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Kevin Stillmock
joi, 17 martie 2011
marți, 2 noiembrie 2010
Rebirth of a Roman(ian) Empire
reprint, Escape Artist http://www.escapeartist.com/
and The Pulse Blog http://www.thepulseblog.com/
.
and The Pulse Blog http://www.thepulseblog.com/
Rebirth of a Roman(ian) Empire
Rebirth of a Roman(ian) Empire
By: Kevin Stillmock
The history of Romania is shrouded in mystery, myth, and misunderstanding. Few people, including a good deal of Romanians themselves, are aware of the glorious standing of Romania in the Roman Empire and the vision of Romania as a second Rome as held by Roman leaders shortly before the fall of the Roman Empire. Romania?s name itself denotes it?s importance in Roman times. Romania in latin stands for Rome and the Eastern Roman Empire.
Indeed, it is a land unseperatable from it?s legendary past as a highly valued part of the Roman Empire. A visit to almost any history museum in-country gives credence to this through the many artifacts from ancient Roman times excavated here such as busts of Roman leaders and gods, coinage and relics. A visit to the sea will also be a visit to Roman ruins such as those of Histria and coastal towns named after Roman gods like Neptun, Jupiter and Venus. Bucharest, in homage to Rome, is built on 7 hills. Although as early as the mid 19th century Bucharest was described as a "savage hotchpoch," traces of the historical city of Roman days remain.
That Romania was a part of the Roman Empire is not particurarly revealing. Many modern day countries were once part of the Roman Empire, largely due to there geographical location. What?s unique in the case of Romania is the role that it played in the Roman Empire and there vision for it?s future. Why specifically was Romania elevated to such as prestigous position in the most famous empire of all time ? Our brief study of history will reveal the current modern-da
y potential of Romania and why Romania should be on the forefront of every international investor and relocaters mind.
Ceazar bathed in the hot springs of western Romania known as " Baia Herculane ". Romania is one of the most naturally rich countries on the continent (as will be explored below). In fact, the land known as Romania was a vacation hotspot of the Roman elite. However, it was much much more then that to the ancient Romans.
Romans, like ancient Greeks and others, also came in groves to Romania because of it?s skilled, hard-working laborers. This set the stages for economic growth and increased prosperity in the region. Similarily today international companies, such as Microsoft, are making Romania a major base of operations for much the same reasons.
Let?s flash forward now some 2,000 years into the future. Romania is poised to be the 7th largest superstate in the European Union. That?s larger then Czech Republic, Hungary, or Switzerland. The acension will result in increasing political and spending power. As a soon-to-be member of the EU, Romania will have more clout on global affairs and as wages are forced to increase, 24 million Romanians will have increased budgets for buying everything from household goods to houses, boats, and cars.
Just as the Roman Empire sought Romania to be a member of it?s conglomeration of states so is the modern day European Union, and with good reason.
Romania is conviently located in the center of the "old world." Many Romanians airports are 1-2 hour flights to cities like Istanbul, Kiev, Vienna, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Athens. Take a map and draw a 360 circle from Bucharest and you will see that Romania has a strategic world location.
The country is already becoming a tourist hot spot for Europeans and Middle-Easterns.At the same time, residents of Romania, be they Romanian or expats can take advantage of all the natural beauty of the country or with a quick flight find themselves in diverse locations on the European and Asian continents. Foreign business people can travel between there home country and Romania on what really amounts to a short commuter flight. All of this means foreign influences and investments which results in increased wealth for local citizens and a cosmopolitan flair for the country.
24 million financially empowered individuals means significant spending power. That means businesses will boom and so will real estate. That also means the old reminents of years of failed communism will dissapear soon enough.
Already real estate prices have increased steadily and significantly in recent years, such as in the city of Brasov, which boasted a 212% official increase in the price of real estate last year. Often times vision means not seeing only what is but envisioning what will one day be. Don?t be thrown off by decaying buildings and disgracefully kept train stations. You won?t likely find many of these in Germany or England but neither will find the sheer opportuntity there that you will here.
The investor in Romania needs to be a historian as well as a visionary.
Successful investors in Romania are succesful because they see the past, present, and future all in one glimpse. They know what was, what is, and what will be.
In Romania, the maxim is particularly true that " he who hesitates, is lost ."
Now, let us continue our journey into the past and use as it a tool for opening a window to the future :
Metamorphoses ? A country undergoing change
Sitting on the riverbank, Pan noticed the bed of reeds was swaying in the wind, making a mournful moaning sound, for the wind had broken the tops of some of the reeds. Pulling the reeds up, Pan cut them into pieces and bound them together to create a musical instrument, which he named "Syrinx", in memory of his lost love. ? Ovidiu
The celebrated Roman poet Ovidiu wrote that shortly after his exile to modern day Constanta, Romania by Emperor Augustus. In his poem he describes what many consider to be the origins of the pan flute ? later made famous by the Romanian artist Zamphir.
He entitled the poem Metamorphises. In the ancient Roman city of Tomis (now Constanta) Ovidiu wrote a number of his more important works such as Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto.
The above has little relevance to our study of the connection between the ancients and the modern-day Romania other then serving to set-up our journey to the past to discover the future which will take us frequently to the ancient city of Tomis, modern city of Constanta. No one word describes better what happened, what is happening, and will happen in Romania then the title of the poem wrote here by Ovidiu, ?Metamorphoses.?
