In his book, ‘Playing the Moldovans at Tennis’, Tony Hawks recounts the story of his visit to the home of the gypsy king in Soroca. Today, I went with a group of people to the town of Soroca, which is in the north of Moldova, above the Transnistria district, and across the river from Ukraine. (The border there looked much easier to cross than the one I had crossed into Ukraine earlier this year. All one had to do was swim the river or jump on the small car ferry that was plying back and forth) Soroca is famous for its fortress, built in the 1500’s and having defended the borders of Bessarabia from invading Turks, Russians, Ukrainians, and Poles. Gypsy Hill
Not only did we see the fortress there, but we also went up Gypsy Hill and saw the home of the gypsy “king” or "baron"! And as we gawked outside the gate, the nephew of the said ‘king’ came out and greeted us.
I didn’t think fast enough to get my photo taken with him, but I did think fast enough to get a photo of him! Unlike Tony Hawks, though, I was not invited in for tea or a gift exchange or any such thing. (That could be because I was with a group of fifteen and hadn't brought a gift in any case…)The home was one of a whole neighbourhood of ostentatious, mostly half-built houses high on a hill overlooking the town of Soroca, and the hill is known as ‘Gypsy Hill’. Apparently these are the richest gypsies in all of Europe! The houses seem to have been erected to declare in no uncertain terms, “I’m the king of the castle, and you’re the dirty rascal!” I can’t begin to tell you how interesting it was to wander the roads of this community and see the variety of buildings and houses.
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