Post by Gerry on Mar 25, 2003 19:21:13 GMT
I remember revisiting Romania after our narrow defeat in 1991 supporting a charity we called TAROMA - Tarom was the national airline of Romania - which we called Tartan Army Romanian Appeal. Involved was a Stan Smith from Aberdeen and others.
We were there a week and booked into the Bucharesti Hotel. One evening we returned to the hotel...well early morning... to be told we had to vacate the room because the King was returning from exile.We were moved to the adjacent room. The roof was approximately 20ff high, the windows looked out onto a balcony which overlooked a huge square.
The following day we were out at the Victor Babes Aids hospital and then off to Orphanages No1 and 2. We returned late afternoon to find the place mobbed with thousands of people. The King had arrived and was in the hotel. We got into the hotel and rooms having passed some serious looking armed guards. As the crowd was getting bigger and louder Stan decided to open the windows and step out onto the balcony.
Now Stan was a small guy circa 5'3, wore a cream coloured suite and smoked a rather large cigar. Suddenly the arc lighting shone on him and as he got to the edge of the balcony, the entire crowd cheered and waved the presumption being Stan was the King. Needless to say the King and his security were decidedly p****d off at the sight of Stan standing on the balcony waving at the crowds below. No sooner was Stan 'invited' to return to the room, the King was out and the arc lighting operators not to mention the crowd were totally confused. Stan certainly go the biggest cheer!
We were there a week and booked into the Bucharesti Hotel. One evening we returned to the hotel...well early morning... to be told we had to vacate the room because the King was returning from exile.We were moved to the adjacent room. The roof was approximately 20ff high, the windows looked out onto a balcony which overlooked a huge square.
The following day we were out at the Victor Babes Aids hospital and then off to Orphanages No1 and 2. We returned late afternoon to find the place mobbed with thousands of people. The King had arrived and was in the hotel. We got into the hotel and rooms having passed some serious looking armed guards. As the crowd was getting bigger and louder Stan decided to open the windows and step out onto the balcony.
Now Stan was a small guy circa 5'3, wore a cream coloured suite and smoked a rather large cigar. Suddenly the arc lighting shone on him and as he got to the edge of the balcony, the entire crowd cheered and waved the presumption being Stan was the King. Needless to say the King and his security were decidedly p****d off at the sight of Stan standing on the balcony waving at the crowds below. No sooner was Stan 'invited' to return to the room, the King was out and the arc lighting operators not to mention the crowd were totally confused. Stan certainly go the biggest cheer!