One week

So, we have made it one week in. We were able to run some more errands today and we found an English-language bookstore that is not too difficult to get to! It is rather pricey, but nice to know it is there for when we have already read the books we brought with us. Also, we went for a walk in one of the city's largest parks and had a nice coffee break. I am loving the wide availablity of good cappucinno, it's just too bad it always comes with a heavy coat of cigarette smoke! Yuck! Between the constant smoking around us and the pollution, I can feel my lungs blacken every second!
This evening to mark our time so far, we decided to try one of the Indian restaurants in Bucharest that B had found on the internet before we came here. The website said that it was "fast food Indian" but the photos and menu gave the impression of a small casual restaurant, so off we set at 5:45 PM, directions and address in hand. Note to self: from now on avoid the Metro during rush hour when at all possible- we had a VERY full car and several workers who had clearly already had happy hour - thank goodness it was only 2 stops! Once we got there, we were unsure which exit to use since Romanians clearly have a deep and abiding objection to street/information signs. After walking down two major streets, we finally picked the correct one and began walking. The restaurant was number 35 and the first street number we saw was 234! Luckily, after only a block, we finally saw the restaurant on the opposite side of the street. When we arrived, it turned out that it was a VERY small storefront. Imagine a walk-up pizza place. The owner had one table set up, but the cooler with the drinks and some of the food had to be moved in order to be able to sit at the table. Despite the large menu, he only had about 4 dishes available in the case. Apparently most of his business is delivery and take out and he makes dishes on order, but it takes about 40 minutes. So, we each got a plate of something that was already made (tarka dal for S and Chicken Tikka for B) and ate there. The food was good and the owner, Paul, was very friendly and had apparently moved to Bucharest 2 years ago from NY because his wife is Romanian and they had a child, so living in NY became too expensive. I am not sure what part of India he is from, but he did not seem to be a big fan of the Romanian people. The dinner was good, B and I tried our best not to crack up laughing in front of Paul, but could not help noticing the stares of the locals as they passed the window in which we were eating! What an experience. Next time, it's either delivery or another restaurant. Live and Learn, I guess.-S