A City By the Sea
Constanta has been built on and around a promontory of land extending into the Black Sea, which has allowed it to shield ships from the strong winds that blow along the seacoast. Its position may also account for its long history, which is that of a seaport ever since the 6th century B.C.. The foundations of the city were laid in some 2,600 years ago, when Greek colonists built the city of Tomis on its present site.
Ancient Tomis has been associated with the legend of Jason and of the Argonauts who embarked on a long voyage from Greece to the Asian country of Colchis on the Black Sea Coast in search of the Golden Fleece. On their return voyage, they laid anchor on the site on which the town of Tomis was to be later on built. Under the Roman rule, Tomis became a prosperous city, graced with statues, temples and a monumental architecture.
Much of the prosperity of ancient Tomis exist today only in museums and in ruins but now a new prosperity has come to town that may well overshadow the glory days of old.
The new source of prosperity also comes from the decendants of the ancient Greeks and Romans as well the new Roman Empire ? the European Union and various other local and foreign forces.
These forces are metamorphizing Romania from a backwards, socialistic country into a nation to be reckoned with. While Western Europe declines in investment potential and opportunity, Romania is the new promised land, where all the streets are seemingly paved with gold.
The results of these forces at work are easily identifiable to anyone who spent time in the country. Seemingly overnight where there were once shambles of old buildings, high-rise office complexes have arisen, where once farms stood, exclusive resedential communities have taken root.
Many streets stand as symbols to the rapid rate of change ? old Communist style apartment buildings, turn-of-the-century villas, and modern office and apartment buildings all side-by-side.
It?s not hard to imagine where things are headed. Bucharest?s old historic city center ?Lipscani? is today a shadow of it?s former self with many buildings gutted and destroyed. Yet traffic has now been prohibited throughout the entire area and the cobblestoned lanes are witnessing the slow birth of a new hay day for the historical area. Dutch investors with the vision to see what was and what will be made a major investment in the area and opened the restaurant-bar-disco ?Amsterdam Grand Cafe? which soon led a number of other predominately foreign investors buying and renovating under-cared for historic buildings and transforming them into night clubs, cafes, and shops. Now the city is promising help in funding for the revitalization of the area and quite potentially in a short-time frame, the Old Historic City Center of Bucharest will be an elite city quarter with fine restaraunts, exclusive shopping, and luxury apartments.
That?s how change has happened, happens, and will happen in Romania. Behold, in the twinkle of an eye, everything changes here at a seemingly supernatural level.
Since 2000 I?ve seen spectacular change here. The kind of change most people in the Western World might see from the time of there birth to say middle-age. Time here moves at supersonic pace. 1 year here can bring about 10 years worth of change and progress as it would occur in more Westernized countries.
Foreign Direct Investment Leads to Growth and Prosperity
It all started when the Greeks began colonizing the Black Sea Shoresin the late 7th century BC, looking for new trading grounds. The business was good, and soon the newly created colonies became large and prosperous settlements.
Although it started as a small, secondary colony, the city of Tomis soon became the most important Greek settlement and the military capital, and centuries later turned into the modern city of Constanta.
That?s the way history records what happened in the now city of Constanta a few thousand years ago. Now here?s how I predict history will record what will happen in this city, as indicitave of any Romanian city, in the near future.
?It all started when the European Union began the process of ascension of Romania in the early 21st century, looking for new trading grounds. The business was good and soon the towns and cities of the newly added member country became large and prosperous settlements.
Although, it suffered years of decay and hardship after war and Communism, the city of Constanta (ancient Tomis) soon became an important sea port and military capitol for foreign (i.e. US) forces and together with the rest of Romania became a prosperous European superstate.?
Is my prediction for how history will read this metamorphism period from Romania far-fetched? Not at all. We are already witnessing history in the making. The EU ascension process has already had significant political and economic implications for Romania. Constanta, our example city, under the direction of an admirable mayor has become a clean, welcoming, and entertaining sea port and beach resort. Foreign tourists come in increasing numbers yearly and more ships (including cruise ships) are using Constanta as a port. The US Military has a major base in the region as it?s a strategic ally relatively near the Middle East. This has caused an influx of American involvement in the area, including marriages between Romanians and Americans at an unusually high rate.
The facts and figures for Romania at large speaks volumes. Romania now has the highest FDI (foreign direct investment) level in all of Central-Eastern Europe with more then 4 billion Euros currently being invested in the market. Source Creditanstalt - Bank Austria - 2006
International companies and investors are increasingly joining the Romania scene Just as the ancient Romans, Greeks and others helped transform the ancient city of Tomis into an important and prosperous settlement, so to today the forces of the EU and international players are setting there sights on Romania for the 21st century. The results will be no less impressive in the short-term future then they were in ancient times.
Romania has all of the makings of a success story.
The Start of a Good Thing
Started by Romans, unique in Europe, today Romania's 70 natural spas provide relief for many medical disorders and illnesses including rheumatism, endocrine, kidney, liver, respiratory, heart, stomach and nervous diseases as well as nutrition, metabolism and gynecological malfunctions.
?The Start of a Good Thing? in Romania began during the time of the Roman Empire. Ceazar, Augustus and others had the vision to see Romania as a hotbed of opportunity. There legacy still permeates Romania to it?s core.
Romania is home to more than one third of Europe?s mineral and thermal springs. The Romans took advantage of this fact by starting spas as mentioned above, many of which are still in use today.
