I had an absolutely wonderful day today. After our terrific meeting and communion last night at our apartment, one of my new friends, Yevgeniy (Eugen) came to get me so we could go to the Wine Festival. Moldova is full of good vineyards and excellent wine. We took a mini-bus that was jammed full of people but was cheap transportation. About 25 cents for each of us. We walked around the park where the wine festival was going on. Many well-known names of vineyards were represented. We tasted some and constantly smelled the food vendors who were cooking kebabs over coals. An incredible smell. After we left the festival, we walked through an old park that must once have been beautiful but is currently in disrepair.
I got back to the apartment about 3 after walking back - an incredible distance on a hot day. I made myself a cup of tea and lay on the couch to read until Florin returned about 3:30. At 4, Nataly and Leah picked us up in a cab and we went to a new mall that is really impressive and beautiful. While the others attended a board meeting, I went to a great coffee shop and drank cappuchino shi apa plata (cappuchino and still water (not gassy)) and read.
After the board meeting, we came back to Leah and Nataly's apartment where Mihai, Leah's 14 year old son was waiting for us. He had made a really delicious potato salad that he told me about when I saw him in Pittsburgh in July. Then the food started coming out. Unbelievable. The table was groaning with food, as was I after eating it. Because they knew sarmale was my favorite, they cook it. Do you remember that Sarmale is cabbage rolls? There were roasted peppers and a kind of farmer's cheese called brinza. There was herring. After filling ourselves, there was fruit and fresh walnuts and chocolate cake. We picked constantly and drank wine.
It really has been a splendid day. When I checked my email, I found that some of the people who attended my workshop in Bucharest on the 2nd want to have another session with me during the week. That is terrific!
A few pictures from today can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/nundabud/20091011#
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What a wonderful time you've had in Moldova. I didn't expect it to be such a warm, and beautiful, country. And, oh, those sarmale! The next time you're in Florida, we'll make them. A safe, and non-smelly, trip back to Bucharest. Love....
ReplyDeleteOh, that does sound like a wonderful day! I hope you're getting some of these recipes down to share with us when you return!
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