17 July 2017 - Weeks 14 & 15

I got sick last week so the blog was not done.  This post will be two weeks combined.

We finally found an alteration shop where we could get Brent's shirt sleeves cut short and hemmed.  It cost $2.50.  I did not want to have to buy a sewing machine. 

Close to the sewing shop is the Holy Trinity Cathedral.  Brent had been inside and was amazed by all the gold.  We walked over so I could see it.  

So much gold it is hard to imagine where it all came from or how they could afford it.  No wonder half the building is under construction.  You would never know from the outside. 

Here's a photo of some cool metal work on a downtown door and a metal railing on the front of a building.

These photos are of the Roman Catholic Cathedral also in downtown Arad.  We could only view it through a gate.  The main part was blocked by a locked fence. 

On Thursday we went out for Ice Cream or Ingetata with the missionaries and Sisters from the branch.  It was hot that day, about 94 degrees, but sitting in the shade and visiting each other was a good outing. 

The Elders from Timisoara ride the train to be with us for district meeting at 10:30 every Friday morning.  They are usually starving by the time the meeting is over.   This week we ordered and shared some pizza along with a friendly game of chess.

These next photos are a look into shopping.  EVERY store you go into has security.  They walk up and down the aisles and stand at the check outs.  Security seems to be a huge business in this country.  We think it has to do with the communist roots of these people.   The most fun thing about shopping is that most of the time I can't read what the packages say, so I have to look at the packages, look at the pictures, and then often I buy one to try it out.  Sometimes we get it right and sometimes we just learn we don't want to buy that again. 

We often see familiar brands, ie.  Stihl, Husquvarna, Ford, BMW.  

This is Brent.  I came to the realization that I never see pickup trucks here.  I have seen maybe 5 pickups total.  Sometimes we see one multiple times but very few Pickups.  

I have never seen a prosehe SUV but thry make  one.  The people that  could afford a $50,000 to $75,000 puckup seem to drive expensive cars.

Here is the BMW SUV

The people that need trucks seem to buy this type of truck.  They remind me of a farmers grain truck. Not something you would like to take your girl friend out for a date in.

On Monday of week 15, we traveled to Brasov in hopes of seeing the Bran castle and Peles Castle.  Unfortunately, it did not happen. Jamie got sick in the night on Monday and spent Tuesday in bed. Wednesday we headed back to Arad.  

We saw this interesting way to hang your laundry when living in block apartment.  

We met the Biehns at the Winders apartment.  Following a good visit and our dinner, we went to downtown Brasov and walked around the town center.  The cool old stone paved roads made old town area fun to see. 

We are still trying to get a good photo of the many horse and wagon setups we see.  Usually there is one horse on a two horse tree, but surprisingly this wagon was pulled by two horses. We also thought this tractor was interesting. 

Sunday on our way home from Timisoara we saw this wagon full of gypsies and caught a photo. Notice how they tie the horses head to the tongue in order to keep it from dragging.  Kind of crazy. This photo was taken right in town. 

Saturday evening we hosted a missionary event by Sister Izabela Geambasu.  We hoped to have some new investigators come to check it out.  We had about 25 people.  Many of our branch and a few investigators attended. Here are a few of the branch members, the Geambasu's and missionaries. 

Here are the missionaries and the Geambasu's.