Haha excellent post... cant wait to see the show in the UK!! :D

Its one of those Iceland moments all over again!

Good Job.

Now I really want to see this episode. Good for you for sticking to your guns and being honest about what really happened -- regardless of whether or not people wanted to hear it. Makes for more interesting TV in the long run.

when did you give up smoking?

I enjoied the show(Romania). Can't wait for a spamtasitc Hawaii show.

My goodness, if people think Romania isn't friendly in 2008, they should have seen it when I went, as a naive little teenager, back in '73. Good thing my Dad, who was born there, spoke the language -- if not for him I would have been arrested at the airport for carrying secret codes. I was indulging in my love for puns and had on my person a piece of paper with variations of "To be is to do," "To do is to be," "Do be do be do," etc. which was confiscated. Needless to say, Romanian airline officials in '73? Not huge Sinatra fans. And we knew pretty much everywhere we went was bugged. Certainly the hotel. Probably the park. Possibly my dad's cousin's car. In other words, the Romanians are a JUSTIFIABLY PARANOID people. I'm very happy all my Dad's relatives managed to emigrate out of there well before Ceaucescu was overthrown.

Tony, I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to this episode, if only to find out whether Romanians have yet discovered vegetables. When we were there veggies were pretty much an afterthought or not served at all in any restaurant. From your show it doesn't look as though that has changed much. But the moment that made me cry was hearing the word "mititei" again. My Dad, who was killed last year, LOVED mititei, and as my mom keeps a kosher household (boy was SHE out of luck in Romania!) I don't think he ever got to have any outside of his home country. "Mititei" and "tuica" made me weep with wonderful memories. And for that, I'll never be able to thank you enough.

Hi Toni... Well, I've been waiting for this show for a loooooong !@#$ time. I was mostly curious who would take you around, and, while I like Zamir, I can say he was not a good choice. I mean who the !@#$ goes to Dracula anything in Romania? American tourists.. duh! Now, your show is more about the locals, so from that aspect it sucked.

Furthermore,while I am glad Zamir got piss drunk on his birthday - it was horrible television. By the way, in Transilvania you probably had PALINCA not TUICA, and that stuff, you can drink it all you want and feel almost nothing, except when you try to stand up and your knees are saying..."I don't think so, buddy!" Hell, I wish I went with you! I speak Romanian at least, and know some places in Brasov (pronounced Brashov) that would put that %$#@hole to shame.

I am glad you had mici. You should have also had some papanshi for desert. Around Christmas there are sooooo many dishes that you can enjoy, like salata de beuf, piftie, toba, caltabosh... Anyway, I still love you, but, please, next time you go, talk to me first. ;-)

PS - You picked a !@#$ time to quit smoking... hahaha... Romanians smoke like freaking chimneys, me included. Either way - I wish you luck with that. It's a nasty habit that I too, need to quit.

So I don't claim to know anything about the internet, but this is my attemp to get in contact with Anthony Bourdain. Recently I started watching your show religiously and looking into your background. I recall a friend of mine years ago telling me to read Kitchen Confedential and I plan to now.
I am a chef myself, haven't traveled much and definently lacking in world-wide knowledge but I believe that I belong traveling with you. A few days ago I caught the fanatic commercial and I want to know what you would want in a traveling partner. Here I am stuck in N.Kentucky with this computer the only way for me to try and contact you. If you receive my email through this please reply.

I thought it was funny too, which was probably the best you could do to salvage a horrible situation. Economic reasons would keep you from just trashing the whole idea & not making a show at all and I can't imagine anyone would think you would suddenly start channeling Rachel Ray and loving everything in sight because you cannot bring yourself to say anything negative. I think you did an honest show with what you were given. Romania has never been high on my places to visit & at worst, you haven't changed my opinion.

But I do have to wonder why Zamir was chosen to help with this one? Sure, he's useful in Russia and former parts of Russia, but I'd think having him along might actually make it worse in places like Romania.

I thought the show was very funny too, though I felt for you at Hotel Dracula. That was just... uncomfortable.

Thanks for the good show!

Tony,

Thanks for giving your honest take on Romania here on the site. After seeing the episode, I kept wondering what was running through your head the entire time. But I don't think you played Mr. Happy for the cameras to make the country and your experience look perfect and wonderful, and I appreciate that. You were honestly and obviously not having the best time, and that's part of travel--that's part of life. Traveling and experiencing the world means making wrong choices, doing things that are ultimately not fulfilling, and sometimes having a truly "%$#@ed up" trip. But yeah, it did make for some good TV for us folks back home.

Thanks for sharing your REAL experiences on and off screen,

Rae

Taking a Russian to Romania? Don't you know they don't like the Russians? they do go back some times...
To be honest, I wasn't clear what was Zamir's role in the Uzbek show. Is he some sort of an east Europe/formenr Soviet Union expert? He's from Moscow, and therefore belongs only on that show. Whould you be a good host for New Zealand, just because you speak (some) English? And Zamir does not even speak Romanian or Uzbeki. Don't get me wrong, he's a nice guy, he should do no reservations for the Russian tv. BTW, it's pronaouced Zu-ee-ka, and not twika.

%#@!, sorry I missed it. Any chance to see Bourdain miserable while I slog to work every day wishing I could travel and eat local food is a great time.

But yea, stay true to the story. Be honest, no matter how much hate mail you will undoubtedly receive. However, I wonder how much Ruhlman swayed your review of his beloved Cleveland but that is another argument for another time.

TO MISS RIGGS - we have discovered veggies. In fact we eat them all the time - IN THE SUMMER, when they are in season. Like most European countries, we only eat organic/locally grown veggies. So, in the winter, when tomatoes are not in season, you won't see that many around.

This was a pretty painful show to watch, but I appreciate the fact you kept your integrity and didn't try to BS everyone into thinking you were at Club Med or something.

Thanks! I can guarantee I won't be planning a summer vacation to draculaville any time soon.

Keep dishing it up as you see fit Tony! We love your honest delivery and opinions and quite a few bits of this episode made me laugh out loud. Thanks!

While watching the show, I kept on thinking... why Zamir? why Zamir AGAIN? Then I felt bad for his birthday disaster. It all made for a good honest (though seemingly ill prepared) travel show though. It's unrealistic to expect every adventure to be perfect.

Tony - I enjoy watching your show and look forward to it every week. Last night during the Romania show, I have to admit to laughing my !@# off at the miserably pained look on your face during the Halloween party scene at the Dracula hotel. Sorry, I just don't understand what YOU were doing there. Funny stuff though.

Keep your chin up brother, despite your utter humiliation before millions of viewers, you're still the baddest MF travel writer out there.

