HOLIDAY AT THE SEASIDE

Despite the poverty which dominated our society, every Romanian could afford to spend a (short) holiday at the seaside. They were accomodated in hotels or agri-touristic pensions (in seaside towns), in campings or in the two southern villages - 2 Mai and Vama Veche. Pupils had their own camp at Navodari and students at Costinesti.

All hotels were reserved for foreign tourists. If you were Romanian and thought you might find a room in a hotel you were told in a harsh voice: "No vacancy." A friend told me that he was invited to the seaside by his cousin who got German citizenship. After his cousin showed the reception staff his passport in the "no vacancy" hotel, they were kindly asked if they wanted a room with a view to the sea or to the lake. He paid in currency?You could also stay in a hotel if the trade-union gave you a certificate. (129)

There were not the most miserable hotels. I stayed in Olimp. However, meals were worse than those of the foreigners. They were served twice or three times at fixed hours and you might have starved if you had not been punctual.

We felt great due to the foreigners. We were impressed by their sociability, clothes and fresh smell. Maybe we should have felt humiliated, I don't know?

There was a TV set at the reception and the hall was full of Romanian tourists in the evening. They did not have money to eat at the restaurant and had a good time watching the two-hour TV programme.

The bad thing was that the train tickets from Bucharest to the seaside were sold ten days before. My father went to the CFR travel agency (Romanian Railways) from Constanta or Mangalia to buy a return ticket, spending half a day in a queue and missing the opportunity to sunbathe. The holiday varied between 12 and 18 days and cost several hundred lei a person. (P.P., 71)

When our child was little, we stayed in resort hotels. We got a room due to the kindness of the hotel managers for they knew us. If a keeper from M.A.I. (Ministry of Internal Affairs) turned up he would say: "I want the room 101" and he got it, though he was told Ilinca Tomoroveanu and Traian Stanescu from the National Theatre stayed there with their child. Then he replied furiously: "I work at M.A.I.!" You were kicked out immediately and somedoby else occupied your room. (P. P., 143)