Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Finding a Computer
Finding a computer to use for a few minutes of internet access has gotten harder as many
hotels have dropped the former practice of making a computer terminal available for
guests.
»Larger hotels will sometimes have a 'business centre', though this may incur an added
fee.
»The situation with internet cafes is much the same. As more Romanians purchase their
own computers, the number of internet cafes has dropped. We've listed internet cafes in
this guide in areas where we could find them.
»Internet cafes normally charge 3 to 5 lei per hour.
»Other options include the tourist information office, which may have a terminal for a few
minutes of gratis surfing, or the local library.
»In this guide, we've used
to indicate hotels that have computers available for guests.
Legal Matters
Foreigners in Romania, as elsewhere, are subject to the laws of the host country. While
your embassy or consulate is the best stop in any emergency, bear in mind there are some
things it cannot do for you, like getting local laws or regulations waived because you're a
foreigner, investigating a crime, providing legal advice or representation in civil or crim-
inal cases, getting you out of jail, or lending you money.
»A consul can issue emergency passports, contact relatives and friends, advise on how to
transfer funds, provide lists of reliable local doctors, lawyers and interpreters, and visit
you if you've been arrested or jailed.
»Romanian police take a dim view toward illegal drug use of any kind, including can-
nabis, as well as obvious displays of public drunkenness.
Money
The official Romanian currency is the leu (plural: lei), noted in this guide as 'lei' but lis-
ted in some banks and currency exchange offices as RON. One leu is divided into 100
bani. Banknotes come in denominations of 1 leu, 5 lei,10 lei, 50 lei, 100 lei, 200 lei and
