#day trip from sibiu

[wise-journey]

Explore Sibiu: An Exquisite Journey Through Time in the Heart of Transylvania

Cradled in the vibrant bosom of Transylvania, Romania, Sibiu is a charismatic city that breathes life into history. This inviting city offers a perfect symbiosis of age-old traditions and modernity, global culture, and exotic diversity.

When is the Best Time to Visit?

Sibiu is welcoming all year round, with each season offering a unique spectacle. However, the city truly unfurls its vibrant spirit during the summer months of May through August. It dances to the rhythm of cultural festivals and reverberates with outdoor activities, transforming into a pulsating hub of energy and excitement.

How to Reach Sibiu

The journey to Sibiu is a delightful experience in itself. The city is well-connected via road, rail, and air. The Sibiu International Airport offers frequent flights from all major European cities. If your adventure begins within Romania, traverse through picturesque landscapes via an economical and scenic train or bus ride.

Accommodation

From rustic guesthouses imbued with Sibiu's history in the Old Town to chic, contemporary hotels equipped with all modern amenities, Sibiu offers a plethora of accommodations to suit every budget and preference.

Activities & Attractions

Soak in the Culture Step back in time and immerse yourself in Sibiu's rich cultural tapestry. Visit the Brukenthal National Museum, one of the oldest museums in Europe, or the expansive ASTRA Museum, which chronicles Romanian rural life. The medieval fortifications offer a remarkable insight into Sibiu's strategic importance in the past. Embrace the Great Outdoors If your heart beats for adventure, Sibiu will not disappoint. Hiking in the magnificent Cindrel Mountains, biking along the enchanting trails in Dumbrava Forest, or simply a leisurely stroll around the city offer unforgettable experiences.

Gastronomy

Sibiu is a hedonistic haven for food enthusiasts. From mouth-watering local delicacies like Mămăligă, a cornmeal dish, and Sarmale, stuffed cabbage rolls, served in traditional Romanian restaurants, to a wide array of international cuisines, every meal is a culinary treat.

Must-Visit Sights

No visit to Sibiu is complete without exploring its iconic landmarks. The Council Tower offers panoramic views of the city, while the Bridge of Lies whispers tales of local folklore. The old squares, with their cobblestone paths and medieval architecture, are perfect for leisurely strolls. If time permits, a day trip to the fortified Saxon churches in the surrounding villages offers an insight into the region's rich religious and architectural history.

Nightlife

Sibiu's nightlife is as diverse as the city itself. From quaint, quiet bars to pulsating clubs and live music venues, Sibiu offers a myriad of ways to unwind and enjoy.

Shopping

Shopping in Sibiu offers a unique blend of local and global. The local markets offer artisanal souvenirs, traditional crafts, and homely treats, whereas the high-end shopping malls cater to the luxury-loving fashionistas.

Money Matters

Romania's official currency is the Leu (RON). While credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs readily available, it's essential to carry some cash for smaller shops or older establishments that operate traditionally.

Travel Tips

To enhance your Sibiu experience, keeping in mind a few basic Romanian phrases, respecting local customs, and making the most of the city's excellent public transportation network can benefit you.

Transportation

Sibiu's public transportation network is efficient, with trams, buses, taxis, and bike rental services readily available. However, the city's compact center is best explored on foot, allowing for impromptu detours and surprises. Sibiu, with its irresistible charm, rich history, and warm hospitality, is not just a city to visit, but a city to experience, to immerse oneself in, and to remember long after you've left. The beautiful city of Sibiu, with its open arms and hearts, eagerly awaits your arrival! Read the full article

[lowryinbohemia]

The Journey Home

Well the past two days have been the long journey back to the States, leaving behind the beautiful country of Romania and this brilliant adventure the three of us have been on for the past three and half weeks. As I write this, I am chilling in the Houston airport waiting for my final flight back to Louisville

We left Sibiu yesterday morning after a hearty breakfast and saying goodbye to Raz, one of our brilliant tour guides, as he had to get home to Brasov and then get ready to lead a hiking tour in a few days. Mom & I encouraged Raz to please let us know if he ever makes his way to the Blue Ridge Mountains because we’d be happy to show him the trails. It was a long drive back to Bucharest, but we were able to stop along the way to visit the mausoleum of the royal family of Romania, as well as the final resting place of the four kings of Romania. We also had a lovely “farewell lunch” at a local hotel restaurant, and were even treated to a command operatic performance by our brilliant guide John. All in all it took us roughly five hours of driving to get back to Bucharest, and John helped us to get settled in at the airport hotel. We three said goodbye to John, as well as our lovely van driver Aurell. We grabbed a short bite to eat and then tried to get some sleep.

Wake-up was 2:30am because we needed to be at the airport by 3:00a, which as you can guess was a bit of a trying endeavor as none of us tend to be in the best mood in the middle of the night. Mom & Pat had a different flight than me back to the States, so after a quick breakfast and some coffee, I bid goodbye to both of them. A short flight for me to Frankfurt, and then hoping on my longest flight to Houston. (*yay* I have to spend four hours layover in TEXAS ugh).

Unfortunately I had trouble getting comfy and getting sleep while on this flight, partly due to being sad this grand adventure is now over, but mainly due to the fact I may have pulled a small muscle in my neck due to sleeping funky on the bus/van while on this trip. But I did get to watch three movies on the flight (Asteroid City, The Interpreter, & Bullet Train) and listen to some Dateline podcast episodes so not a complete and total waste of time. But the flight just seemed so long as I flew further and further away from Europe. Plus I was hot & stuck next to a snoring guy with BO issues, so not exactly my favorite flight of my travel history.

My flight should be boarding soon so I will end the blog here. Tomorrow once I’m home, showered, cuddled my cat & had a good nights sleep, I will give my review of the whole experience, and my advice for those who want to go on their own Eastern European adventures.

Will write again once I’m home in the Bluegrass!

Lowry💜

[lemmeg0]

Alba Iulia, a day trip from Sibiu

We first came to know about Alba lulia from our Airbnb host, Diana, in Timisoara. We had to go to Sibiu from Timisoara and the bus ride was about 6 hours. Diana suggested we go to Alba lulia first, stay there for a night, and then go to Sibiu. It did not work out for us as we had already booked an Airbnb apartment in Sibiu. In Sibiu, our host also mentioned Alba lulia that we can easily do a day trip from Sibiu. It takes only 1.5 hours to get there and there are a lot of buses running back and forth. We finally went to Alba lulia a day before we were leaving Sibiu. Not sure why we waited so long. 

The citadel of Alba lulia

History of Alba lulia

Alba lulia is a city in Transylvania region of Romania, with a population of with a population of about 64,000. It is one of the oldest settlements in Romania and used to be called Apulum. It was an important city for the Romans, serving as the capital of the Roman Empire’s province of Dacia. It was the largest military and economic center during their time. In 1541, Alba Iulia became the capital of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom reaching its peak, and It was here that on December 1st 1918, the province of Transylvania announced its unification with Romania. Romania used to be three separate regions until 1918: Transylvania, Walachia, and Moldova. In 1922, this is where the first king of Greater Romania, Prince Ferdinand, was crowned. So yea, Alba lulia may not be the capital of Romania, but it is one of the most important cities in Romania.

How to reach Alba lulia from Sibiu

The best way to reach Alba lulia from Sibiu is by bus. We took a bus at 10:43 AM from Autogara Q7 ( a small bus station) and reached Alba lulia by 12:30 PM. You can find the schedule of buses here. It is about a 20 minute walk to the old town/citadel from the bus station. 

Alba lulia Citadel

Alba lulia is famous for its star shaped citadel, which is the biggest in Romania. Designed by an Italian architect Giovanni Morando Visconti, it was built between 1716 and 1735, using the Vauban military architectural system. It has 7 gates and all of them are interesting, but in my opinion gate III is the most impressive one, decorated with intricate carvings on both facades. 

Gate III of the seven gates of the citadel

Gate III from the other side

Defense wall

There are a lot of cool statues we found while strolling around. Everyone was trying to get a picture or two with the statues. This citadel is really clean and full of cafes and stalls. If you decide to be here in summer (May to September) , it’s even better. There is a guard change ceremony every day at noon, taking place nearby the 3rd and 4th Citadel Gates. It’d definitely take you back to the old times. 

My two gentlemen 

Under my umbrella 

Look at that dress. Lovely woman

In the citadel, St. Michael’s catholic Cathedral is pretty outstanding. Built between 1247 and 1291, it is of romanesque style. The tomb of Prince Iancu de Hunedoara and of Polish-born Isabella Jagiełło, former Queen of Hungary. are located here. 

