Tuesday, July 15, 2008

There are no ugly women..

You can probably guess I am back in Romania. One would hardly dare utter such a remark in the UK for fear of being attacked as condescending and anti-feminist.
I have been spending my time doing more night time travelling and I've pretty much decided that I will travel overnight in future and not during the day. There are very many fewer people about and those that are travelling seem to be much pleasanter company. I won't bore you with the two trips in UK ( Glasgow to Lancaster and then Lancaster to London - the first departing about 11:30 pm, the second about 3am) nor the 10:30 Mortlake to Winnersh ( accompanied by a mime artist who, I think, had had a couple and refused to converse except through mime. Bit tricky with train inspectors), but will move directly to Budapest to Sighisoara.
Somehow, I was accompanied for the first couple of hours by a lovely little lady ( about 4ft tall and at least 4 ft round) from Macclesfield who was visiting her daughter. She and her husband had moved to Hungary 7 years ago, had a 13 year old daughter who spoke Hungarian fluently ( no mean feat I can tell you) and all of whom swore they would never return to the UK. "England's a bit sad at the moment" said Ellie," I'd leave too except my husband's disabled and I don't want to move him.
Mind you, once he's gone I'll be off like a rocket."
It was the use of " a bit sad" that brought home to me how low Blair and Brown had driven us.
When I woke up I had no idea where I was. The train had been held up by a tree or two that had been blown across the track, so we were 2 hours late. However, I'd never seen the area we were crossing in daylight, and I had an exchange of texts with Alin which finally pinpointed how late we were.
Needless to say, that meant the day started 2 hours late, so we only got to Nemsa about 2pm - 2 hours later than expected - and were met with a tidal wave of property titles and old ladies shaking pieces of paper at us, all demanding attention.
By the time we sorted them all out I was almost unable to understand another "2914/2 is 3700 sq mtrs and she's the sister of the lady's husband who wants to sell 3417/10 of 7300 sq. mtrs on the hill beyond the other one..."
I think we picked up some more land where we wanted it...
Of course, by then it was after 7 pm, so we were already an hour late for the barbecue. This was the mayor's one for the reconsecration of the new cross brought from Spain for the new Church.. only, as with all these sort of things, the Cross had not arrived and the priest from Alma Vii was busy, so it was just a barbecue. We did all raise ourt glasses to the new Cross, and poured a libation on the ground.
Vasily, not noted for his PC attitude, was contemplating the seried ranks of old crones ladeling food onto their plates.
" Na Vasily, " I said ( through Alin) why are you standing looking so thoughful?"
"Well, Mr. King, I was just looking at all these ladies that someone has loved - and a great truth came to me."
"And?" I prompted.
" There are no ugly women - only men who have not drunk enough."
And with that he downed another glass of tuica and wandered off.

2 comments:

Whispering Walls said...

What was on the menu - Romanian goat?

kinglear said...

ww- as a matter of fact - yes. And carp grilled in polenta.And the incredible chips I have extolled before. Incidentally, it was the first timne I have ever had four different drinks in froint of me - wine,beer,tuica and Ballantines 12 year old, and that doesn't take about of the water oir the wine mixed with coke which gets drunk instead of water....