Peace,
~CG

Tony,

Clearly those who hated or were offended by this episode are having a knee jerk reaction, either because they are Romanian or expect all of your adventures to be fun and exciting. The issue here is as you noted - it was NOT fun, nor terribly exciting. Perhaps the bigger question is why certain scenes/experiences were selected. Poor choice or lack of other ideas/opportunities? Probably a little of both. I, like many others, was more confused by the episode and frankly felt badly for you. Kudos for your diplomatic response to their feeble attempts to make you pay to film per meter (even though your face defintely read "those f*ckers!") Zamir, while a fun sidekick elsewhere, should not have been your guide here. You needed a true "fixer". He seemed lost at times and while we all like to get ripped on our bdays, it got a bit uncomfortable to watch. The halloween party also falls into this description. The only seemingly saving grace was the party in the country with the locals. Their culture did come out in traces; it is a shame that they are all still so shell shocked that it came across muted. All in all, you did as you could, the best as you could in the circumstances. Had you tried to put on a happy face throughout, it would have been fake. No one ever wants this. Suck it up and learn my friend. We still love ya. Thanks, Bonnie (artnlit)

Anthony,
For the most part I would agree with your comments about your Romanian trip. Romania is not world renown for it’s food, or quality of roads or even on the knowledge in tourism management. We are known for our country side views and our very welcoming people.
I was bourn and raised in Sighet in Maramures, a place that you have actually visited and I know that place were you eat called “Astoria” and I have to tell you that you’ve probably picked the worst place in that town. For gods sake, Anthony, it’s a dump. And by the way that guy Vladimir sounded like a real duce bag. As a guide, aren’t you suppose to show your guest the best of what your town can offer? With a small effort you could have found a much better guide.

The truth is what I like about you. Don't change a %$#@ing thing about your style just to appease people or ratings. If there is one thing I have learned from watching and reading your stuff, it's that the truth is always so much more interesting than the lie.

Rock on Anthony. I followed your advice in Thailand for the past 2 weeks, and you were dead on in Chiang Mai. The Truth rules, baby.

that sounds pretty awesome. in terms of not really having had a good experience and not trying to hide it. i think that's why many of us watch and love no reservations rather than watching other travel shows-- it's one experience, and it may not be all experiences in romania. what can you do? i look forward to seeing it at some point whenever i get over to my dvr. thanks for being honest!

Hi Tony... Well, I've been waiting for this show for a loooooong !@# time. I was mostly curious who would take you around, and, while I like Zamir, I can say he was not a good choice. I mean who the !@# goes to Dracula anything in Romania? American tourists.. duh! Now, your show is more about the locals, so from that aspect it sucked.

Furthermore,while I am glad Zamir got piss drunk on his birthday - it was horrible television. By the way, in Transilvania you probably had PALINCA not TUICA, and that stuff, you can drink it all you want and feel almost nothing, except when you try to stand up and your knees are saying..."I don't think so, buddy!" Hell, I wish I went with you! I speak Romanian at least, and know some places in Brasov (pronounced Brashov) that would put that sh!t hole to shame.

I am glad you had mici. You should have also had some papanshi for desert. Around Christmas there are sooooo many dishes that you can enjoy, like salata de beuf, piftie, toba, caltabosh... Anyway, I still love you, but, please, next time you go, talk to me first. ;-)

PS - You picked a !@#$ time to quit smoking... hahaha... Romanians smoke like freaking chimneys, me included. Either way - I wish you luck with that. It's a nasty habit that I too, need to quit.

Ton-y! Ton-y! Ton-y!

Tony,

This show exemplifies your honesty and integrity. Keep telling it like you see it. The show's name is "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations", so anybody expecting anything else can go to hell, where no doubt they'll be watching endless re-runs of Rachel Ray.

What you're saying makes sense: you went to Romania, it sucked, you told the story. I personally don't think you have an obligation to find the good in every place.

I think the reason so many people are reacting so strongly are that, 1. when you come from a small country that people will always know very little about, you hope that the few tv shows about it will be good mirrors of your home. not embelished pictures, but fair reflections; that means the good and the bad. 2. most of your other shows DO point out the good about the place you're visiting. your shows, even the ones about remote, unfriendly places usually have the reverence of a curious traveler and you always seem to have the attitude of someone who wants to understand the underdog.

I think Romanians were hoping you'd do a show like any other: get a local to show you some traditional food, show something good, something funny, something totally different and !@#$ up. Make a good documentary, with honesty and heart. And the truth is, Mr. Bourdain, that the Romania show was not that. I uderstand that you're defensive about it, but it just wasn't good. It was boring and it was dumbed down.

The thing is, that Zamir dude is a tool. To go to Romania and call some poor !@#$ villagers "comrades" is insulting. I'm pretty friendly, but if that's who you showed up with at my door, I'd give you the cold shoulder too. One woman asked him what he learned about Romania and he rambled on about tuica. That's an !@#$ move.

I cringed when I watched you spend most of the time by yourself, nobody talking to you, nobody paying attention to you. I felt bad. But I'm pretty sure it's because people couldn't talk to you and maybe didn't want to, because of Zamir. And because even to me, watching from home, the episode seemed to be the adventures of two friends mocking their hosts behind their backs. Even I, removed from the situation, couldn't like you much.

Romanians aren't friendly, you say. They see you got money and they want to shake you down. The have poor taste and like really, really stupid Dracula kitsch. That's true and I'm embarr%#@ed for that. BUT I was still happy that you showed it on the show. I mean, that IS the reality of Romania. The poverty, the decrepitude, the wild dogs, the !@#$. All true and I wanted to see it.

But there's also good stuff in Romania. Sibiu was the European cultural capital in 2008 and it's clean and pretty, at least this year. Muscat wine is delicious. Eggplant salad, fried pork fat, traditional zacusca, etc - that's good grubs. It's not high cusine and it's not anything you can't find in Greece or Hungary, but it IS good grubs. People are still pretty raw and blunt in Romania, friends still sing together when they get drunk, and any college town has an underground bar where people discuss conspiracy theories until the early hours of the morning.

You don't have a responsibility to show that. But Mr. Bourdain, you do have a responsibility to seek it, in any country that you visit. Like any traveler. I suspect that your cool, NYC St Mark's St self cares about people and wants to experience things the way they are.

You missed the mark in Romania. I don't think it's your fault but I do wish that you, as the voice of the show, had accepted that, instead of blaming it on Romanians not being friendly and their food sucking. I wish you showed a little comp%#@ion about these people who most of the time don't know better. I wish you'd said, "Look, I believe you all when you're telling me that there's another side to Romania. I don't really care to go back, but I hear you."

I think we -your fans- see heart in your shows and in you. The Romania episode lacked that. It lacked that beautiful spirit of traveling, those moments when people who don't speak each other's languages communicate silently, without a drunken buffer between them, it lacked the quiet moments when a country's ugly, dirty, !@#$ up scabs give the traveler a moment of humility, not an opportunity for entertainment and ridicule.

