Romanian Photo Opportunities ..A beautiful country where nature abounds

These are photo opportunities that I missed due to not being quick enough, not being able to stop driving due to narrow roads and / or no pavements, no parking spaces, invasion of privacy, or simply forgetting to take my camera out with me;

Fields of sweetcorn as far as the eye can see

Fields of sunflowers turning their heads to the sun

Jays jaywalking

Woodpeckers pecking

Storks flying

Storks nests 3 feet in diameter atop telegraph poles

An eagle strutting in a field

Horses and carts full of people and hay

Romanies selling their wares

Shrines at the roadside

Water pipes at the roadside and people queuing to fill containers with  water from the streams

Little old ladies dressed in widows weeds

A bride in a white 'meringue' wedding dress sitting in the middle of a park bench,(taking up the whole
bench)

The restaurant at the summit of the Carpathian mountains

The lake in the Carpatian mountains

The inside of Peles Castle
Well, we did take a few pics there before we were told  off!

I must try harder to take some more photographs as Romania is a diverse country with lots of natural beauty and evidence of local culture. Here is one photo of the shrine on our street in Breaza but I have seen hundreds more whizzing past on bends in the road. One has Jesus completely wrapped in clear plastic as if to keep him dry in the rain and snow.

This shrine has quite recently been re-roofed with metal sheets and is well looked after. Alot of people cross themselves when they walk past.

Behind this shrine there is a steep drop into a gorge with a river, a railway and the equivalent of the M1, but you would never guess it as it looks like a quiet country road.

Night night or Noapte buna as they say in Romania  x

Moonlight

At the last full moon, only I was bathed in it's light and the man beside me slept soundly. Earlier, the moonlight through the leaves of the walnut tree shone as brightly as sparkling diamonds, the movement of the breeze drawing attention again and again to it's glittering beauty.

The month before, I woke in the night and saw Tinkerbell fluttering daintily through a glass of water lit by moonlight. She kept on fluttering until I sank peacefully down into my slumbers, but  she was gone by morning.

The moon and stars are so beautiful in Romania. The sky is often cloudless, and the paucity of street lamps that I bemoan when walking in the dark, only enhances the natural splendour of the heavens.

The website Dark Skies Awareness has some beautiful images of the night sky all over the world, including Romania.

Did you know that there is a Dark Sky Park in Galloway, Scotland? The moon looks beautiful and mysterious in Summer or Winter. Watch and listen to this by wintermood.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwq8Qj02xes





The sun is shining now and the mystery has gone with the moonlight. Another month has gone by without an attack by werewolves or vampires.

Have a nice day,  Anne-Marie

The Dracula Experience

Leaving Poiana Brasov for Bran Castle, we came across a monument to a lone revolutionary who chose to commit suicide in 1989 ,  to draw attention to the oppressive regime in charge of Romania. He walked to the ski slope and shouted that living in Romania was like living in Auschwitz, and set himself on fire in front of horrified tourists. The martyr Liviu Babes made worldwide news everywhere except in Romania.

Later that year, the Revolution began in earnest in hot spots including Brasov, where people sheltered in the Black Church to escape the fighting, but were still shot at. The bullet holes remain on the pillars inside the Black Church.

Onwards to Dracula's Castle at Bran, which is in a village strategically positioned at a pass in the Carpathian mountains between Wallachia and Transylvania.

See how moody and ominous the clouds are at Bran Castle.

The castle must have been daunting to traders and travellers who had to pay a toll to cross the pass.

Vlad the Impaler conquered this castle centuries ago, and his name, Dracula, son of his father Dracul, which means Devil or Dragon seems to be etched into the conciousness of visitors who throng in the village, wallowing in the Dracula legend.

Look closely, there's a werewolf on the loose!

Some soul food at Bran. Everbody was eating this delicacy, so I had to give it a try. It waslike a v light doughnut mixture, fried then coated with the ubiquitous smantana and branza i.e. sour cream and one of the 2 types of cheese. The other is cascaval.

The wooden bracelet is from Bucharest; the extra weight from untold numbers of pizzas.

This is quite hard to believe, but you know when you are visiting somewhere and you look around to see if there is anyone you know, but if you are at Dracula's castle in Romania, you don't bother? Well, we had no sooner finished our nameless snack, when a voice from over the road caught our attention, and it was a very nice Romanian lady who I met at a BBQ recently, so we had a cosy chat right there and then in the shadow of the castle.

