Greetings from Bucharest, Romania

We have arrived.  We had a successful trip which means we arrived safely and at the same time as our luggage.  It doesn't mean that we feel rested (I know far too many details about the lives of two old biddies who talked loudly all 'night'- the three or four hours that lights were out. Bucharest looks like the Eastern bloc countries that we have seen before- shabby, elaborate old buildings, cheap newer buildings, grimy, etc.  Of course, as I was looking at the city on our airport to hotel ride, I realized that the bus windows were very dirty on the outside so the city may not be as grimy as it appeared to me.  In contrast to all of that we are staying in a huge new Marriott with a casino. It is located very near to the palace.
We have met some of our group and will join them later for orientation and dinner.  I just wanted to let you know that we have arrived.  On the trip over, I decided that I am going to try to describe some of the unusual food we have on this trip.  Now I'm hungry.