The Gaudemaus (our dyslexic reporter told us “Gaumant”) book fair is in the main square (Cluj’s piata unirii) again. This is an annual event. 22-26 April, 2026. Most books, naturally, are in…
Author: James
Deceptive pricing at Mega Image
When it comes to pricing, no supermarket (in Cluj) is perfect. At Auchan, we’ve seen old labels with old prices left up. I remember working at a DIY shop in Britain, where…
Mărțișor market open in central Cluj
The market of Mărțișor is open in central Cluj. Among the market stalls is one where you can buy wooden recorders and other musical instruments. (Many of these seem to be suitable…
Henna tattoos in Cluj and study in India
On 21st of February, 2024, Ana’s Work will be doing Hena tattoos in Cluj. The photos of the tattoos look good, and it is tagged by the Cluj Centre for Indian studies…
Are toilets and houses overpriced in Cluj?
Here we are in 2026. According to Monitorul (perhaps our favorite newspaper at the moment), the average resident of Cluj spends over half his salary on rent. Average advertised rent prices for…
Clear roads remain a priority in Cluj
Last week, you might have heard what sounded like a train going through residential and central parts of Cluj at night. If you looked out of the window on Wednesday, Thursday or…
Expats or immigrants?
Why do English speakers call themselves Expats instead of immigrants? The use of the term expat goes back in two directions. In American English, it was often used to refer to those…
ice hazard warning for walking, biking, driving in Cluj
This January has been much snowier than the previous five years. While frost could easily be found in 2023-2024, and below freezing temperatures have been common, this year seems to have more…
12 angry men – review of Romanian theatre in Cluj
The Romanian Theatre in Cluj, now called Lucian Blaga, is such a beautiful building, it is worth going to a play just to see the internal architecture. According to a guided tour,…
Why do European social media platforms fail?
If you’re French and in your thirties, you might remember the blogging platform SkyRock. For business, the French also had Viadeo, a LinkedIn competitor that seemed to offer the same functionality. (And…