Friday was only a ½ day at the clinic to give us an early start to the weekend, and the many hours we would spend on the bus.
Tim was sick and missed by the kids and all of us. Some of us from other rooms worked a short shift in the toddler room, and now have a new and greater appreciation for those of you who survive it everyday.
As we have worked, it is fun to see some of the blankets, sleepers, slippers, feeders, books and other gifts brought by our group for the children of Tutova.
Friday also marks the day we officially renamed the groups. For group 110, they are no longer the non-mobile, mobile and toddler groups. They are, and always will be, the much loved sleepers, creepers and leapers.
After lunch at the hotel, we loaded baggage and travelers on the bus, though it didn’t seem quite right without our friends, Hugh and Merrily.
We were introduced to our tour guide Florin, and we were on our way.After a couple of hours, we stopped and had cappuccino and hot chocolate, though it all tasted like hot chocolate.
5 ½ hours later, we were finally in Brasov, a beautiful City. We saw an amazing Christmas light display in the streets, and many old and historic buildings. The Capital hotel was very nice. Funny note: All of the singles had double beds and all of the couples had twin beds.
We met for a nice dinner in an East European restaurant, very medieval in appearance, by the name of Butoiul sasului. (batoy sashlouie)
We woke up Saturday to blue skies and a very cold, clear day. We had another hotel breakfast with very good American like coffee. Florin guided a walking tour of the old part of the city, ending at the Black Church. We learned that the Black Church was built in the 1300’s, more than 100 years before America was even discovered. No photos were allowed inside the church, but we saw where bullets had hit pillars inside the church when the Communist party was overthrown in 1989.
Tim’s coat and gloves were of great interest to the Romanian men working Security at the Black Church.
There was a little time for shopping at the local Mall and Ron bought a much needed coat.
We stopped for lunch at Lupilore, otherwise known as “The Wolf Lodge.” No one will ever forget the huge meat platter that Jerry and Sha devoured as they made their way through what we called “Noah’s Ark.” We could have all eaten from it.
We visited Brann Castle boasting secret staircases and the mysteries of Dracula. Afterward, we shopped for awhile with some of the local vendors who set up shop to woo the unsuspecting Americans out of their money. They actually sold a brand of wine called “Dracula Wine.”
Before we left, we learned that some in our group could possibly be a menace to society, a hooligan as they say in Romania. Putting feet on the coffee table, and incorrectly stacking the teacups were the crimes.
Thankfully, the hostile housekeeping staff kept Deb and Angela on the straight and narrow for us and we didn’t have to bail them out of some obscure prison.
We left Transylvania to head for Sinai, (suniah) and arrived about 5:30 in time for dinner. Without a lot of debate, all but Sha decided on pizza for supper. She wanted more meat! Lamb, one of Noah’s best she had not yet tried. J
In the morning, we ate another nice breakfast, and left about 9:30 to see the Peles (Pellish) Castle. The Castle was very ornate and beautiful. We were amazed to learn that it took 39 years to build and by European standards, it is considered a young construction. There are no words of description worthy. Some of the ornamentation included multi-colored stained glass, artwork, beautiful marble, alabaster statues, beautiful gardens and fountains, detailed woodwork and artifacts of silver, gold, brass, copper, and countless inlaid floors, and walls. There was unbelievable attention to detail as far as the eye could see.
We headed off to ride the cable car, which climbed 1400 meters up the mountain. We ate lunch at the snow restaurant, right below the mountain.
There were many pictures taken, mostly of us eating, and eating and eating. We should have taken some of us painstakingly figuring out our bills at the end of each meal.
As we learn about each other and our different personalities, we have often remarked how well we all seem to get along and gel as a team. We have also coined some inside jokes and phrases. One we may never forget is the sad story of the man who wrote the Hokey Pokey.
On the ride home, I think we would all agree that there should be new rules about the way our driver got us home. Wow! In Romania, they don’t worry so much about the “bring ‘em back alive” motto. The “rule of honk” didn’t seem to work quite so well on the way back as it did on they way down. All in all, we marveled at the wonderful, relaxing weekend. We were glad to reconnect with Hugh and Marilee, who had an equally nice weekend in Iasa. (Yosh)
As we approach our second week, and also Christmas day, I think many of our hearts and minds are feeling a little torn. We are happy to be in Romania, but a part of us wants to be at home or with loved ones. Though we comprehend more than ever, the emptiness of the commercial Christmas we celebrate each year, we are also completely joyful, and so excited to make this a Christmas like none other for the little ones in our care. In America we are truly blessed, or in the words of Romanian royalty . . . “There is nothing we don’t got.”
As we settle in for the night, we note that often throughout the weekend, there was a feeling of something missing. There was something tugging at the back of our minds, something else we could have been doing. We, as a group speak of dreams with children crying . . . we hear a child call out “mama” in the shopping center . . . and in the blink of an eye, our hearts sprout wings and we are transported once more, to the Tutova clinic, where “our” children may be crying . . . and their voices are the ones calling out. We are anxious to be back.
Suzie
