For all those that don’t fancy the trip to Predeal:

Update: I have found the full version in which the police show up: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cf6_1264800338

The Main Candidates

Traian Basescu

Traian Băsescu (Romanian pronunciation: [traˈjan bəˈsesku]; born November 4, 1951) is a Romanian politician and former Merchant Navy officer. He is the current President of Romania, after winning the office in the 2004 presidential election, and being inaugurated on December 20, 2004. Prior to becoming President, he was the Mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004.

On April 19, 2007 the Romanian Parliament suspended Băsescu. As the Constitutional Court of Romania acknowledged the Parliament’s vote on April 20, 2007, Băsescu remained suspended as president until a referendum which took place on May 19, 2007 confirmed that the impeachment should not stand: 24.75% voted to impeach Băsescu, and 74.48% to maintain him. Băsescu is the first president in the history of Romania who has been officially suspended.

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Crama Sibiul Vechi (The Old Sibiu Restaurant), A.Papiu Ilarian nr.3, Tel. +40-269-210461.. Celler/basement restaurant offering traditional Romanian cuisine at reasonable prices.

More Coming Soon…

Twenty years after Ceausescu’s execution his secret service is still active. For the first time, Romanian-German writer Herta Müller describes her ongoing experience of Securitate terror.

For me each journey to Romania is also a journey into another time, in which I never knew which events in my life were coincidence and which were staged. This is why I have, in each and every public statement I have made, demanded access to the secret files kept on me which, under various pretexts, has invariably been denied me. Instead, each time there was signs that I was once again, that is to say, still under observation.

Read More: http://www.signandsight.com/features/1910.html

We have added a new polls feature to the website. Please check back regularly for updates.

I have just found this daily photo blog for the city of Brașov.

To quote from it: “No fancy , arty looks , as honest and natural as possible …”

Designed by star-architect Zaha Hadid, Dorobanti Tower was designed to establish an iconic presence in the heart of Bucharest. The new tower is a unique mix of a distinctive form, ingenious structure, and spatial qualities of sky-high living. If approved, it will be the tallest building (656 ft) in the city and will provide a 5-star hotel along with apartments. The meandering exterior columns …

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There’s an interesting story behind the stray dogs in Romania. I’m not sure that it’s the only explanation, but it goes like this:

In the 1980s, Nicolae Ceausescu, a now-executed Communist dictator, demolished a large portion of Bucharest homes. In classic megalomaniacal fashion, he used the newly razed area to build tower blocks, wide boulevards, and grandiose monuments to himself. While homeowners were rehoused in tiny flats, many of them were forced to abandon their pets. Naturally, the animals ran wild and do what animals do best–bump uglies and make more animals.

In 2006, an elderly Japanese businessman bled to death after being bit in the leg by a stray. Since then, the government rounded up hundreds of dogs and lethally injected them, but despite government efforts, stray dogs still take over many-a-dark-alley at night.

Here is a comprehensive list of Romanian radio stations with links to listen online. It includes links to the radio stations home pages and keywords showing what they are known for playing.

http://delicast.com/radio/Romania/SRR_Romania_Cultural

Enjoy!

Romania’s central bank cut its main interest rate by half a percentage point to 8% from 8.5%, after a similar decision the day before by the National Bank of Hungary.

The rate cut leaves Romania’s benchmark interest rates at the highest level in the 27-member European Union.

Read more here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125426716330750955.html