember that I have her land line, which I assume is unchanged, since it came with the apartment. I will call her one day soon, and introduce her to Shirl. I went around the corner and walked past Rolland Garros, the Spalatorie Ecologic, and the travel agency where my Internet friend Kriztina works, and found the office closed. So, I turned back to P-ta Mihai Viteazul, crossed to Strada A. Suganu, and stopped at "my Hungarian barber" to get my beard trimmed. I made it home by 9:30, caught up on e-mails, then went to bed for a nap with my still-sleeping life-partner.
It was a good way to start a vacation day. I expect that Shirl will be willing to go out for a ride this afternoon, or for dinner tonight. But if not, who cares? We are on holiday.
Today is sunny and warm in Cluj. I went out this morning to move Klaus, a daily necessity to avoid his collecting tickets or being towed, and after moving him I strolled around the piata for an hour and a half. I bought paper towels at the Magazin Alimentar, had coffee and a pastry at a small "Cofeteria," went to the foyer of Nr. 1, which is unchanged, but for the mailboxes, which have been removed for some reason. I considered calling Lauren H., the Fulbrighter now living in Ap. 16, but realized that I had failed to get her phone number. Now, I remember that I have her land line, which I assume is unchanged, since it came with the apartment. I will call her one day soon, and introduce her to Shirl. I went around the corner and walked past Rolland Garros, the Spalatorie Ecologic, and the travel agency where my Internet friend Kriztina works, and found the office closed. So, I turned back to P-ta Mihai Viteazul, crossed to Strada A. Suganu, and stopped at "my Hungarian barber" to get my beard trimmed. I made it home by 9:30, caught up on e-mails, then went to bed for a nap with my still-sleeping life-partner.
It was a good way to start a vacation day. I expect that Shirl will be willing to go out for a ride this afternoon, or for dinner tonight. But if not, who cares? We are on holiday.
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