The author of the travel website Autokeliautojas.lt, Aurelijus Tvaska, initially did not see Romania as a dream destination. However, his wife’s suggestion and positive recent reviews from travelers who visited Romania encouraged him to change direction.
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About the Romania he discovered, what surprised him the most, how much the trip costs, and why it’s worth not fearing stereotypes in this country – a conversation with the traveler.
– What prompted you to choose Romania as your travel destination?
– Traveling to Romania was not my dream. Quite the opposite – I wanted to go to Italy more. The idea itself was suggested by my wife, who had heard recent reviews from people who traveled in Romania.
We heard various opinions about the capital Bucharest, but the reviews about the northern part of the country – Maramureș, Transylvania – were only good. Curiosity won.
Of course, it was also a new travel direction, so there was an additional incentive – to upload travel descriptions to my website Autokeliautojas.lt.
– What was your first impression upon arriving in this country and how did it change during the trip?
– The first impression was not the best. Some unattractive border town, stray dogs on the street, a Roma woman standing by the currency exchange door, rocking a baby in her arms. Nearby stood several dark-complexioned men.
Well, of course… – I thought. The woman will ask for alms, and if I don’t give, the men will come to “help”.
The sincerity and friendliness of the locals were truly amazing.
But soon it became clear that “fear has big eyes.” No one even paid attention to me.
And everything went only better from there. We stopped by the roadside to buy a watermelon. I paid, got change, and tried to count the money. The seller said a phrase that confused me at the time: “We don’t cheat people here.”
The sincerity and friendliness of the locals were truly amazing. While driving through villages, people sitting on benches, seeing foreign car plates, waved to us. And people we met walking greeted us.
– How does Romania differ the most from what you imagined before the trip?
– I imagined it as a rather backward agrarian country, densely populated by Roma, with all the consequences that come with it. But all stereotypes shattered.
It’s much cleaner here than in my favorite Southern Italy.
In the northern region we visited, we saw only a few Roma villages. There were many more settlements founded by Hungarians – even the place names are written in two languages there.
You know what surprised me the most? Cleanliness. Even when driving through quite poor Romanian villages, there was no visible trash anywhere. It’s much cleaner here than in my favorite Southern Italy.
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– What people, places, or experiences in Romania left the biggest impression on you?
– The answer would require more than one article, so the description of this trip on my website is in several parts. Not because we traveled very long, but because we experienced a lot.
In short – food, people, prices, and the Transfăgărășan road.
Food – natural, without synthetics. People – very friendly. Prices, compared to Lithuanian ones – low.
And you simply have to drive the Transfăgărășan road. And, of course, definitely see the bears accustomed to begging by the roadside.
– What do you think Lithuanians most often misunderstand about Romania?
– That people here are dishonest, with lots of thefts and scams. We did not encounter that in villages or cities.
It’s much cleaner here than in many Southern European countries or the Balkans.
Another thing – the already mentioned cleanliness. It’s much cleaner here than in many Southern European countries or the Balkans.
There is also the opinion that in Romania payments are made only in cash. There is some truth to that. We paid by card in about 90 percent of places, even at the market. True, in the mountains there is not always internet connection, so cash definitely comes in handy then.
– If you had to convince someone to visit Romania in one sentence, what would you say?
– Delicious, cheap, incredibly beautiful, and authentic.
– While traveling in Romania, were you pleasantly surprised by prices – food, accommodation, services?
– Yes, but not everywhere.
I could compare it to Lithuania. For example, prices in the tavern “Mingė” in Priekulė can differ significantly from “Klumpė” in Šilutė, although these places are only 30 kilometers apart. It’s similar in Romania. You can find all kinds.
But to summarize, eating in a restaurant can be almost twice as cheap as in Lithuania. Our dinner bill for two rarely exceeded 30 euros.
The price difference at the market is even greater. Accommodation is also cheaper, only fuel prices are similar to Lithuanian ones.
A separate topic would be the hospitality of the hosts where we stayed. You live in a homestead or guesthouse – the hosts treat you with their homemade wine, and often also “palinka” – a homemade pear brandy. They serve excellent breakfasts made from local products, taking care of every step you take.
It may sound strange, but the luxury hotel in Brașov scored the least “pluses.” European cuisine and accordingly European prices, but the service… Soviet-style.
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More travel stories by Aurelijus Tvaska can be found at – Autokeliautojas.lt