St. Michael’s Cathedral

St. Michael’s Cathedral from the other side

There is also an orthodox Cathedral of the Reunification at the western entrance. It was built between 1921 and 1923 to celebrate Transylvania's reunification with Romania. 

Orthodox Cathedral of the Reunification

Besides these two churches, you can also find the Union Hall with the National Honour Gallery, The National History Museum of Unification, the Voivodal Palace, the Batthyaneum Library, the Roman Catholic bishop's palace, the Apor Palace, and the University of Alba Iulia.

Strolling around this citadel is like a living history lesson about plenty of chapters of Romania history, containing Romanian nation birth and the three countries unions. A coup of hours should be enough for this place. There was a bus at 3:30 and we took that to go back to Sibiu. I am so glad we listened to our Airbnb hosts and saw this magnificent citadel.

Official website: http://www.visitalbaiulia.com/

[chaletnz]

America’s Highest City: Leadville

With an entire day free and nice weather after weeks of daily rain and storms I figured that it would be the opportune time to spend the day in Leadville, about 30 miles south of Copper Mountain. I say “the day” because there is only one bus there at 12pm and one bus back at 6.50pm. So by the time the bus arrives there at 1pm it leaves 6 hours to be filled in with a relatively small town - hence why I had postponed this trip until a nice day! The drive up to Leadville is probably the most scenic drive out of Summit County with loads of nice mountain views as you get into Lake County. Leadville is the second highest elevation city the in USA at 10,152 feet (3,094m), Copper Mountain is a pathetic 9,370 feet (2,855m) in comparison. But I really do live in the highest area of America! In researching those exact heights I discovered that the highest elevation town in the world is La Rinconada in Peru which is at 16,700 feet (5,100m) so Colorado pales in comparison. It’s hard enough to breathe here so I can’t even imagine living another 2000m above sea level! Oh and one more tidbit - humans cannot survive above 20,000 feet due to a lack of oxygen… I got off the bus at the top of the Main Street and started my Leadville adventure at the museum - it cost $6 to go through so I didn’t do the inside portion, just the yard full of mining equipment and a “crib”, a small house that miners would live in. I went for a walk around the back streets here and then returned to Main Street to continue down through all the shops. Many of the souvenir shirts and shot glasses were the same as through all the other ski resort towns nearby just plastered with “Leadville” in place of “Breckenridge” or “Copper Mountain”. I stopped for a coffee at City on a Hill Coffee which was somewhat busy but there were larger communal tables so I took a seat with my flat white and my new book and passed an hour there. I continued all the way down the Main Street of Leadville, branching off to visit the Temple Israel synagogue/museum and the House with the Eye which was a delightful insight to olden timey Leadville. The house had an “eye” much like the houses in Sibiu’s central city in Romania but this was just the singular rather than a pair of eyes. I wandered the front rooms of the house for a few minutes before I was summoned to the back by the museum curator who was in the midst of giving a tour to a lady. I was invited to have a peak around the back rooms which were a kitchen and garage with a couple old buggies and a hearse and then I joined the “tour”. The elderly curator was a strange character but well intentioned, he led us upstairs to the maid’s room and to see the eye window from the inside. He was breathless climbing the stairs and on the way down he paused on the landing to tell us of his misfortunes of his parents both dying and his house burning down during the Covid years. I spent more time exploring around the back streets and browsing shops without buying anything and then I found the antique shop where I spent probably about an hour looking through all the rooms. It was once an old office building with each individual office and hallway now lined with various antiques from old glass bottles and stamps to brass and copper collectibles and clothing. I found a small brass Turkish coffee pot for $12 which I decided to buy. Next I went for an early dinner at Moe’s Original BBQ, I was convinced that Moe himself served me up a delicious pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese and a banana pudding. It started to drizzle a bit on my walk out of town to the bus stop but luckily it stopped as I sat down to wait while watching some idiot on a dirt bike trying to weave through cones, concrete blockades, and “road closed” signs only to get turned around by construction workers. There was also a commotion behind me at the bus stop when two potheads showed up to wait and ended up dropping their tin of weed all over the ground and desperately try to pick it up ground by ground and save it. A very eventful bus trip home!

[florianavlaicu]

Door to Freedom, self reflection on pattern recognition

Pattern recognition sets us free- this is the gem revelation for today’s Life theme and transmission.

Free from what? One might be able to go and do anything he or she desires… but still not feeling free.

Is freedom a feeling?

I love watching the movie Eat Pray Love.

I have been watching it every now and then for the past years.

First time I watched it was in summer of 2018, in Transylvania, Sibiu. I was a volunteer for a permaculture garden. Beautiful time and place.

The movie and the place lifted me much and gave me the insight and clarity that it was time for me to prepare to go to India. After almost 4 months and my first vipassana, I took a one way ticket to the mystical land to find what I did not even know I was looking for.

Every time I watch the movie I get a new perspective.

You know that scene in Bali where she is with this naked Dj that is inviting her into a casual love affair and she is saying to him something like: I have dated you 15 years ago and I have dated you 6 months ago.

This is her recognising of a pattern choice in relationships that is not serving anymore the integrity of her heart. She has made the unconscious conscious by taking these inner and outer trips to return to her core. I think that the balance they are storytelling in the movie is the actual core stability that is explored in the Gene Keys.

Even if we all take this template journey, of Eat Pray Love, go Italy, India and Bali… it will give us totally different perceptions and revelations, because our deep subtle layers of energetics will highly influence everything, all the time and space.

I skipped the italian indulgement and went straight into the unknown of India.

It was overwhelming, exciting, revelatory, fluid, sacred… all the humanities frequencies low and high were there.

I stayed for 133 days and it gave exactly what I needed.Purpose.

I met with a frequency there that I later found out through the Gene Key why I was so fascinated by it.

This frequency was embodied by Ananda Mayi Ma, "the most perfect flower the Indian soil has produced".

I felt this sacred feminine energy twice in Goa, once in my room and once in the open sitting space of the yoga school I was working for.

It felt so familiar to me with heart feeling of surrendering to her divine will.

But both times, I let myself be distracted by something else, outside my self.

I began to study, think and feel of her… then shortly after, the Gene Keys appeared in my life and showed me that in my Hologenetic Profile I have the 58th, unlocking a deeper understanding within me related to Bliss, Joy, Service, Divine Will and Love.

If you would like to meet this Divine feminine that was and is Ananda Mayi Ma, Richard Rudd, the wisdom channel of the Gene Keys is offering us this profound poetic exploration here:

https://youtu.be/LSuihr6yUKI

So you see, even if it might have seemed to be a shallow thing to do…. to follow a movie script… I actually followed my intuition, my joy.

The same I feel about Bali… there is something there for me to meet within. And I know the currents of love will take me there eventually.

I am activating myself so much with the Gene Key, I am reading and contemplating; opening myself into awakening by the favor of Grace.

I was seeking for some higher teachings encompassing perspectives from a multidimensional level that would lead me to a deeper understanding of life, of myself.

I am actually seeking to return home. I am looking to return to my integrity and empty myself, as so much I have taken in as if it would belong to me.

Today, the 55th got me. I am free 😂

Or at least I am working on it.

I am shocked by how blind I was and still am. The many beliefs that I have that I am not aware of are contouring my reality. And then I complain and I blame.

This runs deep in my family. This runs deep in our collective.

And it feels very connected to being judgemental, thus keeping myself far aways from experiencing connection with the integrity and perfection of all of life.

Today I found out that what I was intuitively stretching so much was my fascia, feeling very constrained… showing how much I have separated myself from the whole, because of my borrowed beliefs.

I feel like a carousel of revelations, that if I am engaged in one relationship it is more than enough to illuminate my shadow patterns. I understand the need for slowing down. Where I was running, there was nothing really to see, to be able to take responsibility to bring my unconscious into the light of consciousness. I was given the perfect environment to see my shadow and light work.

And I am honest to myself now that I was not in enough energetic flow and awareness to do work for others. Although this work still is, just by personal integration and sending out a fresh energy wave out there, in there.

I saw patterns of how I am addicted to stress and hijack my own nervous system, choosing to consume things that would amplify my stress. Slowly, slowly, my choices changed and still changing. It greatly to pause and breathe deeply, especially when I am not in the mood, cause I am drifting in a mental noise.

I was wondering and asking directly to my Inner Divine Self to explain to me what actually sovereignty means. What does it mean to take responsibility for myself? How do I become self sustainable? How do I end this co- dependency loop? To whom did I give my power away? What is clouding my heart sight?

