So, instead of a luxurious weekend of duty-free shopping in the warm, sunny Gulf, it looks as if I'm getting shipped off to post-Communist (yet strangely pre-EU) hunting grounds. Anyone have any tips? Starman, I know you’ve been there.

shouldnt be bad.
anything is beter then saudi arabia.

*this is an opinion.

well, if you just travel a little bit in Turkey you can find some places same as Arabia Saudite or even worse
PS: have you ever been there plse?

Anne, I heard the skiing is quite decent there (good slopes and infrastructure) and dead cheap, some of my Turkish colleagues have tried out and really appreciate.

Have fun!

saudi arabia? yes.
and it was the worst 2 weeks of my life.

I have heard that it is quite interesting but not very developed (having been chastised for saying this earlier by Charly, I do not mean this in a derogatory way).

I agree that it is bizarre that Turkey is behind Romania in the EU pecking order (excuse the bird flu reference)

The countryside is supposed to be beautiful (untouched and lots of old churches and monastaries) but one tip: beware of the moonshine!

Nerede? I don't believe I discussed that point.

Couple of sites
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Eu ... mania.html
http://www.bootsnall.com/europe/eastern-europe/romania/

[quote JC here]

that's the same i heard from a friends family who went there on vacatin last year (dutch family)

Ok perhaps you said that Cairo was not as underdeveloped as one might think. Still worth making the point that a country's level of "development" should be used neutrally.

Put it this way Anne, after working there for almost 4 months I made a personal vow never to go to that country again. Things may have changed as it was 10 years ago when I was there and the first macdonalds had just opened.
positive things about Romania:
Bucharest airport departures lounge.
Interesting countryside
Most young woman wants to sleep with you.
er thats it.

Negative things about Romania:
Most young woman wants to marry you.
shitty countryside
cockroaches
beggers
worse drivers then Turkey
fresh food of the market has to be eaten same day
local bread could be classed as a lethal weapon in other countries
3 nightclubs for the whole of Bucharest
banana juice
female door to door salesgirls suddenly offer other services
shall I go on?

especially the bit about the dangerous bread!

One of my best friends lives in Bucharest, so if you need a guide or someone to down vodka with, give me a shout (her english is really good)

That would be great Abicigim!
Starman, need me to bring back some bread for your kaynana?