Timisoara, Monday, May 31

This morning we drove to Josefsdorf, about 40 km east of the city. Bob’s family immigrated to North Dakota from this town. We searched the cemetery, but didn’t fins anything of real significance. The cemetery was in pretty good shape, but it was soaking wet and full of puddles. Where the grass was cut, you had a chance to avoid them, but in the long grass you were walking blind and almost guaranteed to step in one. From the cemetery we went to the church. It was only built in 1937, so it was still in pretty good shape, although it may no longer be in use. From church records and maps, Bob was able to determine with pretty good accuracy where his grandfather was born and managed to get pictures of the original house. That was a pretty good victory.

A steady moderate rain began on the way back to the city. We decided to adjust our schedule away from the walking tour of the inner city to a visit to a small Romanian craft store on the northern edge of the city. We returned to the city centre and it was still raining, so about half of us decided to bite the bullet and do our walking tour after all while the rest waited on the bus. An hour or so later we returned and went back to the hotel. There was no point trying to do anything else in the rain. Of course, soon after the rain let up, but I think most of us were glad of the rest anyway.

Sorin had recommended a nearby restaurant, so three of us set out to find the place to see how convenient it truly was. It was pretty close, so several of us gathered at 5:30 for the short walk. The appetizer was a Romanian specialty: toasted bread, purple onion and two spreads, lard with paprika or plain lard. It’s not what we are used to, but I bet our ancestors loved it. Four of the group ordered the platter for two and barely finished it.

The weather was overcast and about 20 degrees C (70 F). It rained steadily from around noon until 3 pm.