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She came to Romania in 1983 with her husband Eliot and her little girl who was 8 years old. They came with a group of Americans, who organized excursions to Poiana Brasov and Valea Prahovei, after which they spent six days at the sea [Black Sea]. But there was a person from SRI who guarded us [Securitate] – a woman accompanied us everywhere.
There was a Securitate person because they were American tourists [13]. She joined them at the airport, traveled in the same bus but didn’t explain a thing [she was not a guide]. Those people were stupid.... We, parents, weren’t allowed to travel in the same bus from the airport to the North Station.
There was only one train at the train station so we could travel together to Sinaia. We went with them to Poiana Brasov, where they stayed at a beautiful hotel, Hotel Alpin, built especially for foreigners. There were some terrible hotels, built under Ceausescu’s regime, where only those with cash could go [3].
We saw some rajahs, Arabs with burnus – that white robe. But because they were Americans - they had dollars -, we weren’t allow to sleep in the same room. At Poiana Brasov, where we dined as well, we would sit at a table with Solange and her family, and that woman would sit at the table next to us and listen to what we say.
But they left the group and came to Botosani so Solange could show her husband her hometown, to visit their relatives in the cemetery. We did not get into trouble because of that. Afterwards we went with them to the sea [Black Sea}, to Neptun, where the rest of the group was gathered. At that time all those elegant and big hotels –Panoramic- used to be in Neptun, now I don’t know what is left.
There was a Securitate person because they were American tourists [13]. She joined them at the airport, traveled in the same bus but didn’t explain a thing [she was not a guide]. Those people were stupid.... We, parents, weren’t allowed to travel in the same bus from the airport to the North Station.
There was only one train at the train station so we could travel together to Sinaia. We went with them to Poiana Brasov, where they stayed at a beautiful hotel, Hotel Alpin, built especially for foreigners. There were some terrible hotels, built under Ceausescu’s regime, where only those with cash could go [3].
We saw some rajahs, Arabs with burnus – that white robe. But because they were Americans - they had dollars -, we weren’t allow to sleep in the same room. At Poiana Brasov, where we dined as well, we would sit at a table with Solange and her family, and that woman would sit at the table next to us and listen to what we say.
But they left the group and came to Botosani so Solange could show her husband her hometown, to visit their relatives in the cemetery. We did not get into trouble because of that. Afterwards we went with them to the sea [Black Sea}, to Neptun, where the rest of the group was gathered. At that time all those elegant and big hotels –Panoramic- used to be in Neptun, now I don’t know what is left.
Period
Year
1983
Interview
Jeni Blumenfeld