
Myth #3: Transnistria Is a Communist Country
Nope, not Communist at all. Sorry! Continue reading Myth #3: Transnistria Is a Communist Country
Nope, not Communist at all. Sorry! Continue reading Myth #3: Transnistria Is a Communist Country
Time to take a brief break from all the happy stuff and talk about some real shit. Romanians like to have collective amnesia about their history and forget that beyond all the crazy Communist Ceausescu shit, there was also a “fun” period of fascism. Living here in Moldova, which skipped the fascist part and went straight to the Big C, I’ve been able to more … Continue reading Nasty Scenes
Have you ever seen this photograph before? It is, quite possibly, the single most important photograph ever taken in the 20th century. The woman on the far right, holding a baby, is Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna Romanova. The young man in the back is Crown Prince Carol. The photograph was taken on July 14, 1914, in Constanta, Romania. Although no one quite knew it at … Continue reading The Russian Queen of Romania That Almost Was
Anyone who has ever learned (or attempted to learn) another language knows that there are always some words and phrases that can never be translated properly. The Portuguese word saudade is a classic example, having much more depth of meaning and sadness than English words like “longing” or “melancholy” can adequately portray. Today’s word, loitering isn’t a very deep or nuanced word, but it’s really … Continue reading Loitering
Folks, I have to admit I first started keeping an eye on online commentary (mostly blogs and twitter) just out of curiosity. Then on days when I am busy, it’s a rather “quick” way to scare up a new blog post. Sometimes it leads you down some strange paths, that’s for sure. Luckily, today’s mix is a thankfully a little bit more on the gentler … Continue reading A Trip to Sibiu, Confusion, Baby-Biting Gypsies and Cluj Gets Some Visitors