English Impressions of Peles Castle, Sinaia, in Transylvania

Another day trip to Sinaia took us to Peles Castle, above the park in Sinaia where there are sometimes classic car rallies. The castle looks impressive as one walks up the curved drive, giving different viewpoints as the castle gets closer.

Built in the late 1800's for King Carol the1st, the Castle is in the style of a Bavarian Schloss.

The Castle is named after the Peles river which flows nearby.

Peles was decorated by King Carol's eccentric wife Eiizabeta, who was also a popular novelist called Carmen Silva. Not one of the 160 rooms was decorated in Romanian style, but were embellished with walnut, ebony, leather, alabaster, French tapestries and mother of pearl .

The Castle is positioned in extensive gardens landscaped in the English style.

On arrival, the short English tour was not for another hour, so we joined the longer Romanian Tour. Everyone had to put slippers on, and mine were odd sizes and kept falling off when we went upstairs. We had to keep up with the group as the Guide waited until everyone was there before he spoke. Then I tried to pick up an occasional word of what he was saying, but mainly looked where everyone else was looking, then followed the crowd as I didn't have a clue as to what was going on.

A stained glass window with the sun shining through.

The Un Romanian interior of Peles Castle

An example of the art on display. Some of the originals are now exhibited in the National Art Museum in Bucharest.

The Courtyard at the entrance to the castle where we were shown out after taking photographs. Other people were taking photos, but we were remonstrated with more than once before being shown the door. Is it cos I is black/English?, I thought to myself, but we eventually discovered that there was an extra fee for taking photos, but as we were not asked (as far as we know) when we bought our tickets we did not know this.

So, I cannot show you the Murano glass chandeliers in the Florentine Hall, the carrera marble fountain in the Moorish Alhambra Hall or the Louis xiv room containing Romania's first cinema and paintings by the young Klimt. We didn't see the latter room ourselves, before we were ejected.

A lion guarding the Castle

Puppies living under a bush guarding the grounds?

Dogs living wild are a common sight and even live in the grounds of Peles Castle.

A secret door

A waterfall from the woods at Peles

A mysterious figure in the woods at Peles

A bride and groom posing for wedding photos outside Peles Castle

We have seen many brides and grooms when we are out and about on Saturdays. White weddings seem to be very popular.

For more information on Peles Castle, see

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I hope you have enjo e trip to Peles Castle in Snaia.

Pa pa    Anne-Marie

September songs and Autumn in Romania

Ignore the above, you can view it later on!

 In August,the glorious(to some) 12th, heralds the grouse shooting season in England. In Romania, the16th August is the start of the walnut harvesting season, although the walnuts are still somewhat green here ln Breaza.

The 1st September is the first day of Autumn in Romania; the first day of Spring being on the 1st March.

Mellow fruitfulness and dried lavendar from the garden.

The weather  changed quite dramatically on the 1st,  with a cool breeze suddenly appearing before a rain storm complete with thunder and lightning hit the town. Before that, it was all mists and mellow fruitfulness.

The apple blossom in May has given forth apples from the palest green to the deepest red. There are plums from yellow to damson red, and the fruit trees on the boulevards display their fruits for anybody to eat. We seem to have hops twining around fences and shrubs, and hollyhocks and hibiscus of varying hues grows well all around.

Rudbeckias and stocks are very popular garden plants, while  red geraniums, French marigolds and pink and purple petunias are favoured basket or bedding plants. 

Gardens on the main street in Breaza

http://youtu.be/lTaRMum_gWU

Some Autumn leaves.

 Gourds of all shapes and sizes are now on display at roadside stalls along with seasonal fruit and vegetables, and enormous water melons. I have fallen in love with water melons which taste much better in Romania, although it is quite a struggle trying to slice them as they have a life of their own and keep rolling away.

http://youtu.be/LyRqdzF8swY

There is a video of the storm on 20th June after theBBQ, but first, an oldie but goodie, then, more stormy weather.

http://youtu.be/QCG3kJtQBKo

Most of the leaves on the walnut trees turned yellow on the 1st September, and it feels like someone has turned down the thermostat 10 degrees, the Autumn has set in so quickly. If Spring springs into life so quicly on the 1st March I think that would be a wonderful sight in rural Romania.

http://youtu.be/NN7dCwbDDJ0

La revederee,  Anne-Marie

Salt Mines;from punishment to spa & health treatments; Slanic Prahova

What could be better than a day out at a Salt Mine?

Our day started in the high 30's, so bottles of chilled water were essential, plus jackets as we were to descend into the earth to examine the excavations in the old salt mine in Slanic, the biggest mine in Europe. The Slanic salt mine is a popular destination for locals, tourists and people who visit for health reasons.

We thought that this structure was an antique lift shaft, but as we queued and got closer, it seemed that we were expected to enter the rickety old 'lift' with wooden doors that did not quite meet in the middle or at the top of the lift. Anyway as children and old ladies did not seem scared, we shut our eyes and braved the descent into the 'salt cellar'!

The lift shaft looks as if it is made of bamboo, like most things in our villa.

We emerged into a dimly lit Cathedral of Salt, complete with a cross lit up on high.

The scale of the mine is soaring, with the walls and floors having the appearance of dull white and charcoal grey marble,which catches the light in places and invites you to touch it.

There are various caverns to explore, containing a playground for young children, a cafe and a 'hospital'.

The constant 12 degree temperature,the humidity rate and the air quality is reputed to be beneficial for respiratory and rheumatic conditions, and patients have been prescribed 3 weeks of daily treatment at the salt mine to improve health.

We saw children playing football and adults playing badminton, while others went to the cafe or sat on wooden swing seats thoughtfully provided.

Our Romanian hosts say that the idea is to spend a few hours down the mine to benefit from the air. The games that people play are to encourage excercise and inhalation of the air. On a hot day when the heat is unbearable outside, the children can play freely in the 12 degree temperature.

There is a statue carved from salt of  Decebalus, the ruler of the indiginous people of Romania.

The area used to be called Dacia, and included Moldova and parts of Bulgaria, Sebia, Hungary and the Ukraine.

Decebalus was the last ruler of the Dacians until 106 AD when the area was conquered by Romans and the inhabitants became part of the Roman Empire. the modern Romanian language is the closest to Latin than any other Mediterranean language.

The most frequently seen car in Romania is called the Dacia.

For more pictures, Google 'Slanic Prahova salt mine pictures'.

Mined by slaves (Romans) or prisoners in Gulags ( Russians), salt mines now are often places of retreat for health spa relaxation. Salt spa rooms are even created artificially along with steam rooms and saunas, like here at the G Club Spa in Breaza.

  I have been thinking about Solzhenitzyn's 'One Day in th Life of ' and Helen Dunmore's 'The Siege' The Betrayal'