guest blogger: Ben and Erik do Europe ’09

It’s a cold, snowy day in Targu Neamt, Romania and the end of Ben and Erik do Europe ’09 is in sight. The trip began as most have for me the last few years, with being laid off from work in the fall and heading gradually eastward. A short visit with momma in lovely South Carolina prepared me to hit the road, full of spice cake and high hopes. The trip has certainly not disappointed-the people and places we have been lucky enough to encounter have all been delightful in their own unique ways.

It started with a week in New England where the Broderick clan showed their usual impressive hospitality. John and Hadley, thanks for hosting it up. We managed some hiking, sight seeing, and even a little work to earn last minute cash $ for the trip. Miss Tina was also spectacular, treating Ben and I to the early Thanksgiving day dinner she knew we would miss along the way.

Next came Amsterdam, a city known for nefarious reasons. Ben and I both loved the beauty we found there, no not in the red light district, but in the city’s many canals and quiet streets. Sailing around the city on rental bikes kept us busy for days on end, while the evenings were spent listening to music and sampling beers with our great host, the Netherlands own BVG (Ben VanGelder).

A wildly expensive train then delivered us to our next stop-Nuremburg, Germany. In nearby Erlangen, we were hosted by Leah and Bernie, old ship mates of mine from a long ago trip to Ecuador. We explored Nuremburg, Erlangen, Bamberg, and loved them all. We ate tons of German foods and drank a few German beers. For the first time ever, I watched Ben turn his nose up at food when offered the German delicacy of fried carp…..I liked it. We went to German baths and for runs in the dark forests of Bavaria. A great stop.

The whirlwind portion of our trip began next as we sailed through Austria and Hungary. A brief stop in Vienna found us a little too grumpy to fully appreciate all the culture the city had to offer. We did meet some interesting folks and have fun, but there was only so much Mozart we could take in at that point. Next was Budapest, Hungary. The city is magnificent, and we strolled through on both sides of the Danube. While the language (Magyar) is fairly incomprehensible, folks seemed friendly and helpful and welcomed us to their country. The food was interesting and tasty, Hungary is definitely a country that demands a return trip at some point down the road. What doesn’t demand a return visit is the hostel we stayed in there, without doubt the worst I have ever set foot in. Never stay in a hostel above a place called a “24 hr music club” and share a dorm room with kids who think they just came off the set of Entourage. I mean really, they watched it on their laptops, then went around spouting lines like “I am going to work that girl like a cheap suit”. Kind of destroys a little of my faith in humanity.

Thankfully, that faith was quickly restored by the kindness of folks as we crossed into Romania. We were hosted by my sis’s fellow Peace corps volunteers in various places. Their hospitality along with that of the local Romanians they live alongside has been amazing. First Miss Mary Ann in Satu Mare who showed us the ropes in Romania, introduced us to all her co-workers and friends, and found us a few hours work chopping wood for a girls home. After being Mary Ann’s guest for several days, I can only say her kids and grandkids are lucky to have her around. It was hard to leave her home cooked meals and stories over beers, but on we sailed. Next stop, Baia Mare and the village of Sasar, home to one Miss Jenny Ball.

For those who know Jenny, you know what I mean when I say she is one spectacular lady of the South. She introduced us to various forms of homemade Romanian wine and booze (suica and polenka), most brewed onsite by her host family. We also enjoyed meals involving just about every part of the pig and fried cheese, hung out with kids at the Eco-Club in town, and walked around the country side. We continued our quest to learn a little bit of Romanian with varying degrees of success (little to none). A quick visit to the Obama Cafe in Baia Mare (sponsored by Coca-Cola) completed our tour and we headed south toward the mountains.

In Brasov, we met our next host, Courtney. She was kind enough to meet us in town bright and early in the morning, ready for a few big days. We met up with a few other folks and took off for a hike in the mountains and a bit of wandering around a cave. It was a beautiful walk in the woods, chilly and wet, but quiet after a bit. The evening found us out in Courtney’s village, Teliu. We checked out the pensiune where she lives, admiring all the skins the family has displayed. Ben adopted one of these for his sleeping pad on the floor, calling it Mr. Bunny. Courtney and I pointed out it was a little big to be a bunny, turns out it was a deer. Regardless, Ben enjoyed Mr. Bunny. In Brasov, Ben also met the new love of his life, mici. This Romanian sausage is quite tasty on a cold day and Ben sailed through 4 servings. Eventually it was time to move on to Predeal, further south into the mountains. There we would finally meet up with my sis and her better half David.

Predeal was the site of a Peace corps training/gathering so we would not only see my family, but also all our new friends. Good times. During the day, Ben and I day tripped around the area to Sinaia, Bushteni, and the hills around town. Predeal is in the Bucegi Mts, a beautiful string of forested mountains known for hiking and skiing/snowboarding. Unfortunately we arrived in between seasons, meaning it was wicked cold for hiking but there was not enough snow for skiing just yet. Regardless, fun was had by all. In the evenings we enjoyed dinners full of laughter and jokes and met an even wider cast of characters who are repping the US of A in the Peace Corps Romania. Dinner often led to drinks which lead to more fun and frivolity long into the night. Eventually, as all good things must come to an end, so did our time in Predeal.

We said goodbye to folks and wandered north into Moldavia to Targu Neamt, home of my sis Veronica and her husband. It has been a great visit here with lots of cooking, laughing, hugging, and slogging through the snow. There are 10 inches of snow on the ground and more coming with temps below zero. Reminds me of why I skip out of Montana in the winter time…….

So that means in a few more days, Ben and Erik do Europe ’09 will come to an end, with the final cribbage tally Ben 15, Erik 4 and Ben crowned cribbage champion of Europe. It will be back to the states to the sunny, warm southland for me, for Christmas with momma. After that, a winter and spring filled with possibilities………

Well, this was a pretty long update. For those of you who read it all, congratulations on your perseverance although its likely born out of boredom. Sorry, you will never get the last 10 minutes of your life back…….Merry Christmas…..