Take The Money and Run by Steve Milar Band

I have to start today with a huge THANK YOU to my darlin friend BILBO who gave me an Award! I'll figure out how to show it to y'all ASAP.
Meanwhile...

Romania , Sighisoara and Vlad Dracul

We arrived in Sighisoara and were dumped at what was "we assumed" the Railway Station.




There was one Hotel in town circa 1940.
No electricity but we did have a dribble of lukewarm water in the shower.
The town was very picturesque but extremely poor.



We went for dinner in the wee house which is the birthplace of Vlad, now a restaurant.
They had little or no food!
Salad was one lettuce leaf and half a tomato.
Entree, no choice, a wee slice of pork and half a potato.
Dessert? Forget it the couple at the next table had ordered the last grapefruit!
We headed back to the Hotel bar, flashlight in hand.
( oh by "no electricity" I mean NONE inside or out)
Fortifying ourselves with a couple of beers we took a seat and were joined by a young couple from the North of England, lets call them Peter and Lois!
We arranged to meet them again the following night for drinks.
The following night...
We arrived at the bar and found Lois sitting on her own looking decidedly worried.
Me - Hiya! Where's Peter?
Lois - * bursts into tears*
SB - What? Whats happened?
Lois - Well we didn't think we had enough "Leu"
Me - And?
Lois - Well, Peter went out to try and exchange some money * still sobbing *
SB - How long has he been gone?
Lois - Almost an hour * serious weeping*

Aside - when you go on these Inter Rail trips you are told repeatedly NOT to EVER try to exchange money on the streets/black market.

SB - Ok, I'm gonnae get ye a drink and then I'm gonnae go and look for him!
Me - Aye like feck ye are!
SB - Got a better idea?
Me - Ok, we'll all go though * stomach churning*

SB went up to the bar to grab three shots.
The door of the bar crashed open and in stumbled Peter, wheezing, panting, sweating, trembling,hanging onto the door.

SB - WTF happened?
Lois - Clinging on to Peter *hysterical*

SB set down 4 shots and 4 beers and assisted Peter to our table.
We all downed the drinks and Peters breathing regulated.
He managed to tell us WTF happened, it went kinda like this...

He took of to the streets with Dollars ( we all had dollars, easier to exchange than sterling)
Having approached a couple of wily shysters with no success he happened upon an old lady with a corn cob stand.



One of those things you can push around. A wee cart.
He took out a One dollar bill and using "sign language" tried to exchange it for Leu.
She offered him some dubious looking corn cobs.
He shook his head, pointing and gesticulating.
She shook her head, waving her arms and yabbering.
He took out a Five, thinking she wanted more!
The ancient crone grinned and took the five.
Now he was getting somewhere!
He put his hand out for the Leu.
She pointed at the Corn Cob Stand and started to walk away!
He'd bought it!
The feckin Corn Cob Stand!
He started shouting at her " No No No!"
She came back toothless grin, turning the stand towards him.
He walked away.
She followed pushing her wee "business" and calling to him.
He upped his pace to a fast walk.
She started to jog.
He started to run, looking over his shoulder, there she was!
He started dodging down alleys and back streets.
By the time he'd lost her HE was totally lost.
He ran around the streets in a total panic trying to find the Hotel and remain "under cover"

Peter - So I've no feckin money but anyone hungry?

Tomorrow Bulgaria to Greece, then I'm done and back to the present...