I hope you do reconsider, Mr. Bourdain, and someday soon, you take another chance on Romania. Go to Transilvania (which by the way, is not in Maramures) and find someone who WANTS to show you Romania and feed you a good meal.

I thought it was hilarious and entertaining...especially drunken Zamir (btw, what was that pill you gave him?). But my favorite part was when the little boy picked a raw piece of fat off the freshly-killed pig and shoved it in his mouth. And you thought YOU loved pig.

It's always fun to watch these things become more and more unhinged. Unfortunately, the host rarely shares in the fans' enjoyment. I thought it was a great show, and I truly enjoy watching you and Zamir run each other through any number of nightmares across Eastern Europe. So far (and correct me if I'm wrong on this), the current score, after the near-crippling Dacia incident, stands as: Bourdain 2; Zamir 1.

Anyway, so what if you had a bad trip and Zamir had to be lugged to some backwater Romanian bummer tent?

I thought the show was pretty funny. Having Zamir there saved some of the boring parts. I don't think the show would have been as interesting without him. Nobody seemed welcoming there, and having Zamir get drunk certainly spiced up the show.

Please don't start gilding the lily on our account. It seems from what I've read that there are some people who are ticked off about every show you've ever made. If you didn't eat enough, you didn't go to the right places, or you shoulda coulda done something else.

Whatever. From what I can see, it's about travel, with incidental food, and I think you've been pretty careful about sticking to your original plan.

Not everyone is going to be happy all of the time and not every trip is going to be perfect. Some, and I speak from painful experience, can be disasters of poor planning and plain old dumb bad luck. C'est la vie.

I won't be watching Romania until Friday - we have to time shift because The Boy travels during the week...every week.

Tony, Romanians themselves complain about the quality of services. Outside that, Romanians are rather friendly(I know, not helpful if you are a tourist). Discussions about not expanding and sustaining tourism are old and known locally.

The Dracula thing is something fed to tourists. It looked fake because it is fake.

Nobody asked you to seem happy, the worst thing you did is that "Russian" had no place in your show. As you %#@ume that, I hope you'll get back and it will be a new Sao Paolo for you. Primitive food...I guess if you want authentic, authentic will be primitive. Just use regular folks that can show you the real life.

Somebody implied the country is strictly governed and you had to do a specific route. That is Russia people. Please confirm you did not have problems traveling around; it would otherwise make for an interesting local media scandal.

As a side note you are adorable even if you are upset. You are right, it doesn't show that you lead a hectic life.

Frankly... after watching that episode, I'd sooner go to Namibia and eat dung-caked warthog poopchute than go to Romania.

Thanks for the honest (and very amusing) show.

PS: Not good to mix heavy booze with strange pain killers... wouldn't want Zamir to go all River Phoenix on you...

I know quite a little bit about the 'behind the scenes' of Romania show.
Toni, this is a hard word to say but ... you are a liar not a ‘victim’!
‘Everything went wrong’ because this was your and your team choice ...
You went to a country you knew nothing about and never listened to competent or at least well intended advice ...
You even hired a foreign ‘fixer’ who doesn’t speak the language of the country.
You selected the weirdest locations to film at and have ignored the most beautiful places
of Romania as well as hours and hours of excellent footage your filming crew has ...
Let’s be honest: No Reservations is not a show about people and cultures but a show about your mood ...
Don’t worry, I am sure people can live with your moods and your shows ...
or maybe without ? I surely can!
Good luck and all the best.
Romania has survived much worse press and she doesn’t cease to enchant millions of visitors.

Hi Tony,

No need to "appologize" for the show. It was actually one of my favorites of all time. Pretty funny and entertaining. I think all of the shows with Zamir tend to be really good. The friendship/co-star angle is fun to watch. Keep up the good work!

Frankly I think you just went to the wrong part of Romania. I spent two weeks in Cluj-Napoca this past June and had a splendid time. Most of the people seemed open and friendly (perhaps because most of the ones I met were too young to have developed the proper level of Ceausescu induced paranoia) I also spent time in Alba Iulia and Sibiu which were fine places, and I heard good things from some of my companions about Timisoara. I also spent 8 hrs in Bucharest which turned out to be a good 4 hrs too many, I found a place to get a decent beer but otherwise that's a pretty horrible place to visit.

I thought the show was hilarious and very entertaining. It's always interesting when you bring Zamir along.

I don't expect anything less than the truth from your show. That's what makes it unique. Not that you need my opinion, but keep up the good/bad work.

Man I really enjoy you and your show until last night. You were PATHETIC. Everywhere else you went you had a local guide. What the F happened this time?
To understand what you did imagine this. An english tv show host (you) takes a cuban national....and then they travel To....Cleveland ghetto area to find food, restaurants, friendly people and nice sights.
.
There are lots of good places, good food, good people about Romania, you only pictured the worst.
One more thing , Romania is democratic, and more liberal than 2 parties USA, ;) do some study before eating crappie.-u got what u deserved
Shame on you

"This show never pretended to have any responsibility to show the “best” of any place--or the “top ten” of anything"

Friggin brilliant. Love your show, Tony. I especially love the reality about it, none of that fake !@#$ you can find anywhere else. Hilarious episode, thanks for the honesty!

Anthony, I love your show. I NEVER miss an episode. I appreciate the honesty. I get so tired of the other travel show hosts straining and torturing themselves to put on a pleasant face. If Romania or wherever stinks, I want to know.
Last nite's Dracula Halloween Party segment left me wondering if you let your producers walk all over you. It hurt my impression of you as one of those cool types who never feel like they have to stick around at dud parties like the rest of us boring corporate preppy types routinely do. Why didn't you just get up and leave? I appreciate being shown the tourist pitfall that party was but the segment was way too long and uncomfortable to watch.
I'm guessing the rooms were comped. Next time insist that the travel channel pay for rooms so you don't have to include so much tacky stuff on your show. It doesn't look good on you.
Zamir goofed this epeisode. Next time get a sexier cohost.
Other than that, Thanks for all the other terrific shows.

