Transylvania

yes,
so i get of the bus, it's 23:00, in a little town in transylvania, romania, called Cluj-Napoca. I have the name of the hostel in my head, but no directions, i don't know the street it's on, and i don't have any romanian money (i do however, have Hungarian forints, British pounds sterling, euros, and dollars). I wander across the bridge, towards the railway station. nothing is in English. i fell very far from home, and completely absolutely amazing. THIS is what i came for, THIS is what i want. i wander around, pull out my laptop, onto which i had thankfully saved the address of the hostel. (but interestingly, Google maps does not ever have this city mapped out.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=cluj-napoca&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=52.240038,87.539063&ie=UTF8&ll=46.776306,23.60429&spn=0.044556,0.085487&z=14

so write the address down

Transylvania Hostel
Str. Iuliu Maniu Nr.26, Apt 12, Cluj-Napoca.

and start wandering around town. by now it's at least 23:30. I see a sign for Luliu something. i walk that way. after 10 minutes, i ask some old guy on the street. he speaks no English. he gestures, but nothing that resembles directions at all. He starts looking around, and shouts down the street to two paramedics getting out of an ambulance (i stopped near a small medical facility). After a lot of arguing, the very kind lady says, as best she can...

"big church. turn left"

i give them all hugs and go on my way. i find a big church, i turn left, the street is correct, and i walk into this crazy courtyard. everything is quiet. i see no signs for a hostel. i wander around, go upstairs, and look for doors that don't seem painted shut or boarded up. i see light through a window, it looks like a hostel. i knock on the window. it's exactly midnight.

peter

PS i've got more writing stashed away, and it'll come out eventually. i hope. and picture too. i hope...
but for now, it stopped raining, so i'm going to go outside and see this crazy place.