Oradea

Hi Everyone,

Well Europe is suddenly experiencing a bit of a cold snap, just as the official start of Spring comes along! The weather here has been glorious with lovely warm sunshine and 22C. However it has turned a bit more unsettled. Still, can't wait for the 35C+ summer days again. More on the change of weather later.

Last week, after the Piatra Neamt episode, we all flew off to Oradea. Since the journey by train is over 8 hours we literally did fly off. The Tarom regional flight was all we had come to expect and love:
- inflight refreshments being one sandwich wrapped in clingfilm that looked like it had been used 20 times before (and I did not have one of the cheese or ham delicacies, but Marianne the colleague out with us had one and suspected they had been made by the pilot's mother the previous week)
- a landing that was so heavy we bounced down the runway and explained why next to baggage reclaim there is a back massage specialist
- baggage reclaim consisting of a window through which the cases are thrown (and I am not joking!)

The Customs staff at Oradea could not have been more helpful or kind to us. They had two official cars waiting for us at the airport to take us to our hotel. Considering it was 10.15pm on a Sunday night that was very good of them. Then every morning they picked us up from the hotel and took us to the Customs office, bringing us back again at the end of the day. This we were particularly grateful for because the office was almost on the Hungarian border at Bors and so a bit of a drive outside the town. While there they took us for a quick trip to the Bors border post. It is one of the main entry points into Romania and on 31st December had over 120 Customs officers working there. Now there is not one single officer there. Some have transferred to other jobs within the Department but most have left Customs totally. This is the consequence of becoming EU members on 1st January 2007.

Having said that, I was a little concerned at those staff who had been "re-deployed" from the border post. I think one of the reasons we had a car to pick us up at 10.15 at night with a Customs driver is because they have plenty of drivers now. When we arrived at the office where the workshop was to be held, we found a Customs officer preparing the room. This involved putting out salty snacks and sweet wafers on plates for us and the delegates. He then arranged little posies of flowers and pussywillow which he had personally collected. As another "re-deployed" staff member I am not certain his role is business critical. Still I am certain the newly created post of curtain lining manager and assistant shoe cleaning officer are integral to the effectiveness of Romainan Customs in the EU.

The workshop went well (apart from those who could not see through streaming eyes because of hayfever from the flowers), but for some reason Marianne was tired, as was Diana, Lavinia and I. The cause could have been our lovely hotel. For once I am not being sarcastic, it is a beautiful hotel. The Black Eagle is quite an historic and impressive hotel right in the centre of Oradea. Strangely enough the Rough Guide to Romania describes it in very poor terms calling it a backpackers place with dingy corridors. They must have had a refurbishment recently because it is beautifully decorated with modern facilities. Unfortunately it does sit next to a busy tram line. Everytime one of the trams rumbled past the whole room would shake, the bed would move 2 feet nearer the window and the TV would change channel. Since the trams ran until 03.00 in the morning and then began again at 03.10 (or at least it seemed like it!) sleep became a luxury. Marianne did find a good solution - 2 bottles of wine and a bottle of gin each. Worked for her.

The flight back was at 7 in the morning so it was a horribly early start from the hotel. Lavi and Diana are not morning people (in fact being Romanians they barely qualify for inclusion in the human being category!) In the official Customs minibus - yes they sent us a bus and driver at 5.30 am to take us to the airport, I think the driver was another "re-deployed" border guard - the two girls were very quiet. Waiting at the airport Lavi looked quite ill and Diana spent the whole time with her earphones in listening to music with her eyes closed. Eventually they confessed to being up until 2 that morning having "one or two" drinks. So I went straight in parent mode telling them I had no sympathy, it was their own fault etc etc!

Due to the overwhelming generosity of Stephen Yates in Piatra Neamt the week before, most of us in the office have gone down with a stinking cold. While the UK people have been chucking Lemsips and Beecham Powders down their throats, the Romanians have been going for more traditional remedies - goats poo mixed with frogs urine and cuckoo spit spread on your chest and left for two days. Does nothing for the cold but guarantees a seat on the bus. In fact guarantees the bus all to yourself.

We had some awful weather recently. After virtually no snow and a very warm winter I was hoping for a lovely spring and hot summer. For about 2 days we had torrential rain. It meant that the roads became lakes and the pavements became rivers. Tony arrived from Manchester and didn't notice the difference. However he did notice the way the Romanian drivers were being so considerate of the people dodging the puddles - one woman experienced a mini tsunami as a car drove through a lake in the road sending a huge amount of water over her.

Well I will try to send a further update before Easter. Unfortunately I am having to spend Easter at the house in Spain - oh well I am sure I will put up with the suffering!

Take care

Andrew