Dear Anthony,
The disappointment is thousand times greater when somebody one admires so much lets you down…
As one of your biggest fans, I always watched your show with great interest and often thinking “why he’s not going to Romania”? You finally did. After watching the show for so long, I have to admit that I waited for the Romanian episode with nervousness because, following a pattern, you are always digging the unseen, the not-so-obvious aspect of the host countries. It’s all about the guide – I was thinking. Well, it is!! Like some other (Romanian) bloggers said, I almost cried last night. Watching my country mocked by an ignorant drunk Russian was painful. Was that idiot Buffon the only guide you could find in Romania? Did you really believe that a clueless outsider can represent an entire nation? All the other episodes were focused on the country itself, food and traditions. Why this time you had to give a non-Romanian loser his moment of fame on Romania’s expense? Why was this show about him?
It is such a clisee for so many ignorant, fantasy-seekers and career-climbers, to go to straight to the Bran castle and make-up another vampire story. I had higher expectations from you, Antony Bourdain. Of the one-hour-long Romania’s chance to prove to the world that we are NOT the gray and forgettable place on earth, you wasted 20 minutes by showing Nevada tourists embarr%#@ themselves during a pretended Halloween party (not at all specific to our country). I won’t deny that there are homeless dogs, rusty backs of train stations, holes on the major streets of Bucharest (and not only) and Dacia is yet another one of the remains of communism …and, of course, horses do !@#$ on the road (same as they do in downtown Salt Lake City during major parades), but Romania is more than that. By wasting precious time on what you did, you missed amazing places, food and traditions. Each region has its own specifics. Transylvania is a crossroad of Romanian, German and Hungarian cultural inheritance. Sibiu or Hermannstadt was the designated European Capital of Culture in 2007. Moldavia’s beauty is beyond compare. The Romanian “lifestyle” gravitates around family and food.
A minimal relief came with the fact that, with all the alcohol-driven fogginess, your guide remembered that the hospitability in Maramures is a must-see and must-taste destination. I can only hope that you understand that, behind the simplicity with which they were presented, a tremendous effort was made by those people of Maramures to show you and the world the traditions of that area. Therefore, not for the regular TV watcher, nor for Romania’s lost pride, but for those people only: you owe them the respect and honor they deserve for receiving your team the way they did: wearing national costumes and preparing the best traditional food there is! …and why not give Romania the chance to turn the other chick?
I simply refuse to believe that you did not have alternatives. Please go back and do it right!
Respectfully,
Ioana Pop

Oh my god that was a HOOT!!! WoW Zamir was toasted. By the way what happended to the car? Man some people really need to loosen up! Sometime traveling ends up like that one person drunk on their %#@ w/o transportation! Or everyone drunk w/o transportation. Keep um rolling!

Vald, dude... take it easy...

Ok, I agree with you, he should have had someone Romanian guide him. Zamir not only doesn't speak a word of Romanian aside from Buna ziua and Tzuica, but he also made an @$$ out of himself in front of millions of people. That was bad. I'm almost thinking you might be one of the guides within Romania since you say you have behind the scenes knowledge... and if you are, respect... But, we have to admit that we do have poor service. This is something we have to work on to prove Tony wrong.

What most people don't understand is that communism really screwed us up and we are going through a transition now. It will take some time to change. What smart people realize is that NOW is the time to invest in Romania. And I don't mean the %#@! Bran Castle. 10 years down the road, their investments would be golden.

Last but not least - and it may not really be last... last just for now - Borat managed to ruin it for people like Tony. Listen, many people were pissed off that they were told they would be in a documentary and then, they were ridiculed in front of the entire world by being called things like "the village rapist." It is no wonder that Tony got the cold shoulder from the "ex-commies" by the Curtea Veche. You could tell those people were working for the state for years as soon as they opened their bureaucratic mouths...

Anyway, I am of the opinion that there is no bad publicity. I mean, look at Stoker did to us with that idiotic book that any college prof will tell you is horrible writing. So, I hope people will keep their minds open to us and our hospitality. After all, America isn't all about hamburgers like some Europeans will have you believe... So, Romania could not possibly be encapsulated in a one hour show with a bad tour guide who was inebriated for a good part of it.

Hai Noroc!

I don't care if you are being honest or not, when you are a guest in another country the least you could do is not overtly insult them. You are the one who made terrible choices about where to visit, where to eat, what to eat and with whom to hangout while in Romania. Anyone can go to any country and find the worst parts of their culture. But to film them, put them on television and claim that this represents Romania is fraud. Sure, Romania is an extremely poor and backward country, that much you made clear, but as a guest there you could have gone further to explain why they are like that. The answer is clear...communism and the Soviet Union. Why not indict them instead of the Romanian people? My wife and I spent two weeks in Romania,1996, when we adopted our son from an orphange there when he was twenty-two months old. We visited some of the same places you aired on your show. We ate some excellent food there and saw some of the most beautiful people while in Bucharest. For the most part, Romania IS steeped in the eighteenth century and on a different show for a different purpose it should be exposed to the world. You were only partially honest with your presentation of Romania. While watching the program I kept waiting to see some of the beauty and charm that I saw. But most importantly, my son, who is now thirteen and remembers nothing about the country, was eagerly waiting to see what I saw there. He regularly watches the Travel Channel and even taped this one. You should have seen the sadness in his face when he watched the poorly produced show that you aired. The damage you did to him is immesurable. You can not defend yourself by saying you were being honest because you were not. I know because I was there.

Hey Tony Great Show - you are funny and you are witty - I am sorry hear that you had to Quit Smoking - my wife made me quit too :(

I loved the show--there are plenty of other shows that stroke the egos of whatever country the host visits. That kind of thing gets old pretty fast.

I thought it was common knowledge that Romania is really restrictive on things like filming and tourism.

For the record, this show hasn't affected my desire (or lack thereof) to visit Romania. But it did make for a very entertaining hour of TV.

Hey Tony that was a great show - I been to Romania 3 times because my wife is from there. Although the country does have some nice things... the bottom line is man I am so happy that you aired the truth and just showed how corrupt that country is! This is something that I could never tell my wife but the show was real and you sold me I am a dedicated fan now! 10 eures per sq. meter! hahaha - God are tehy out of their %$#@ing mind!? Keep it real and look forward to Hawaii!

I loved the show. Glad to hear the truth. There's so little of it available in the media, generally. Tony is hilarious. I love his sense of humor. He is eligible to proclaim himself as a New Yorker, but he sure has a lot of New Jersey in his personality. Not only his words, but those "takes" are killer.

Stick to your guns Tony. Why should Americans get ripped off abroad? People try to pull this !@#$ on us all over the world. Fact is most of us put up with it because its only money. That will teach Romanians that they have to earn a tourist dollar. More people should have the sense you had to call foul.

As for the country Ive been there not for nothing the place is a !@#$. Its an !@#$ backward Stalinist country where the population is still shell shocked from Ciaucescu. Better off going to Prauge. That will be a great show for you.

Thanks Tony. Your honesty and humor are always appreciated. I hear the country is pretty in springtime...Romania in Springtime...wasn't that a song? :)

Anthony "The food--on camera, off camera? Didn’t matter. It was mostly pretty primitive."

Dude, I loved and enjoyed when you traveled Asian and you eat VERY primitive stuff like bugs, raw meat or even beating snake heart!!! Now in Romania , primitive doesn t make good televion and its a bad thing.
You are so biast against Romania-what happened to you????What did Roamnia do to you ????

p.s. The show with you in Paris, after a date with Lady Absynthe...Priceless. Ah...the good ol' days. If you're ever in Denver, Beers are on me.