The Romans secret was that they looked for untapped potential and then they tapped it. Pure and simple.
Amazingly, Romania has in modern times understated all of it?s incredible natural resources and left them to a larger extent to there own devices.
Romania has a long coast along the Black Sea, one of the highest mountain ranges in all of Europe, the largest black bear population on the continent, a significant state park, the second highest amount of vineyards in Europe after Italy and the Danube Delta, a UN protected biosphere environment. Outside of the gifts of nature, Romania has some of Europe?s most impressive castles and monasteries, best preserved medieval towns and authentic village life. Then there?s all the ancient ruins and artifacts from pre-Roman times until present.
None of the above resources have been adequately and fully tapped and incredible opportunities continue to exist.
Then there?s the 24 million inhabitants, many of whom are skilled, mult-lingual employable work force and a consumer base.
Everything adds up to equal OPPORTUNITY with capitol letters.
Just don?t take my word for it. Ask Ceazar, The Greeks, The Byzatines, The Turks, the Russians, and the European Union as well as modern day investors in the region. The writing is on the wall and it has been ever since the days of the Roman empire.
Kevin Stillmock
Author Bio
Kevin Stillmock has been advising investors in Romania and Eastern Europe for nearly a decade.
The history of Romania is shrouded in mystery, myth, and misunderstanding. Few people, including a good deal of Romanians themselves, are aware of the glorious standing of Romania in the Roman Empire and the vision of Romania as a second Rome as held by Roman leaders shortly before the fall of the Roman Empire. Romania?s name itself denotes it?s importance in Roman times. Romania in latin stands for Rome and the Eastern Roman Empire.
Indeed, it is a land unseperatable from it?s legendary past as a highly valued part of the Roman Empire. A visit to almost any history museum in-country gives credence to this through the many artifacts from ancient Roman times excavated here such as busts of Roman leaders and gods, coinage and relics. A visit to the sea will also be a visit to Roman ruins such as those of Histria and coastal towns named after Roman gods like Neptun, Jupiter and Venus. Bucharest, in homage to Rome, is built on 7 hills. Although as early as the mid 19th century Bucharest was described as a "savage hotchpoch," traces of the historical city of Roman days remain.
That Romania was a part of the Roman Empire is not particurarly revealing. Many modern day countries were once part of the Roman Empire, largely due to there geographical location. What?s unique in the case of Romania is the role that it played in the Roman Empire and there vision for it?s future. Why specifically was Romania elevated to such as prestigous position in the most famous empire of all time ? Our brief study of history will reveal the current modern-da
Ceazar bathed in the hot springs of western Romania known as " Baia Herculane ". Romania is one of the most naturally rich countries on the continent (as will be explored below). In fact, the land known as Romania was a vacation hotspot of the Roman elite. However, it was much much more then that to the ancient Romans.
Romans, like ancient Greeks and others, also came in groves to Romania because of it?s skilled, hard-working laborers. This set the stages for economic growth and increased prosperity in the region. Similarily today international companies, such as Microsoft, are making Romania a major base of operations for much the same reasons.
Let?s flash forward now some 2,000 years into the future. Romania is poised to be the 7th largest superstate in the European Union. That?s larger then Czech Republic, Hungary, or Switzerland. The acension will result in increasing political and spending power. As a soon-to-be member of the EU, Romania will have more clout on global affairs and as wages are forced to increase, 24 million Romanians will have increased budgets for buying everything from household goods to houses, boats, and cars.
Just as the Roman Empire sought Romania to be a member of it?s conglomeration of states so is the modern day European Union, and with good reason.
Romania is conviently located in the center of the "old world." Many Romanians airports are 1-2 hour flights to cities like Istanbul, Kiev, Vienna, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Athens. Take a map and draw a 360 circle from Bucharest and you will see that Romania has a strategic world location.
The country is already becoming a tourist hot spot for Europeans and Middle-Easterns.At the same time, residents of Romania, be they Romanian or expats can take advantage of all the natural beauty of the country or with a quick flight find themselves in diverse locations on the European and Asian continents. Foreign business people can travel between there home country and Romania on what really amounts to a short commuter flight. All of this means foreign influences and investments which results in increased wealth for local citizens and a cosmopolitan flair for the country.
24 million financially empowered individuals means significant spending power. That means businesses will boom and so will real estate. That also means the old reminents of years of failed communism will dissapear soon enough.
Already real estate prices have increased steadily and significantly in recent years, such as in the city of Brasov, which boasted a 212% official increase in the price of real estate last year. Often times vision means not seeing only what is but envisioning what will one day be. Don?t be thrown off by decaying buildings and disgracefully kept train stations. You won?t likely find many of these in Germany or England but neither will find the sheer opportuntity there that you will here.
The investor in Romania needs to be a historian as well as a visionary.
Successful investors in Romania are succesful because they see the past, present, and future all in one glimpse. They know what was, what is, and what will be.
In Romania, the maxim is particularly true that " he who hesitates, is lost ."
Now, let us continue our journey into the past and use as it a tool for opening a window to the future :
Metamorphoses ? A country undergoing change
Sitting on the riverbank, Pan noticed the bed of reeds was swaying in the wind, making a mournful moaning sound, for the wind had broken the tops of some of the reeds. Pulling the reeds up, Pan cut them into pieces and bound them together to create a musical instrument, which he named "Syrinx", in memory of his lost love. ? Ovidiu
The celebrated Roman poet Ovidiu wrote that shortly after his exile to modern day Constanta, Romania by Emperor Augustus. In his poem he describes what many consider to be the origins of the pan flute ? later made famous by the Romanian artist Zamphir.
