16 juin 2008
Update
Dear Everyone,
Back in Bucharest after a wonderful weekend, as always, with Lidia and Marian. Mara and Dan came too, arriving Saturday from Bucharest so with Ionut and Ionana, too, we were quite a group. Very nice to see them again.
Incidentally, the first class seat on an 'acelerat' is exactly the same as a second class one, so anyone thinking of doing the same, save yourself the 20ron difference, and remain in second! Couldn't believe it! Just as cramped, 8 per carriage, just as grotty, no aircon so with window wide open, we all had very dodgy hair-do's on arriving at our appointed destination. Everyone in my carriage got out at Brasov.
We were so glad to be back. It's rather like a second home for us, and I'd missed Lidia terribly. It had been 7 weeks - far too long. It's always lovely to find my bedroom, walk round the pretty garden, collapse in front of the tv and just relaaaaax!
Saturday, we'd hoped to catch a glimpse of Stirbey Castle in Buftea, but not enough time. It's on the agenda for next visit. It has been bought by a business tycoon from Brasov, neighbour of Lidia and Marian, big in asphalt - heaven knows, he's been trying to concrete Brasov over for ages.... A little info... "The Stirbey Palace in Buftea was bought for several million Euro, from the heirs of the homonym family, and it is to be transformed into an exquisite hotel. The property includes the palace itself and 24 hectars of park land. As the place has an impressive heritage of history and tradition, the new owners intend to set up a museum of the Stirbey family, but also to raise new buildings that will host conferences and exhibitions." Actually, it was bought for 9 million euros...far less than his friend Becali paid for the Ausnit House he has completely kitschified. I dread to think what Mr. Asphalt will do to this lovely castle...
Instead, we went to the Schei part of Brasov, one of my favourite areas. Today, the Schei
quarter is a residential dead-end, with the calm and quiet of its Baroque streets broken only by very occassional buses and children coming home from school. It's a step-back in time. The quarter's main sight is the 
church of St. Nicolas on Piata Unirii. Ioana and Ionut plan to be married here in Sf. Nicolae and I can totally understand why. It's a beautiful ancient church of fairy-tale atmosphere and architecture, set in a lovely garden with floral cemetry nearby, and shares its place with the first Roumanian-language school, now a museum exhibiting the first Roumanian language text-books, printed in Brasov in 1581. The school was built in 1495 and rebuilt
in 1760. What can I tell you about Sf. Nicolae? Er...the papal bull of 1399 mentions the church, but the building itself was constructed in 1495 with the support of the voivodes across the mountains (Vlad the Monk, Neagoe Basarab, Mihai Viteazul, Petru Cercel, Aron Voda, Gheorghe Stefan, etc). Three chapels were later added. It's not as large inside as you would expect, and we walked straight into a marriage ceremony. The bride was beautiful, the groom looked like a thug!
From this lovely, calm part of Brasov despite the wedding, Marian drove us to Piatra Craiului. How I love it there. It's so majestic, so peaceful. We stopped at the 'cabana' we know so well and doscovered that it, too, was owned by Marcel somebody-or-other, the rich tycoon who had bought the Stirbey Palas...my mici suddenly lost their flavour and I tried to focus on the fabulous mountain view in front of me. Ha. You can't buy that, at least.
We were all tired out that evening. Mountain air and visions of such loveliness are
exhausting. A delicious spread as always, ladened the table and 'Fauteuils de l'Orchestre' on TV. Excellent combination!
Yesterday, Marian, Mara and I went charging round the shops to try and get me a portable aircon unit without a tube which has to go outside. Lidia said it absolutely does exist, but noone sold it. Galaxy Media, Altex, Flanco, Domo...but at least I got to see the prices and Marian and Mara (who runs an aircon company) could explain all the profound details of an aircon system. I'd already had a Skype Course from Serge who was superbly informative, so I kind of knew what I was looking for.