I feel you on, Romania.

I went there a few years ago, and though there was a lot of natural beauty and some nice people -- I also felt it wasn't too receptive to tourists. For example, I walked into a restaurant - dressed totally fine - and they told me that they were expecting a party and couldn't have me. They said this while looking totally pissed off -- and while seating others. I sat on a bench outside the place just to see if a "party" arrived, and sure enough, no one did. They took in locals, all the while.

I did think the show was funny, though.

You travel around hoping every place will blow your mind and be this life-changing experience -- and sometimes that just doesn't happen. Sometimes, you visit a place and your experience is somewhere between blah and total suckitude.

I appreciate that you didn't try to doll up your experience w/ a bunch of lies that would probably have been transparent, anyhow. The fact that you don't feed us crap like that is part of why I like your show so much.

I had been eagerly anticipating the Romania episode for months, and I was infuriated by the show and the portrayal of our country and the choice to take Zamir as your guide and by your claim to victimization in your above entry. Our country has suffered considerably before and since the fall of Communism in ’89, and some are still struggling for the success of their country and for cities like Bucuresti to regain such titles as "Little Paris" that it acquired early on, while others are willing to make a living at the expense of their own people and their culture’s dignity, but that doesn’t by any means represent the country. You truly missed out on some wonderful sights, such as Sibiu, the Cultural Capital of Europe for 2007 (and SO many others)…. How was that not on your list??

What truly infuriates me is NOT that you had a bad time and showed it (by all means, I prefer honesty), but that the whole trip and show was poorly planned and executed, without any real research or effort to show the path less traveled by American tourists. For a show that claims to avoid tourist traps, you fell into the worst kinds.

As most of the above posts exclaim, everyone’s glad to see the truth, and all your loyal viewers are so convinced that you TRULY showed them the country. They throw the words “honest” and “truth” around as though they know what it means for Romanians. And that’s why Romanians and non-Romanians alike are angry. Once again, outsiders have found our weakest and lowest points and exploited them as a “representative truth”. I respect your honesty and expected this show to open people’s eyes to a beautiful and misunderstood country, but I honestly would have preferred that you didn’t go at all rather than insult our country and culture with your “good pal Zamir”. Our disappointment in the arrogant and ignorant portrayal is completely understandable and justified. If you haven’t been there to truly see and know the country, culture, and traditions, you have no right %#@uming what is and is not representative and honest.

Leia, you probably never visited Romania or you are semi educated as Anthony is- university drop out.
Romania has a Liberal gov, probably more liberal than ourS in the US.
I was there several times for business and I felt very free. Mattter of fact there is no closing time in clubs as in the US.
You are free to film whatever the heck you want there, the show is just made with a frustrated Russian that is hating because Roamnia is now more developed and democratic than communist Russia

Thank goodness for this blog. I thought you were really losing it when I saw the episode. And my husband and I really love Zamir. My google stalking found nothing on this guy. Would love to know more about him.

Growing up in Sunnyside Queens, I've had my opportunity to have some decent Romanian food. It can be really good if prepared correctly. You absolutely have to try papanasi, a dessert comprised of fried balls of dough (kind of like galub jamun). I've had them served with preserves and a sour cream sauce that was absolutely heavenly.

My Romanian friends did say, though, that they really wouldn't want to go back to visit if it wasn't for the relatives. They think it's pretty depressing there.

"God lives here. God lives between the skin and bones of a pig."

"It ain't a party until somebody kills a pig."

I missed the quip about not getting "butt-rogered by Tim Curry," but I'll catch it on the repeats.

Too bad you had such a lousy time in Romania, but if it's any consolation I laughed my %#@ off and I'm enjoying my new email signature quotes.

And while Zamir wasn't exactly the best choice of guide, I liked him in the Uzbekistan and Russia eps, and it was good to see him again.

Steve,

Our food isn't primitive, you are right. It is simple, aside from special holiday dishes. We weren't born with the silver spoons in our mouth, as I am sure you know... and not too many years ago we were living on rations. People can't really understand that unless they live it.

BUT.

In Romania, a tomato tastes like a tomato and a peach like a peach, not like freaking cardboard like in the good ol' USA... Our meat isn't filled up with antibiotics and other junk. It's actually good protein and it tastes like meat. Sometimes I think people who have eaten this junk (non organic food) all their life got so used to it that they don't know what it's supposed to taste like anymore.

And at least we don't eat our cats and dogs, no matter how poor we are or ever were....

I am in love with Zamir!!!! Is he single? Pork is beautiful! And alcohol, ofcourse. Just loved Romania- it was a fantastic journey!

You were clearly having a horrible time in Romania because it didn't look like you were able to find many locals who were willing to open up and show you the local way of life... which, if anything, is what your show seems to be about. I think that came across pretty well. I don't think it was offensive in any way. It was just a bad trip and, as a result, this show was
less than interesting. Not your best work. We all have bad days though.

Sometimes there's value in knowing where not to go (and what not to do) -- thanks for taking one for the team :-)

Personally, I thought it was a hoot.

I personally loved this episode. That is exactly why I watch the show, because I get an honest representation of what you experienced while you were there. Im not getting some postcard picture perfect trip....no one has those!
You are the reason why I want to be a travel show host. I think there needs to be more honest shows like yours, except mine would differ because it wouldnt focus on food since thats not my specialty.
Anyway
keep the great shows coming!

Nicole that is exactly the thing, you did NOT get an honest represantation of what is Romania like. That is exactly the problem here.

I'll say it again...

(I realize the Cloggie wrap up wasn't the place - but how am I to know when you'll blog again?...)

All the viewers out there who think they can make a better show should GET THEIR OWN!!!!!! For heavens sake - every other ad on the T.C. is for their internet film training.

If I want to hear what you think I'll tune into U-Tube. I want to laugh at Anthony's take, thats why we are here.

(and Joe at 6:19 - don't cry me a river, you adopted your son OUT of there for a reason. You did a wonderful thing and he should know that.)

I thought the graveyard with the painted memorials was amazing and I'd like to see more pictures of it. What is the graveyard called? Or the name of the artist or the town?

I never said I got an honest representation of Romania is like (especially since its at the top of my list for places to go) what I said was I got an honest representation of what Anthony experienced while he was there. No other travel show does that. They make everything seem perfect.

