Craiova - My First Shopping Day
It was a wonderful day here in Romania, 65 degrees and sunny. I took the shuttle to the Craiova mall again, this time though I was on a mission. April is a BIG month for me; my incredible granddaughter Brooklyn's birthday is April 9th, my wonderful grandson Camden's birthday is April 17th, my beautiful daughter Katie's birthday is April 18th, and Easter is on April 21st.
I headed directly to Auchan department store and I lost all control; bought so much candy for the family back home it will cost a small fortune to ship it back. But it's all things you cannot get in the US and some things we used to really like when we lived in Italy (like REAL Kinder Eggs).
After getting everything I needed at Auchan, I decided to try my first Romanian pizza. Now this is a big moment for several reasons; I grew up in an Italian household eating the best pizza in the world, made by my Uncle Johnny. It was incredible and I have never had another like it. Then, I lived in the birthplace of all modern-day pizza - Naples, Italy. These two different pizzas were VERY dissimilar, one being thick-crusted pan pizza with a ton of sauce, cheese, and toppings. The other was individual thin-crust pizza where the sauce is used sparingly but each topping created a party in your mouth. What would Romania's interpretation of pizza be like?
I got a ham and cheese pizza and was initially surprised at the sheer size of the piece you got. It has nearly 12 inches square! Next I was shocked at the price, just $1.75 for the pizza and the bottle of water. Unfortunately though, I was disappointed though in the flavor. It was bland and the toppings were almost flavorless. Bummer. It was ok to eat but I'll have to try some other restaurant versions of pizza. People have told me No Name Bar has great pizza - I'll have to try. Always a sucker for a good "dulce," I couldn't pass up a stand in the mall selling gorgeous desserts. The slice of cake below is called Delizia and it is. It's a wonderful combination of chocolate, hazel nuts, and chocolate ganache. It was heavenly.
Having satisfied my hunger, I visited a bookstore in the mall that rivals Barnes & Noble. A large selection of books, games, greeting cards, etc., are all available in English. I know where I'll be spending some time during my tour here.
My time at the Craiova mall was great but I had to head back home, prepare my purchases to ship back home, and get ready for my household goods delivery on Tuesday. Yes, they originally told me it was going to take 40-47 days to get here after I shipped it on the 11th of March but it actually only took 23 days. I'm anxious to get my "stuff" so I can make my accommodations a little more homey.
Next weekend I'll be spending two days exploring and hiking in the mountain town of Domogled Valae Cernei National Park near the beautiful blue Danube River which separates Romania and Serbia and then heading to Baile Herculane where legend has it Hercules stopped on his journeys to take a bath. I'll have tons of pictures and stories to share when I return.
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