Corruption and Me Just Over Here Missing My Mommy

Romania… where do I start?

I asked someone in a hostel, “What is Romania known for?” I had just arrived and therefore I always find myself yearning to know more about the country I have suddenly found myself in.

His answer:

“Corruption”

I had merely asked in regards to things like food, and alcohol. So that answer actually shocked me. I went to the trouble, at that point, to learn something… and more importantly some interesting facts about Romania…

Here are the ones that really surprised me:

- According to someone on Tinder 48% of Romanians speak english. I thought this was amazing so naturally I didn't believe him. I had to google it... It's actually more like 75% of the entire country speaks English. Mind blown... English is in fact (according to google) the best known language in Romania! (don't be stupid, obviously outside of the language they speak which is ROMANIAN)

- Romania joined the Second World War on the side of the Nazis!!!! This resulted in 400,000 Romanian Jews and 36,000 Roma sent to their deaths in concentration camps. It took until 1944, and all those deaths for them to switch sides.

- In 1947 the Soviet-dominated Romanian Peoples Republic was proclaimed.

- In 1948 the residents of Bran Castle (Princess Ileana, her mother had restored the castle and bequeathed it to her favorite (allegedly) daughter in her will) were forcibly removed by communists. I highly recommend a little read on the Princess and her family as it is actually quite the story.

- The "House of the People" is the most disgraceful waste of money in a country that is (according to google) the poorest in the EU. However, the man and his entire family were executed on CHRISTMAS! By a firing squad!! And this is like 1989, which for an innocent little Canadian like me I find shocking

- A Romanian gymnast was the first to obtain a perfect score at the Olympics... In Montreal, and us silly Canadians didn't program the judge's computers to display a perfect score so there was some confusion... (Probably in French) It's funny how things like this don't really matter until you find yourself in their country.

- A lawyer named Popovici was the Romanian "Schindler" and actually saved more lives. Technicalities people! No one made a movie about this guy, just saying. 

- Romanians have "groundbear day" (Candlemas) instead of the "American" groundhog day.

- Some countries smuggle hard drugs. Romanians smuggle cigarettes.

I have a hard time admitting that I just didn’t find the beat of Romania. I didn’t fall in love with the country at all. Part of it could very well be I just wasn’t a fan of the food. I found myself searching for the vibe, for the reason to stick around. It just wasn’t something I could find.  I honestly felt like the eight days I spent there may have been too many. That or maybe not enough. I wonder if a big part of it is just that I’m ready to go home.

I really miss Canada. Snow falling in Sibiu reminded me I am so in love with the country I come from because you know what… it truly is an amazing place to be from. And maybe, just maybe I miss my mommy.

The Budget Struggle is Real

Moving cities every few days has made it so hard to convince myself that it is worth the trouble of unpacking my bag to dig out my laptop and actually accomplish some writing. So yes I have been wearing pretty much the same outfit since I left Ireland, with the exception of today, I’m wearing shorts! And thank god for that because I brought four pairs with me from Canada, and yep haven’t worn em. I could have had I packed them for my trip to the Netherlands but silly me didn’t.  

I have logged a decent amount of miles in my running gear too, and it really is time to properly wash my clothes, they are starting to smell. I’m holding out till I get to Romania though because it is literally a tenth of the cost there. Before you go and get sick, I have been hand washing my clothes, well my socks and underwear. I do this in the shower, a trick Fletcher taught me in Montreal many years ago. Funny because we had a washing machine at that flat. My jeans are halfway between life and death so I might just replace them instead of washing them. Also when I left Ireland I packed all my work socks which I literally threw out after wearing which was convenient. My shoes have caught the stink and I would love to throw them out and I will, just not yet. In fact everything I own is pretty much ready for the bin with the exception of those very expensive running socks I bought 6 years ago, they are still in perfect condition. Not as white as I’d like but that can easily be fixed when I’m back in the motherland. Enough about my laundry, Tompers is literally refusing to go anywhere near NefFie. (we have named the 40L NorthFace backpack, fitting really because she will be up for adoption after this trip) That’s probably a sign.

I cannot believe I am nearing the half way point of my trip. I also cannot believe I’m still hauling so much crap around with me. I’m frustrated with myself that NefFie is so full and I have packpack attached to my waist strap, granted he is usually full of food… What can I say, I’m on a budget.