There are orphans in USA as well ignorant. There is a reason why you are stupid-your ignorant post

Hi Tony,

I want to start by saying I generally enjoy your witty remarks and intelligent banter but I was sooo disapointed by the Romania show. The choices that were made were awful. Nobody's asking to lie about your experiences but the decisions and planning that were made led you to those experiences. Don't even get me started on Zamir, a non Romanian who knew nothing about the country and the places that are worth seeing. We are still a very corrupt country, the most corrupt in Europe and some people still have the mentality of trying to rip you off and gouge you for money whenever they can. That is a product of years of communism and oppression, of lack and need. However, most people are interesting, extremely fun loving and smart. The food is not primitive, it is amazing. There are a lot of tasty, intricate dishes and great pastries and desserts. And our wines...we are the number 7 exporter of wines in the world. And they are qualitative. You just didn't know were to go to find it. There are amazing sights to see: The black sea, the Carpathian mountains, the country side, the Danube Delta and Bucharest has a lot of cultural places to visit and incredible night life. Romanian women are some of the most beautiful in the world and Romanian people have a great sense of humor and zest for life. Even with our sense of humor, most of us felt insulted and wronged. I think the show robbed Romania in a very unfair way. They chose to film the most kitchy places and delapidated streets and buildings instead of filming the beautiful places Romania has to offer. And Tony, in the past I got the impression that you were a guy that didn't like conventional things, places that fit certain molds and predictability. I for sure thought that you were gonna like Romania, even with its remnants of a very troubled past that showed in grey, broken down places, rude service people and lack of luxury in some cases. I thought you were going to find it endearing for it quirks and limitations. I guess it wasn't all your fault but you have to make it right somehow for us. Go back with the right team of people and you will definitelly see how beautiful the country is despite its past, you'll even see the luxurious side of Romania, where service is great and people are incredibly friendly and most importantly you'll see how delicious the food is. Please go back. We demand a rematch!!!LOL. Regards, Sad, enraged, offended, Romanian, Roxanne

Hey Tony, Romania was hard on the eyes but I like to see the back roads of any country.Reminds me of a Saudi Arabia trip I made where you can't eat with your left hand!!You should have invited Samantha Brown along now that would be funny! The world aint perfect baby. Thanks for the entertainment, D

There you go Julie. Here is a link with pictures for "Cimitirul vesel" Happy Cemetery
http://www.sapanta.mmnet.ro/

I thought it was one of the funniest shows I've ever seen. This is the kind of program I like - brutally honest, and all the funnier for it. Let's face it - life is pretty funny, and nowhere is that clearer than on - as Zmir would say - NO RESERVATIONS!

I have been to Romania and my wife is Romanian. I LOVE Romania. I have been to 32 different countries and all 50 states, and Romania is definitely one of my favorite places to visit. We saw your show and you got a bad view of the country. First, you let a Russian show you around. Romanians don't like Russians, and that probably didn't help. Second, Russians really screwed up Romania, so it didn't surprise me that a Russian screwed up your visit. Also, the whole "Dracula" thing is ridiculous to Romanians. It’s Hollywood and was not worth including for a true cultural outlook of the country. I’ve been to great restaurants in Romania, and had great food there. The Black Sea is also a great visit. You need to go back with someone who KNOWS Romania, not a Russian who will be disliked and mess up your trip the same way they messed up the country for about 45 years. Also, try spring or summer next time. Lastly, my wife was one of your biggest fans, and always told people to watch your show. I think you just lost one of your biggest fans with a very inaccurate program.

You guys need to chill. I don't think Tony is p%#@ing off his time in Romania as the definitive Romanian experience. Hell, he's flat out saying it wasn't well put together. That said, what you saw on film was his experience. It was accurate and honest -- don't confuse that w/ a balanced portrayal of the country. It was just his experience. Period. I'm sure he could go back and have a great time. Maybe he will.

It's nothing deeper than that.

Tony - you should start Smoking again - i think once you Quit Smoking you stopped being funny. Is it true your wife made you quit smoking?

Funny! Only 'Tony pro' comments are on this page. Zamir was certainly a bad choice. As an American, I went to Romania twice since 10/2000. There are many places to visit for free and many beautiful castles. It was a waste to have an hour show visiting in people's backyards!

Here's an interesting link for those who would like to learn a bit more about us. And, hopefully it will serve as inspiration for another show.

Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucsfHPbhzDw

And - you might get some free hugs while you are there... uhhh.. scary!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxx454vmqz0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTJH9H3rx2A

And, our women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Nm4EeE48A&NR=1

Your real/no !@#$ look at food and life is why I watch your show. Keep on doing what you're doing!!!

Tony,

Thanks for the update. It may have sucked for you and the crew, but I thought it made for interesting television.