He entitled the poem Metamorphises. In the ancient Roman city of Tomis (now Constanta) Ovidiu wrote a number of his more important works such as Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto.
The above has little relevance to our study of the connection between the ancients and the modern-day Romania other then serving to set-up our journey to the past to discover the future which will take us frequently to the ancient city of Tomis, modern city of Constanta. No one word describes better what happened, what is happening, and will happen in Romania then the title of the poem wrote here by Ovidiu, ?Metamorphoses.?
A City By the Sea
Constanta has been built on and around a promontory of land extending into the Black Sea, which has allowed it to shield ships from the strong winds that blow along the seacoast. Its position may also account for its long history, which is that of a seaport ever since the 6th century B.C.. The foundations of the city were laid in some 2,600 years ago, when Greek colonists built the city of Tomis on its present site.
Ancient Tomis has been associated with the legend of Jason and of the Argonauts who embarked on a long voyage from Greece to the Asian country of Colchis on the Black Sea Coast in search of the Golden Fleece. On their return voyage, they laid anchor on the site on which the town of Tomis was to be later on built. Under the Roman rule, Tomis became a prosperous city, graced with statues, temples and a monumental architecture.
Much of the prosperity of ancient Tomis exist today only in museums and in ruins but now a new prosperity has come to town that may well overshadow the glory days of old.
The new source of prosperity also comes from the decendants of the ancient Greeks and Romans as well the new Roman Empire ? the European Union and various other local and foreign forces.
These forces are metamorphizing Romania from a backwards, socialistic country into a nation to be reckoned with. While Western Europe declines in investment potential and opportunity, Romania is the new promised land, where all the streets are seemingly paved with gold.
The results of these forces at work are easily identifiable to anyone who spent time in the country. Seemingly overnight where there were once shambles of old buildings, high-rise office complexes have arisen, where once farms stood, exclusive resedential communities have taken root.
Many streets stand as symbols to the rapid rate of change ? old Communist style apartment buildings, turn-of-the-century villas, and modern office and apartment buildings all side-by-side.
It?s not hard to imagine where things are headed. Bucharest?s old historic city center ?Lipscani? is today a shadow of it?s former self with many buildings gutted and destroyed. Yet traffic has now been prohibited throughout the entire area and the cobblestoned lanes are witnessing the slow birth of a new hay day for the historical area. Dutch investors with the vision to see what was and what will be made a major investment in the area and opened the restaurant-bar-disco ?Amsterdam Grand Cafe? which soon led a number of other predominately foreign investors buying and renovating under-cared for historic buildings and transforming them into night clubs, cafes, and shops. Now the city is promising help in funding for the revitalization of the area and quite potentially in a short-time frame, the Old Historic City Center of Bucharest will be an elite city quarter with fine restaraunts, exclusive shopping, and luxury apartments.
That?s how change has happened, happens, and will happen in Romania. Behold, in the twinkle of an eye, everything changes here at a seemingly supernatural level.
Since 2000 I?ve seen spectacular change here. The kind of change most people in the Western World might see from the time of there birth to say middle-age. Time here moves at supersonic pace. 1 year here can bring about 10 years worth of change and progress as it would occur in more Westernized countries.
Foreign Direct Investment Leads to Growth and Prosperity
It all started when the Greeks began colonizing the Black Sea Shoresin the late 7th century BC, looking for new trading grounds. The business was good, and soon the newly created colonies became large and prosperous settlements.
Although it started as a small, secondary colony, the city of Tomis soon became the most important Greek settlement and the military capital, and centuries later turned into the modern city of Constanta.
That?s the way history records what happened in the now city of Constanta a few thousand years ago. Now here?s how I predict history will record what will happen in this city, as indicitave of any Romanian city, in the near future.
?It all started when the European Union began the process of ascension of Romania in the early 21st century, looking for new trading grounds. The business was good and soon the towns and cities of the newly added member country became large and prosperous settlements.
Although, it suffered years of decay and hardship after war and Communism, the city of Constanta (ancient Tomis) soon became an important sea port and military capitol for foreign (i.e. US) forces and together with the rest of Romania became a prosperous European superstate.?
Is my prediction for how history will read this metamorphism period from Romania far-fetched? Not at all. We are already witnessing history in the making. The EU ascension process has already had significant political and economic implications for Romania. Constanta, our example city, under the direction of an admirable mayor has become a clean, welcoming, and entertaining sea port and beach resort. Foreign tourists come in increasing numbers yearly and more ships (including cruise ships) are using Constanta as a port. The US Military has a major base in the region as it?s a strategic ally relatively near the Middle East. This has caused an influx of American involvement in the area, including marriages between Romanians and Americans at an unusually high rate.
The facts and figures for Romania at large speaks volumes. Romania now has the highest FDI (foreign direct investment) level in all of Central-Eastern Europe with more then 4 billion Euros currently being invested in the market. Source Creditanstalt - Bank Austria - 2006
International companies and investors are increasingly joining the Romania scene Just as the ancient Romans, Greeks and others helped transform the ancient city of Tomis into an important and prosperous settlement, so to today the forces of the EU and international players are setting there sights on Romania for the 21st century. The results will be no less impressive in the short-term future then they were in ancient times.
