Porumbesti and Nisipeni

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Fuel in Satu Mare is less expensive than in Hungary. It costs us $1.50 per litre versus $2.00 per litre. Prior to leaving for Porumbesti the last known home of my fathers family we paid our speeding ticket. Ervin our former best server and now tour guide/translator takes us to a municipal office to pay the fine. Much discussion ensues with the policeman at the door and he wants to see my passport - get used to it. if travelling in Europe passport is a necessity for everything. Keep it handy and on your person always.

We had to prove to the police it was paid and next took the receipt to the police station. After 90 minutes all was well and we headed on the road to Porumbesti. A vignette or pass for the autostrada (expressway) is required. it costs less in Romania than Hungary - about $4 for a week. In Romania the highways are more like regional roads passing through villages every few minutes. Railway crossings are an automobile killing field and police are everywhere - have your lights on always, go the speed limit and have all your ID handy as they have the right to ask for it any time.

We arrived in Porumbesti with no clue as to whether any of the people listed on the internet 411 was a relative. The town is remote, near the Ukrainian, Hungarian border. There is one main street and 3 or 4 smaller streets with perhaps 500 - 600 inhabitants. A nursery school was finishing just past midday and we asked the teachers if they new anyone from our list of 4 names. Two names were from Satu Mare and the other 2 they were unsure but, when I showed an old photo of my great uncle they knew immediately who he was and directed us the the house of his widow. Know one answered the door but a neighbour was nearby and said my great aunt was in the field harvesting potatoes and she would go and find her.

Great aunt Irma emerged from the potato field full of mud and apologized for her appearance. When she looked at me it was as if she was looking at a ghost. She hadn't seen anyone in my family for over 40 years.

She invited us in and again apologized for the untidy house. She was not expecting us and by good fortune of having Ervin with us we found she was still living and were happy to be spending a few hours with her. We met her sister and daughter and had a small meal. Irma was prepared to harvest a chicken from the assortment scattered about her yard but, we had to get moving to find the ancestral home of my grandmother on my mother's side.

Fifteen minutes from Porumbesti is Nisipeni. We arrived and asked a man sitting on the road where the cemetery was located. After a search of the grave markers we found no evidence of the name Kerekes - I believed they had all moved to Canada and this confirmed it. Jackie believed otherwise and felt grandma sent us there for a reason so, she directed Ervin to stop a lady - the only person in sight - and ask her if she knew the name. She did not but, felt her mother would surely know. Her mother quickly walked up the street toward us and soon great animated talk between Ervin and her had us heading to the last house of the left fork in the main street of this 4 street town. There we saw two other men on bicycles and asked them. One believed it was the house we parked in front of and promptly went to the door to ask. A white haired lady bolted toward us in disbelief. This was Gizzela Kerekes - now married - my mothers first cousin. Her father, Sandor, stayed in Nisipeni and Gizzela, son and granddaughter Julia all live in the house in which my grandmother was raised. The house has been completely rebuilt with modern conveniences.

In both these small towns horses outnumbered cars 10 to 1 and bicycles are the main mode of transportation. Almost everyone is a farmer. We had gifts of ice wine for each relative and Ervin had to explain what it was. For the people along the way that we met and assisted us we gave Canada flag pins - one would have thought we gave them gold. Generally visitors are uncommon and for us to come all that way to see them seemed surreal for them and, us too.

Until next time, keep well.

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Photos

Loggers
Horse is number one in these parts.

Family
Family in Porumbesti

First Cousin
Auntie Helen's, uncle Frank's & Mom's first cousin in Nisipeni

Great Aunt Irma
In Great Aunt Irma's Garden with her Grape vines