Nobody expected the Spanish Inquisition and no one expected the Romanian State Police! A frisson of excitement yesterday afternoon. We were relaxing in our chalet after our walk when the call came "put everything away, lock up and head for the hills - the police are coming". Not being in any position to argue, that's exactly what we did and picked up some more details as we went along. Apparently, every now and again the State Police get some pretext to inspect businesses and, if things aren't all correct (and the definition of this seems to be capricious and variable) swingeing on-the-spot fines are imposed. Think harassment and corruption and you'll understand both the context and the reason local people were concerned to avoid a visit from them. Businesses play safe by closing or appearing to be closed. In the case of our B & B, the best option was to get us all out and away and lock the gates! So, the 11 of us hid behind bushes (only a very small exaggeration) until the coast was clear. How exciting, eh? Certainly not something that happens in Cornwall, although we have felt like taking to the hills when certain visitors are expected (with the exception of any readers of this blog, of course).
Today the boots were back on and we had what turned out to be a 13 miler (admit it - you are impressed) in the countryside around our accommodation. All very rural, passing through fields and hamlets. The natives so far have been uniformly friendly and I think we are getting a good feel for how the small-holdings operate. Subsistence level, yes. Low mechanisation, yes. Basic, yes but not at poverty level.
Will I have enough room to describe the photos? Let's try.
1. A panorama from the hilliest part of our walk, looking deeper into the Carpathian Mountains.
2. Oh dear - envy is back. This time it's log envy. Just look at the way these beauties are stacked. This is a thing of beauty and the sign of an obsessive stacker.
3. An old fashioned pump. Simple but effective - just like me, really.
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