What is empowerment?

Is it enough to just See the pattern and when next time comes, choose to walk away? Be present and patient, Floriana.

I have been taking in so much of the spiritual knowledge as if all is relevant and true for me. Emptying something and filling it with something else. Should empty and just let God fill in?

Not easy to filter and keep in my life what is really nurturing me into self awakening and ascension.

I am recognising my victimhood shadow.

I am seeing the play of life and how I have projected so much on others, blaming them for my lack, for my misfortune. I am tired and rested in the same time. I have cleaned some more of the inside basement and attic.

More green blue golden inner space, that’s my wish. Make it indigo, violet, red, orange and yellow also.

All is so subtle, that slowing down is a prerequisite to self- artistry.

My Lemurian Roots surfaced some more these past few days. Like an old and new love arising within my cells. The intents are becoming purer and purer. The Spirit is awakened within me. I tell, this is the softest of the softest love I have ever felt.

In my daily morning water ritual, I am beginning to let go of any kind expectations, just being the Loving of all that is.

I wish I could be like this all day, all ever and ever.

One day, I was woken up with: “ Speak for the Water “

I have no idea where my next home will be, but I am sure it is near her body, The Healing Sacred Feminine Water. I have some ceremonies to perform.

I am embracing my Sensitivity and it feels it has a lot to do with the Receptivity of my mind, my body, my heart.

I understand that I am an expression of a certain frequency of Ecstasy. I was made of the ecstasy of the primordial water giving birth to life. But what does the Sun want from me… Everything is showing me that I was born to be THIS LOVE.

I am allowing myself to be seen without expectations.

I am practicing giving love without expectations.

I see that I am playing hide and seek with myself. I pretend to do something else when someone comes and might discover my joy, judge me for it, punish me for it. I am afraid to be myself, I hide myself and then I seek for myself… an endless loop of self- inflicted prison.

Yes, I was a child and my parents laughed and punished me for my natural expression and exploration.

Then I would learn to avoid being seen, heard, but longed to be seen, heard.

I missed and craved for their warm touch, acceptance and tenderness.

So I entered deeply into the shadows of sexual addiction.

I blamed my DNA legacy. I am a victim and I am not a victim. By reinforcing my blaming pattern, I continued to constrict the actual beauty of my DNA.

Eventually life showed me that Hey, it is ok, feel into your pain, embrace yourself, you are on your way. This is the way. Guilt is the Sun Light in disguise. Awakening is not easy, nor hard.

I completely understand people who are living in the woods and I completely understand people who are living in the cities.

If my inception as a human seed and my 9 months experience inside the motherly belly is contained in the wisdom and library of my cells, then can I make now a transfer of care, safety and beauty perception of the outside world? Incept and carry myself again? Rebirth myself as completely new human being, born with activated 3rd Eye,

Vitality, Intuition, Peace and more, knowing that all is well and life is interconnected, self- sustained, beautiful and its people are amazing pearls that I can trust and love without fear and limits?

Can I visit that belly timeline and make some energetic operations? Hmm.

In a way, self love is just this.

I will be born like this… but in the future.

This life is about a different kind of journey and it is ok, perfect just as it is.

I have been under so much stress and unease, misfitting the requirements of the world.

Can I let go of the attachment to my own storyline of being a victim of life?

Yes. No. Not yet. Yes.

Can I sing without hiding and judging myself?

Yes. No. Not yet. Yes.

Some friends said that I am changing my mind too much. Yes, I am. I must. I must return my mind to its original receptivity.

I must return to my original beingness. I must return to play. I must not make it a must. I must forget myself into mindfulness.

I find it very strange that I need to do things to survive.

I see there is a game of survival, of competition.

I am just not energising this game anymore. I have discovered a new way of living.

So, we all energise some kind of game after all?

Do we really choose, now, in this lifetime, in this Earth body or it had been decided when we sat and raised pure consciousness hands at the Divine Table of Service?

I am such a copycat sometimes.

I am so eager to guide people to live their lives in a better way, but is this really ok? Even guidance of any kind feels more like entertainment, always tricky.

I find that being the silent loving witness of someone speaking is the most genuine guidance I can offer. Me; maybe you feel different and that is cool, fine by me.

I remember the community calls from Gene Key. I was in their first Deep Dive into Genius, 4 months virtual retreat. And I wish I had joined more of these calls, but I was too distracted. I was only in the last two… profoundly beautiful to just hear, to just be with other people, to just speak, to just have others be with me.

Was the teacher indirectly showing us that there is so much guidance, so much orientation in the silence of listening just?

I did this a few nights ago, without recalling these community calls.

My friend shared some of his life experiences and within me I decided I will not judge, interfere, analyse, project or get entangled.

After his sharing, he said that he is surprised that after so much talk he does not have a headache, as he normally would. I took it as a successful listening, in which I spoke energetically with acceptance and compassion.

Yes, indeed, freedom is such a deep ancient longing. But what is freedom actually? How do we awaken to this great changing frequency?

What are the patterns that we have to become aware of so to explore this new domain?

Because slavery still is on our beloved planet, just in slight different style. I invite you to imbibe yourself in the transmission of The 55th Gene Key to find your own sense of freedom. If you are ready and resonant.

We are in a majestic, divine game.

It is not enough to know the rules of this game to create a desired outcome. Maybe it is a good idea to even surrender the outcomes.

Still, it remains a good idea to be a human being with an awakened, original and upgraded DNA. And for this

miraculous occurrence, changing one’s Aura Attitude is key to this process of returning to our sacred tune.

With openness& friendliness,

Floriana

[transylvaniatrails-blog]

FIRST SEASON

Our first season, the Dracula Trails Route and the ADV Bike Rider Magazine article...

April 2018 was the start of our first season and by December 2017 we already had a few trips booked for the early spring and autumn...Nick has contacted us in early October 2017and requested do ride with us together with his group from Manchester UK. After a few emails the trip was booked and on April 17th we were travelling to Cluj Napoca to pick up seven riders.

The plan was to ride the Dracula Trails Route https://www.transylvaniatrails.com/products. We had everything planned and ready to ride...Nick mentioned in one of his emails that he was in contact with someone from the ADV Bike Rider Magazine https://www.adventurebikerider.com and he advised that we should take lots of pictures during the trip...

The trip was a big success!

A few weeks after the trip we received an email from Alan ( one of the gents from the group ) with a link to ADV Bike Rider Magazine website...And there it was, an article written by Alan published in the Magazine No.47... WOW!

We made a few new friends and we have been lucky to ride together several times since 2018.....

Full article from the Magazine bellow: What's the first thing you think of when it comes of Transylvania? Castles? Sure. The birthplace of Dracula? Certainly. Trail riding? Probably not, but maybe it's about time you should. Seven of us booked a two-day tour with Transylvania Trails in the middle of April this year. The all-inclusive price covered accommodation and food for three nights, bike hire, personal protective equipment/clothing and guide for two day's riding. All that was left for us to do was turn up eager to explore the best that Transylvania had to offer.

Our guide Gabriel ( Gabi ) collected us from the airport at Cluj and took us to what was our base at Nucet, near Sibiu. Bio Haus Cioran Guest House is a larged timber framed chalet baking onto an orchard with forestry beyond. Gabi introduced us to our hosts Mioara and Emil who showed us our rooms. Back downstairs, beer in hand, Gabi showed us the bikes and explained the differences between the Sherco 300 and the "Factory" edition. The nine bikes were lined up at the back of the house, all clean and shiny, lying in wait for our adventure. "Shall we help you lock them away"? we asked? "No need", was the reply. "They'll be fine here". Not like in the UK.

The food at Bio Haus is home made and homegrown traditional romanian fare. Romanians love their soup and each meal started with a bowl so big you could have skipped the main meal and not been hungry. Homemade wine and schnapps completed the delicious three-course meal.

The next morning, after a substantial breakfast, Gabi gave us our riding equipment, including helmet, boots, shirt, trousers, body armour, gloves and goggles. Most of the kit was brand new and we had to take it out of the bags and take the labels off before using it. We then had a pre-ride briefing, where Gabi told us about the bikes, about following his wheel tracks as far as possible and about the dangers in the forests: wild boar, deer, dogs and brown bears! We were led along a track running right next to the guest house, following it uphill and into the countryside beyond. Gabi then left us in a clear- ing on top of a hill to get used to the bikes. Ten minutes later he was back, and we were off.

