LEAF IN THE WIND For the British, a holiday in Romania is a real adventure

The British consider traveling to Romania as a rather adventurous enterprise. They are not the only ones. All the advertising strategies, designed and paid for by the Ministry of Tourism, lose their credibility once any would be tourists looking to travel to the Carpathian garden receive advice prior to their trip to the "Carpathian Garden". Advice from compatriots naturally carries more weight than any advertising clips, no matter how well designed they may be.

Two weeks from now, over 1,000 supporters of Liverpool are expected to arrive in Bucharest. It is a sizeable group that will spend at least two days in Bucharest. For many of them, this is their second visit, in the last six months, whereas the previous one took place on the occasion of the game with Unirea Urziceni. Un spite of all this, the official website of the group features advice issued by the Embassy of Great Britain in Bucharest, for those eager to accompany their team. This is not a first, the Dutch, the Swiss and the Germans did the same thing. Reading the advice posted on the liverpoolfc.tv website creates an uncomfortable feeling, that could discourage someone feeling less adventurous. Unfortunately, for the most part, things really are the way the British present them, even if there are some exaggerations. Compared to the way the Swiss press presented Cluj, on the occasion of the Champions League game between CFR Cluj and FC Basel, things are looking a little better. "The infrastructure and the facilities of the stadium are sorely inadequate compared to those found in England and in other European countries.

- Our seats are not covered, so we will be at the mercy of the weather. The weather on the day of the game is expected to be very cold.

- Alcohol consumption is forbidden on the streets of Bucharest, or else you run the risk of being fined 116 Euros.

- In Bucharest, singing or shouting in the street is against the law.

- Restaurants try to take advantage of foreign supporters, so ask for the menu before you order.

- Be careful to only travel using cabs that have their fare clearly written on their doors.

- Watch out for pickpockets, especially in crowded areas, public transportation, and even in hotels. Some thieves may disguise themselves as policemen and ask for your papers, then steal your watches or jewelry". In short, these are some of the recommendations that British supporters are advised to heed when coming to support their team on December 2nd, on the Ghencea stadium.

Manchester City supporters who traveled this summer to Timişoara issued similar advice, so the overall picture is not exactly pleasant. "Facilities inside the stadium are rather limited and access with drinks bought outside the arena is forbidden. Watch out when entering and leaving the stadium, because the stairs are very steep and uneven, without railings. It is advised not to travel in dark parks and in the outskirts of the city at night, even though the city is safe".