Romania has all of the makings of a success story.
The Start of a Good Thing
Started by Romans, unique in Europe, today Romania's 70 natural spas provide relief for many medical disorders and illnesses including rheumatism, endocrine, kidney, liver, respiratory, heart, stomach and nervous diseases as well as nutrition, metabolism and gynecological malfunctions.
?The Start of a Good Thing? in Romania began during the time of the Roman Empire. Ceazar, Augustus and others had the vision to see Romania as a hotbed of opportunity. There legacy still permeates Romania to it?s core.
Romania is home to more than one third of Europe?s mineral and thermal springs. The Romans took advantage of this fact by starting spas as mentioned above, many of which are still in use today.
The Romans secret was that they looked for untapped potential and then they tapped it. Pure and simple.
Amazingly, Romania has in modern times understated all of it?s incredible natural resources and left them to a larger extent to there own devices.
Romania has a long coast along the Black Sea, one of the highest mountain ranges in all of Europe, the largest black bear population on the continent, a significant state park, the second highest amount of vineyards in Europe after Italy and the Danube Delta, a UN protected biosphere environment. Outside of the gifts of nature, Romania has some of Europe?s most impressive castles and monasteries, best preserved medieval towns and authentic village life. Then there?s all the ancient ruins and artifacts from pre-Roman times until present.
None of the above resources have been adequately and fully tapped and incredible opportunities continue to exist.
Then there?s the 24 million inhabitants, many of whom are skilled, mult-lingual employable work force and a consumer base.
Everything adds up to equal OPPORTUNITY with capitol letters.
Just don?t take my word for it. Ask Ceazar, The Greeks, The Byzatines, The Turks, the Russians, and the European Union as well as modern day investors in the region. The writing is on the wall and it has been ever since the days of the Roman empire.
Kevin Stillmock
Author Bio
Kevin Stillmock has been advising investors in Romania and Eastern Europe for nearly a decade.
comments on Pridnestrovie, 2007/8 Tiraspol Times
Tiraspol Times, 2007
" - As the border is the first impression a visitor has to a new country, it is essential that the entry process be simplified to a more reasonable process," says Kevin Stillmock, an American investment manager who specializes in new and emerging markets. A frequent visitor to Pridnestrovie, Stillmock has met with PMR government officials and is advising them on how to attract foreign investment capital.
" - To be honest the problems now at the border are too exagerated," says Stillmock. "I've been to a lot of hot spots in the world. The Palestinian terrorities. Honestly, the border here is the worst."
------------------------------------------------
" - As the border is the first impression a visitor has to a new country, it is essential that the entry process be simplified to a more reasonable process," says Kevin Stillmock, an American investment manager who specializes in new and emerging markets. A frequent visitor to Pridnestrovie, Stillmock has met with PMR government officials and is advising them on how to attract foreign investment capital.
" - To be honest the problems now at the border are too exagerated," says Stillmock. "I've been to a lot of hot spots in the world. The Palestinian terrorities. Honestly, the border here is the worst."
------------------------------------------------
American recognition of Pridnestrovie? It's already happening...
June 2008, by Kevin Stillmock — opinion, - 159767<p>The State Department still balks at recognizing Pridnestrovie as a country. But in this guest opinion, American citizen Kevin Stillmock explains why they are being left behind: Bypassing government bureaucrats, the American people - one by one - are already recognizing the new and (...)
Romania: Europe's Final Frontier And Next Hot Spot
Opportunities In Romania
by Kevin Stillmock And Jay Schechter
Check your preconceived notions about Romania at the door. Your experience here will not be defined by encounters with street children, Gypsy's, or Dracula. While all three may very well exist, none of them accurately defines modern day Romania. We learned this first hand on our first trip here five years ago. In fact, so different was the Romania that we encountered from the one we had heard about, that we ended up coming back and back again until eventually relocating here.
Romania, in reality, is a vibrant and richly diverse country consisting of bustling modern cities, small town charm, Ancient European tradition, and stunning natural beauty. From it's majestic mountain ranges to it's expansive Black Sea coast line, Romania deserves to be defined by, more then anything else, it's raw untapped potential.
Romania holds much in store for the unsuspecting tourist. The last of Europe's great final frontiers it is the home of the ecological wonder of the Danube Delta, the Carpathian Mountains, an abundance of natural springs and some of the most pleasant resorts along the Black Sea coast.
Romania offers you the opportunity to step between European city life and still-functioning village life, right out of the pages of National Geographic, all within a short drive. Romania, as it's tourism board puts it is indeed "simply surprising."
And, Romania is about to join the European Community. Likely projections put it's time of entry at 2007 or 2008. This means that the country is currently benefiting from intense modernization efforts and introduction of new facilities that are making the country easier to navigate and more pleasant to spend a prolonged period of time in. Today, Romania uniquely offers the opportunity to experience Europe as it once was and as it currently is - "Old" and "New" Europe at the same time.
This paradox of time is reflected well in the architectural styles in Bucharest. Buildings here vary wildly from ultra-modern to ancient, kitschy to ready-to-bulldoze. One single street here can exhibit all such forms of architecture.
Romania itself takes it's name from the ancient civilization of Rome of which it thrived under. Times have not always been so kind to Romania.
However, thathas, in the end, only succeeded in making her people all the more resilient, appreciative of freedom, and ever-committed to having a good time and enjoying life. The name of Bucharest comes from the Romanian word “bucuros” meaning joyful and the people here do their best to see that the city lives up to its claim.
