Originally posted 15 September 2016 at 11:17 pm and appended 26 September 2016

1. Drivers are crazy, but courteous, in Bucharest. They always wave when they cut you off.

2. KFC and McDonald’s are very popular. KFC maybe even more so.

3. Romanian women are stunning.

4. The air of Communist oppression weighs heavy all these many years later but it doesn’t dim the general happiness and kindness of the Romanian people.

5. One can see the surprise and gratefulness in their eyes when you say something as simple as mulțumesc (thank you) in their language.

6. They are clearly a proud people, as they should be, even though they strive to be “Western”.

7. Neither the police nor the military carry exposed weapons. I have not seen a single firearm since I arrived.

8. Did I mention that Romanian women are stunning?

9. Floors start at 0, not 1.

That’s all the pieces of my mind I can spare right now. I’m going to have another Jack and go to bed. Tomorrow I am walking the city.

More pieces:

10. I commented a couple times on a couple things that might seem contradictory to each other. I have said both that some servers were “stone-faced” and that the people were friendly. Both are true. One friend commented that constant smiling was an “American” thing. I read a similar thought in a blog somewhere which I can’t recall at the moment. They may not smile all the time and that might be due to many factors, not the least of which is “culture”, but they are friendly, and will help you, especially if you go a tiny bit out of your way.