10 Things We Hate About Romania.

1. bureaucracy - people who are unwilling to think outside the box and always point to some higher authority.

2. bad service - rude waiters, even people at the tourist information kiosks are sometimes rude.

3. evil taxi drivers - only in Bucharest, so far; they will charge you double the fare if they sense you're a foreigner (that's if they even want to take you in the first place; they won't even bother for a short ride).

4. abandoned cars - they're everywhere, blocking the sidewalks, parked on the streets, a real nuisance and an eye sore for the entire country.

5. phlegm - we've never seen so much spit on the sidewalks. Could it be related to the fact that in Romania 46% of men and 24% of women smoke regularly?

6. pollution - from diesel fumes to cigarette smoke, your lungs will be put to the test.

7. driving - we still can't figure the driving rules in Bucharest, perhaps because so many people tend to ignore them.

8. pretentious bars, cafes and shops - places where well connected Romanians go to see and be seen.

9. uninspired architecture - entire neighborhoods of ugly, communist era apartment blocks.

10. things that sorta' work - low-quality, locally made goods; and there are no exchanges and refunds.