Speaking of…

My poor budget hasn’t really stood much of a chance. It looks a bit hilarious because there are days were I did so well, but more often than not I was over my budget. It’s hard to really tell because I was putting in the costs for hotels etc that were booked for the future on the day I paid for them so it won’t really be a true representation of how I did on a day to day basis. And, until it is all said and done. However, according to my app I’m running at about €10 over budget per day… I did set my budget aggressively low, I guess to attempt to guilt me into staying on track… Travelling Europe at forty quid a day should not be easy. I’m actually questioning if it is even possible. I’m becoming my mother. Mom I mean this in the nicest way possible but come on we all know you are “frugal” as you like to say… *cough* cheap *cough*

Me the girl famous for her fancy Starbucks drinks actually says no to buying coffee, (in freaking Italy!!!!!!!!) unless there is a benefit for me. Like in Siena I wanted wifi and I had almost two hours to kill so I bought a coffee for €1.50 in exchange for the wifi password. I could have been truly cheap and just asked for it but I don’t want to be that person *cough* mom *cough*


One of the few things that I do to stay on budget is walk everywhere. Public transit is cheap but it adds up fast. Two feet and a heartbeat are free, plus I’m kicking ass on my fitbit challenges. (suckers)

That being said, I want to defend my budgeting skills… I have had a few unexpected setbacks. Having to pay €14 for the locker storage at the bus station in Granada instead of €7 because the coins didn’t work to get my stuff out and they guy refused to believe that I had already put the coins in/listen to my English or let me try to explain in my absolutely crap Spanish. I had to catch my bus, I didn’t have time to find a translator. I also paid €3.50 for a locker in Malaga because I forgot my container with my lunch in it in the fridge at my hostel and didn’t want to haul my bags all the way back there to get it, I rationalized this with the fact that it would have cost me more than that to buy lunch and having a container is extremely handy. I also got caught in Rome with unexpected really high city tax that was not included in the booking cost of the room. In fact all of my hostels in Italy charged an additional “city tax”.

Today I spent €13 on a salad and a couple bananas at an extremely overpriced market, of course I did not know how overpriced it was because there was no prices on the shelves I just assumed it would be similar to everywhere else, silly me. Trying not to cry about it.

I guess the thing is, nothing is free anymore. You want to go inside any building you have to pay, and if you don’t have to pay every other tourist has the same idea so the cue is ridiculous. (This is the off-season too) The only thing I haven’t had to pay for yet is to use the bathroom. Mainly because I’m dehydrated. I do find myself sometimes struggling with when I should let the budget go and pay for things that might be once in a lifetime experiences, then I think I’d prefer to have a few drinks with a stranger, over seeing the inside of yet another museum/church.

I do find myself comparing every new city to the other cities I have been, I was floored at how dirty and gross Bordeaux was. Especially after how clean Spain was. I guess I was expecting Spain to be filthy, I was stunned at how unsoiled it is. I just had this image of Bordeaux in my mind, and well it let me down in real life. It also ended up being an extremely expensive stop because I accidentally invited this German guy to join me, which just resulted in costing me even more money, and the Airbnb I had booked, and paid a fair bit for, to get some much needed alone time I knew by then I would need, ended up being shared with this guy who had the audacity to actually make me pay for our round of beers when we were out. I’m far too nice of a person it seems. Must let it go, maybe Bordeaux needs a second chance.

Italy has been amazing. I’m not sure what I was expecting to be honest. I guess it’s just that I got so many mixed reviews about it, but I even loved Rome. I reckon the whole experience would be so different in the summer when everything is triple the price and crawling with tourists. It’s been so lovely not having to compete with a bunch of tourists. Turns out everyone speaks English too which has been very convenient for me. So I’ve learned zero Italian. The big thing that I noticed is compared to Spain there is nowhere to sit outside, unless you’re paying. Spain is literally covered with park benches and green space, Italy has none of that. Also in Italy you have no rights as a pedestrian. NO ONE will stop for you ever, even if you’re at a crosswalk. You don’t matter to the insane drivers of Italy. They also all park like crazy people.  

I wonder how things are going to change as I head into Eastern Europe. 

