Thank you, Ken, those are exactly the things I saw! Is that postcard for real? (not photoshopped by you?) I mean, Leonard "al fresco"?!! He didn't look like a pizza to me...
Cohen is big on the cover of Jurnalul National here (
http://www.jurnalul.ro). A part of the article that I didn't find on the internet includes a talk with the manager of the romanian organising company. She says "We went out with Leonard Cohen and his management right after the concert. [...] They were very pleased with the concert and the way they were treated. They even said, in our talk, that they wish to come back to Romania. Something that might happen next year, when they'll go in a new tour, most probably at the beginning of september" (!!!)
The exclamation signs belong to me. Should I believe what newspapers say, hmmm?
Another part of that article includes a little talk with Mircea Mihaies, the author of the only biography of Cohen in romanian language, who apparently was privileged enough to meet Cohen (a 5-minutes meeting, that finally took 2 hours, they say). I'll try to translate what he says:
"I took a little look at the man, with the fear of meeting someone else than my 'Leonard Cohen'. But he is just as I imagined him, a man of uncommon gentless and kindness. He didn't tell me anything memorable, it was a kind of direct communication, to the point, just like his writing. He asked me about Manastirea Casin (Casin Church) and was always making a comparison with Greece. He asked me if 'gypsy-tigan' has a bad meaning in romanian language... but I gave him examples from literature, positive characters... and he relaxed. He came back to Casin, a construction that 'seduced' him during the 2 rehearsal days, when he faced it all the time. I offered him a bottle of romanian wine, 'Domeniile Coroanei' de Segarcea... His daughter Lorca was there too, who almost seemed a little girl... I was impressed by his calm, simplicity, directness and obviously the warmth he spontaneously showed, and, even though he had come after an exhausting rehearsal, he had in his eyes the light of an young man, that made him irresistible. Even more, he gave you the feeling you were making him a great honour for meeting him, when it was just vice-versa. When I left, his manager told me: 'Now you understand why during the tour we avoid interviews and meetings, he is so gracious'"
PS from me: Casin church is quite a famous (and big, by the standards here) church, located exactly next to the stadium where the concert took place... and, indeed, from the stage Cohen could see it all the time! Must say it was beautiful, while it was getting dark, to see the white-and-green church almost watching over us... Here's a link with some pictures of it.
http://www.crestinortodox.ro/Biserica_C ... 21951.html
Laura