Romania

Transylvania, located in western Romania, is a romanticized place that feels just like you would think it should. Rural farmland and dark haunted forests with beautiful mountains surrounding quaint and rustic villages.

Yes, the stories of Vlad, A.K.A. Dracula, are spoken here, but this place is as peaceful and quiet as anywhere I have visited. Dracula has become more than a legend, he is part of the marketing tool for more than one entrepreneur. Try the red Merlot wine in a Vlad-labeled bottle with a picture of a drop of blood on it. A very good wine!

The legend does seem to live here. One very foggy evening, traveling up a small narrow dirt path to a remote farm, with the full moon glowing through the fog, illuminating a small graveyard, and in the distance, the faint howl of a wild animal, certainly made me think how this legend was kept alive.

The Eastern Orthodox Cathedral in Cluj was one of my favorite sites to visit while in Romania. I had seen several of these types of churches from a distance while visiting Eastern Europe, but never had the opportunity to enter and see the beauty inside.

This cathedral in Cluj was magnificent yet a bit "dark". The artistic work on the walls and floor would rival any museum, but it seemed a bit strange in its silence and lack of "people space". There were no pews or a formal place where one would sit or rest. You could wander through a labyrinth of dark hallways lit by candles and never see a person or place to sit. A beautiful place but very unique and different than what I was used to seeing.

When visiting families in rural areas, you can bet on being welcomed. Not only are the people friendly they are very hospitable and willing to share. I can almost guarantee that you will be offered fresh food and always at the initial welcome a shot glass of Parinca, a very strong plum brandy. Once you finish the first glass, the bottle comes out and you drink until...well, you understand.

This couple was so proud to show me their house and pose in front of their blue barn. The wife brought out the Parinca and we sat for some time eating bread and apples while they shared the story of their lives.... I love her shoes!

Visiting another village, this woman prepared for me a breakfast that consisted of freshly baked bread, fried eggs straight from the chickens, homemade sausage, and, of course the Parinca. I had not realized that the Parinca was also a breakfast drink, but I was to find that you can expect it at any hour. After I had finished the first small shot of the alcohol, she quickly filled it up again. I learned, a bit too late, that if you finish a glass, it is a sign that you want more!

This would be the case for each visit to a home or farm in Romania. Each homemade their own and bottled it in used water or soft drink bottles. My hosts had collected this "moonshine" from several visits and, to my surprise, hid four large, plastic Coke bottles full in my luggage. When I opened my luggage there were four liters of Romanian moonshine waiting for me. I do not know how this passed US customs, and I am glad they did not find it, it would have been difficult to explain!

Visiting the local market in any city is always exciting and colorful. Cluj was no exception. Even though it was a cold winter day the vendors had their fresh vegetables and spices on display and the market was busy.

I saw many Roma people dressed in their traditional clothes, the men with large felt hats, selling leather goods and clothing. The Roma men aren't particularly fond of photographers and I kept my camera under wraps while near them.

Paprika is one of the most used spices in this region and I purchased several small bags to try in some of my cooking when I returned home. Cluj had numerous restaurants that served local fare. While there I was taken to Hubert's restaurant and feasted on elk, boar, and fresh bear! The bear was a bit greasy, but when in Rome!

I only spent a short time in Bucharest but I was able to walk the city and witness the restoration of many of the old Orthodox churches. It seemed that on every block, one of these magnificently ornate churches was being repaired and restored to its original majesty. What I found unusual was that in the middle of the reconstruction, the worship continued as if nothing was there to disturb the mass.

Orthodox Cathedral in Bucharest

Theatre downtown Bucharest

Just west of Cluj lies the haunted forest of Hoai Baciu. It is widely considered one of the most haunted forests in the world. I was invited to dinner at an old rural farmhouse very close to the forest. Upon arrival, we parked our vehicle on the dirt road just below the house. The weather was cold and cloudy. As I walked up the crudely made wooden steps sunk into the dirt, I looked up and saw the wind blowing the clouds across the dark, moonlit sky. To my right as I ascended the steps was a stone wall that bordered a small cemetery. This was beginning to feel very eerie, and to make it worse, I heard what seemed to be the call of a wild Transylvanian wolf in the distance. You can't make this up. I was petrified!

The mountain areas of Transylvania are rugged and difficult to travel especially in the snow. I saw many of these types of carts hauling wood for their fireplaces. One farmer explained to me that soon the wheels on the carts would need to be replaced with wooden runners for sleds for them to be able to travel the rest of the Romanian winter.

Just outside of Cluj is what has been described as the "creepiest" forest in the world. Known as Hoai Baciu, this forest has a host of stories that claim it is haunted.

One of my visits to Romania was during the summer months. I was able to see a very different Romania, and traveling around the country was much easier than during the winter.

Very early one morning, a friend called my hotel room, woke me up, and said we were going on a trip to see the real Dracula's castle. He explained to me that it was only the tourists who visited the Bran castle and that people had mistaken that one for the real castle of Vlad the Impaler.

After a five-hour drive through beautiful mountains on a road that is only open for two months of the year, we reached Poenari Fortress, the true residence of Dracula. I was excited and looked forward to walking in the footsteps of this evil legend.

When we entered the woods to walk to the castle I was to see a small sign informing me that I was now going to be challenged by climbing nearly 1500 steps to the castle! No wonder no one else was there. After a long and very difficult climb, I reached the summit. Dracula couldn't have chosen a more difficult place to reach.

Getting to Poenari was difficult and proved very interesting too. As I approached the fortress, I had to first travel through an alpine forest on the opposite side of the mountain. There was a distinct difference in the weather in just a few miles. The north side of the forest was misty, cloudy, and very cold. Going through a small tunnel and approaching the south side, the weather changed dramatically, with no clouds in the sky and warm. Perhaps another trick played by Dracula?

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