I had only been riding off-road for about 10 weeks, although I have had road bikes for the past 40 years, and have just bought a Honda CRF2S0L. The braking and changing gears standing up still felt new to me and, coupled with new moto- cross boots and the snatchy throttle of a much more powerful bike, I wondered how I would cope.

We set off over the hillside quite gingerly at first, but then the pace picked up a bit as our confidence grew. The Romanian countryside is quite ditferent to that in the UK. There are no fences or walls and what livestock we did encounter was herd- ed together by dogs with a shepherd present. Gabi had warned us of the dogs prior to setting off. They are the size of Pyrenean mountain dogs and chased us away if we got too close to the sheep. Andy, our most experienced rider, was frightened of dogs so he employed the tactic of putting other bikes between him and them as they chased us. This meant he wasn't picking the best line or concentrating fully and, of course, he subse- quently fell off. At that point, the dogs had fortunately lost interest in him and returned to the flock.

Once Gabi judged we were more comfortable with the bikes we entered the forest. For most of us, this was our favourite section. It was quite open and well lit, with very few bushes. The ground was soft and loose, covered with leaf litter while a few hills, streams and a little mud kept things interesting. In short, it was perfect.

Gabi explained that most of the countryside is state owned and the farmers rent the land for 99 years. There are some private properties, but it seems by and large that you can ride where you want. Having said that, Gabi then showed us a valuable lesson. After a fast-open section, he stopped and gathered us around. We rode slowly a little further and stopped at what appeared to be a small drop. In fact, what lay before us was a sheer drop of at least 30m!

A short road section through a traditional Romanian village led us to a fortified church on a hill. This was to be our lunch stop. A lot of the roads in this area are dirt and the drainage is by a ditch on either side. Don’t even think of lampposts and footpaths, as they don't exist. Nobody in these villages has cars, but there are one or two horse-drawn carts.

Everyone in the villages seemed pleased to see us. The old men sitting under the shade of the trees waved while the barefoot kids at the side of the road put their hands up for us to high five as we rode past.

We took off our riding gear, hung it up to dry and lay on the grass for 10 minutes to get our breath back while Gabi re-fuelled the bikes from containers he had previously dropped at the church. We were led into a traditionally decorated stone room within the restored fortified walls where a table was laid for our midday meal. All meals here are sit down three course aftairs. Soup, of course, traditional chicken stew, and cake, which seemed to be made from cheese and currants.

We set off again, this time at a more leisurely pace, and after about an hour one of the bikes seemed to be starting with a clutch problem. The bike had only done 150 miles from new, but Gabi decided rather than have a problem in a remote area we would wait in a village for a replacement bike. A quick phone call and 45 minutes later, his father-in-law arrived with a replacement bike in the back of a pickup. Gabi has designed each tour to incorporate as much varied terrain as possible. By this time, I was feeling more comfortable on the bike, getting used to the immediate power delivery, even in ‘soft' mode, which I was learning could get me out of trouble where my CRF would bog down and stall. Standing up on the pegs all day was taking its toll, however, and the shoulders and back were beginning to ache.

A lot of the soil in the Transylvanian Highlands is red clay. Even where it was dry, the farm tracks we encountered were slippery. In fact, when we came across deep, wet ruts (my nemesis) on an uphill section, it was almost a relief to gently fall otf, coming to rest in the bushes, which stopped me from rolling down a steep slope. I looked at my back wheel, which had turned into a clay coloured slick. No wonder. More mead- owland, wilderness, and farm tracks followed and at 9pm we emerged from the forest to arrive at our lodgings for the night in Sighisoara. This small town is dominated by an imposing castle on a hill that was once owned by Vlad Dracul or, as we know him, Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Drocu to. In these parts, he is known as a hero as he was al-leged to have persecuted only those ‘nobles' who were taking advantage of their position to thedetriment of the ‘peasants'.

We pushed the bikes into the courtyard of the little bed and breakfast we were to stay at. Once showered, we walked across the road to a traditional Romanian restaurant where we were shown to our table in the basement. Gabi interpret- ed the menu for us and, of course, there was soup. Andy was intrigued by a starter that Gabi described only as lard. Once it arrived, it turned out that it was indeed a small bowl of lord sprinkled with paprika! It came with a side salad, which he left. All the food was locally sourced and homemade. We left the restaurant just before midnight and it seemed fitting that Gabi gave us a guided tour of the castle.

The next morning, one of our group wasn't feeling well and decided to give it a miss. The rest of us set off back to the first night’s base via a different route, all off-road of course.

The previous evening, Gabi had asked us what kind of riding we wanted to do that day and one of the group had mentioned hills. “Ride across that field as fast as you can. By the time you hit the jump you need to be flat out in third gear, then enter the forest and keep going straight uphill”. Easier said than done... The best I managed was two thirds of the way up before stalling, falling oft and tumbling about torn before I could even stand up. Exhausted after my third attempt, I took the chicken run around the side of the hill. I was learning all the time. Choose your line, head up, weight forward and use your clutch. If I'd had the energy to go a fourth time, I might have made it.

The afternoon of the second day was what life's memories are all about and it was an afternoon I will remember for many years. Riding standing up, flat out across miles of undulating open meadow land with the forest on one side and the stunning snow-capped Carpathian Mountains on the other was bliss. It's hard to keep your eye on where you should be going with views like that.

We all loved riding in the forests and so that's where Gabi took us to finish off the second day, weaving in and out of the trees, up and down the hills and through the streams.

Every now and again we'd catch a glimpse of a deer as we startled it and it ran away. Fortunately, no brown bears though. The second day ended at the place where it all began; where we had been practising on the bikes when we first got them. We were back to Bio Haus for 6pm, where Emil was preparing that evening’s barbecue. We parked the bikes and collapsed on the sprawling porch overlooking the orchard, tired and aching, beer in hand. We had ridden 180 miles, all off-road. Had we enjoyed it? Well, as soon as we got home we booked to go back again in September. This time for three days instead of two. I’d better hit the gym.

The Transylvanian Highlands is a stunningly beautiful area, completely unspoiled. The riding can't be compared to anything we have in the UK. My green-laning experience, for example, is limited to rocky tracks in the Peak District and is completely unlike the open rolling countryside or the technical hilly forests we traveled through.

The whole area is steeped in history as, time after time, the country has been invaded and the various occupants have add- ed their traditions and culture. Tourism in this area seems to be in its infancy and the general thrust seems to be for skilled craftsmen to restore buildings using traditional materials and methods. There also seems to be conscious effort for the tour- ism to benefit the local towns and villages, and we'd implore you to see what its about. You won't regret it.

[bujorulgalben]

ooc: eve goes to romania

oh yes, nailed that cover shot for you guys. took this at the top of the slope i hiked down a few times in the month i spent over there in that beautiful country.

i figured that i would bullet point the most important things that happened on this trip for you. know that i did try to keep a travel log while i was out there, but dear god i was so busy and so, so tired!

in the meantime, let’s get started:

- made new friends from across romania; notably from suceava, bacău, cluj, and maramureș. they were all eager to tell me their stories (a couple older staff members had strong childhood memories from the communist era), and share some insight with me; especially when it became obvious how curious and genuinely interested i was. i was more than happy to listen and quiz them!

for the record, maramureș palincă is easily the best i’ve had so far. smooth, despite still being fire water. i’ve also been told to visit cluj next time i’m in romania, so as to see everyone again.

my favourite romanian beer is silva blondă. i did try to like timișoreana! i did! it wasn’t happening, lads.

- the insight from my romanian friends and colleagues contributed to some great advice the camp director gave to me on buying a handmade ie; a traditional romanian blouse. i met a sweet old bunica in a local crafts fair near bran castle - maybe they were hoping to cash in on the dracula-hunting tourists? i can hardly blame them.

this bunica helped me pick an ie that matched my director’s recommendation; not loud, subtle, but undeniably elegant (”like you”, she told me. bless.) here’s what i chose:

it’s very light and breezy, which was ideal for the hotter days in the cities! the embroidery reminds me of forget-me-not’s; one of my favourite flowers.  

- speaking of traditional crafts, i got very lucky and stumbled across an arts fair at the open air in sibiu. craftsmen and women around the country had gathered to show and share their goods; dolls and ceramics and rugs and painted eggs. i bought one painted egg from a lovely woman who insisted that she was more thankful than i was.

i also bought one of the dolls; very simple wood and cloth doll.

many, near all of them screamed anica energy, but i managed to control myself and buy just one. i also bought some ceramic magnets to decorate my pc with.

