(Ebook) The Rough Guide to Romania by Tim Burford, Dan Richardson ISBN 9781858287027, 1858287022

(Ebook) The Rough Guide to Romania by Tim Burford, Dan Richardson ISBN 9781858287027, 1858287022

Travel in Romania is as rewarding as it is challenging. The country’s mountain scenery and great diversity of wildlife, its cultures and people, and a way of life that at times seems out of the last century, leave few who visit unaffected. However, although not as impoverished as Albania and most of the countries of the former Soviet Union, it is still one of the hardest countries of Eastern and Central Europe to travel in. The regime of Nicolae Ceausescu drove the country to the brink of bankruptcy, and Ion Iliescu’s efforts to provide tangible fruit of 1989’s revolution further disrupted the economy; as a consequence Emil Constantinescu’s government had to embark on a savage austerity programme which has led to big cuts in real earnings. Coming here on a package deal – to the Black Sea or Poiana Brasov, or on a "Dracula Tour" – will effectively shield you from such realities. Travelling independently will have its frustrating moments, balancing inclinations and plans against practicalities. However, it would be a shame to let such factors deter you from at least a brief independent foray. Much of Romania’s charm lies in the remoter, less-visited regions, and it’s the experience of getting there that really gives you an insight into the country. Rather than expecting an easy ride, try to accept whatever happens as an adventure – encounters with Gypsies, wild bears, oafish officials and assorted odd characters are likely to be far more interesting than anything purveyed by the tourist board.

Romanians (the country’s largest ethnic group) trace their ancestry back to the Romans, and have a noticeable Latin character. They are generally warm, spontaneous, anarchic, and appreciative of style and life’s pleasures – sadly, in contrast to the austerity with which they’re saddled. In addition to ethnic Romanians, one and a half million Magyars pursue a traditional lifestyle long since vanished in Hungary, while dwindling numbers of Transylvanian Germans (Saxons