I was with relatives and they were going to a local restaurant to sample'Bulz', or polenta formed into balls with salami and goats cheese incorporated, or smoked ham and feta. There is a recipe for bulz on the BBC Good Food web site if anyone is interested.

See     www.brasovtravelguide.ro/en/brasov.../draculs-castle.php     for more information on the checquered history of the Castle.

 It's other famous resident was Queen Marie, granddaughter of  Queen Victoria who was born in Kent and transported by marriage to a remote castle in the  Carpathian mountains.

The genuine Dracula's castle, where Vlad marched the captured boyars from the Princely Court at Targoviste, and set them to work with the peasants, is Poienari Castle. Vlad lived in this remote citadel on a mountain top in a prism shaped room, from which his wife leapt to her death when the Turks finally fought their way to the top. To visit the castle, the last 4 Kms is on foot on a rough track, followed by 1,480 steps up to the castle, some of which crashed down the mountainside long ago. This location deters many people from visiting including me, but the following will give more information to the curious.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew1n6NiZnoY

There are a further 2 videos in the series, and more.

Note the comments underneath. Despite the extreme means of ruling Romania and deterring invasion from neighbouring countries, many Romanians think of Vlad as a hero who kept the Turkish Empire from expanding into Europe, forcing foreign ways and Islam onto  Christian countries.

Live and let live I say. People are people everywhere and should be able to follow their own customs and religion as long as they are not harming others.

It is over 30 degrees now, so it's Siesta time. I have some sangria for later!

Adios amigos!

Some observations in Romania

Here is the O Zone track and video I meant to send last week, with special guest Brad Pitt.

Come back Top of the Pops!

http://youtu.behljWoqTMdo

Observations in Romania


Transport seems to be mainly by 'Maxitaxi',( small mini vans) . From Breaza you can get a maxitaxi north to Brasov, or south to Bucharest via an occasional stop in a town. I have only seen buses in Ploieste and Bucharest.

There are lots of horses and carts in the countryside and the owners are not all Romanies.

I first saw  Romanies here in Sinaia, selling lilacs which grow in many hedgerows here. Many of them look Indian and wear brightly coloured clothes.

Romanies sell their wares in places where there are a lot of people/tourists e.g. Bucharest, Sinaia.

They sell fruit and flowers mainly, and the children join in the selling, sometimes on their own at quite an early age.

When we see Romanies at the side of the road, we know that either we have nearly  reached our destination, or, more likely, there is a traffic jam. Romanies have mobile 'phones and must let each other know where there are people gathered together.

Every adult occupant of the car is asked whether they want to buy fruit, which is presented prettily in a small basket lined with coloured paper, so one of us saying 'no' is not enough.

I remember one young boy's eyes when I said 'no'. The memory still haunts me. But, when you are on your way somewhere in the 30+ heat, you have nowhere to put flowers or fruit in that temperature, so the Romanies must face almost constant rejection.

I have seen someone buying a wooden stool through their car window in a traffic jam.

There are lots of traffic jams, many up and down from Bucharest on fridays and Sundays on the 'M1'.

Many roads are single carriageways and have little scope to be widened because of existing houses, rail tracks, rivers, hills and mountains. Plus, there are always some roadworks which take a long time to complete.

When it is v hot, some men lift their t shirts up and leave them stuck up around their upper chest. I often have to lookaway, but not always.

In the supermarkets, there are rows and rows of plastic contraptions to attach to the toilet rim and refills of 'toilet water' scent, but no disinfectant. I have searched for it, and considered bringing some from home, but did not want any spillage in my suitcase.

Raw alcohol is used on a cut, rather than Dettol.

Most people use scythes to cut their lawns/meadows. I think that I speak for many when I say that I am glad that I do not have to sharpen a scythe before I hack down the long grass and make haystacks.

http://youtu.be/yJpltkXRXQk

Pa pa  AM

Travels in Transylvania, Poiana Brasov

Leaving Brasov to the north, we ascended the mountains on a fresh, just rained morning, with the sun still not too fierce. I admired the different view of the town as we were leaving and hoped that I might return one day.

Now heading south west, around and over the mountains , we arrive in Poiana Brasov, a ski resort, just a few kilometres away from Brasov.