- uh.

nearly got hit by a pickup truck flying over a sand bank in the road. the driver slowed, lowered his window to call me a “stupid whore” in romanian, and then sped off. it wasn’t going to be a trip to ro without a near-death experience on the road.

-second “uh” moment.

i got stopped by police on the roadside early into my trip. i was quick to try and pardon myself by saying i didn’t understand what they were saying, and that i was english. i said all of this to them... in romanian. which they found very funny.

turns out they were only trying to make small talk with me. they thought i was pretty.

- teaching kids who would arrive in from around the country allowed me to get a glimpse of the city rivalries that exist here, and also ask about their/their countries’s perception of their home. the most interesting answers came from kids arriving from bucharest (european capital discourse is so fucking interesting) and ilfov; the county neighbouring bucharest.

i had been meaning to work on ileana-cosmina - my bucharest oc - and i’m much better equipped to, now.

- the kids made me an honourary romanian when i reflected on my favourite food of theirs being  papanași, and spoke fondly of mămăligă.

...they then retracted my title when i said i hated pufuleți (corn puff snacks) and that i bought my cozonac for this trip from a store brand. i have got some recipes to try making that myself and to right my errors.  

- with the younger kids, a “cultural exchange” worked wonders for the last days of teaching. in that, i would allow them to teach me a word in romanian, if i taught them a word in english. my accent, that i adopt when speaking romanian, surprised a lot of students and people outside of camp. even leading them to believe that i was romanian. i had to be, by their logic, as i wasn’t speaking english. i wish more people would try.

i got to chat to a lot more with my friends, the romanian translators, about romanian movies and popular media. many of the translators were also political science students; we chatted at length abt the political situation here. 

i’ve been asked to revise my master’s dissertation for their reading pleasure. lol dammit.

- living in the cindrel mountains meant that i got to take my water every water from a spring. well, a hose redirecting water from a spring. sometimes you get small queues of people with petrol tankers from all over, filling em with water.

- i met a math teacher from iași here at this spring, actually! he had previously done construction work in london, chasing a well-known dream, and hated it. he hated everything about it, so returned to romania and to his teaching job. he wanted me to know that “so long as i have ideas, i don’t need money”. many adult men i spoke to here echoed the same sentiment, and pride themselves on their resourcefulness.

- the stars are something else here. got me feeling a certain way.

- third “uh” moment.

on most nights, the camp hosts an outdoor disco for the kids. most nights, at on point, included the assumption of mary; a religious holiday. the weekend after this holiday apparently counted, also, as the hotel lower down on the hill felt the need to make multiple noise complaints.

the police eventually turned up and forced the night of dancing to end early. i recognised a few exchanged curse words.

- asides the fridge magnets and ie, a car icon, and a hand-painted plate for my future homemade cozonac, i also frequented a literature/history bookstore and found some textbooks i used heavily as points of reference for my research, but in romanian. so i might practice my translation skills, soon!

- okay i’m done. thank you for reading. :)

there’s photo posts to look forward to, as well, i promise.

[chalabrun]

after so long (trephacard)

 @oddsandendsandeverythingbetween requested: How about a reincarnation AU where Alucard repairs the Belmont/Dracula manor and just sulks for centuries after Trevor and Sypha pass away only to have these two college punks barge into his castle one day because they dared each other to go in and see if it’s really haunted. As expected, chaos ensues 

Warning(s): G, none

Syfa Velnumdes was known for a lot of things, but keeping her boyfriend, Ralph C. Belmondo, in check wasn’t one of them. University students from Bucharest like they were, of all the things they’d expected on their trip to provincial Sibiu, coming across a Gothic style castle in the countryside wasn’t one of them.

It was a thing built improbably, built upside down almost in the way it spanned and configured like a Cat’s Crade in the sky. Honestly, she and Ralph simply weren’t sure. The reason they’d come at all was his distant connection to the Belmonts that ruled the Belmont Estate still in splendid condition half an eon later. It blotted high against the lowing twilight, and the forest was devoid of birdsong usually present this time in spring. Syfa’s brows furrowed and she flashed a look towards Ralph, the brunet regarding it quizzically, inverted thing that it was.

“What do you think? Do you really think we should go in? I thought you wanted to concentrate your thesis on the Belmont Estate, Ralph,” Syfa said over her shoulder as she craned to look at him. One thing they had in common was a connection to the Belmont and Belnade Clans, something unprecedented, but very cool—she thought so, as a history major. Masters to be, at least.

Ralph stood beside her and pocketed his hands casually. “I think a better question is, why not? This castle could be important to my family’s history and we’ll never know if we don’t try. Nothing gained, nothing lost, right?”

Syfa cast a smile at him. “Oh, alright. And here I’m usually the one you have to caution against these things.” It seemed they were largely in agreement. 

Genya Arikado didn’t think he would have returned all these years later. A secret agent of the Japanese government, he didn’t really have reason to be. But when his superiors had offered him the chance to pursue some black hat hacker coincidentally based in Romania that had narrowly compromised their network just a month later, he’d taken them up on it.

He walked these lonesome before, back when he’d been Adrian Tepes—and that had just been at the turn of the century some twenty years ago. The library didn’t recognize his black hair or his pressed suit, or the way he walked with a modern, catlike saunter as he stalked the halls only a practiced agent could. Genya thought he could’ve waited, he did. That his lovers and their shared family would somehow last forever until, one night it didn’t. That he received word of their demise and suddenly his grief cut sharply as stone. He’d slept until the late 1700’s he was so aggrieved, only to defeat his father again and again, and sleep again.

He wondered what his friend, Soma Cruz, would think if he knew who he really was.

But, he couldn’t exactly tell Yoko Belnades, his associate, that he was here, could he? It felt like too much of a revelation, too much of tearing off old wounds he thought had scabbed and scarred and long since healed, but just a sharp enough pinch and they could easily bleed again.

“Ralph, what are you doing? If you’re not careful something could collapse in on us!”

No…it couldn’t be, could it?

“Where’s your sense of adventure, Syfa? Besides, it’s not like this place is zoned off. Does it look like some bloody museum to you? If it’s haunted, we’ll be the first to know.”

His heart lurched. God above, it was.

Remembering a complex system of mirrors he’d set up some centuries ago, he activated one closest in the proximity of where the voices emanated and angled it just so. They were a spitting image of Trevor and Sypha, a fact that made his heart pound into his throat. Genya pinched the bridge of his nose, willing that old grief for his lovers to subside. No matter how alike they looked, he had to prevent them from finding out.

From finding him. He’d already lost more than he could handle and phantoms of the past were those he couldn’t suffer. Not anymore.

Sighing deeply, he retreated into the shadows. Hopefully, this wouldn’t take long.

“What was that?” Syfa demanded in alarm as she flashed the flashlight over what appeared to be a procession of statuesque gargoyles, their eyes glinting red whenever the light traveled directly over them.

“Your paranoia by the looks of it,” Ralph replied jokingly, only to be swatted at by Syfa who wasn’t having it. “Hey!”

Syfa dashed the flashlight to another corner. “Ralph, there it is again! I’m sure of it!”

Ralph squinted, unconvinced. “This place is old and hasn’t been touched in ages. It could just be your— What the hell was that?!” He saw it, he fucking saw it! Not only a massive streak of white but glaring red eyes to accompany it. That of a voracious, hungry predator.

Both stood in paralyzed shock as a great white wolf emerged from the shadows like the moon from cloud cover. At its shoulder it easily stood at Ralph’s height if not taller, a growing blot of terror forming in her throat. The wolf growled as it advanced upon them, stalking with such deliberation that every step back for them was two for it.

Poised on its haunches, the wolf was prepared to strike before something seemed to stop it. Syfa took a foolishly intrepid step forth, Ralph shouting at her to back away. Except, she couldn’t. It was like something kept her transfixed on the spot.

Syfa’s hand extended and tears began to form in her eyes, disarming the wolf whose snarl fell and its shock registered in the whites of its eyes, too. “Why do I feel like I know you? Why does my heart ache to look at you?” she thought aloud, the wolf’s defensive stance seeming to dissolve away like their fear. She was almost poised to touch its snout before Ralph seized her hand.

“Syfa, we have to leave, now!”

“Huh?” was all she could muster as Ralph led them in a headlong dash down through the grand foyer and out the entrance, through the dismal night that swallowed them up again. Ralph never looked back while Syfa kept throwing looks over her shoulder at the wolf.

“Ralph, did I just imagine that?” she asked him once they were safely away and deep in the woods, on the hiker’s trail, in stunned silence moments later.