Some Latins have taken issue with the assertation that Romanians are a Latin people. One thing, however, is certainly beyond doubt: the Romanians exhibit all the zest of life and passion for fun that so characterizes those of the Latin bloodline.
Bucharest, the capitol and undisputed heart of Romania, is a city that is alive, throbbing with happening night clubs, discos, pubs, and restaurants, that would exhaust even the wildest party animal from the West. One could say without exaggeration that Bucharest is the Atlantic City of the European continent. It is home to hundreds of casinos which are easier to find than gas stations. While a lesser quantity actually deserve accolades, a handful of world class casinos do exist. Recently, a friend of ours showed us how for 500,000 lei (15 Euro) you can go to one of these top-notch casinos, and if you know how to respect your limits, play all night long while you stuff your face from a tempting buffet, drink yourself silly and generally have a good time.
Then you can go out the next night to a different casino and do it all over again, week in and week out, if you so wish. What's more, you even get the occasional thanks from the casino manager for your kind presence.
In Romania, the old maxim rings especially true "chance favors the prepared mind." We have heard of every scam in the book played out here and of every unwanted travel nightmare occurring to unsuspecting tourists.
Likewise, your chance of enjoying and actually thriving in Romania is based on the extent of your understanding of how Romania works and how you can make it work for you. Once you learn these secrets, success here is yours. There are so many things we've learned over the past 5 years that we only recently have got to the point where we feel qualified to consider ourselves experts in the region.
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Romania is a vast and naturally blessed land surpassing the quantity of natural resources and ancient landmarks found in a number of more popularized Western European countries. It would take well beyond the contents of this one small article to give justice to what Romania possesses and how it can surprise and bedazzle you. Suffice to say, we live in Bucharest and within two hours we can be in the heights of the mountains and in the midst of some of the most incredible scenery available on this fair earth, where pine tree forests, meadows, running dear, and mountain landscapes all blend together seamlessly. It leaves you with the impression that they were painted by the hand of the Divine. We can also go 2 hours to the south and vacation along the Black Sea Coast where Romania's pulsating passion for fun takes on new forms. There we can enjoy world class resorts or rough it for a few dollars a night in a wooden tent on the beach. One thing though is always guaranteed; a good time will be had. Romanian's wouldn't have it any other way.
The mountains and the sea are only some of the natural highlights of Romania. Romania is famed for the healing power of it's natural thermal springs and has developed spa resorts around them that offer full relaxation and recovery at a small fraction of the normal Western cost. Romania is home to a permanent ice cave and the ecological excursion of a lifetime at the mouth of the Danube Delta.
Nature though, is not the sole contributor to Romania's tourist appeal. The hand of man is revealed in it's painted monastaries, palaces and castles, medieval towns, and archaeological museums showcasing discoveries more then 2,000 years old. It is also home to the world's second largest building after the Pentagon, "The People's Palace." This mamouth building was once inhabited by Romania's modern day Dracula, Nicolae Ceausescu, who ruled over the people of Romania for more then 50 years. Eventually, the people successfully revolted against him in 1989 and ushered in the current period of democratic rule. The fact that the palace that was created and inhabited by a madman that held a country hostage for more then half a century is a now a museum is a living testimony to the Romanian spirit that will stop at nothing to live in freedom.
The Dracula of legend may have been invented by British author Bram Stoker but the character on which he is based Vlad Tepes (Tzepesh), or "Vlad the Impaler" is real. Tourists are often taken to the lackluster Bran Castle to see where this semi-legendary figure lived, although all historical records indicate that he never set foot there. In reality, the actual princely home of this former Prince of Wallachia (a Romanian providence) still stands, in part, today, protected by more then 1,000 stairs that keep the more sweat-hesitant tourists away.
One need not have a specific destination in mind in order to enjoy Romania. A simple drive in the countryside will yield it's own rewards. The producers of the Hollywood blockbuster "Cold Mountain" chose Romania as their filming location, in part, because of the spectacular, uninterrupted skylines found in much of Romania - they could not locate such scenery in America.
As a side note, the motion picture industry has found a new home in Romania. We've personally ran into Chevy Chase several times, as well as Wesley Snipes, Nicole Kidman, and others. It deserves mention that they seem to amply enjoy Bucharest's nightlife offerings and have shared with us positive comments about their experience in Romania.
For those who want to experience the charms and frills of European living without sacrificing 25% of their wealth at the airport exchange desk, as they convert their US dollar to Euro, and possess the thirst and capacity for a little added excitement than what is normally found in Europe, Romania should be their first consideration.
Romania is extremely expat friendly. Romania is very western-minded and especially pro-American. President Bush visited Romania in 2002 and was met by throngs of cheerful spectators, many of whom waved American flags. Romania is one of the few European countries that is a member of the "Coalition of the Willling," and is home to US troops stationed at the American naval base in the seaside town of Constantza. And, it deserves pointing out, that out of all countries where American troops are stationed, including tropical paradises, more enlisted Americans seek to stay on in Romania then at any other US Naval base in the world. Ultimately the reason behind this curious statistic is unknown. However, several of the US soldiers stationed here told us it had a lot to do with the laid back lifestyle and hospitality of the locals, the natural beauty inherent in the land, the availability of American goods and services, and more often that not, the Romanian women that they had met.
