European Vacation 2005

Emergency in Cluj-Napoca

Well, I was starting to think nothing overly exciting would happen on this trip. Quite a letdown compared to last year, huh? You know the adage: "be careful what you wish for..."

Right now I'm crowded into a romanian train from Cluj-Napoca to Brasov, near the home of Bran castle fabled in Bram Stoker's Dracula. But I won't get there until tomorrow; so let's get to the story.

My last newsletter left off with me on the train to Cluj. I hadn't eaten, and the train ride was 8 hours long. I was hoping that I might jump off if it stopped for any length in time.

NEW FRIEND
After I finished writing my newsletter and transmitted it here, I headed for the hallway to scope out food opportunities. I saw it was dusk, and I randomly met this woman from Berlin. I told her my sad story, and she offered me some of her snacks. I didn't want to take them, thinking I still had a chance to snag something at a stop. She told me that there was a film festival in Cluj-Napoca, and her girlfriend was one of the organizers. We bullshitted a bit while I waited for my opportunity to eat.

Then the train stopped near Romania to let on the hungarian border guards - it was a long stop, so I threw on my shoes and grabbed my camera bag. I jumped off the train just to be rejected by a border guard. I asked if I could get some food, and he just pointed his finger back at the train. So I climbed back on. About 20 minutes later the hungarian passport control finished checking all the passengers on the train. I looked out the window to see if I could make a run for the cafe - no dice. According to my new friend from Berlin, my border guard asked another officer if I could get off, and he was rejected.

My new, but very eccentric german friend gave me a few snacks which I gobbled gladly. We spoke a bit - then she went off to sleep a bit. I read my novel.

At about 11:30pm the train stopped. We were scheduled to arrive at 5 past midnight, so I didn't think it was our station. I walked into the hallway to find my german friend - she assured me it couldn't be Cluj-Napoca, since it was so early. Then her girlfriend came up to her and they hugged. She said, "Adam!! Let's go. This is it." Neither of us realized we changed time zones on the way.

I saddled up - remember my 175lbs of junk - and exited the train. Her friend asked if I needed a ride, and I reluctantly went with it. She had a romanian guy she must have hired to drive and translate, and he helped me with my bag. He offered to help me find a hotel; I accepted; and he did. He drove me to Hotel Belvedere, high on a hill overlooking the town. He ran in and confirmed that they had an available room.

So I ran in with my bags and got a room. They didn't ask for a credit card or any cash. Strange huh? After a quick change of shoes and shirt, I headed down to a cab.

YOUR NOT IN KANSAS, DOROTHY
I wanted to go dancing, but I didn't have any Lei, local currency. I'm in a country where very few foreigners go - so the cab driver had no idea what I said when I asked for a currency exchange. I used every word I knew to describe it, both english and russian. He randomly drove me to some strip club, probably because most foreigners ask to go there. Nice thinking, but I would definitely need currency there anyway.

He drove up to the nearest hotel, and we ran in to find an interpreter. After some back and forth he took me into town. We found an exchange - and I was a millionaire. 30,000 Lei for one dollar. I must have gotten 8 million Lei. Nice. Then I went back to the cab, and my method of cummunication included shaking my ass and saying "dance" or "disco". Before you know it I was in a club.

FORESHADOWING
I had a good time. The music was good. And I managed to dance until 3am. There was a bar brawl about 2am, after which everyone went back to dancing. Hmmm.

FIRST DAY IN CLUJ-NAPOCA
I woke up to a wonderful day. I walked around my first Romanian town, taking pictures. I was happily surpised by the quaintness of this place. And after a good nap I was again ready for some clubbing.

I grabbed a cab back to town, and went to the same place I was the night before. It was completely dead. I had a gin-tonic and contemplated my next move. After a quick conversation with the bartender, I found out that the place to be tonight is called Euphoria. She gave me somewhat comprehensible directions; I finished my cocktail, and I took off.

NOT QUITE EUPHORIA
I cruised in, grabbed a cocktail, and started dancing. Just like the night before, the bar was packed. You touched 6 people at a time wherever you went. And I was having a fantastic time. About an hour after getting there I felt some pushing from behind. I started to turn around and some guy slammed me in the face. I'm not quite sure if I was hit once or twice, but I looked down and saw blood on my chest.

When I went to the bathroom, I inspected my face. I wasn't happy to find a half-inch gash between my lip and chin. I knew I needed stitches just looking at it. I grabbed two paper towels, of course the most sterile things on earth, and pressed them to my wound.

When I got back to the dance floor it was remarkably empty. A couple nice college students took an interest in my bleeding face, and one of them took me to the hospital. The doctor was asleep, but the night guard woke him up so he could sow my face back together.

Not the most clean hospital - I was not exactly thrilled to be operated on there. And I forgot to bribe him before he worked on me, but after a quick cleaning and sowing, I was as good as new.

CHANGED PLANS
I originally intended to go straight to Bucharest the next day, but I wanted to stay where I was for a bit to make sure my face was ok. My head around my temple is swolen and bruised, and my stitches are frankenteinian. So I delayed a couple nights. Mostly I just frequented a few coffee shops and kept a low profile.

OFF TO BRASOV
I meant to go to this city a little later in the trip, but it seems a little better than Bucharest right now. Bran castle is there, and hopefully the weather will be good for photography. Right now I'm about an hour away. I'll keep you posted though. Let's hope I can stay out of the hospital for another week.

posted by Adam Stern @ 5:00 PM