BootsnAll Travel Community

RE: http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/01-08/a-visit-to-drac...-snagov-romania.html

Wow, this man is really hating the Romanian people - I can not believe. I was in Romania last year, and I like the people so much - so friendly, and so so much they have done to they country since Ceacescu and Antonescu.

But this is calling them all thieving people. Really - I think this is racist story. The whole story is about that he lose €5. Most travel people accept this. I am sure there are also some thieving people in England or where he is from.

This is racist story, and I hope people do not believe. Maybe better this story is take down, no?

Well, I didn't think the story was that bad. It seemed more an attempt at humor or bitchery.

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We had to walk two kilometers with our heavy backpacks

Who does that anymore? I think people should stop wearing these god awful disgusting backpacks. It makes them look incredibly silly. LOL

Seriously, though, if you dress like a high maintenance tourist (sorry, "backpacker"), expect to get ripped off.

I was in Romania for a little over a week around 2002. I didn't get ripped off by anyone, and I didn't experience any delays in traveling. I had a great time and would lke to return.

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if you dress like a high maintenance tourist (sorry, "backpacker"), expect to get ripped off.

You are right. Is certain this man is from the US...really, I am certain. I will bet money.

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I didn't get ripped off by anyone,

I also did not get ripped off.

I think maybe author is not an experience traveler, so makes maybe mistakes, and looks like some stupid guy you can rip off.

I do not like to see the travel story that is all about rip off - Romania is not some rip off country. I hope no more stories from this man.

(topic title spelling corrected because it was really bugging me)

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Originally posted by Basque:Is certain this man is from the US...really, I am certain.

Why is that?

(I'm certain of it too, but only because I perused his other articles. However, in my experience, Americans are hardly the most "high maintenance tourists" out there.)

As a Basque, you may be equally irritated by his pedestrian entry on San Fermin. It isn't particularly well written, but, as with his article on Romania, it is hardly "racist."

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We had to walk two kilometers with our heavy backpacks

Isn't the whole point of a backpack that it's easier to walk with than a suitcase?

Considering the title of the thread, I was expecting far worse from the piece. I can't call it racist at all, the only thing that sticks out in my mind is that the writer must be the world's worst travel companion (whoever Dee is, she has my sympathy). I mean, his surprise and arrogance over the size of the monastery speaks volumes. Orthodox religious buildings are just about ALYWAYS small, even the cathedrals are smaller than a suburban church in America. If you read it as satire about bad travelers or the "ugly American" you may even find it a little entertaining.

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the writer must be the world's worst travel companion

I agree. Poor Dee!

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If you read it as satire about bad travelers or the "ugly American" you may even find it a little entertaining.

I can also see that this story can be funny...as you say he is like "ugly American".

But to me this story is racist because his attitude is that all people in Romania is thief and maybe stupid. I do not like this.

We all travel, we should also know that to travel is to meet new people and also that this person can be very poor, maybe desperate.

Why does an American person go to Romania after Ceaucescu and complain because he lose 5 euros?

I didn't think it was racist, Basque. He did say "Mainly Romanians are quite friendly, honest, and helpful" at the end.

Perhaps just that it's that type of traveller story where someone complains a lot for dramatic effect that made it irritating. I agree that the style can be annoying (why go traveling and then just complain the whole way about someone else's country?), but it didn't seem like he was calling all Romanians thieves.

I agree it's not exactly racist. Just badly-written (though, in a way, quite readable)

a very offensive article toward Romanians

yes, bad things can happen but it's not that they got mugged or anything?

i believe that any travel guide writer should also make a note "ask locally b4 proceeding", that's b/c for example some locations might be closed on some days

the presumed tomb of Vlad Tepes is located at Snagov Monastery. the monastery is on the northern part of the island in the middle of Snagov lake.

according to legend after Tepes died in 1476 (in a battle) the monks found his body and hid it and then buried it. the burial took place in secret, no one knew abt it, hence the presumed location of the tomb. the presumed tomb contains the remains of a man dressed in expensive clothes , man who could have been Vlad Tepes.

the monastery has an important cultural value as it was home to one of the printers set by Constantin Brancoveanu.