'Poiana' means a 'clearing in the woods' and there are many places in Romania which are given this name, indicating a pleasant or scenic area away from the main town or village. Campina where Richard works is an industrial oil town but Poiana Campina is a small village between Campina and Breaza which bears no relation to the bustling town, and going there is like going back in time. It even has an ancient painted monastery.

We are 1,000 metres above sea level and the mountains are still rearing up around us. It is exhilarating! This premier ski resort also attracts hikers, horse riders and mountain bikers. The temperature is a few degrees lower than in Bucharest and the air is fresh for sport and not oppressive or polluted. There is an Alpine feel about the geography and the architecture, and one of the hotels is called the  'Alpin'.

The hotel is at the side of a lake, and it feels v peaceful here.

We walked into a church,

we passed along the way

and I got down on my knees,

and I began to pray!

Well, not really, but as it was Sunday, there were several Romanian Orthodox priests in the black wooden church, and people were approaching them individually and speaking to them v quietly. One of the priests had purple robes, intricately  embroidered in gold and silver and he stood at the altar. The other priests were wearing long black robes and were attending to tasks around the church between talking to parishioners or petitioners. The atmosphere was calm and peaceful, and one felt that the private conversations were positive in nature, whatever they were. I felt quite comfortable in the church although I am not a church goer, and the atmosphere was quite spiritual.

The church was beautifully decorated with chandeliers and precious metal icons icons, but it would have been too intrusive to take photographs.

I went to look at some craft stalls and among the tat was a glassware stall with hand decorated glasses. The owners, husband and wife, Vali and Andrea have  studied glassmaking and have travelled to Murano for ideas. The glasses themselves are not exceptional, but they are all decorated by hand. I was spoiled for choice, but chose a design and bought 6 glasses and a jug to match.  I thought that they would be v good for Sangria with my friends! If you look at the website,

www.andrecristal.ro    and go to page 6, the glasses are right in the middle and are opaque at the bottom and embellished with 10 carat gold apparently! Vali told me how he decorated them, but something was lost in translation. I got 'hand wash only'  though.

While Vali was wrapping the glasses securely, so that I could safely take them home on the plane, I chatted to Andrea about Venice, Venetian glass jewellry, Bucharest and Sunderland, (there is a world class glass exhibition space there on the beach, which you enter walking over glass through which you can see the  exhibition beneath). She also mentioned an anniversary called 'Stone House' in Romania. I haven't been able to find anything else about it yet , but found a Romanian video about stone houses which is interesting and typical of scenes in the countryside.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUoiJuI2M6o

I hope that people are enjoying my blog. Pleas let me know and ask any questions about Romania while I am still here.

Pa 

.

Visine

Visine, pronounced, Visheena are widely eaten in Romania, in jam, (gem), extra jam, (confiture), yoghurts,(Danone), pancakes, (a pleasure yet to be experienced), and drinks like Florentino.

Have a look for yourselves.

Images for visine fructe

I wonder if Danone yoghurts in the UK have visine flavoured variety? If not , they should because  they taste delicious.

NOW it is Siesta time, pa pa.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

I can hear bees humming,  flies buzzing, cocks crowing, birds singing and dogs barking. When the dogs stop barking i.e., when it gets too hot, I can hear the tapping of woodpeckers on the old trees. They are attractive birds, as are Jays, but the jays make an irritating screeching noise, once heard, never forgotten.

The scents in the garden are honeysuckle and wispy vapours of smoke from the many BBQs in the surrounding gardens.

Richard has just had a G&T, and I made myself a cocktail with Romanian demi sec wine, Florentino and lemonade over ice. I bought the Florentino yesterday as I noticed that it was made with Visine, the small 'cherries'. I have looked everywhere for cassis to make Kir without success and I am glad that I've discovered this liqueur as it is delicious, with a sour cherry taste.

Richard is now reading and relaxing in the hammock, in the shade of the mature trees which allow dappled sunlight through.

For anyone who has not had the pleasure, laying in a hammock is sooo relaxing. You feel held and safe and cocooned, and gazing up at the leaves, almost remember being a baby outside in a pram for an afternoon nap. I want one for Christmas!

It is a Public Holiday for Mary's Assumption into Heaven tomorrow, so this Sunday is more relaxing than most. A reliable source has told me that there is a St Anna Maria's day, but no-one gets a day off work!

Siesta time    AM

Zacusca & Salate de Vinete

The veg spread to die for is called Zacusca, and the aubergine spread is tasty as well. For brunch today, I had zacusca on wholemeal toast rubbed with garlic and topped with sliced tomatoes and thinly sliced giant purple spring onions. Delicious!