Mr. Bourdain, what really happened in Romania? Why did you decide to visit that part of the world when obviously you didn't feel like doing it. I am disappointed, I had so much respect for you, but last night you proved me wrong. In Romania we have a saying "Show me who your friends are and I will know your character". Last night, you pretty much had an evaluation of your entire carrier, and with the help of your friend Zamir, I can honestly say that you failed miserably.
I always liked the show because I believed in it...I believed in you. Now I understand that I opened myself to another world of deception. What you did to Romania was low, and that made me think twice: are all these countries you visit a cheep trill for you? Some people may think that your Russian friend made the show funny, but to a lot of intelligent people you became the Jerry Springer of the Travel Channel. Mr. Bourdain, you owe an apology to the Romanian people.
Romania is not a perfect country, but it's also not a joke. Romania has history and traditions and very hospitable people. Romanians are also very sensitive and last night you hurt them and destroyed the image of an entire nation with an hour of cheep television. What upsets me more is the fact that I used to believe that you were a professional who loves his craft. In Romania you proved that you are in fact another ignorant who makes this show for money and cares less about its authenticity.
Instead of reveling the truth about such a wonderful country, you decided to focus half an hour on a vampire party which by the way was attended by some Americans in search for some stupid trills, while of course guided by a non other than a Russian pig who loves to watch himself on TV, eating pig heads and drinking like a RUSSIAN!!
Maybe you should stop hiding behind that arrogant mask trying to show how cool and real you are and truly be real, and get prepared for your show. Ask a guide from the host country, or open a book and read about the history and traditions, so you don't make a fool of yourself once again. You pretend to be a curious intelligent mind, so why let yourself compromised by a low cl%#@ communist?
Some of the things that you didn't present in your show and maybe some Americans should know about Romania:
Romania has its unique culture, which is the product of its geography and of its distinct historical evolution. It is fundamentally defined as the meeting point of three regions: Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, but cannot be truly included in any of them. The Romanian identity formed on a substratum of mixed Roman and Dacian elements with many other influences. During late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, the major influences came from the Slavic peoples who migrated and settled in nearby Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine and eventually Poland and Russia; from medieval Greeks and the Byzantine Empire; from a long domination by the Ottoman Empire; from the Hungarians; and from the Germans living in Transylvania. Besides representing largest part of the remaining descendants of the Eastern Romans, Romanians are also the sole Christian Orthodox among the Latin peoples.
The most striking thing about Romanian culture is the strong folk traditions which have survived to this day due to the rural character of the Romanian communities, which has resulted in an exceptionally vital and creative traditional culture. Romanian spirituality is greatly influenced by its strong connections with the Eastern Christian world. Romanians have thus obtained a unique sense of identity and two clichés can simply express this: An island of Latinity in a Slavic sea and The only Orthodox Christian Latin people.
Romanians like to eat, and they eat a lot with a great diversity. An existential Romanian question is: Do we live to eat, or eat to live? Recipes bear the same influences as the rest of Romanian culture: from Roman times there still exists the simple pie called, in Romanian, plăcintă and keeping the initial meaning of the Latin word placenta. Fried mititei or perişoare in a soup called a ciorba, a wide variety of vegetable dishes like zacuscă, and covrigi are some common meals. One of the most widespread meals is the mămăliga, a cornmeal mush, for a long time considered the poor man's meal but it has became very appreciated in recent times. Pork is the main meat used in Romanian cuisine (Peştele cel mai bun, tot porcul rămâne - "The best fish is always the pork"), but also beef is consumed and a good lamb or fish dish is never to be refused. In conjunction with special events or periods, different recipes are prepared. During Christmas, traditionally every family slaughters a pig and cooks it using a wide variety of traditional recipes like cărnaţi - a kind of long sausages with meat; caltaboşi - sausages made with liver and other intestines; piftie a jelly made from parts like the feet, the head and ears; and also tochitură (a kind of stew) is served along with mămăligă and wine ("so that the pork can swim") and of course sweetened with the traditional cozonac (sweet bread with nuts or lokum - rahat in Romanian, known in English as Turkish delight). Lamb is traditional for Easter: the main dishes are roast lamb and drob - a cooked mix of offal, meat and fresh vegetables, which is quite similar to Scotish haggis , served with pască (pie made with cottage cheese) as a sweetener.
Wine is the main drink and has a tradition of over two millennia. Romania is currently the world's ninth largest wine producer, and recently the exports have started to grow. A wide variety of domestic (Fetească, Grasă, Tămâioasă) and worldwide (Italian Riesling, Merlot, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel) varieties are produced. Also Romania is the world's second largest grower of plums, and almost all of those plums becomes either the famous ţuică (a once-refined plum brandy) or palincă (twice-or-more-refined plum brandy). Also beer is highly appreciated, generally blonde pilsener beer.
This can go on and on about the Romanian culture but I think that interested people should find out for themselves.

Your honesty is appreciated but preplanning would have give you a better experience. It was a funny show but I would lose the Russian unless you're in Russia. I guess I was just disappointed because Romania has a special place in MY heart. I lived in Romania as a teenager(1992) and have continued to visit for years. Romania is a beautiful, quaint country with an interesting culture. Oh and you can find great food. You just have to know where to look. It looked like you were looking for the worse experiences you could find. The worse thing about Romania to me is the gypsies and you didnt even show that! IF you go back make sure you visit Cluj, Sighisoara, Sinaia, Brasov and the seaside! Oh and if you go back hire a Romanian tour guide. Please go back. txs

Toni,
Is integrity b--- s--- your newest dish?
Your trip was poorly planned but the scenario was on-hand, you only needed a genuine location ... Success!
Why bother to explain that you are being honest while in fact you're much closer to being a coward? Need proof?

All of a sudden a Jamacian cave full of steaming bat crap doesn't seem that bad.

watching this + being romanian = embarr%#@ing

Tony, I have been a fan of yours for years but am beginning to turn off to you for your lack of feelings for animals. Not an activist and certainly a meat eater, I just cannot understand your enjoyment of actually watching an animal being slaughtered......I had thought you to be a more sensitive man. I had to turn the channel last night after seeing someone celebrate their birthday by watching an animal die......I actually felt sick. I hope you will re think this part of your series.....It really disappointed me as a fan. Please have a little more sensitivity for this issue and give an animal dying for the pleasure of an eating experience a little more dignity. Thank you for listning.

Personaly I thought the program was FANTASTIC!! Thanks again Anthony.

Tony,
I am sorry to say how bad job you did with Romania...; you did so great in Vietnam or China; I'm sure you can do even a better job with North Korea, if they offer you the best support and opportunities; especially with a Russian adviser! Tony, this is the sick idea coming from your producers and sponsors; to buy and sell the kitsch,in a country unable to put Itself together after 17 years of "liberty". However, the streets selected to film in Bucuresti are not as bad at all as Your "getos" in Bronx and Brooklin. But you have to be as always... "His Master Voice"!
Florin, US citizen, born in Romania!

Going to visit Dracula-anything in Romania with a Russian guide is like going to visit the worst motel in Vegas with a Venezuelan guide.
Based on that, one could conclude that US is indeed a dump and its people consists mainly of drunken gamblers and prostitutes. But hey, that would be a funny (and honest) show!
Cheers

Hey Jane - I completely understand how you feel about animals being killed having lived in the Romanian country side myself, but let me explain something... out there, there are no shops for miles and most people don't have cars. These people live away from stores. This is the way they survive. Besides, let me tell you, we took such good care of our animals. Fed them right, they were free roaming, cleaned their sty regularly (for pigs). If they got sick we treated them. Trust me, we had very humane ways of raising them, but in the end they were our food.

The Romanian family who did that, did it to honor the guests, especially Zamir's b-day, which some of you seem to misunderstand. We don't hate Russians, never did. If we did, we wouldn't kill a pig and have a feast in this man's honor. He just could not communicate with them, but that's a different story.

They will live on that meat for a very long time, and they use every bit of it. We eat the organs too, use the intestines, we even make soup from chicken feet, very rare to find in the US markets.

Jane,

How exactly do you think animals are killed to be eaten? They have a spa m%#@age and drift away? Have you watched Fast Food Nation? If you eat meat, animals are killed, the internal organs ripped, the meat is butchered and nicely packaged. How do you think the hamburger in your plate is created? Photosynthesis? In this case it was truly an authentic scene. When you produce your own meat, you have to sacrifice the animal. That pig has historically fed a large family for a entire year. Watch the movie and the scene from the show will be poetry in your eyes.

Tony, my man. You've been my inspiration, my travel guru, my comedy relief. But dude, in the Romanian episode, there were more than pigs that got butchered. I feel deeply, deeply, offended and embarassed at the outcome of this episode. Was the intention of this episode to put down Romania and make sure no one wants to go visit there? To show the world that people drive run down jalopies? And Bucharest is a decrepit ghetto? Was that a set-up for ratings? It sure seems like it.

Why buy/rent an old car you KNEW would fall apart when your crew was driving a shiny new Hundai sedan? What was your point? Your nasty attitude reached new lows even for you, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. My mother who loves Romania couldn't bear to even finish watching the entire show.