I Blame the Pigeons

As I sat feeding the croutons from my salad to the birds, in Barcelona, I found myself returning yet again to the thought of what am I doing with my time? And maybe the real questions should be what am I supposed to be doing with my time? What does everyone else do while on vacation? The Spanish like to say that they work to live, where as we (us North Americans) live to work. I think there is some truth to that. With no job in my life I find myself wondering what to do every day. Like just wandering cities isn’t enough for me. Like I need some sort of purpose in life, which work gives me to help hide the fact at thirty I still have no idea what I am doing with my life.

What is my reason for travelling? Do I think one day I’m going to arrive in a city and suddenly find my purpose? Wouldn’t that be nice! But I’m not pinning my dreams on that. If I claim I travel to enrich my life then going on the piss constantly wouldn’t exactly be enriching now would it. Causal sex with strangers probably isn’t top of the charts for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It would be a lie if I said casual sex with strangers didn’t give me an ego boost. But then I guess you can question if I’m really just using casual sex to find a connection with someone deeper than a conversation. How many travel-ationships did I have when I was in South America? And it’s not just when I’m traveling that my relationships follow the same structure. Short lived and way too intense. How many men filled a void I deny having? Maybe I need that, and maybe Tompers just isn’t quite enough. All of this travelling is making me realize on thing. It’s nearly time to settle down, and get a pup. Could I commit the next 15 years of my life to something?

So what am I doing? I haven’t a clue.

Day Six at Six Hundred Sixty Metres

After navigating the metro back from Toledo without using any sort of reference, I found myself walking efficiently through the side streets of Madrid. Just going about getting some bits to snack on as I was starving after my day trip. I do this without any difficulty or cheating (which is what Tompers calls using google maps) I realize that maybe six days is too long for a city. I have no idea how teetotallers go on a trip to one city and spend more than a week there, someone please tell me!

The bar man in Granada was telling me I travel like a North American, caring more about seeing multiple places than really getting to know one  place. I guess there is a lot of truth to that. I do try to fit in as much as possible when I travel.

Now in all fairness there is something I need to state. I have not been out on the piss every night. Had I been I reckon I wouldn’t remember having seen any of the city and would be sad to be leaving tomorrow not having explored. Instead after yer-man-for-32-hours left me in Madrid I sobered up and laced up my runners. Because you see I really can only do one or the other these days. As Fletch once told me, its eagle or owl. Plus after two days on the piss, proper, my tummy was not very happy with me, and I just felt gross. So I swapped to early morning runs, afternoons spent wandering the city streets, and evenings going to bed early.

So maybe I’m not giving Madrid the fair shake, but don’t misunderstand me. I love this city. In fact I love Spain so much I already want to return and I haven’t even left yet. I just can’t sort out how to go out without drinking. Also there isn’t really anyone around the hostel so my rubber arm hasn’t been twisted at all. Even Tinder has been useless here. At least in Granada there was the architect who took me all over his city and brought me to all his favorite places. Granted we must have drank at least 6 glasses of wine each in the process. Tompers is waving his arms like a maniac... we were white girl wasted, or at least I was. You see it’s either drinking or staying in for me.

But now that I have virtually walked/jogged all of Madrid I guess I had better put on my big girl panties and go find me a party with for my last night here. 

There is part of me that doesn’t think it is possible to top my first two days here, and an even bigger part of me doesn’t want anything to. That way whenever anyone mentions Madrid a smirk with play across my face and a giggle will escape my lips. Because it was one for the books.

Yer Man From Cork

I cannot say enough good things about the free walking tour of Madrid. I joked while we lazed about on a king size bed in a rather posh hotel room nearly 24 hours later. My walking tour got interesting the second we stopped at The Hat and picked up yer man from Cork... When the words I'm from Ireland came out of his mouth, I just had to go over and introduce myself. I needed my fix, I'd have never guessed he was from Cork though, his accent was so clean. On the off hand chance he was into futbol I mentioned wanting to check out the Real Madrid match. After the tour we had booked tickets and made our way up to the stadium. There may not have been much stadium behind us but I could not think of a better way to spend the money given to me by those lovely church ladies than with an Irish lad at a futbol match. Shameless cheering for both teams we had a blast, Real Madrid winning 2-1. After the match we ate and drank our way through multiple bars finally finding ourselves at San Ginés for chocolat con churro at half two in the morning. This was when the decision to throw money at the problem arose. He will forever be credited with the quote "you can always make more money, you can't make more time". His decision to stay on for the weekend and my decision to do a walking tour on my first day in Madrid resulted in a 32 hour whirlwind affair.

Madrid you have out done yourself.