Barlad

I took some pictures from our balcony of the city of Barlad.  As you can see, it’s quite a mixture, everything from ramshackle shacks to modern supermarkets.  There are no skyscrapers, but there are a quite a few high-rise apartment blocks.  I understand that the population is about 50,000.

There are a lot of Gypsies here in Barlad.  In the foreground of this picture you can see a group of Gypsy women walking along the street.  They wear long colorful skirts, and are quite striking.

In the distance in this picture you can see a huge pink house, which is the home to the King of the Gypsies.  Or, I should say, it will be his home eventually.  Apparently it is not finished yet, and he and his family continue to live across the street in what looks like a pretty squalid little compound.  Note the spires:  they are capped with what appears to be a hammered tin.