We'll be leaving tomorrow morning, after a mostly good trip to ARN and OTP.

We went on a day trip to Sinaia yesterday (166 RON for 3 people RT), which was a nice break from Bucharest. On leaving Gare Nord, we had a hell of time finding a taxi that would take us the relatively short trip. It was after 10pm, and we were charged on the #3 rate on the meter. Not sure if that was right, but we had gotten the same thing during the day, which I knew was a rip off.

Upon getting out of the taxi at the IC, I noticed that there was a capped hypodermic needle right where I was sitting. Really freaky. The taxi driver acted like it was nothing to be concerned about.

Today we went to a pizza/pasta place in the vicinity of the Hilton that we had enjoyed last time. Walking through the plaza there, the little Gypsy boy who had been holding the new year lamb the last time I was there, attached himself like glue to me again. He kept repeating his mantra, "1 Euro, 1 Euro, 1 Euro". I was about 15 meters away from the restaurant when I glanced down, and found the kids hand in my pants pocket!

I yelled at him, and held him his hand at a pressure point. After he was sure I wasn't going to smack him, he just took it like a normal occurance (which I'm sure it is). I let him go, and he took off. Later he walked back by about 10 meters away with a big smirk on his face.

Ah, such fun in Bucharest!