The brunet looked troubled, eyebrows furrowing. “No, you didn’t. It was like the wolf was familiar, somehow. Did you feel it? Grief instead of fear?”

“Yeah, but I don’t understand. I’ve never been here in my life.”

“Neither have I,” Ralph agreed, folding his arms at the looming shadow.

“…Let’s get back to the hotel. I don’t want to be out here any longer than we have to be.”

“Agreed. Strangely familiar wolves, included.”

[bawzer14]

Our parents taught us to be responsible ever since we were little kids. They told us that whenever we make a mistake, we should own up to it and claim all repsonsibility for our actions. But overall, what does responsibility mean?

“The state or fact of being accountable or to blame for something” says the disctionary definition. However, what is the true meaning of responsibility? From my experience, showing that you are willing to take responsibility shows a true, strong character. Being responsible can also mean that you keep your house tidy and know how to keep things clean, that you can take care of yourself and the things around you but being able to own up to your actions when you made a mistake means you have a lot of courage. 

I remember when I was in highschool in freshman year and we went in a schooltrip to Sibiu. We were young and we wanted to have as much fun as possible so when the night came we bursted into the stores and bought all the liquor that we can find. We ended up getting wasted that night in a five-star hotel with our teachers watching us as we threw up. In the morning, our class master was furious and we did not know what to do. Eventually, we walked up to him after we ate, we admitted our mistake and we were expecting him to call our parents. But he did not. Even though he was furious with us, he appreciated that we took responsibility and he let us off the hook. However we were still banned from going to the next school trip with him. :)))))

What I’m trying to say is that we could have ended up in a lot of trouble because of this little stunt that we pulled if our class master would have called our parents. That day I learned a very important lesson. Besides the fact that underage drinking should stay illegal, the fact that we chose to own up to what we did and accept all the punishment that came with it must have impressed our class master since even though he was mad he did not call our parents. Even though I got lucky, from that day I always took responsibility even for the smallest things. This is a light example that I’m showing, but there are more serious situations in which taking responsibility proves vital. 

After we came home, we could not believe what had happened. Me and my classmates talked for months about this and whenever we remembered we had a smile plastered on our faces. All of us got taught somethings that day and we still reminisce about those moments when we gather together.  

[traveladv86]

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More About Romanian Travel

It was later on extended and enlarged in the 14th century. Every July a Medieval Festival takes place in the old castle. The landmark of the city is The Clock Tower, a 64 meter (210 foot) high tower develop in 1556. Loading ... .

Found in the Bucegi Mountains, the Sphinx and Babele are two frequently visited natural rock formations. Created by wind and rain, the formations lie about a 10-minute walk from one another at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters. The Sphinx was found around 1900. However, it obtained its name, which describes the Excellent Sphinx of Bucegi Mountains, Romania .

( Last Upgraded On: November 18, 2019) Checking out Romania shocked me and influenced me. A nation that brings more "Why would you go there; What's in Romania?" versus "OH! I've constantly desired to check out Romania!" I was identified to visit and see what it was all about. And of all of the places to go to in Romania, I make certain that I came upon a few of the best.

It's a beautiful and interesting nation rich in history and culture. Where it's thriving capital city, Bucharest, compares to many other capital cities around Europe. Yet it's countryside boasts fairytale towns, cows and sheeps causing roadblocks, residents navigating in horse drawn wagons, and a huge selection of hitchhikers trying to get from location to place.

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If you check out Romania and only see Bucharest, it's similar to going to the United States and just seeing Los Angeles (seriously, don't do that). You're missing what makes Romania-- Romania. And who understands, if you slow down, go off the beaten path, and take your time ... your trip to Romania might be your preferred journey to date! Wondering if you should check out Bucharest? Read my thoughts on Romania's capital city.

Instead, head to these four fairy tale towns surely to leave you in wonder and making you desire to see and discover more. Brașov is located in Transylvania and is many times referred to as Romania's "most romantic town". Nestled in the Carpathian Mountains, Brașov is easy to fall for.

Coffee shops dot the walkways. It's little enough that you can get a good feel in a few days, yet it's big enough to slow down and spend time. Ride the Tampa Cable Television Cars and truck up the mountain for views over Brașov. Take an excursion to Bran Castle and Râșnov Fortress.

The closest airports are Bucharest-- 96 miles south; and Sibiu-- 97 miles west. Trying to find more info about Brașov? Have a look at How to Visit Brașov in 2 days . Of all the quaint towns I've remained in, there's absolutely nothing rather like Sighișoara. An extremely village comprised of one primary square and several snaking alleys; Sighișoara is a picturesque location to invest the afternoon.

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While going to ensure to stroll to the top of the Sighișoara Castle for views over the city and maybe invest time in the 500+ years of age wine rack Romanian Holidays at Teo's. Likewise found in the heart of Romania and the middle of Transylvania, Sighișoara is located just 72 miles northwest from Brașov.

Where the extraordinary Peleș Castle Complex is discovered, Sinaia isn't to be missed out on. It's a mountainous town surrounded by ski trails and is worth it to drop in for a fast afternoon. While you can invest the night, there are numerous hotels around, I discover it rather lovely to visit the castle and leave.

Also located in Transylvania, Sinaia is just 68 miles north of Bucharest's airport and 30 miles south of Brașov. A town occupied by 450 people, Viscri draws visitors for its special fortified church. Dirt roadways result in Viscri with cows and sheep typically triggering traffic jams. You get a real taste of the Romanian countryside right prior to you pop into a town of colored houses, shops, and of course the Viscri Fortified Church.

To this day the church is used once a month by the people of Viscri. While Viscri doesn't should have a stay over night but it definitely should have a visit if just for an hour as you pass by. It lies in between Brașov and Sighișoara making it a good place to leave the automobile and extend your legs.

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Places that are a bit more under the radar. Where you can find out the history and culture as locals welcome you to town. I encourage you to step off the beaten path, get out of your own way, and see for yourself that there are numerous magical locations to go to in Romania.

If you're plan to go to all four towns I 'd advise flying into Bucharest, leasing an automobile and heading south to Sinaia. From Sinaia head to Brașov, then Viscri, with your final stopping point being Sighișoara. OR do this journey in the opposite direction. For a more in-depth schedule make sure to examine out The 8 Day Vacay-- Romania .

passportsandpreemies Kylee divides her time in between being a NICU nurse and solo tourist. Investing half her time at the bedside, Kylee has been taking care of premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care System for five years now. She started Passports and Preemies in 2017 to reach nurses and advocate for the avoidance of nurse burnout by traveling.

28. The Black Sea Coast The beautiful water body and sea present in between Eastern Europe, Western Asia, the Balkans, and the Caucasus offers significant sight-seeing goals. The Black Sea Coast is the only water body in Romania which is a contribution from significant magnificent rivers which consist of Don, Dnieper, Rioni, Dniester, Danube, and Southern Bug.

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It has a volume of 547,000 km sq. and the depth is a maximum of 2,212 m. Both the dynamic and active marine communities are supported by the sea. The tropic groups, autotrophic algae, diatoms, dinoflagellates can be easily situated in the Black Sea. Within the water body, a wide variety of animal types is present, consisting of Typical Carp, Zebra Mussel, Round Goby, marine megafaunas, and aquatic mammals.

[getawaymakers26-blog]

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Fascination About Romanian Vacations

It's not particularly the most safe city on Earth, however hey, this is a huge, busy, and contemporary metropolitan area we're discussing here, not a quaint, postcard-perfect town in Switzerland. The architecture throughout the city is a striking mix of ages and styles, with grand boulevards, medieval cobbled streets, Art Deco masterpieces, and Baroque palaces bringing life and color to the dull grey blocks and profane palace that Ceausescu has cursed us with.

In terms of home entertainment, the world-famous Romanian Athenaeum offers wonderful concerts carried out by George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and other prestigious artists from throughout the world, while the charming Lipscani district in Bucharest Old Town lures visitors with its vibrant mix of art galleries, hip cafés, and antique shops that line the narrow cobblestone streets.

With a hectic port and a bunch of museums, stores, bars, and restaurants, Constanta-- the vacation to the Romanian beachfront, is an excellent base if you wish to explore the location. Nearly glued to it lies the upmarket resort of Mamaia-- the country's premier summer season location. Here, a long strip of fine golden sand lined up with elegant hotels draws in the young and hip with its water sports centers, attractive beach clubs, and upscale celebration atmosphere.