Here is a recipe.  Zacusca is usually served as a snack, and is good with warm focaccia bread as a starter.For any gardeners with a glut of courgettes, they can be included in the recipe, or mushrooms may be added as in the Transylvanian version. For any  vegetarians, you can serve Zacusca on rice, or with polenta (mamaliga in Romanian), in which case, a chunkier version would taste better.

foodandwineblog.com/2009/01/01/romanian-zacusca-recipe/ - Cached

See for yourself how versatile zacusa can be. It is so morish that it could well be more than one of your 5 a day!

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=zacusca&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=695&prm
d=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=lLdHTtDYEoPIswap8My4Bw&sqi=2&ved=0CE8QsAQ


For anyone interested in the aubergine dip/spread, here is a Romanian recipe, but there are lots of other versions from other countries. Aubergines grow v well here and always look attractively plump at the market with their silky dark skins shining in the hot sun.........eat me, eat me.

www.food.com/.../eggplant-aubergine-appetizer-romanian-style-vin... - Cached

If anyone is adventurous enough to try the recipes, please let me know if you enjoyed dips.

Pofta Buna as they say in Romania, bon appetit!

Take me to the Bridge!

I've come all the way to Romania to discover the Craig Charles Funk n' Soul Show. It makes me wanna get up and dance!

The live show from the Big Chill is great and has a fantastic rendition of 'Mercy' on it. There's James Brown and other treats, and the most famous and expensive Northern Soul record gets an airing; Frank Wilson, singing 'Do I Love You?', yes I do!


Hurry, there's only 2 days left on i player!

PS try this from a band from Moldova  http://youtu.be/pj7XbHNKzPs

Happy listening!        AM

Brasov, Transylvania, continued.

The air in Brasov is is as fresh as a cool drink of water on a hot day. The historic quarter nestles on the lower slopes of the moutains, and you cannot help but wonder at the grandeur of nature all around.

It is sad to think that the original inhabitants were invaded frequently and forced to pay to enter the gate to their own city to sell their goods.

In recent years, the 1960's, the Communist regime forces thousands of people from Moldovia to work in  new factories in Brasov, changing the nature of Brasov and converting it into a large city. Luckily, the old town remains more or less intact, and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

In November 1987, discontent by workers from a Brasov factory manufacturing trucks, lead to demonstrations and riots against the regime and it's leader and self titled  'President',  Nicolae Ceaucescu. 

Ceaucescu's policies had led to years of rationing and shortages of goods and food, and when the Brasov workers were told that 15,000 out of 20,000 of them would be laid off, they took to the streets shouting 'down with Communism' and 'down with Ceaucescu'. This was one of the key events in Romania which led to the overthrow of Ceaucescu and Communism with him, in 1989.

The threatened deportation of an Hungarian priest in the town of Timisoara was the final catalyst for revolution. .As his parishioners surrounded him to protect him,  passers-by  and students joined in the cause. The unrest and dissatisfaction of the populace, with Ceaucescu and his policies keeping the people poor and hungry, while a few officials and cronies lived off the fat of the land, and spent public money demolishing servicable buildings, so that Boulevards in the French style could be built, accredited to Ceaucescu, had taken it's toll. The peasants couldn't eat the replica of the Arc de Triomphe, and the vast majority would never visit Bucharest to see it, when they were living hand to mouth.

In Brasov in 1989, 'revolutionaries' were gunned down mercilessly, including a young girl in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the Volksbank Building still bears the scars.

R.I.P.

Today, Brasov is a magnet for 'Bucharest Millionaires', Skiers, and tourists. The fresh air is a draw for city inhabitants and tourists alike, in Summer and Winter. The picturesque setting of ancient Brasov, nestling beneath the statuesque mountain slopes covered with evergreen trees, is a delight to the eyes in the sun, snow, and even the rain, such is it's magnificance.

A swanky bar where Rich sat happily for an hour while I went in every shop (nearly), in the street at the 'T junction at the building on the right. The mountains just soar upwards at the end of the street, and when you are near them, you cannot see where they end.

We ate in a cellar restaurant called Bella Musica which serves local, Hungarian and Mexican (!)food.

I decided to try Mexican as a change from Romanian food, then was disapointed wnen I saw someone getting Hungarian soup served in a round loaf of bread as it looked delicious.

