Vlad III, Price of Wallachia is most commonly known for inspiring the name of the vampire in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.   It is absolutely clear that Stoker had no basis for attributing the belief in impalement (as a ‘cure’ for a vampire) to Vlad Ţepeş when there is no evidence that Vlad believed that it was so.  Further, claims that Vlad raised the stakes in awfulness of execution because he introduced impalement cannot be sustained since, according to Hungarian popular tradition, it was a method (for execution) for dealing with them that had been long recognised and, not the least, pre-dated Vlad Ţepeş’ reign.  More striking still, with regards to the “devilry” attributed to Vlad Ţepeş by the Transylvanian Saxons, as a method of execution, impalement had long been prescribed by the Saxons in their penal code.

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A little book of jokes also known as Berlitz Pocket Guide Romania! Thoroughly recommended if you're into travel hilarious inaccuracies!

I bought a Berlitz Pocket Guide on Romania intending to give it as a Christmas present. I couldn't help but flicking through and what did I find? A fine selection of surprisingly entertaining jokes on Romania. I will, of course, share these jokes with you, but you must be patient: one at a time! For now I think it's only fair we start with one on Constanta (the fondest of my childhood memories - this makes it fair, right?). Constanta, a city on the Black Sea Coast, a place with hot summer days and bitterly windy winters.

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Now look, I remained in Bucharest ‘cause when all my pipes in the bathroom start leaking I hurry to the plumber from the 9th story and his wifey slams the door in my face and then what to do? I grab my headphones, give a play to AC/DC - Back in Black – and take off on my rollerblades. How’s this? Do I simply take off? Of course not! I firstly take off along the corridor, all night long, then slowly go down the avenue. The police tracing me, yelling in the loudspeaker: on the side way! on the siiiidewaaaay!

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If you have an interest in foreign customs, or you’d just like to see what gets celebrated in Romania, please have a look at our first attempt to recommend local festivals. We don’t intend to index everything that’s on in 2010. It’s just our list with recommendations; please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any comments or suggestions.

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