Iasi

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The next day Natalie decided not to hook up and so I took a taxi to the hospital entrance and waited for the maxi. A car stopped, unbidden, and I asked "Iasi?" and they said yes. It was a quiet ride and after they picked up another rider I was able to ask her how much I should offer.

They dropped me a block from the train station and as I approached it I kind of teared-up, remembering a quite emotional scene from some years ago. I caught a taxi to the hotel Natalie googled on the net for me. It was very spartan affair and no shops to buy food at nearby. I sought out an internet cafe, but with so much free wi-fi around now they are disappearing. I thought of the library, but even sussing out where computers could be found was daunting. At the library next to the Cultural Palace I asked one guy and he said he didn't know, but guided me to his office where I used his for a half hour to check my e-mail, get info on Iasi and try to hook up with a third contact here.

In front of the palace was an array of display booths selling all sorts of traditional items. It was some sort of major event I was catching the tail end of. I continued the time-honored habit of wandering the streets just taking in the shops and people. I met up with my friend, her daughter and godmother and we went to an open-air cafe in a park and spent some hours chatting. The daughter was fascinated by the handsome, charming foreigner.

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