Bacau (slight reprise)

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I had hoped to buy some tuica from the gazda daddy but the day on the mountain was so long I didn't have time to ask him and it seems he kept it stored at his other house. Tuica is the thing you want to get homemade and this was my last chance. I have to settle for the half quart I already have. God knows what he thought when N came to him at 11pm wanting a liter of it.

Leaving Brus was somewhat of a challenge. I never have trouble waking up early, but the maxi-taxis can be very unreliable. The one I was catching was supposedly all the way to Bacau at 8:00. It showed up at 9 and was going less than halfway. It placed me in Comanesti and no transfer in sight. Plus I broke one of my cardinal rules and was low on reserve cash. I saw a bus office and they told me I had a 7 hour wait. grrr....

I started the search for a bank machine when I happened to notice a nearby maxi with "Bacau" on the window and saw it was leaving immediately. So much for helping the traveler, even if the faster way is with a competitor. :-D The bus dropped me off at the mysterious site that N tried to direct me to without success. There ARE two competing bus stations and this one was unmarked from the street.

My grand plan to tour Bacau by city bus was foiled by circumstance. I looked at the transit map and though most of the lines run together a few of them diverge and go to the farthest points of the city. On buses back home, you pay the fare and ride the same bus all day if you want. Here I saw 3 unique lines but each way is paid independently and two of them have separate fares. Plus I run into fare Control and got in trouble for not validating my ticket properly. The best way to get a deal would have been to buy a Week Pass when I first arrived, as they don't have Daily Passes here. But they also nixed video shot out the bus window so I have to be careful.

The rain I experienced on the mountain a couple days ago made its way to Bacau and cooled things off considerably. I washed clothes (especially socks) in the sink and hung them out to dry. My camo shorts were filthy from the hike and they needed to be cleaned, too. Luckily, they dried overnight. I know why the towels are so rough, as air-dried things here could use some fabric softener. LOL

I had some very, very good snitzel in one restaurant and mititie in another. I had some beers here and there and kind of relaxed in the waning days of my stay in Romania. I missed the weekend action in exchange for the mountain trek and I don't regret it a bit. I planned a quick side trip to Brasov and a final weekend in Bucuresti. Though I can't say I'm anxious to leave I can almost feel the air beneath my wings.

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