On the battlefields of the First World War, two “weapons” were decisive, at least for a time: heavy artillery and the wave of infantry. There were others on the battlefields of World War II: an airplane and a tank. I can’t say what was decisive in the Cold War – it’s too “part of me” to be objective, but if we look at tourism, the modern tourism industry, as a war (and why not look?!) , the decisive “weapon” is the airport and the subway. Let me explain myself.

On April 13, 2022, Professor Demeny Peter was kind enough to publish an article* “The Regret of Carelessness – about Borsec”, in which he describes the deplorable state in which the town of Borsec found itself (diminished houses, lack of investment, etc.). There is nothing to deny: that is how it is. Like the teacher, I also have a sentimental connection with Borsekul – I was in the camp, in 1985, if I’m not mistaken, there I kissed the first girl (who can forget Adriana from “Shinkai”?!), there are still pictures of that summer and I cry like a calf (“Years passed…” etc.).

On July 12, 2022, Master Radu Oltean shared on social networks an interview** that Ms. Oana Cirila gave to the ArcRomania platform, about the work to preserve the heritage of the Thermae of Herculaneum. As I read, I was at first horrified at the enormity of the task these people had undertaken (the Herculaneum project, if I understood correctly), but then I took a step back: “Wait, wait! Wait, isn’t it! I mean, it is – but it really isn’t!’

I went to Spa about three years ago. Death of passion. The city – which entered as a common noun in almost all languages ​​- is well preserved, nothing to say. Beautiful, flirtatious, tidy, several terraces, delicious cuisine, beer, pensioners, orchestra. Went to the famous baths: no one. No, you don’t understand me: I didn’t meet anyone there, not a single person. The building is great, very modern, only glass, with a mini funicular inside, with background music, juice machines (my wife bought a coke for her and some oranges for the little one; I didn’t get anything because -they had beer), marble stairs, massive doors that led to an unknown destination… we went through all the floors (by steps, not by funicular), reached the area under the roof, where we exited the bathroom building and found a huge, but empty parking lot. True, there were two cars. Dear. Again, however, no man.

My daughter was bored to death, so I went back to the central square where I found something for her to do: for five euros, a very nice woman gave her a ride on Peppino’s pony, and the group spoke in French. nerds, which makes her laugh out loud (although the little girl is a little shy around strangers). We didn’t stay to eat there at the Spa, although we had plenty of seats; but we were the only people under 70 in the whole town, people looked at us like bears.

I went to Barcelona this spring because the prices were lower. We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel (but since it was night, no money was spared). I went out the next day and the town was buzzing with tourists even though it was a Tuesday morning (?!). Man next to man! All the peoples of the earth! Americans, Chinese! French, British, Japanese, Swedes! And the Romanians, of course, but they were not engaged in tourism, because they worked in construction (I found Timisoara beer, so to speak, in non-stop Arab bars). The area where the hotel used to be is not even close, but it was buzzing with activity from morning until late at night (street concerts, art events, music and parties of all kinds). Money, people and metro trains move through Barcelona at breakneck speed, even if it’s not always good (some “targets” are constantly suffocated by huge queues, begging thrives). Traffic jams at all hours, although traffic is well organized. Many schools, many children, many sports grounds. In a word, the city vibrate.

On the way out, I took the subway. To the airport. Line 9 South. An engineering masterpiece! Between the city and the airport lies a mountain, a mountain spur that descends into the sea, but the craftsmen dug an extremely deep tunnel (I reached the platform after going down five or six escalators, from long alleys!), under this mountain, until they came out of a fixed subway mouth in the airport premises (in fact, with mouths that each terminal is served by the bifurcation of the 9 South line). The airport is also very big, very modern and well organized, but despite all this, it is crowded with the world, people, tourists, young people… paying people. This is where I wanted to go.

Malnaș Baths, Tușnad Baths, Govora Baths, Herculane Baths, Olănești Baths, Căciulata Baths, Borsec Baths, Sovata Baths, Sângiorz Baths, Spa Baths… and many others.

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