Unlike the majority of European countries, television programs and films are shown almost exclusively in their original language, which more often than not is English. This means cable television brings you 40 or so channels in English and you can take full advantage of modern cinema facilities during your vacation or relocation to Romania. This also means that Romanians have grown up with a closeness to the English-language which combined with excellent schooling, has resulted in a great deal of Romanians having achieved a fluency in the English-language. Foreigners will not have a hard time breaking the language barrier in most parts of the country. Romanian itself is the closest spoken language to Latin and resembles Italian, French, and Spanish, meaning that speakers of any of these languages will find Romanian a relatively easy language to learn with a little desire and tenacity.
Romania can offer you the luxury of American/Western living in it's custom built communities such as "The American Village" and "The French Village." Or, it can allow you to custom build your own lifestyle, perhaps taking elements of your old, familiar life and adding to it a new more appealing dimension. One Western European expat family we know of opened an inn in Transylvania. Every week they entertain guests from around the world and show them a slice of Romania that they fell in love with. An American expat family we know moved to a remote and economically depressed village in the northern part of the country and opened a soup kitchen and adventure camp for local children. They are making a difference and doing what they love. Yet other expats from America, Great Britain and across Europe have opened pubs and nightclubs that add a little air of familiarity from back home to the Bucharest skyline.
Romania, as a final frontier, brings with it the promise of the thrill of discovery, the excitement of going where few have gone before, and the opportunity to expand your horizons. It also presents the possibility of occasional frustrations and hassles. If you have something of the pioneer spirit burning within you and think you share to some level the Romanian joie-de-vivre (passion for life) then we can make no better suggestion to you then to come now and see firsthand why Romania is simply so suprising.
Opportunities In Romania
by Kevin Stillmock And Jay Schechter
Check your preconceived notions about Romania at the door. Your experience here will not be defined by encounters with street children, Gypsy's, or Dracula. While all three may very well exist, none of them accurately defines modern day Romania. We learned this first hand on our first trip here five years ago. In fact, so different was the Romania that we encountered from the one we had heard about, that we ended up coming back and back again until eventually relocating here.
Romania, in reality, is a vibrant and richly diverse country consisting of bustling modern cities, small town charm, Ancient European tradition, and stunning natural beauty. From it's majestic mountain ranges to it's expansive Black Sea coast line, Romania deserves to be defined by, more then anything else, it's raw untapped potential.
Romania holds much in store for the unsuspecting tourist. The last of Europe's great final frontiers it is the home of the ecological wonder of the Danube Delta, the Carpathian Mountains, an abundance of natural springs and some of the most pleasant resorts along the Black Sea coast.
Romania offers you the opportunity to step between European city life and still-functioning village life, right out of the pages of National Geographic, all within a short drive. Romania, as it's tourism board puts it is indeed "simply surprising."
And, Romania is about to join the European Community. Likely projections put it's time of entry at 2007 or 2008. This means that the country is currently benefiting from intense modernization efforts and introduction of new facilities that are making the country easier to navigate and more pleasant to spend a prolonged period of time in. Today, Romania uniquely offers the opportunity to experience Europe as it once was and as it currently is - "Old" and "New" Europe at the same time.
This paradox of time is reflected well in the architectural styles in Bucharest. Buildings here vary wildly from ultra-modern to ancient, kitschy to ready-to-bulldoze. One single street here can exhibit all such forms of architecture.
Romania itself takes it's name from the ancient civilization of Rome of which it thrived under. Times have not always been so kind to Romania.
However, thathas, in the end, only succeeded in making her people all the more resilient, appreciative of freedom, and ever-committed to having a good time and enjoying life. The name of Bucharest comes from the Romanian word “bucuros” meaning joyful and the people here do their best to see that the city lives up to its claim.
Some Latins have taken issue with the assertation that Romanians are a Latin people. One thing, however, is certainly beyond doubt: the Romanians exhibit all the zest of life and passion for fun that so characterizes those of the Latin bloodline.
Bucharest, the capitol and undisputed heart of Romania, is a city that is alive, throbbing with happening night clubs, discos, pubs, and restaurants, that would exhaust even the wildest party animal from the West. One could say without exaggeration that Bucharest is the Atlantic City of the European continent. It is home to hundreds of casinos which are easier to find than gas stations. While a lesser quantity actually deserve accolades, a handful of world class casinos do exist. Recently, a friend of ours showed us how for 500,000 lei (15 Euro) you can go to one of these top-notch casinos, and if you know how to respect your limits, play all night long while you stuff your face from a tempting buffet, drink yourself silly and generally have a good time.
Then you can go out the next night to a different casino and do it all over again, week in and week out, if you so wish. What's more, you even get the occasional thanks from the casino manager for your kind presence.
In Romania, the old maxim rings especially true "chance favors the prepared mind." We have heard of every scam in the book played out here and of every unwanted travel nightmare occurring to unsuspecting tourists.
Likewise, your chance of enjoying and actually thriving in Romania is based on the extent of your understanding of how Romania works and how you can make it work for you. Once you learn these secrets, success here is yours. There are so many things we've learned over the past 5 years that we only recently have got to the point where we feel qualified to consider ourselves experts in the region.
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Articles On Living & Investing Overseas are free to read in our archives - Thousands of articles on a wide range of expatriate issues - click here.