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Similarly dynamic, however substantially more economical is Costinesti, whose excellent beach and subtle student vibe draw an eclectic crowd of rowdy teenagers and young people searching for fun in the sun and boogie nights. Other popular destinations on the Romanian Black Sea Coast include Neptun, Olimp, Navodari, the spa towns of Mangalia and Eforie Nord, as well as Vama Veche-- known for its hippie atmosphere and rustic surroundings.

Of unique interest is the village of Adamclisi, where can be discovered Tropaeum Traiani-- an amazing monolith integrated in 109 in order to celebrate the success of Roman Emperor Trajan over Decebalus and the Dacians, in the Fight of Tapae.

Last updated on July 13, 2019 in Located on the Balkan Peninsula, Romania is a nation of contrasts. The former Eastern Bloc nation has, throughout the years, came from the Romans who offered the nation its name, the Hungarians and the Ottomans. It is filled with quaint old towns, mountain resorts that use great snowboarding, and a blossoming art neighborhood.

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History is something that Romania is definitely not short of. Middle ages castles dot the country-- notably in Sighişoara, which is filled with historic structures and Gothic-era, cobblestoned old quarters. You'll find a lot more history in Brașov, where-- if you actually do would like to know where Dracula really lived-- you'll find the 14th-century Bran Castle to find out about more than simply legends.

Here's an appearance at the very best places to visit in Romania: Click to increase the size of wikipedia/ Goliath Most of the Danube Delta, Europe's second largest river delta, lies in Romania. Initially part of the Black Sea, the Danube Delta is a great location to observe nature. It is home to numerous unique types of plants and animals in Europe, in addition to contains 23 different environments, including a few of the world's largest wetlands.

flickr/archer 10 Home to the nation's biggest university, Cluj-Napoca is thought about the unofficial capital of the historical area of Transylvania. The city, which pre-dates the Roman colonization, is among Romania's arts and cultural centers. House to a large Hungarian population, Cluj-Napoca includes a statue honoring one Hungarian king. Integrated in the 14th century, the Gothic St.

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The National Museum of Art, housed in a previous palace, has a large collection of work by Romanian artists. flickr/Alex Panoiu Found on the Black Sea, Mamaia is Romania's most popular seaside resort. Mamaia is little, nevertheless, situated on a strip of land that is about 8 km (5 miles) long.

Mamaia has a water park, however activities are restricted for little kids. Grownups, nevertheless, might delight in a couple of lessons at the wind-surfing academy. flickr/Panoramas Found in western Romania, Timisoara is among the nation's largest cities, dating back to the early 13th century. Once part of the Ottoman Empire, it was the very first European city to have electrical street lights.

Unlike many European cathedrals, the Timișoara Orthodox Cathedral was only developed in the 20th century, but the main, noteworthy for its 11 towers, houses numerous historic religious items in addition to classic icon paintings. wikipedia/ Mastermindsro Bucharest is a city that combines the old with the new. Visitors may discover a centuries-old building, a modern high rise, and a Communist-style building all in the exact same block.

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Trips of this remarkable building, constructed in 1984, are provided often throughout the day. Likewise not to be missed in Bucharest is the old town center with its narrow cobblestone streets and old structures, including middle ages churches. Find out more: Bucharest Attractions wikipedia/ Geluxc Sinaia is a mountain resort town that matured around a monastery that was called for Mount Sinai.

King Charles I constructed his summer season house, known as Peles Castle, near here; it also is a popular traveler attraction. The town is noted for having quite flowers, however visitors who pick them can discover themselves in hot water, as this is not allowed. wikipedia/ Petr Sporer Amongst the most attractive destinations of Romania are the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina in the northeastern part of the country.

The best-preserved are the abbeys in Humor, Moldovita, Patrauti, Probota, Suceava, Sucevita, and Voronet. wikipedia/ Doru 10stefan Found in main Romania, Brasov boasts whatever from Learn more vibrant modern city life to vintage beauty and fascinating landscapes. Surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, the city is considered a mountain resort, with snowboarding and ice skating centers.

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Visitors also might wish to take a walk down Rope Street, which is the narrowest street in the nation. flickr/Camil G Sibiu, when part of Hungary, goes back to the early 12th century. The city is located in Transylvania, an area that is related to vampires, including Dracula, but it's extremely not likely that visitors will stumble upon any in this day and age.

[lemmeg0]

Balea Lake in winter, a day trip from Sibiu

Balea lake is a glacier lake close to Sibiu. It takes about an hour to get there by car. Situated at the height of 2,034 m in the Fagaras mountains, it is covered with snow for most part. In summer, you can drive to it via the Transfăgărășan road. We really wanted to drive through the Transfăgărășan road, but it is open only from July to September, unfortunately, due to heavy snow. If you happen to be here during that time, it should be in your list. It was featured in the British TV show, Top Gear and the host Jeremy Clarkson said that it’s the best road in the world. 

If it is not accessible by car during the most part of the year, how can you reach it? Well, it’s easy. You take a cable car from the Bâlea Cascadă chalet. You can either drive to the Bâlea Cascadă chalet or take a bus, which is kinda expensive. We did not have a car in Sibiu and our Airbnb host, Dumitru, happened to be a certified guide too. We decided we will go on a day trip with him. We first started with the Balea Lake and then we visited some traditional Romanian villages of Marginimea Sibiului. Marginimea Sibiului is an area of 18 villages. We did not visit all the 18 villages obviously, but our guide showed us the interesting ones, which I would mention in my next post. Dumitru should be your number choice if you are looking for a guide in Sibiu. He is super friendly and it doesn’t feel you are with a guide. He made our trip to both Balea and the villages very meaningful. His rate is pretty decent too compared to other tours. He charged us 100 euros whereas other guides were asking for 160 euros for the same tour. You can contact him on his facebook page. If you decide to have a tour with him, do let me know. I have a 10% discount voucher which he gave us since we had a tour with him. 

We started our tour at 10 AM, with Dumitru picking us up from our apartment, which he owns. We drove to the Balea Cascada. It was a beautiful drive. We got to see the countryside of Romania. After getting there, we immediately went to the cable car office. Cable car costs 30 Lei one way, which is about 7 euros. Kinda expensive in terms of how things are not expensive in Romania, but it’s worth it. We had to wait a bit for the cable car as there were not 10 people. 

There were two more girls behind us. We got to know them while waiting. One of them was from California living in Israel, and the other one was from Malta. She was the first person from Malta I had ever met. Nice girl. We got on the cable car at 12 PM and OMG, what a spectacular view we had. The whole ground being covered with heavy snow and it felt we are approaching the white mountains. Our guide showed us the Transfăgărășan road below, which was layered with heavy snow, but we managed to see a small part of it. 

Transfăgărășan road visible from our cable car

It was about a 10 minute ride to the top. There was so much snow and obviously, we couldn’t see the Balea lake, but we have no regrets. It was just so beautiful. There is an ice hotel and an ice church. We did not go inside as it was April and ice was kinda melting. Our guide told us it might not be safe. We did have a look from the outside though, and they both looked interesting. Our guide also mentioned people come here in their fancy wedding dresses to get married. Crazy! 

Ice hotel

This is a perfect place for a lot of winter sports. We saw a lot of snowmobiling and skiing. 

They snowmobiling on top of the Balea lake, which is covered with snow and some ice

We wanted to up on the mountains, but it was not possible as we had no special gears, but it is possible to hike up if you proper shoes and hiking poles.

If you are in Sibiu, and looking for half a day trip, you should definitely check out the Balea Lake. 

[chaletnz]

Romania: Sibiu

There was some cool street art when the bus drove into Sibiu but I didn't really know where I was and just wanted to find my hostel so I took a local bus towards the old town and then had to walk quite a way in to find my hostel. I checked in with a really friendly guy called Michael from Munich who was volunteering at the hostel on his long bike ride across Europe. I pushed myself to get out and walk around the city while the sun was out and skies were blue because I figured that any day now the weather would change for the wintry cold and grey that I had expected from Romania in October. In the centre of the city I passed many of the houses with "eyes" that Sibiu has become infamous for, as well as some quaint market stalls, Liar's Bridge, a park and some towers more on the outskirts of the old town. On the long pedestrian street I was taking photos of some of the buildings when suddenly there was yelling and screaming from the other side of the road. A gypsy woman and her son seemed to be fighting in the street; the little boy was probably only about five years old but he was tackling his mother to the ground and trying to run away as she grabbed onto his clothing. Passersby stopped to intervene and very quickly a large crowd had formed and emergency services had been called. The boy kept trying to run away and a man had stepped in to hold him under control until two ambulance officers arrived to collect them both. After all the drama I walked out of the old city walls and found a small cafe for a cappuccino and walked around a large mall area where there was a wall with an art piece called the "Horizontal Newspaper" focused on our use of social media for news. On my way back in I grabbed a slice of pizza for 4 lei and sat in the square to watch the sun set over the old town. I headed back to the hostel to chill for a few hours chatting with Michael, and an American guy that appeared so stupid that he actually sounded like a non native English speaker despite the fact it was his first and only language. And to trump that guy, there was another guy that wanted to loudly play the guitar and sing (badly) and dominate the whole common area until Michael told him to stop. I headed back out to a small shopping complex that had some street food shops and I had a pulled pork burger, chips and a drink for 28 lei at a place called Urban Food. They were very friendly guys working there that asked me all about my trip while I was sitting in there to eat. It was a really cold night so I stayed in and had some extra rest sleeping without setting an alarm for the morning.

