West City Hotel Cluj-Napoca

... closed but I find the art museum open. Some of the paintings make me feel as though I am in Transylvania with portraits of people with white faces, coming right out of horror movies.

I spend the afternoon with the locals at a café, working on photos. Nightlife looks really good but I have to get some sleep for my early train.

Located out of town, but close to the economic area of the city, BLACK TULIP, a four stars hotel, represents the perfect destination for those wishing to rest. I have appreciated the room atmosphere, the quality of the services...and the high degree of refinement of the cuisine.

... is a fortified town and the citadel is on the World Heritage List. Buildings of interest included a lovely Clock Tower built in 1360, a very long, very old (1640), covered staircase and the Church on the Hill. We indulged in an ice cream and an apple strudel before heading on to Turda. We arrived in Turda and asked directions at the Information office to our hotel. It’s called the Hunter Prince ...

The train from Sighisoara to Cluj Napoca was another sauna experience. I had opened the window, but the elderly woman in our berth asked me to close it (though she herself was sweating).

The only good thing about Cluj was a brilliant candy store in which we spent a fair amount of money (for Romania).

Sighisoara to Cluj: one 2nd class ticket (3 hours) – 36.70 lei

... työmatkalla, kun lentoasemalla oli kuski vastassa. Ei tosin koppalakissa ja tummassa puvussa, mutta kulkupelinä oli sentään juuri pakasta vedetty Skoda Octavia. Reissu lähti jälleen lennokkaasti liikkeelle, sillä jäin jumiin hotellihuoneeseeni heti ensimmäisenä aamuna. Tuli siinä sitten tehtyä kaikki elokuvamanööverit, kuten ovea kohti heittäytyminen olkapää edellä. Mietin jo respaan soittamista, mutta sitten hoksasin, mik ...

... stampile, stampila cu timbru sec a primariei Cluj, stampila cu semnatura lui Boc, stampila cu semnatura arhitectului sef al orasului.
De ce e acuzat acum Marius, de fals, uz de fals si de astea. Dus cu pluta, nu crezi?"

Dus cu pluta zic si eu, dar cum a putut un om ca asta, semidoct si lipsit de cel mai elementar bun-simt sa manipuleze si insele zeci de oameni. Poate vom afla vreodata.

... that of course I will take the walkway...not even thinking of backing out. Because I've found that if you show one shred of panic, people respond in predictable ways. You have the prodder who teases you and tries to get you to go deeper into that precipice of panic...you have the condescender who tries to coddle you through it...and I can't deal with that...and you have those that act like they're ignoring you in your anxiety but secretly they're ...

Day 34 - Cluj Napoca Sort of. Last night was so so so so cold! After dinner we were sitting around the cook tent, listening to music and having a few drinks and I was getting colder and colder... so I called it quits and went to bed. But I was so cold, I ended up crying. Yep, crying! I was shivering so much, I couldn't control it and next thing I was in tears. Well at least I didn't snore! I know I didn't because I didn't sleep! I was wearing 2 t-shirts, my jumper, my winter ...

I dont know what it is, but it just sounds cool to say that we're in Transylvania! This city, Cluj-Napoca, used to be the capital when Transylvania was its own country. It's a cool little place which has a large universtiy student population, giving the place a lot of electricity and a fun feel. We spent a few days here and looked around and saw a few interesting sights (see photos ...

... closer to the original Latin than French, if deviant in the opposite direction. The funny thing is that Latin characteristics show up in other aspects of the culture, like red tile roofs and city-center parks. All in all Cluj-Napoca is nice, though without any obvious tourists or attractions.