Romania is a vast and naturally blessed land surpassing the quantity of natural resources and ancient landmarks found in a number of more popularized Western European countries. It would take well beyond the contents of this one small article to give justice to what Romania possesses and how it can surprise and bedazzle you. Suffice to say, we live in Bucharest and within two hours we can be in the heights of the mountains and in the midst of some of the most incredible scenery available on this fair earth, where pine tree forests, meadows, running dear, and mountain landscapes all blend together seamlessly. It leaves you with the impression that they were painted by the hand of the Divine. We can also go 2 hours to the south and vacation along the Black Sea Coast where Romania's pulsating passion for fun takes on new forms. There we can enjoy world class resorts or rough it for a few dollars a night in a wooden tent on the beach. One thing though is always guaranteed; a good time will be had. Romanian's wouldn't have it any other way.
The mountains and the sea are only some of the natural highlights of Romania. Romania is famed for the healing power of it's natural thermal springs and has developed spa resorts around them that offer full relaxation and recovery at a small fraction of the normal Western cost. Romania is home to a permanent ice cave and the ecological excursion of a lifetime at the mouth of the Danube Delta.
Nature though, is not the sole contributor to Romania's tourist appeal. The hand of man is revealed in it's painted monastaries, palaces and castles, medieval towns, and archaeological museums showcasing discoveries more then 2,000 years old. It is also home to the world's second largest building after the Pentagon, "The People's Palace." This mamouth building was once inhabited by Romania's modern day Dracula, Nicolae Ceausescu, who ruled over the people of Romania for more then 50 years. Eventually, the people successfully revolted against him in 1989 and ushered in the current period of democratic rule. The fact that the palace that was created and inhabited by a madman that held a country hostage for more then half a century is a now a museum is a living testimony to the Romanian spirit that will stop at nothing to live in freedom.
The Dracula of legend may have been invented by British author Bram Stoker but the character on which he is based Vlad Tepes (Tzepesh), or "Vlad the Impaler" is real. Tourists are often taken to the lackluster Bran Castle to see where this semi-legendary figure lived, although all historical records indicate that he never set foot there. In reality, the actual princely home of this former Prince of Wallachia (a Romanian providence) still stands, in part, today, protected by more then 1,000 stairs that keep the more sweat-hesitant tourists away.
One need not have a specific destination in mind in order to enjoy Romania. A simple drive in the countryside will yield it's own rewards. The producers of the Hollywood blockbuster "Cold Mountain" chose Romania as their filming location, in part, because of the spectacular, uninterrupted skylines found in much of Romania - they could not locate such scenery in America.
As a side note, the motion picture industry has found a new home in Romania. We've personally ran into Chevy Chase several times, as well as Wesley Snipes, Nicole Kidman, and others. It deserves mention that they seem to amply enjoy Bucharest's nightlife offerings and have shared with us positive comments about their experience in Romania.
For those who want to experience the charms and frills of European living without sacrificing 25% of their wealth at the airport exchange desk, as they convert their US dollar to Euro, and possess the thirst and capacity for a little added excitement than what is normally found in Europe, Romania should be their first consideration.
Romania is extremely expat friendly. Romania is very western-minded and especially pro-American. President Bush visited Romania in 2002 and was met by throngs of cheerful spectators, many of whom waved American flags. Romania is one of the few European countries that is a member of the "Coalition of the Willling," and is home to US troops stationed at the American naval base in the seaside town of Constantza. And, it deserves pointing out, that out of all countries where American troops are stationed, including tropical paradises, more enlisted Americans seek to stay on in Romania then at any other US Naval base in the world. Ultimately the reason behind this curious statistic is unknown. However, several of the US soldiers stationed here told us it had a lot to do with the laid back lifestyle and hospitality of the locals, the natural beauty inherent in the land, the availability of American goods and services, and more often that not, the Romanian women that they had met.
Unlike the majority of European countries, television programs and films are shown almost exclusively in their original language, which more often than not is English. This means cable television brings you 40 or so channels in English and you can take full advantage of modern cinema facilities during your vacation or relocation to Romania. This also means that Romanians have grown up with a closeness to the English-language which combined with excellent schooling, has resulted in a great deal of Romanians having achieved a fluency in the English-language. Foreigners will not have a hard time breaking the language barrier in most parts of the country. Romanian itself is the closest spoken language to Latin and resembles Italian, French, and Spanish, meaning that speakers of any of these languages will find Romanian a relatively easy language to learn with a little desire and tenacity.
Romania can offer you the luxury of American/Western living in it's custom built communities such as "The American Village" and "The French Village." Or, it can allow you to custom build your own lifestyle, perhaps taking elements of your old, familiar life and adding to it a new more appealing dimension. One Western European expat family we know of opened an inn in Transylvania. Every week they entertain guests from around the world and show them a slice of Romania that they fell in love with. An American expat family we know moved to a remote and economically depressed village in the northern part of the country and opened a soup kitchen and adventure camp for local children. They are making a difference and doing what they love. Yet other expats from America, Great Britain and across Europe have opened pubs and nightclubs that add a little air of familiarity from back home to the Bucharest skyline.
Romania, as a final frontier, brings with it the promise of the thrill of discovery, the excitement of going where few have gone before, and the opportunity to expand your horizons. It also presents the possibility of occasional frustrations and hassles. If you have something of the pioneer spirit burning within you and think you share to some level the Romanian joie-de-vivre (passion for life) then we can make no better suggestion to you then to come now and see firsthand why Romania is simply so suprising.
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