Dracula heads for Bucharest (HOLD MUH PLASMA ALERT)

BBC News ^ | January 26, 2003 | BBC News

[MadIvan]

Bran Castle in Transylvania is part of the Dracula legend

The Romanian Government has announced that a planned Dracula theme park will be built near Bucharest and not in the Prince of Darkness¿s native Transylvania.

It took the decision on advice from international consultancy firm PriceWaterhouse Coopers who said that a site nearer the capital would attract more tourists.

Also probably based on the legendary experiences of the last consultant to supposedly have gone to Transylvania, Jonathan Harker - Ivan

Vlad: Model for Bram Stoker's Dracula

Conservationists had vigorously opposed original plans to build the theme park near the listed medieval town of Sighisoara where Vlad the Impaler, Dracula's prototype, had lived.

An official from the Romanian Tourism Ministry said a new site would be chosen by March and was expected to open by the end of 2004.

Job creation

The government hopes the $30m theme park will create 3,000 jobs and inject new blood, so to speak, into Romania's tourism industry.

Sorry, a bit of BBC humour there - Ivan

A site near Bucharest would draw more than 1 m tourists a year compared to 600,000 visitors for one built in Sighisoara, the consultants said.

Sighisoara authorities are unhappy with the Tourist Ministry's choice and have decided to withdraw their support for the project.

Bucharest claims its own ties to Vlad, who ruled what is now southern Romania in the 15th Century.

Vlad's body is believed to be buried in a monastery he built on an island in Lake Snagov, just north of the capital.

Legendary figure

Vlad the Impaler, as the prince was known, was famous for his cruelty.

According to legend, the bloodthirsty prince captured invading Turks and common criminals and impaled them on stakes in public market places.

That legend inspired Irish author Bram Stoker's 1897 novel which helped to popularise the myth of the bloodsucking aristocrat.

But the films made by Universal Studios helped to create Dracula as he is now known, complete with black cape, deathly pale skin and fangs.

[MadIvan]

I wonder what Vlad himself would have made of all this, and whom he would have felt like killing in the process. ;)

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[Happygal]

Dracula is about to bleed the tourists dry, eh? *LOL*

[MadIvan]

Dracula is about to bleed the tourists dry, eh? *LOL*

I suspect Price Waterhouse is doing that to the Romanian government already, darling. ;)

Love, Ivan

[weikel]

The Romanian Government has announced that a planned Dracula theme park will be built near Bucharest and not in the Prince of Darkness¿s native Transylvania.

Damn they should be doing this around Tirgoviste.

[xJones]

A theme park based on Vlad the Impaler? One can only imagine what the rides will be like. Maybe a new meaning to the old "Giant Centrifuge".

And just think of the souvenirs! (BYOBB = bring your own body bag)

[P.O.E.]

"I never drink....wine" looks too intense for me.

[JennysCool]

I'm thinking in terms of a roller coaster that zings you through giant veins; and they've gotta have a "stakehouse."

[Tijeras_Slim]

A Dracula Museum?

That would suck.

[RichInOC]

I wonder what Vlad himself would have made of all this, and whom he would have felt like killing in the process. ;)

How do you say, "Kill them all, God will know His own" in Romanian?

[Happygal]

A Stakehouse, with garlic sauce a speciality! ;-)

[JennysCool]

Bloody Mary by the pint, of curse, is the favorite aperitif in the nightclub, where the chanteuse sings "Fangs For The Memories," "You Bite Up My Life" and other olde favorites.

[xJones]

They mustn't overlook the 1-5% subgroup of the general population. They should have AB Negative Pride Week.

[Happygal]

Don't forget 'Bat out of Hell'! ;-)

Can't imagine 'coffin' up for entertainment that only starts after sundown though! ;-)

[JennysCool]

They definitely do a lot of vamping.

[BMCDA]

How do you say, "Kill them all, God will know His own" in Romanian?

Ucideti-i toti, Dumnezeu va sti oamenii sâu.

But don't impale me if I made a mistake ;^)

[RichInOC]

Hey, not me...I'm just trying to figure out how Vlad would have reacted to this.

[Jacob Kell]

How od you pronounce that?

[dsutah]

Really! (with a grim chuckle!)

[nopardons]

That's just not so ... Vlad Teppes is NOT buried in the church he had built. A few years back, they dug up the site ( under the croft ) and there was no body interred there.