The Bella Musica has a music menu, and diners are encouraged to choose from it. I liked the sound of Beatles love songs while Rich liked Leonard Cohen, but we compromised on 'Buena Vista Social Club'. After about 3 numbers,the music changed to Noray Jones , someone else's choice. I think having a music menu is a good idea, but should probably be changed regularly and not include 'Bat out of Hell' unless it is v busy.

An art nouveau restaurant in the French style which we did not manage to visit. There was also a restaurant opposie this one which served fondues. The food in  Brasov is from varying cuisines, and is better than in the average Romanian restaurant. We may have to visit Brasov again as it has a lot to offer.

We ended the still warm evening in one of the cafe bars where I had hot chocolate and blackcurrant, which was delicious, and gave us a breather before we tackled the lower mountain slopes up to the hotel and Bedfordshire.

For any traveller to Romania, I would definitely recommend putting Brasov on the itinerary.

I hope that people enjoy the mixture of tourism and history as I do. I am always interested in the history compared to the modern day culture in the places that I visit as well as the obvious tourist attractions.

Signing off for now,  AM

An evening in Brasov

The Kolping hotel has an Alpine look about it and our room backed onto the mountain itself with pines soaring upwards with their tops in the clouds.

After the rain.

Brasov Historic Quarter from the hotel terrace.

A traditional beer hall or Hanul.

The Black Church is top left.

The Biserica Neagra, or Black Church took a century to build and was completed in 1477. It is gothic in style, and is the largest church between Vienna and Istanbul. The church organ has 4000 pipes and is still played at regular recitals. The church gets it's name  from it's soot blackened walls after the Austrian Army started a great fire in Brasov in 1689.

The Black Church spire in the centre of the photo. The restaurant Bella Musica is on the right.

The Black Church clock tower.

A smaller church with a crucifix along the side wall.

Further down the side street we spent a pleasant half hour relaxing. Richard wanted a beer I said 'I want that one, pointing at someone else's drink which was a light pink colour. We were told it was Limonada, and made the pleasant discovery that homemade lemonade had fresh strawberries whizzed into it, then crushed ice. It was perfect for the day, and the bar playedsome interesting laid back jazz.

The bar with pink lemonade.

More later, pa pa!

The Pied Piper Legend; from Germany to Transylvania, hamelin to Brasov.

A pop quiz question for you. Can anyone remember who sang the song 'The Pied Piper' from the 60's? Anyone with the correct answer will win a small prize when I get home!

Did you know that when the Pied Piper enticed all the children away from Hamelin in Germany, they disappeared underground and emerged in Brasov, Transylvania, in the town square?

Neither did I, but the Saxons ruled Brasov for centuries because of it's strategic position for invasion and trade routes, within a day's ride of the Carpathian mountain passes. The Saxons have left their mark on much of the architecture and structure of their society in the old town, especially in the Council Square (Piata Sfatului), where imposing red roofed mercants' houses and Guild headquarters for goldsmiths, locksmiths and many other trades still stand.

Under Saxon rule, the local Romanian speaking people were not allowed to live in the now fortified citadel of Brasov, but could enter to sell their wares on payment of a toll. They lived in the Schei district, S/W of the city  and could only enter the walled city at certain times through the Schei gate.

The Schei gate as it is now. The Romanian's first view of the city many years ago, called Kronstadt by the Saxons.

The Schei area is now a quiet Resdential cul de sac within walking distance of the old town, and a good place to look for a B&B.

One of our first impressions of the Historic Quarter in Brasov. Note the Hungarian name Brasso on the parasol.

Views of the Council Square, where the Pied Piper was said to have reappeared with all the children of Hamelin.

Brasov hosted a free rock concert the day that we went, hence the fencing and toilets.

After driving up through the mountains,around hairpin bends, amongst trees with their heads in the clouds, then getting lost in modern Brasov, we felt that a spot of lunch and a siesta was in order. In the midst of the traditional cafe/bars and ubiquitous Irish bar, we found a corner resraurant decorated with real peace lilies and orchid trees so lifelike they could have been real.

The al fresco Italian Restaurant with Peace Lilies.

We took a photo and decided to eat there. It was excellent, but was Bucharest prices, not Brasov, but what the heck, we were having a W/E away!

We then ate our meal while being photographed by everyone who passed by, so we are in many people's holiday photos!

Siesta time!