We're headed for Transylvania (seriously) for two weeks. The wife has some urban design work there and I'm going along to fend off Vlad and his minions. I'll return with photos of strange construction problems and Communist era architecture. Not your average summer vacation, I guess.

Be safe and have a good time. Oh and when you ask for water they will ask if you want "gas" or "no gas". Carbonation or non-carbonated!

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

A friend and I did a car trip of the Warsaw pact countries back in 1973. East Germany, Poland, Chekoslovakia, Romania & Hungary (took months to get the visas). Romania was by far the friendliest place and I still have fond memories of entire village populations waving at us as we drove through in my bright yellow Ford Escort GT. Private cars were still rare back then, especially in the countryside, and they were all the same dull model (some Russian variation of a FIAT I believe).

Another memory of Romania was in Bucherest, where there was some traffic. It suddenly started raining while we were driving in the city and every car just stopped in its tracks. We didn't know what the hell was going on until we realized that all the drivers were getting out and installing their windshield wipers. Evidently, parts were very hard to come by, theft was a real problem, and they kept the wipers locked up until needed!

Anyway, I'm sure things are a lot different now, but beautiful country in areas. Enjoy!

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Richard Moore
Rest Assured Inspection Services - www.rainspect.com
Seattle, Washington

Watch out for beautiful women with sharp teeth.

John,

I saw a story the other night on one of those news show that said the castle actually owned by the famous Count in Transylvania was going on the auction block.

Check it out for us if you have a chance and take some pics. Just wear that silver cross around you neck.

Should be interesting. The neighbors behind me are from Romania and their the nicest folks. He is the one who alarmed us when our truck caught fire last year. His translation of Fire was not so good, but the look of panic is known worldwide I quess.

Have fun.

Rick

Must be nice to have a wife who earns serious bread.

Garlic worn around the neck is a great vampire repellant.

Don't accept a dinner invitation from anyone named Nosferatu.

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"Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand." Leo Durocher
Bruce Breedlove
www.avaloninspection.com

Heavily forested scenic area. The history of the real Dracula is what's creepy.

Erol Kartal
ProInspect

I haven't done a lot of travelling outside the US aside from several trips to various parts of Mexico.... It's amazing the condtion of the buildings and the numerous issues (what we HI's would refer to as major hazards)...

It kind of puts things in perspective when you look around here. Sometimes when I find myself in an argument with a realtor about where a GFI should go I think back to Mexico.... It's pretty much the standard to let the children play with extension cords in swimming pools made of asbestos while sitting on the edge of 8 foot deck with no railing....

It's called 'overpopulation control'.

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

The term for that in the Florida Keys is "Rustic". Loosely translated, stay away!

John,
I am pretty sure I saw a show with
Samantha Brown, how do you get her job, where she went to Transylvania and Bucharest. It was very interesting. Have a great time and the cross, garlic etc... doesn't work, at least according to Anne Rice, so just have fun!

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Eric Van De Ven Magnum Inspections Inc. (954) 340-6615
www.magnuminspections.com
I still get paid to be suspicious when I got nothing to be suspicious about!

Eric,

I know what you mean about that Samantha Brown's job. Now that is a job I'd like to have.

I'd like to travel with her.

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Rick Hurst_Home Works Inspection Co_Rockwall TX
In the words of Mike Tyson.... "Everyone has a plan until they get hit inda mouf"