In 2007 on a very hot summer afternoon I was in Timisoara with a friend of mine. We were walking in the beautiful pedestrian area near the National Opera when a young man in a black t-shirt handed me a sheet of paper. I took it, not knowing what it was, and then stopped short as I read it. The flyer was a semi-literate screed … Continue reading Gay Baby Panic in Timisoara
Well, it looks like this was the week to repeal legislation. Besides rejecting the “witch tax” bill, the Romanian senate also voted against a bill which would’ve legalized “prostitution” or sex work. The text of the bill (in Romanian) is here (PDF) and it looks fairly reasonable to me. A lot of people (including Americans) are quite surprised to learn that “prostitution” is legal in … Continue reading Romanian Senate Kills Sex Worker Bill
One of the interesting things about the Romanian language is that is has two words for “kiss” (either the noun or the verb), both of them coming from Latin, yet having two very distinct meanings. The first one – pup – comes from the Latin word for kissing someone, now only surviving in Italian (mostly in colorful phrases I won’t detail here) and Romanian. The … Continue reading When A Kiss Is Just a Kiss
The sun is steadily fading over the horizon and nightfall is descending. Yet you aren’t tired, in fact, the opposite. You feel a nervous rhythm in your blood and a strange excitement. You want to go out! But what is there to do in Romania? Well my friend, if “going out” at night to public places, especially ones with loud music and lots of alcoholic … Continue reading Nightlife in Romania
I’m something of a connoisseur of other people’s blog posts about Romania as well as something of a raconteur when talking face to face with tourists over the years. Since I honestly (sometimes) feel like I’ve been here forever, hearing the stories of other people helps give me a Buddhist-like “beginner’s mind” perspective on things. One of the advantages in writing about Romanian culture is … Continue reading Touching, Kissing and Other Physical Contact in Romania
All Things Romania 