Traffic Jams in Romania

This picture shows a common traffic hazard in Romania. Herds of sheep, goats, even cows and pigs sometimes decide to cross roads that are part of European Logistic Corridors (E 460). Sometimes, but not always accompanied by shepherd/ cowboy/ goatkeeper.....

Szigetköz, Hungary

The Szigetköz is an area of approximately 45 km long, starting at the Hungarian-Austrian border (Mosonmagyaróvár).
It is an environmental protection area, rich in flora and fauna which was put into danger by the Böcs dam project.
The area is ideal for turism: folk traditions, thermal water, hundreds of km of bike paths.
This picture was taken in October in the evening during a fishing trip with the father of a dear friend.

Romanian traffic

This is one of the many customized vehicles you will see during the permanent adventure and circus that is traffic in Romanian (see also previous blogs about special transport and the gypsy question...)

Bucharest - some beauty, a lot of beastliness

Bucharest has a rich architectural heritage. Buildings like the Palace Athenée are of neo-classical beauty. The own architecture of the beginning of the 20th century is rustic and appealing, used in villas of the 1920s and public buildings of the 30s.

Ceaucescu's regime introduced megalomanic planning and reinforced concrete.

The last two decades have seen a wildgrowth of eglectic styles without coordination, planning and often without taste.

To this picture is added a general disregard, even disrespect for public places. This combination leads to a city that leaves a dirty, ununderstandable impression.

alternative transport method...

The owner of this Dacia car decided that the roof of his car should be saved from scratches, so he hung the pipes UNDER the car. Knowing the state of Romanian roads, would like to see the result at the first bump / pothole. Not even mentioning abrupt manoeuvres in Romanian traffic...

Sighisoara

This city is traditionally German (Saxon, actually with a lot of Luxemburg and Flemish influence).
The city retains its beauty , even during the extensive renovation works which left most of the streets broken up during peak tourist season. I am not sure how much influence the German language and ethnicity still has nowadays, but a visit to the evangelical cementary at the highest top of the city shows row upon row of German and Hungarian names.
I hope the future of Sighisoara is as culturally diverse and rich as its history...

the gypsy question

 
As long as we have citizens of the EU living in circumstances like in the pictures (yes, this lady and her falily live in this cart), I think the gypsy question will remain very accute.
Gypsies (fashionably/ politically correct nowadays: Roma) in Central Europe have the same status and the same problems as the North African minorities in Belgium: not integrated, not schooled, not accepted, source of problems...