Our guide Levente explained to us that gypsies often send them money back home to the family and eventually amass fortunes. When they do, they build mansions that display their wealth as ostenstatiously as possible. As a result, their houses have shiny, silver roofs, shiny peaks and gutters, and balconies. We drove by a few of these houses.
Levente also showed us that there were different bands of gypsies. One group was called Gabbo gypsies, I believe. Incredibly (but true), all the men of that clan grew enormous black mustaches and wore fedoras. And, as you may have already guessed, Mike tried to join up with them, but they said he would not be able to grow a big enough mustache. He spent the rest of the vacation trying to prove them wrong.
3 comments:
First off, if there's one thing I learned from my Gabbo friends, it's that "Gypsy" is an offensive term, they prefer to be called "Beggers" or "Vagrants." It's a culture, damnit! They also detest Stevie Nicks for making them all sound like a bunch of spirtitual art mongers.
Levente, an anthropologist, compared the Gabbo to the Amish. They both dress in "plain" clothes, don't use zippers, and have lavish silver mansions.
No zippers? Does that mean their junk just hangs out all the time? Sounds uncomfortable.
Were the women stunningly beautiful and the men all thieves? I've heard that about gypsies and admire them for it.
You are so, so, so ignorant, Mike S., to think that your stereotypes are true. First off, it's the men who are stunningly beautiful, with their fine face whiskers and visible dangling penises, and the women eat much fine cheese. Do a little research next time! The women kind of looked like Cloris Leachman on a bender.
Post a Comment