May Days

With Easter, the Juni Pageant, Europe Day, and sunshine, the month of May has gotten off to a good start. Since I got back from Easter break a week ago, I've had a constant flow of friends coming to town (five Fulbrighters, and others), and a constant flow of festivals to celebrate.

May 1 was Labor Day, and the first day of the "Days of Brasov" festival. So throughout the country a lot of people had vacation, and in Brasov everyone came to Piata Sfatului for the music and dancing. The festival culminated with the Juni Pageant on Sunday, May 4. I spent the whole morning at a corner table on the terrace at Restaurant Gustari, from which I had a great view of the crowd and the passing parade.

Yesterday, May 7, was something called Europe Day, which to me sounds just like an excuse for another party. We were lucky to happen upon it as we followed a group of school children—dressed up in traditional costumes—to the main square.