By the time we got back, there left only enough time to have lunch, then Mara and Dan kindly drove me back to Bucharest. I had a return ticket for the first class joys 'acelerat' but I couldn't face it, truely I couldn't. They left me on the corner of str. Glinka opposite Billa. I was most anti-social, as Rosie and I slept from Busteni all the way to Bucharest. We were worn out! How wonderful it had been to spend time with our beloved Lidia and Marian, get away from the heat (16-18° in Brasov, only 15° in the mountains), feel rain on our faces, see Ionut and Ioana, and emotionally absorb nature in all its glory and marvellous magnitude, which kind of puts everything else into perspective. Like a kind of retreat but with great food! We'll go back first weekend in July and do all the things Lidia and I had wanted but never had the time - castles, museums...
Today, Aless, Gaby and I went to Obor for my aircon system. At long last! We found a cheap though good quality one at Altex, and in fact the installation and delivery price cost almost as much as the airconditioning, made by Americool (ever heard of it?). Fortunately, Serge had already schooled me in what to look for and Mara had added a few hints (which I've forgotten). The long and the short of it is they will deliver tomorrow and install Friday. Then I must call Brigitte and ask her if she'll give me a months rent free for half the price of the aircon. After all, it will increase the value of her flat...
Altex at Obor is not conducive for customer service. First, we went to the shop near the metro station round the corner from Domo, beginning of sos. Colentina. They said we couldn't
actually pay there - the shop for payment was two bus stops up Colentina. So, we walked...and walked...and walked...twenty minutes later and a lot hotter, we found the place, went upstairs and located the system we'd seen at the sister shop 500 km away...same price etc. Nothing can go wrong, I thought smugly. Buying aircon? It's a synch! Huh! Think again. This is a country where customer services really has no connotation. However much you're spending, you're treated a bit like an irritant, and I have to say it was my first experience of such behaviour. The girls said it was normal, which really got my goat because it's only normal because noone complains or does anything about it. The shop is on two levels, stuff for sale upstairs, payment and gymnastics downstairs. I handed over my credit card to pay the sum of 1,046 ron, noted on a post-it with reference number by the girl upstairs, to include installation and delivery. We waited 15 minutes. Despite Altex being a shop of technical products, one can't use the phone and the credit card machine at the same time. Everytime the girl swiped my card, her colleague picked up the phone. Finally, exasperated, I took the card from her paws and asked her to wait til her colleague had finished. He was, after all, organising my delivery date. She was most sulky and rude. Her colleague however seemed nice enough so we dealt with her instead. Pretty girl, great shame about the brown, broken teeth - and so young, too.
Anyway, finally, the payment was done. cross the shop to cash desk (nowhere near the credit card machine) for invoice. Then upstairs again for guarantee. The woman looked at the bill. Incorrect price. They had undercharged me. I'd have to pay the difference. I felt myself starting to scowl. 'Welcome to Roumania' said Aless, which made me even angrier! Downstairs again. To the cashdesk. The girl looked at the invoice, no 'sorry', nothing. It was her error, not mine. Another 100 ron. No way was I going to use my card again. I left the shop to use the cash machine next door. By the time I got back, Aless had paid the difference. I stood there in front of the sales girl waiting for an apology. If I'd held my breath, I would have collapsed...nothing. Back upstairs. Guarantee. Check address for delivery. Installation Friday.
I was livid. Such rudeless. Anyway, I won't just accept it as Roumanians do. I shall write to the director of Altex, to the Chamber of Commerce and to the Manager of Altex Colentina. It won't make any difference, but I'll feel better. If people don't stand up for themselves because they don't think they deserve to be treated any better, then nothing will ever change... Here ends the story of the aircon shopping.
A visit to Nicole's dear friends Iolanda, Matilda, Vassilica and Jules in strada Rabat for balm on fury which worked a treat, a trot to Zambaccian, closed for refurbishment and then home. Fell asleep with Rosie on the bed and woke up to the most beautiful inky red and indigo sunset I've seen in a long time. We are blessed with tapestries of colour and wonder in this incredible country.
Let the week commence!
Love, Sarah xox