You brought your knucklehead Ruski friend with you that was a sheer humiliation for you and a long standing confirmation that Russians are indeed bunch of alcoholics dumb%#@es. By exaggerating or focusing on how much tuica he drank, you further cemented the bad image Russians already have!!! And like you said: probably why they lost the Cold War. The Russians sucked the life out of Romania for decades, and to bring a Russian with a drinking problem as your tour guide to Romania is a slap in the face for the Romanians. Please learn something about the culture and history before you do something so insensitive.

I lived in Romania. You didn't even try to show us something good other than the Merry Cemetary. As an avid watcher of your show, I feel you need to redeem yourself in this case. I think there's hope. You got what it takes for a great show. Maybe this wasn't your timing. But if you're bored with your show, dude you expect US to be excited and want to watch more shows where you're bored, annoyed, displeased, and insulting???? NO thanks!!!

I'll simply say I was laughing outside, crying inside. I felt so sorry for you. Appropriate costume though.

Um... hilarious? The dinner theatre part was oddly reminiscent of the HBO series, Real Sex, without the sex. Needed more food porn. Keep it coming.

About pig slaughter:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7174879.stm

Pig slaughter is heavily related to celebrating Christmas.

Offering a guest a meat-based meal is an hospitable gesture. Killing an animal for that guest is a gesture of appreciation.
Maybe now it is clearer.

Dear Tony,

My husband and I are addicted to your show. But last night we had the unpleasant surprise to watch a poor made show about the Romanian cuisine. I don’t know where to start about what was bad in the show. First, your “friend guide” was inappropriate for a show. It was your choice to have him as a guide but why we had to suffer seeing him as the travel show male leading role. In this case the show should have being called “Zamir’s birthday”, not Romania. It was awful. And you continue to present him as “ your friend who helped you make GOOD shows”…. It is YOUR fault, and YOU choose to show this so don’t try to make us feel sorry for your lack of preparation and for the bad choices and experiences. It is like making a show about NY City and shooting the dark alleys with homeless people, gangs, and drugs. And how did you choose the places to “analyze” the local cuisine? A café, a kitschy horror place, and a couple parties? Is this what you call a travel show about culinary experiences? You succeeded only if your goal was to make a joke out of the travel show.

Good night

...seriously??? This is your reply to the hugely negative reaction that you got after this show? You just don't get it, do you? This was my first time watching the show and I was dumbfounded by your portrayal of my country - as was my husband who traveled to Romania for the fist time this past December and loved it.

But quite honestly, I thought you were just an a-hole in general, I thought that this is just the character that you are playing on the show and that's that. It's not as if me or any of my friends will ever watch your show again.

But after reading your reply on this blog I'm convinced that you are not only ignorant but also rude and offensive.

Shame on Travel Channel for paying you the big bucks to prance around the world and help get sketchy Russian guys get drunk.

Zamir is funny enough, he is just not clever enough. When AB asked how to say “flaming car wreck” (give or take) Zamir should have looked at AB with a straight face and said “dacia, that’s what it means, seriously.” When told the filming at the Vlad statue was going to be 10 euros per square meter, he should have shot back that the crew would pay no less than 30 euros per sq meter and watched the official’s expression. Then tell them you have run out of time and need to go film something more interesting like a documentary on the outhouses of Romania. Bourdain rule #57: Don’t let the bad situations get ugly. Roll with it/ have some fun with it/ make fun of it/get seriously drunk, then kick the dust off your sandals as you leave the town and move on.

Tony, why don't you make a show about the ugly, poor, dirty outskirts of New York or any other metropolitan city in the US ?

I forgot to mention about better travel shows shot in Eastern Europe - like "Michael Palin's New Europe, Wild East" - watch it to see the difference!

That's the problem. People see THIS video, and think THIS is what Romania is. Bad, BAD representation!!!

And Tony, with your bad%#@ "what the hell is this godawful place" attitude, who do you think would let you into their restaurant? There are places in the world who feel they have the right NOT to serve someone they don't particularly like to have in their establishments, and not everyone is impressed by a camera crew and a Big Shot American attitude people are getting sick of that I noticed too when I traveled to Europe. You're prime example of what Europeans don't like about Americans.

Good attitude = Good service.
Bad attitude = bad or service.

Next time, hire someone to do your travel homework for you in advance. Bad planning or no planning is NO excuse for a half %#@ed show on a national TV station. Fine for a personal podcast. Not fine for a national TV show.

To those who wrote, I am not offended by meat eating, I am not a vegetarian, but it just seems to me that to make a "celebration" of the killing is difficult to watch. In many of Tony's travels I have to hold the remote in my hand, ready to switch channels, when sometimes it seems that he almost enjoys the act of the killing. For myself, this is somewhat of a turn off and I would like to think of Tony as a little more sensitive....oddly I once had a dream about him where he was VERY kind. I totally respect a culture's right to raise an animal for food, but I do think that there are some people who dread the day they must kill the animal and try to do it as humanely as possible giving the animal some respect. Enough said, an arguement I cannot win, but I am thinking twice about being such a devoted fan.

Jane,

I doubt it has much to do with Tony. I mean, there must be a bunch of people editing this.... and Americans like to see 2 things, sex and violence... and whenever they watch Springer (or some "poor backward country" like Romania), right away they feel better about themselves and their lives. In fact, most are so brainwashed it makes communism seem like a complete joke. And I know, I lived there, and I live here now. I don't mean you, I just mean a vast majority of US-anians...

To say that this show was funny is an understatement. I don't think I have laughed during a No Reservations as much as this episode. It was genius.

tony, oh well what the hell..you did the best you could given the situation. i am of hungarian descent grandfather born in transylvania. i will not blame you. after all your people should have done their homework! history of this country is difficult and unpredictable, but at least a good meal. was raised on hungarian fare and is great food where was the fckng goulash paprikash chicken?

And besides...

Anthony Bourdain is not god. He's allowed to make mistakes. And this is his job, just like our jobs - there's lots of crap we deal with on a daily basis.

I will still watch his show and I am Romanian. I'm sure he learned something from this. And hopefully Zamir will be a friend, not so much a guide...

I hope Tony will go back, with a good Romanian guide, hopefully in the summer, by the beach and all the places people suggested here. We might have to get him a neck cast which should stop him from getting whiplash from turning his head to check out all our beautiful women...

Dear Tony,
I waited to see this show for months, hoping you would like the country and the food. I understand that's not the case. And that's OK, but I surely didn't expect the mean and spiteful take on Romania. You want to come across as unbiased and honest but you are far from that. It happens that I know the area in Bucharest where you filmed quite well. The street in ruins is in the downtown historic district, Smardan/Lipscani Street, currently undergoing upgrading of the sewer system. In order to get th