My original plan had been to visit Bran Castle from Sibiu but I couldn't find a suitable tour so I'd mentally reallocated that activity to my time in Bucharest which meant I had an extra day to fill in Sibiu. I took it easy as I felt I'd seen most of it yesterday. I ventured out for a cappuccino at Hug The Mug which was super crowded because it was so cold outside. Luckily I managed to grab a table inside to warm up after the walk with my coffee before bracing the cold again for some more sightseeing and photo taking. I bought a supermarket sandwich and yoghurt for my lunch and ate it at the hostel while I talked to Michael and he gave me a letter to pass on to his friend that works in the hostel that I will stay in when I'm in Munich. After eating I struggled for some time trying to book myself a ride to Bucharest on Blablacar for tomorrow and then found myself a little bored so I took the bus in the rain to the shopping centre where I bought some chocolates to take back to Germany for my Romanian friend Carmen, and somehow resisted the urge to buy new shoes. In the evening I also opted for a cooked dinner of instant noodles and then watched some Netflix once I had finally secured a ride to the Romanian capital for the morning!

[fashionphotograpybg]

Churches Of Transylvania

One of the three historical provinces of Romania, Transylvania features a vast tableland dominated by undulating hills covered with orchards, vineyards, and huge untouched forests. In this picturesque scenery, countless fortified churches tucked away in side valleys create a unique architectural style present only in this part of Europe. A fast way to visit a few accessible key sights requires only a car, but you will get a better understanding of the region’s history and traditions if you cycle between villages. Here’s why you should cycle to the fortified churches in Transylvania.

There’s more to Transylvania than Dracula

Vlad III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, may have been the inspiration for the fictitious Dracula character, but Transylvania has an intriguing history that goes well beyond a bloodthirsty 15th-century prince. The region has always been at the crossroads of various ethnic groups and nations. Eight hundred years ago, the Hungarian King Géza II invited Saxon settlers to populate the southeastern part of Transylvania for religious, economic, and defensive matters.

The newcomers built around 300 settlements — the most important of which later developed into cities — each one centered around a church gradually fortified with tenable, high walls and defense towers. In some regions, Saxon villages with fortified churches alternate with Romanian shepherds villages and create a unique cultural mix.

If you cycle through the countryside surrounding the medieval city of Sibiu, you’ll discover a diverse scenery punctuated by both defense towers of the fortified churches and scattered shepherds settlements at the foot of the mountains. The region is called Mărginimea Sibiului, which means “At the margins of Sibiu.” You can explore Cristian, Orlat, and Sibiel villages, key stops in this region, as a cycling day trip from Sibiu.

You can choose from a wide range of routes

Nowadays, over 160 Germanic Saxon villages with fortified churches still exist in the southeastern part of Transylvania. With so many churches to choose from, you can create your own unique cycling route. Likewise, if you have already been in the region, you can easily explore alternative routes and discover new places.

In terms of planning, you can set your base camp in one of the big cities where German settlers lived hundreds of years ago — like Mediaș, Sighișoara, Sibiu, or Brașov. From there, you can cycle on different day trips throughout the surrounding countryside. Or you can embark on a longer cycling trip of two, three, or even seven days and stay overnight in lesser-known, more remote villages.

One of the popular routes crosses the Transylvanian tableland from Sighișoara to Sibiu, following asphalt roads and passing hidden peaceful settlements such as Bârghiș, Pelișor, or Richiș. As an alternative, from Richiș you can pick a more demanding dirt track that crosses the forests surrounding Alma Vii village; once you reach Metiș village, continue towards Sibiu on an asphalt road passing the villages of Alțâna and Nocrich.

[transylvaniatrails-blog]

THE FATHER AND SON DUO

Riding with the boys

Spring is definitely our favourite season for riding enduro bikes in Romania. We love the fresh green look of the forest and hills with the slick trails after a long winter...

We received an email from Stuart in early winter, he wanted to give an enduro holiday trip to his son Harry, for his 21st birthday...How cool is that?! Enduro Tour in Romania the perfect gift!

We agreed on dates right away and Stuart and Harry were flying to Sibiu for a 4 nights/2 days riding trip in early April. The father and son duo had to be part of a mixed group of riders, joining another two gents, Paul ( has the record for the most trips done with us ) and Brian coming from Ireland...

Stuart, Brian and Paul they were all experienced off-road riders and although Harry had very little experience riding a proper enduro weapon, with the tips he received from us and the advise from his father Stuart and the other two riders we managed to do the mileage we had planned, without delays and having a great time riding on their first Romanian enduro tour. From our point of view Harry had natural talent for riding enduro bikes...

Harry going flat out on the hills...

It was another great trip with great people!

After his return to UK, Harry received a full enduro bike and we started making the plan with Stuart for their the next trip...

A couple of months after his first enduro tour in Romania, Paul returned to ride again with us...Braaaap!

Paul chasing the boys...

Mid-day stop.

Normal day to day activities in the villages...

Back in the woods...

Typical Transylvanian village.

Short stop before lunch...

Time to lunch!

One more uphill...

All good things come to an end... Last day of the Romania enduro tour.

[mirelaistanbul]

Churches Of Transylvania

One of the three historical provinces of Romania, Transylvania features a vast tableland dominated by undulating hills covered with orchards, vineyards, and huge untouched forests. In this picturesque scenery, countless fortified churches tucked away in side valleys create a unique architectural style present only in this part of Europe. A fast way to visit a few accessible key sights requires only a car, but you will get a better understanding of the region’s history and traditions if you cycle between villages. Here’s why you should cycle to the fortified churches in Transylvania.

There’s more to Transylvania than Dracula

Vlad III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, may have been the inspiration for the fictitious Dracula character, but Transylvania has an intriguing history that goes well beyond a bloodthirsty 15th-century prince. The region has always been at the crossroads of various ethnic groups and nations. Eight hundred years ago, the Hungarian King Géza II invited Saxon settlers to populate the southeastern part of Transylvania for religious, economic, and defensive matters.

The newcomers built around 300 settlements — the most important of which later developed into cities — each one centered around a church gradually fortified with tenable, high walls and defense towers. In some regions, Saxon villages with fortified churches alternate with Romanian shepherds villages and create a unique cultural mix.

If you cycle through the countryside surrounding the medieval city of Sibiu, you’ll discover a diverse scenery punctuated by both defense towers of the fortified churches and scattered shepherds settlements at the foot of the mountains. The region is called Mărginimea Sibiului, which means “At the margins of Sibiu.” You can explore Cristian, Orlat, and Sibiel villages, key stops in this region, as a cycling day trip from Sibiu.

You can choose from a wide range of routes

Nowadays, over 160 Germanic Saxon villages with fortified churches still exist in the southeastern part of Transylvania. With so many churches to choose from, you can create your own unique cycling route. Likewise, if you have already been in the region, you can easily explore alternative routes and discover new places.

In terms of planning, you can set your base camp in one of the big cities where German settlers lived hundreds of years ago — like Mediaș, Sighișoara, Sibiu, or Brașov. From there, you can cycle on different day trips throughout the surrounding countryside. Or you can embark on a longer cycling trip of two, three, or even seven days and stay overnight in lesser-known, more remote villages.

One of the popular routes crosses the Transylvanian tableland from Sighișoara to Sibiu, following asphalt roads and passing hidden peaceful settlements such as Bârghiș, Pelișor, or Richiș. As an alternative, from Richiș you can pick a more demanding dirt track that crosses the forests surrounding Alma Vii village; once you reach Metiș village, continue towards Sibiu on an asphalt road passing the villages of Alțâna and Nocrich.