The train to Sibiu

I just got off the train from Brasov 2 hours ago and am now in Sibiu.  It was pitch dark when I got here and I can't believe I found the hotel right away!  I feel like I've lost an entire day, traveling from one city to the next.  By car the trip would have taken under 3 hours...it's 85 miles as the cow flies! I got to the train station in Brasov at noon...the train was scheduled to depart at 1:10.  The train was 30 minutes late.  Okay, not a problen.  In Romania, that's actually not bad.  I don't know what the hell happened after that.  I know that planes will go faster to make up for lost time...but the train crawled along at no faster than 30-40 mph most of the way. I arrived here at 6:15. Go figure!

A little note about the way things are in Romania. The train stopped in Sibiu over an hour late...no one complains. Who would care? The train stopped on the wrong side of the platform.  We had to cross over several sets of tracks (in the pitch dark, mind you) to get to the platform. I was carrying heavy luggage! Thank goodness some nice man who was on the train with me carried it to the platform for me. Again...No one complains. Who cares?  It seems as though people are so used to putting up with this sort of thing, they just simply accept it.  They are conditioned to believe that they are powerless.  The conditioning of Communism still runs deep here in Romania.

To get off and on the train, you have to climb up onto some very skinny, very steep metal steps.  If you don't have a free hand to hoist yourself up, you're screwed.  I've had help every time I have had to do this...thank goodness most people are willing to help. Old and handicapped people?  Forget it. It's survival of the fittest in Romania. There is no such thing as elderly housing and nothing is handicap accessible.

I think the worst part of today's trip was not knowing anything. Every so often the train would just stop.  No reason given, and no one seemed to expect one. I never knew where I was or when I was supposed to get off.  I just can't understand this.  They want to bring in more tourists but this kind of thing will keep them away.

'Nuff said...night all.