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 

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