The narrow streets of cobbled stone (and other improvised pavement types) were host to a diverse group of friends which resulted in an extraordinarily fun melting pot of personalities, moods and cultures, united under the “sus mainile” slogan. Romania (several regions), India, Great Britain, Switzerland, Vietnam and France were represented one way or another in the group who made the event memorable.

Here’s a mathematical question: V. had met A&A and C&L, but not B&N, A&A had also met B&N, but not C&L, who had also met B&N. How many introductions did I have to make?

Except those resulting from the question above, many – as we joined up with M.’s gang, and fun extended.

The next day we did a few trips in the surroundings, checking out some Transylvanian Saxon church-fortresses in the area, Malancrav and Biertan, and then V. and I took off to Brasov with B&N, who invited us over. We “ticked” Brasov, Bran and Rasnov off V. list, and added the “7-stairs Canyon” on our “to be revisited” list, as it was closed for the moment.

Pictures illustrating the above are here:

After a brilliantly executed tactical (albeit sinfully boring) goalless draw against world championship runner-up France and a sensational 1-1 against world champion Italy, after one of the most thrilling games in the competition, they lamentably failed to beat a relaxed Dutch squad to qualify to the quarterfinals.

Typical. 3 outstanding games in a row would have been too much. And yet, Romanian fans in the “yellow ground” had hoped till the last moment. It was for the first time in history that Romania had a significant contingent of fans at a final tournament abroad. Outstanding and touching experience to be there.

Some video impressions below and in the video corner in the bar on the left. The summer night dream is over.

Romanian fans @ Romania-France 0-0:

and Romania-Holland 0-2:

Romania has survived a hard-fought game against World Champion runners-up France, 0-0. For a neutral person, quite a boring game, but from an “involved” perspective it was amazing, especially for the ones in the stadium. The atmosphere was sen-sa-tio-nal, for the first time our national team had almost 10000 supporters on a foreign stadium, matching and surpassing in noise the french supporters (!).

A terrible match is ahead, against a wounded World Champion, Italy (cool group we’re having, huh?). Italians have shockingly lost 3-0 in the first game, it is pretty much by and large “win or go home” for them. This will be the test.

I’ve collected photos and videos from this tournament. The photo gallery is here, and will keep being completed during this month, what you see below is the stand as of today.

The video collection is on the side. Enjoy, and

Hai Romania!

My photographic insights below.

And a small movie depicting a full guild parade: children, fanfare, guild members, alegoric carriage. Missed only the horses at the beginning.

After the insane acrobats on motorcycles on a string did their thing, and one of them climbed on the top of a huge dangling pole doing handstands and playing the trumpete, making me dizzy just watching, the main attraction were the fireworks, beautifully put on music. As you can see, but unfortunately not hear. Imagine Freddy Mercury’s “Barcelona” and U2’s “One” in the background..